Multi Iq In Hot Red Clay Vs Single Frequency, Pi Or Zvt

[1515Art]

42 minutes ago, tboykin said:

Red clay is GPX/ATX territory. A used TDI would also be a good look if the price was right (day $800 or so).

Every time I went to DIV it was 80%+ GPX. In Culpepper and other areas with that thick red clay it will pull bullets pretty deep.

It would be nice to have Steve’s extremely reasonable, affordable, lightweight GB PI. But I am not convinced any manufacturers are going to hit that mark with a quality product anytime soon. It’s a niche within a niche in a shrinking hobby, and making plastic coin shooters or high dollar nugget machines make for better profits I reckon.

We need better access to the QED.

[kac]

Never disputed the Multi IQ works better in heavily mineralized ground but for general detecting in average ground I don't believe there is enough of a difference to make single frequency machines obsolete. In heavily mineralized ground where an IB machine only hits a few inches, I personally would go with a PI.

[Jeff McClendon]

in another topic discussing whether the Equinox should be recommended, kac said: 

"Granted MF machines will have more accurate TID's than a single frequency machine but in highly mineralized grounds I really don't think they are that much better than having the right frequency and coil for the area."

 

Anyway, I see that the title of this topic changed a little. 

If you are talking about the Culpepper VA area heavily mineralized red clay, I would want to have a Deus, Equinox and a good PI if I was spending a lot of money to take a trip there so I would have all the bases covered. Basically, if the Deus can't handle the mineralization, I would go to the Equinox. If the Equinox can't handle the mineralization (or maybe a Tarsacci, which I have never used so can't say for sure), then a PI is your only choice.

Some of the other "red clay" areas in the southeastern USA, Arkansas and Oklahoma are not as badly mineralized and the Equinox would do fine, at least it has for me in north Georgia and northwest South Carolina where I hunt quite a bit in red iron rich clay.

From a different perspective, in the highly mineralized goldfields of the SW USA and in the Colorado mountains, the only VLF that I trust to work in those places is the Equinox, with the XP Deus/ORX with HF coils a distant second. The Minelab Gold Monster has to be ground balanced constantly here and most other gold VLFs (including my Gold Kruzer 😩) that are supposed to work in mineralized ground either will not ground balance or go into overload on 1/3 or less sensitivity. I can set the Equinox at 18 to 22 of 25 sensitivity using the Gold Modes and it purrs along as if the ground was mild........

[1515Art]

7 minutes ago, Jeff McClendon said:

in another topic discussing whether the Equinox should be recommended, kac said: 

"Granted MF machines will have more accurate TID's than a single frequency machine but in highly mineralized grounds I really don't think they are that much better than having the right frequency and coil for the area."

 

Anyway, I see that the title of this topic changed a little. 

If you are talking about the Culpepper VA area heavily mineralized red clay, I would want to have a Deus, Equinox and a good PI if I was spending a lot of money to take a trip there so I would have all the bases covered. Basically, if the Deus can't handle the mineralization, I would go to the Equinox. If the Equinox can't handle the mineralization (or maybe a Tarsacci, which I have never used so can't say for sure), then a PI is your only choice.

Some of the other "red clay" areas in the southeast, Arkansas and Oklahoma are not as badly mineralized and the Equinox would do fine, at least it has for me in north Georgia and northwest South Carolina where I hunt quite a bit in red iron rich clay.

From a different perspective, in the highly mineralized goldfields of the SW USA and in the Colorado mountains, the only VLF that I trust to work in those places is the Equinox, with the XP Deus/ORX with HF coils a distant second. The Minelab Gold Monster has to be ground balanced constantly here and most other gold VLFs (including my Gold Kruzer 😩) that are supposed to work in mineralized ground either will not ground balance or go into overload on 1/3 or less sensitivity. I can set the Equinox at 18 to 22 of 25 sensitivity using the Gold Modes and it purrs along as if the ground was mild........

Jeff, I changed it because I’d gotten the answer I needed everyone was a big help and the real question asked actually on glock talk side thread discussion on metal detecting was someone wanting to know if the vanquish would work for him or was he wasting his money, so I wanted to be a little more specific to his question. The previous answers are all relevant and when looking for something new I want to find out as much as possible and encouraged him to join up here and figured making this about his question was in the end more helpful, I hope he follows the link and this helps someone make a choice they are happy with. So a big thank you to everyone this is such a great group of truly helpful and caring members, a group to be proud of.

[Swegin]

11 hours ago, 1515Art said:

We need better access to the QED

All you need to do is contact one of the dealers in Australia. You probably don't need coils or a shaft so you could ask him to just ship the control box.

[RobNC]

In my area the red clay occurs. The worst of it has little glitter specks throughout. My Equinox goes through this without chirping. My ORX also works with that same red glitter soil. The bigger problem for both are when you hit iron in that same soil. I don't see where one or the other has a clear advantage. The ORX does seem faster and has sniffed out some good targets for me in heavy iron areas. You lose a lot with the ORX though from an ID perspective vs. the Equinox or Vanquish.

While I do not have any experience with it, some say that pulse machines do better in extreme soils. And again, the lack of ID capabilities with the pulse units make them dig it all machines. But admittedly, I have never owned one and only go on what I've read.

[1515Art]

2 hours ago, Swegin said:

All you need to do is contact one of the dealers in Australia. You probably don't need coils or a shaft so you could ask him to just ship the control box.

The QED would be fun to try, not sure I need one (Simon might disagree 😀) having both the 7000 and 2300 would the QED brung anything to the plate?

2 hours ago, RobNC said:

In my area the red clay occurs. The worst of it has little glitter specks throughout. My Equinox goes through this without chirping. My ORX also works with that same red glitter soil. The bigger problem for both are when you hit iron in that same soil. I don't see where one or the other has a clear advantage. The ORX does seem faster and has sniffed out some good targets for me in heavy iron areas. You lose a lot with the ORX though from an ID perspective vs. the Equinox or Vanquish.

While I do not have any experience with it, some say that pulse machines do better in extreme soils. And again, the lack of ID capabilities with the pulse units make them dig it all machines. But admittedly, I have never owned one and only go on what I've read.

I have a Deus with the 8”HF coil and it has great target separation but the target ID is probably one of the worst.

[GB_Amateur]

2 hours ago, Swegin said:

All you need to do is contact one of the dealers in Australia. You probably don't need coils or a shaft so you could ask him to just ship the control box.

That gets you in the game, but servicing becomes an issue.  Simon reminds us that the software is periodically updated and that is free to owners but they have to send at least the control box back to get that implemented.  Even before the pandemic that wasn't exactly turn-key (from the USA, anyway).

My impression of the QED is that so far it shares some 'properties' with the made-in-USA Tarsacci.  That is, a small operation strongly if not completely manned by a single dedicated developer.  If you live in Australia the overhead is good, but at least in the USA (don't know about Eurasia or Africa) it's more effort.

I'm pretty sure most detector models never offer software upgrades and most individual detectors never need servicing.  From that standpoint getting a QED control unit shipped from Australia to somewhere else in the world isn't (at least not considering the pandemic effects on worldwide shipping) seemingly a major issue.

And, yes, Steve H. has conceded that it meets his lightweight PI under $2000 request.  But AFAIK he doesn't have one nor has he even swung one, and that says a lot since he likes detectors more than kids like candy.  😉

[1515Art]

20 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

That gets you in the game, but servicing becomes an issue.  Simon reminds us that the software is periodically updated and that is free to owners but they have to send at least the control box back to get that implemented.  Even before the pandemic that wasn't exactly turn-key (from the USA, anyway).

My impression of the QED is that so far it shares some 'properties' with the made-in-USA Tarsacci.  That is, a small operation strongly if not completely manned by a single dedicated developer.  If you live in Australia the overhead is good, but at least in the USA (don't know about Eurasia or Africa) it's more effort.

I'm pretty sure most detector models never offer software upgrades and most individual detectors never need servicing.  From that standpoint getting a QED control unit shipped from Australia to somewhere else in the world isn't (at least not considering the pandemic effects on worldwide shipping) seemingly a major issue.

And, yes, Steve H. has conceded that it meets his lightweight PI under $2000 request.  But AFAIK he doesn't have one nor has he even swung one, and that says a lot since he likes detectors more than kids like candy.  😉

Getting just about everything with all that’s going on is more difficult, or at least provides an excuse. I wonder how much all this had to do with Whites decision to retire? On that same note just read on another forum Garrett bought Whites?

[Swegin]

56 minutes ago, 1515Art said:

The QED would be fun to try, not sure I need one (Simon might disagree 😀) having both the 7000 and 2300 would the QED brung anything to the plate?

I can't answer that.  I was looking into them because Minelab wants $2100 to replace the circuit board in my 5000.   I can get a 7000 for about $5500 with warranty so I am weighing my options.