Whites MX Sport Waterproof Metal Detector

[tvanwho]

I will let others be the guinea pigs , like with new cars and fixes, plus I still have a bad taste in my mouth from Garrett charging me  $200 to fix their factory defects on my AT Pro....looks like 2016 will be an interesting year for new machines....

[Wayfarer]

Ok, sounds like the MX Sport will have an adjustable tone break in relic mode, but that it will probably be adjustable in steps rather than continuously variable.  I can live with that.  The rest of the machine looks fantastic.  At $749-ish street price, I will be right down to my dealer (Gerry McMullen, shameless plug...) with all intention to bring one home.  Whether it's based on the MXT or the MX5 won't much matter at that price - I'm willing to take a chance.  Looks like White's is taking square aim at the AT Pro and the Makro Racer - comments have already been floated that it is better in the trash than the Racer.  If so, than that would be a feat indeed and should quickly put the White's machine on top sales-wise.

The only remaining thing to check before purchase will be to verify the ergonomics are OK, specifically the grip angle, balance, and keypad usability/button effort.

As for waiting until they get the bugs worked out.  Usually that's good advice, however I have total faith in White's customer service to perform any necessary upgrades free of charge, certainly during the warranty period, for those early adopters if any problems surface.  Any problems should become evident well within the 2-years.

[Jackpine]

Something I liked about the X-terra 70 was the ability to notch out an individual iron zone.  What I would do was note which zone was giving the most iron responses and then notch it out.  This of course caused the iron in that zone to null the audio.  I used the amount of nulling as an indicator to reduce the sensitivity.  Reducing the sensitivity reduced the nulling and allowed better "see-through" albeit reduced depth which you won't get in heavy iron anyway.

It seems this will work with the MX Sports relic mode as well. 

[Steve Herschbach]

I like something this video shows very well. The detector sinks - it is slightly negative. White's water machines have had issues with buoyant coils and they got that right on the MX Sport.

[Steve Herschbach]

Coil Interchangeability On The White's MX Sport

There are currently around 20 accessory coils that work with the White's DFX, M6, MX5, SST, V3i, MXT, and MXT Pro. It it nice not only having so many coils available but ones that work on quite a few models. A lot of people already have money invested in these coils. It sure would be nice if they worked with the MX Sport - but will they?

There is the obvious issue of the MX Sport using a waterproof connector, and a simple adapter would seem to be the solution. It unfortunately may be more complicated than that. The existing coils all have a 5 pin connector. The MX Sport has an 8 pin connector, and all eight pins appear to be in use.

Here is the inside of the MX Sport and a close up of the coil connection wires, eight in all.

Here are the three MX Sport coils available at this time, including the stock 12" round DD on left, optional 9.5" round concentric in middle, and 10" x 5.5" DD on right.

What are the three extra wires for? My guess is White's is employing smart coil technology to identify different coils to the detector. Cynics will think this is to control the manufacture of coils. Regardless of any motivations there allowing the machine to know what coil is on it allows for adjustments to be made in parameters like the depth reading. This is normally calibrated on a detector to a US dime using the stock coil, but the minute you change coils the calibration goes out the door. With smart coils you can adjust for each coil. There can be differences in concentric versus DD performance that can be accounted for, so this is a good thing from a performance perspective.

If the idea is to control who can make accessory coils then the three wires can sense some sort of id chip code also. The problem if that is the case then existing coils are not likely to work, even if an adapter from the 8 pin waterproof connector to the 5 pin dry land connector can be fabricated, unless that adapter also defeated the id check. Or if controlling who makes coils is not an issue, then perhaps the extra wires can just be ignored and the coils will work, albeit without the extra smart coil functionality.

Lot of speculation based on three wires! Personally I think White's would be hurting sales by not allowing faithful White's owners to leverage existing coil collections somehow so I am still hoping for an adapter. Otherwise at this time there is only the existing stock 10" round DD coil plus two accessory coils available for the MX Sport, the 10" x 5.5" elliptical DD (be a nice nugget coil) and the 9.5" round concentric (be a good low mineral beach coil).

[gambler]

how did you hack whites so fast? to get those pics.

[vanursepaul]

I may do a buy and try at least. I have decided to sell my V3i as it is overkill for what I use it for, which is just a box to drive my Bigfoot coil. Will probably just replace with a DFX again that stays permanently attached to the Bigfoot. That will free up some funds that may go to an MX Sport when it becomes available. Then if I can get an adapter for the MX Sport that will allow me to put my Bigfoot on it, and if the Bigfoot does work on it, the DFX may go later. 

 

It's like a bloody chess game  mate.....lolol

[Ridge Runner]

It sounds so good to hear about White's new MX Sport and all the other detectors we'll see in 2016. I've had my eagle 2 from way back in 1991 and it has something I'd like to see on the new detectors of today. You had two spots on the face of it you could push to reject or accept. Pick what you wanted and wave the coil over the item them the deed was done. You didn't have to go into a program to make a change.

 I guess I'm one that wouldn't be happy if you hung me with a new rope. When White's said waterproof that was something I needed some years ago.

 I too need to move some toys to make room for the MX Sport.

Chuck 

[FishBamboo]

MX Sport coil video from Whites.

[Ridge Runner]

I do believe that White's wants us treasure hunters to be a part of the new MX Sport waterproof detector. My reasoning behind this has been all the video's to show the progress of the MX coming to life. I don't know if they first plan all this exposure but I like it.

  With all I've seen so far I've got the hots to have one.Ha Of course I'm a lover of White's detector for over 45 years with my first BFO detector. This waterproof more so coin detector makes me going back in the past when I needed it.
   One of my sick rememberable times when I saw my White's 66 TR going under water. This was all seen as I fell and my detector goes flying followed by bubbles as it went under. Well as fast as I could put myself together I went diving for my not so waterproof detector. When it came above the water line I was one sick puppy to see all that water coming from it. The first thing I disconnected the batteries and then the coil with the shaft. I headed to my car and started it with the heater on hot and coming out at the floor of the car. With the battery door open and the hot air going I could only hope this would save it.

  Now I want you to know this is not a fairy tale but it did have a happy ending. Yes after a short time I got my detector put back together with the same batteries and I was back detecting. You may be wondering if I ever had trouble because of the fell swimming lesson I gave my detector. Well no and never did.
  Chuck