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Whites Dfx..... Should I Buy?


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Anyone that has read some of my posts knows the problems I have with high mineralization. There are two Whites DFX multi frequency detectors for sale in my area with stock coil that are in great shape and will be less than $300. Is there any reason I should consider purchasing one of these detectors? Will the DFX have anything that the Equinox is missing? Will the DFX even compete with the Vanquish or the upcoming Apex? 

 

Jeff

whites-dfx-spectrum-metal-detector.jpg

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I can't advise, Jeff, but I sure like my DFX. There's a lot of iron in the desert soil where we've been detecting lately, and I'm keeping up with my buddy and his 'Nox. Certainly, there are places where he'd have some edge, but we haven't seen it yet.

Jim

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My DFX was in the very 1st batch that came into the UK,still own it and had 1000s of hours of use,its probably 17 years old but still works fine and dandy.But its getting very long in the tooth these days and even entry level machine are better in not only depth but also generally all round.After my T2 the DFX has found me more coin coinage than any other machine/s that i own,i also own a Equinox and that is in a totally different league performance wise.

DFX machines even mint condition ones can be bought for peanuts these days as folks just dont use them any more,although dual freq, they are still old technology in its day having the dual freq was a tremendous advantage especially on high mineral content sites and beaches.But even lower price detectors have multi freq and far lighter and less complex to setup.I have not used my DFX for a few years as they dont really offer any advantage over say a Vanquish or Equinox.

Good machines upto about say 10 years ago,but these days they dont have any special technology advantage of modern day entry to middle level machines.

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There is nothing the DFX will do to improve your situation Jeff. Unless you simply want a mild-mannered, well behaved detector. Plus I am a fan of the White's SignaGraph display, which in my opinion was one of the better display options ever, and which White's has sadly abandoned on newer detectors.

White’s DFX Data & Reviews

That said I have been shopping for one as I am never quite satisfied with the V3i when it comes to running my Bigfoot coil. The V3i was not designed for the coil and it is squirrely. The DFX is far more stable, partly because it is a lower gain detector. It is a very stable platform, but lacks the sheer punch of the newer high gain models. That's not bad if you want well behaved stability, but if you are seeking cutting edge performance, not so much.

However, having shopped a bit lately, it used to be you could get a used DFX for $250 all day long, and for some reason they are now often going for closer to $500 on eBay. Not sure what that is all about.

Long story short Jeff the DFX is a really sweet jewelry detector for parks, which is what I use both it and the V3i for. The V3i is a much more powerful detector. Yet as I noted due to that it has EMI issues and such that the DFX does not have.

The DFX in dual frequency mode is always running in a salt compensated dual frequency mode and so lacks that hot edge on small gold. You can only get out of salt mode by going to a single frequency option. However, the DFX also cheats on the single frequency option, still running in dual frequency mode and just ignoring one half the signal. So you don't really get that full extra punch you get in the V3i and other machines in single frequency mode, where all the power of going to one frequency.

To sum up the DFX is a really nice, well behaved general purpose detector, but due to being well behaved lacks that hot edge expected from newer detectors... which also tend to be more unstable.

 

White's SignaGraph display - simultaneous results on all VDI numbers, making ferrous identification a snap with "ferrous smearing"...

whites-signagraph-display-ferrous-smearing.jpg

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I'm in complete agreement on the Signagraph display, Steve. Wish they had it on the GM24K.

Jim

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Jeff, 

If you like understanding how things work, the DFX is a great primer for metal detector 101.

If you don't have a good mixed mode model, the DFX has a great bumble bee to chase around.

If you like getting a second opinion on deep targets using the DC phase number, which works in All Metal,  by the way....(mix mode tip).....

And you don't need the money you will spend on it.....

I say,....why not?

I get the DFX bug at least once every three months and talk myself out of it because its kind of redundant since I got the V3 but it still calls to me.  

Good luck..
HH
Mike 

 

.

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Don’t know about you needing to buy... but I just did! :laugh:

I’d not fired up my V3i with Bigfoot in quite some time, and when I did so recently was put off by the behavior compared to how I know it runs on a DFX, which it was explicitly designed for. So I’ve been watching, and just this last few minutes won an auction for what appears to be a relatively clean DFX for $260 plus $25 shipping. It has a DFX/DFX300 manual which indicates newer vintage. I’ll dedicate this machine purely for Bigfoot use, and will put the D2 coil back on the V3i. The Bigfoot does not allow me to get the full benefit of the V3i triple frequencies.

herschbach-whites-dfx-e-series.jpg

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  • The title was changed to Whites DFX..... Should I Buy?

That's a beauty.  Enjoy.

 

Jeff

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Steve,well done on acquiring the DFX,mine is sitting in the corner all setup with the 12'' Hotshot Concentric and may well take it out again for another days detecting.Just fired it up and its still almost on full power as i use the RDB battery pack in it which just goes on forever and cannot recall the last time i put it on charge maybe over 12 months ago.Those Bigfoot coils goes for stupid money these days that is even if you can find one that is.

 

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Steve ... DFX..you can still surprise you ... But there's something about those Whites detectors ..., it can't be described exactly ...

Anyway, I will be curious about your views in your heavily mineralized conditions - Big foot should work well there.

In my opinion, DFX uses similarly to Spectra - a performance-optimized multifrequency that will work in a wide range of different terrain types ...

This means that it does not have to be deeply demonstrated on low-terrain terrain - but it will provide reliable results in any mineralization of the terrain ...

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  • The title was changed to Whites Dfx..... Should I Buy?

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