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Best CTX 3030 Alternative?


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I am considering the purchase of a CTX 3030 and was wondering what would be the best/better alternative there is to the CTX 3030? I live in upstate NY and am relatively new to metal detecting and haven't traveled far to detect, but I do plan on expanding my distance as I properly learn a machine so that I don't waste a lot of travel expenses while learning. I figured if I am going to spend time learning a good machine, I might as well get the better choice and learn that 1. I have an Anfibio Multi now and am in the process of learning what the machine can do and how it should be run. I am by no means putting the Anfibio down. I just figured seems I have a lot of learning to do, I should do it on the best choice of a machine and learn that one instead of learning what I have now and then possibly having to learn another. I don't have a lot of time to learn several machines and can barely make time as it is, so I want to make the most efficient use of that as well because I do plan on becoming a serious and proficient detector as time and experience,also, as many of you know..  money too plays in as well and is why I want to make the best choice now.  I could always resell my slightly used Anfibio if needed to get or step into a better/best choice. Any help and advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

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My two cents on this:  I know that it is a great machine,  but make sure you can deal with the weight.  There is a reason you see people use a harness with those.  My favourite machine is a F19, which is pretty light,  but even that one will start to get heavy after swinging it for a while.  

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Welcome Jbone to the forum,

Since you mentioned that you are relatively new to metal detecting and considering a purchase of a different metal detector, here is what I would suggest. Most newcomers to the hobby/sport purchase a metal detector and immediately start second guessing if they made the right choice or not. In my opinion you have made a good choice in the detector you purchased and it has more than enough features for a newcomer to learn and hopefully understand what each feature does over a period of time. Use this first purchase as a stepping stone in the future as you become experienced and understand of what your detector is capable of doing and if there is features that you find that are lacking in certain areas, then use that information in another detector that will fill that need. You will get many opinions on what detector to have or use on this forum, but it will be up to you and the time you put in learning any detector and that will translate how successful you will be. Also it seems the way the used metal detector market is today, the resell value would not be in your favor.

 

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The overall cost of a detector does not necessarily imply that it is the best detector for yourself nor for the areas/sites that you will detect.  I would put more weight on the person who learns their given detector inside out vs someone who simply goes out and purchases the most expensive detector available expecting to make immediate good finds.  Also a lot has to do with the types of detecting sites available to you, and the likelihood of making good finds on them.

For some people buying the most feature packed/expensive detector available can be a recipe for being overwhelmed with the number of settings available, or to find that they never require all those settings to be successful in the first place.  Sometimes keeping it simple will allow you more time to detect and less time fiddling around with endless program options and settings.

If you do not have overly mineralised soil and do not beach detect, then there may be no advantage to extending yourself to purchase a CTX, the Anfibio is pretty much top of the range from the Nokta/Makro stables and should serve you well.

In my area quite a few detectorists have actually moved on from the CTX to lighter detectors including the XP Deus and Minelab Equinox, as not only are they more enjoyable to swing for longer periods, they also perform just as good if not better on the older sites with abundant junk and iron.

Personally I think you need a few good months on a detector to see whether you gel with it or not, if you don't then it may be time to move onto something different.  The tones on offer is a real killer for me, if they don't suit my ears or offer descriptive audio then I won't expect to get much further on that particular detector, and once again that is something you only learn over time.

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Welcome to the forum!

I’ve been detecting for coming up on 50 years now. One thing I can promise you is the detector you are using is not nearly the biggest factor in success. That’s the marketers at work. I can use any, and I mean any of the top tier coin, jewelry and relic machines made by any of the manufactures and basically do just as well with any of them. The tech is mature and it’s splitting hairs with all the over $700 models these days, and what you get for the price is dropping by the day. Nugget detecting gets more technical but for the vast majority which detector model you use is largely a popularity contest. I choose detectors based on basic factors like feature set, weight, waterproof or not, audio, etc. not whether one is magically better than all the rest at finding stuff.

There are people out there doing better with a Garrett Ace 250 than some other with a much more expensive CTX 3030. How is that possible? Easy. Learn your basic skills which translate to any detector. Coil control and target recovery. Then put yourself in good locations, put in lots of hours, and dig lots of targets. That’s it, just good locations and hours. It’s not rocket science.

So my advice is keep and use what you have. If you are dissatisfied with your results, it’s not the detector. Work on your detecting skills and finding better locations. Or get another detector if you want... but don’t expect that simply doing that will really make any difference.

Best wishes and good luck! :smile:

 

Edit: I hate it when people don't simply answer the question asked. So for what it is worth I sold my CTX 3030 as soon as I got my hands on an Equinox 800.

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40 minutes ago, phrunt said:

I guess I've proven this fact to myself lately by taking an Ace 350, Gold Bug Pro, T2 and Equinox 800 all to the one productive spot, and found about the same amount in the same amount of time with all of them.  They were all getting the same depths.  No one detector stood out as FAR better than the other at finding targets, it's the features that were the differences.   Some have their strong points sure,  but they can be overcome by knowing how to use each detector well and if you're wiling to dig everything ferrous you'll do better than someone who isn't... a fact, so in that case the detector barely matters.  I wouldn't rely too heavily on Target identification with any detector especially if you want to find jewellery as it varies so much.

I think everyone's right, as long as it's suitable for where you're detecting stick with the Nokta.

 

This is a great point Simon. Whether I’m using a multi-frequency or a single-frequency detector my finds all look the same.

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On 11/5/2019 at 12:52 PM, Steve Herschbach said:

Learn your basic skills which translate to any detector. Coil control and target recovery. Then put yourself in good locations, put in lots of hours, and dig lots of targets. That’s it, just good locations and hours. It’s not rocket science.

So my advice is keep and use what you have. If you are dissatisfied with your results, it’s not the detector. Work on your detecting skills and finding better locations. Or get another detector if you want... but don’t expect that simply doing that will really make any difference.

Best wishes and good luck! :smile:

 

Edit: I hate it when people don't simply answer the question asked. So for what it is worth I sold my CTX 3030 as soon as I got my hands on an Equinox 800.

100% agree.  Jbone, you did well in explaining your thought process, which is rare in these kinds of requests.  Hidden in there was the feeling that you were wasting your time with one detector if you eventually got another.  Not so.  It's like driving a car.  90% of what makes one work will make another work.  You already know the basics of how to drive an automatic.  Stay with that to get you around town, or around the country.  Once you've mastered the Anfibio you'll be in much better position to decide whether or not something more is needed/desired.

 

 

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