Jump to content

XP DEUS Goes High Frequency?


Steve Herschbach

Recommended Posts

Well, a product article in UK Searcher magazine confirms everything. Version 4 of the DEUS software has new features including:

New reactivity settings

New menu tools

New functions for beach searching on wet and dry sand

The possibility of a dedicated smartphone app

The upgrade does not sound like it will do as much for existing users as some had hoped, but many were hoping I think for more than the hardware can deliver. Tops on many peoples wish list was the ability to use multiple frequencies at once, giving them an alternative to the much heavier Minelab models. It does not look like that wish is going to happen in 2016 at least. However, maybe this post will convince some people this new upgrade has been worth the wait.

Instead of giving existing owners a lot that improves their existing hardware, what Version 4 mainly does is enable the use of new hardware accessories. There is the new "Twin Box" accessory intended for searching for large objects at depth. This is no doubt aimed at cache and horde hunters. More interesting to most of us is the new 4.7" x 9.5" coil option, with its own separate range of operating frequencies. For those not familiar with the DEUS, it normally offers owners the option of running at one of four frequencies; 4, 8, 12, and 18 kHz. The new elliptical coil can also be run at one of four frequencies, but with a much greater spread in the frequency range. The options will be 10, 20, 30, and 40 kHz.

For me personally this new coil option changes the picture considerably as regards the DEUS. I found it to be an adequate machine from a prospecting perspective, but there was nothing compelling about it for that particular purpose. Put another way, if a person was looking at buying a detector strictly for prospecting, I think other detectors serve just as well or better for far less money. In its area of prime expertise, which is pulling non-ferrous targets out of dense ferrous trash, the DEUS also had one critical flaw. Coil for coil noting can beat it, but it has lacked a small coil option. This allows a few other detectors to "cheat" by leveraging small coil options to beat the DEUS at its own game. The Nokta FORS units and the Makro Racer in particular exploited this lack of small coil option by doing things with the small 4.7" x 5" coil that a DEUS just can't do with a 9" round coil. When it comes to pulling items out of dense trash doing everything you can to eliminate multiple targets being under the coil simultaneously is the single most important factor determining success.

Granted that a 4.7" x 9.5" coil still does not go toe to toe with a 4.7" x 5" coil for sheer target isolation capability but it is a huge step in the right direction. A 9" round coil covers 64 square inches. The 4.7" x 5" coil covers 18 square inches - you can see by that why a small coil has a huge edge in dense trash. The 4.7" x 9.5' coil covers 35 square inches, narrowing the gap considerably, while not sacrificing per sweep ground coverage. An excellent compromise, and reason why the 5" x 10" coil form factor is so popular.

When working dense trash with an elliptical coil it is very important to work from multiple directions to try and avoid target overlaps. Three targets in a row, each 2.5" apart, will all be under the coil at once swept one way, but with an elliptical DD coil will likely sound off as separate targets if swept 90 degrees out on the next go.

Keep in mind also that coil area determines the volume of ground the coil "sees" and in highly mineralized ground small coils can do a lot to help eliminate issues that may arise. The circuit has to do two things. First, it has to be able to discern a very small target relative to the amount of ground it is seeing, and too much ground signal masks the much smaller target signal. Second, when employing discrimination the ground acts as a huge ferrous type target, and the ground ferrous signal can completely overwhelm small non-ferrous signals. The detector may see the target and report it, but mis-identify it as ferrous. This is extremely common in nugget hunting scenarios but also affects coin hunters to various degrees depending on ground conditions. Bottom line is small coils often handle bad ground better, and have more accurate discrimination capabilities.

The new coil at 10 kHz will still be very good with coin size targets, but the higher frequencies offer obvious improvements on very small targets. Right now on some forums I see many people commenting they do not think the new coil offers anything of value to coin hunters, and in my opinion they are flat out wrong. The narrow profile will see immediate advantages in dense trash and go a long way to negating the edge other machines enjoy by employing small coils. The high frequency options will be welcome in Europe in particular where many coins in the old days were not only very thin, but halved and quartered to make change. U.S. coin hunters suffer from provincial thinking and rarely seem to realize these detectors are made first and foremost for the European market.

Finally, for me personally the high frequency options have the potential to make the DEUS more than just adequate as a prospecting detector. It may put it in the top ranks for VLF capability, but that remains to be seen. However, I am hopeful, and I have a new DEUS arriving today so I can get back up to speed with it before the new updates arrive.

The bad news? Version 4 software and the new hardware is being quoted for release in "first half" 2016. That gives them wiggle room all the way up to June, and even then a delay could happen. Maybe a little excitement is in order but not too much, because it could be some time before we get a chance to put the new updates to use in the field.

I have added a dedicated XP DEUS V4 page to my website that I will update as details become available http://www.detectorprospector.com/gold-prospecting-equipment/xp-deus-version-4-metal-detector.htm

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites


I love it when you talk technical! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting......but come on, we already been waiting forever :(

I was surprised to see no mention made of the Goldfield program. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting......but come on, we already been waiting forever :(

I was surprised to see no mention made of the Goldfield program. 

 

Indeed, especially since this new coil seems to be very much aimed in that direction. Well, for whatever it is worth I pledge to give the new system a real good workout and to send the very best feedback I can their way towards maybe making improvements in the Version 4 Goldfield program after release. There is probably stuff we do not know about it yet. But if we all do that and are saying similar things than maybe V4.2 will really be the cat's meow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just ordered a new Deus today. This time with the 11 inch coil, and of course will ad the 5x10 when available. In the meantime, still have the f19 with a 5 inch coil when needed, and probably wont part with my Tejon for looong timd.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am hopeful, and I have a new DEUS arriving today so I can get back up to speed with it before the new updates arrive.

 

 

That an interesting turn around, going from saying the Deus is not for you to getting one, and that's even months before the new coil or software is out, have you being put on the XP payroll or what? :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had a Deus for some time now and love it for relic hunting. Not so much for prospecting. Steve's analysis of the possible new capabilities of the Deus is spot on and are the very same reasons I am excited about the new coil and V4 update.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For hardcore nugget hunters, what is the advantage of this? I mean, say for instance, how will it beat my GMT? 

This, to me, looks like 'just another product" with a blur of many machine from the past.

It's always fun to get a new machine but I'm not convinced yet.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nobody is saying XP DEUS V4 will "beat" the GMT at nugget detecting or I at least am not trying to convince anyone of anything. As far as outright nugget detecting performance on small gold I doubt you have much to worry about. But until the update comes out it is just idle speculation, is it not? However the DEUS is a versatile machine and may appeal to people who want it for more than nugget hunting capabilities. For nugget detecting my current interest would be in comparing how it works at 10 kHz and then 40 kHz as I have yet to use a really effective dual frequency mode, and that we can agree the GMT does lack.

I am for want of a better word a "detector nerd". Using new machines and keeping up with the technology is what I do. I have been very honest about my feelings as regards the DEUS, and not particularly liking some things, like the rechargeable coils. I did not care for the WS4 headphones. For nugget detecting I thought it was merely adequate. Yet I also acknowledged it has world class performance for its intended task, which is pulling non-ferrous from ferrous. I do think things in my opinion might change with V4, and by true happenstance a deal came my way from a dealer friend at a killer price. So I picked it up as I can move it along later at little loss if I am wrong.

I hated the F75 first time I used it. It was an EMI prone chatterbox. But I gave it another go, and now it is one of my favorite detectors. Machines change and my opinions sometimes change also.

How and why I review metal detectors - http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/325-how-and-why-i-review-metal-detectors-full-disclosure/

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...