Which Metal Detector Manufacturer Did Give You The Most Fun / Success ?

[locator]

Hello. I had the idea to start this poll because I did own a lot of detectors from different manufacturers myself. Some things differ between the models, but some things are equal, depending to the brand. To me White's is my absolute top favorite. I like the tones, displays, the balance of the detectors and how easy they are to master and to have fun and success in the field. It is not only depth, it is also the amount and quality of finds and how much fun the hunt was. If I let all my hunts pass in review... White's is the winner. Only very few problems and Top Notch service. Oh, did I mention the fun?

 

[☠ Cipher]

For me it’s still the Whites V3i, but it’s a tough one because I love my CTX and Equinox too. V3i and CTX remain the two best discriminators in my view and I have a lot of fun with their disc patterns and trying to cherry pick. I don’t mind in the least that they are relatively heavy because they are good at what they do compared to the competition and the color screens are helpful, particularly on the V3i. It wouldn’t be what it is without it. 
 

As things are at the moment I haven’t had the V3i out much this year until I find a backup for parts or second model. Until something truly revolutionary happens to hobby detectors I want to be able to keep using it. Even then I’ll still hold onto it as a piece of metal detecting history with an interesting story behind it. 

[Tony]

White’s………the audio on all their detectors that I have used is just so “nice”. They are put together to a high standard as well, even their lower end models. I currently have the MX7 with the 950 and 6” shooter coil plus an absolute mint XL PRO with a nice pancake flat 950 coil, two Royal 800 coils (favourites by far) and the smaller 5.3 Black Max coil.

Minelab is a close second……Excalibur and two older PI units.

[Knomad]

Whites, the Eagle SL was my favorite and first of my computerized detectors, I was amazed that it could accurately I.D with numbers not just sound. The Goldmaster GMT was and still is one of my favorite gold detectors and was great with the constant on screen probability of iron and magnetic sand readout, and analyze trigger, it still has the record for nugget size I have found at .9 oz. all models had great balance, something my EQ 800 can't say.

[☠ Cipher]

4 hours ago, Knomad said:

, I was amazed that it could accurately I.D with numbers not just sound.

This is one of the things that won me over to start experimenting with earlier Whites models. I had never seen such stable and reliable target IDs before until someone brought an M6 over. It was as sure of itself anything. 

[Tony]

My XL PRO has a needle/meter and the ID accuracy on it is unbelievable.

How do they get that resolution when the digital ID on my MX7 can dance around a few numbers……which is still very good btw.

[Tony]

20 minutes ago, ☠ Cipher said:

This is one of the things that won me over to start experimenting with earlier Whites models. I had never seen such stable and reliable target IDs before until someone brought an M6 over. It was as sure of itself anything. 

…….especially if using a concentric coil. A DD coil will lose a bit of accuracy from my observations.

[☠ Cipher]

54 minutes ago, Tony said:

How do they get that resolution when the digital ID on my MX7 can dance around a few numbers……which is still very good btw.

An MX Sport (MX7 in waterproof housing) is one of the machines I was using at the time that M6 came along. The Sport and an F75 were so sparky compared to the M6 that it’s hard for them to lock onto a target like that. Those machines are like, “next! C’mon, let’s go!” There are times where that’s good, and other times where you either can’t or don’t want to dig every iffy signal. After that I bought a 5900Di SL Pro, and an XLT. The 5900 target meter did surprise me. I hadn’t experienced one that worked up to that point. I wondered whether they could, but it sure did. XLT seemed to be a digital version of that same confidence and I especially enjoyed hunting with that. Those super thin concentrics sure were good coils. After using those I wondered why they didn’t keep making them. 

[GB_Amateur]

I like these surveys so kudos to you, locator, for creating this one.  I do see a couple (minor) deficiences which I'll quickly point out and then procede to my details:  1) 'fun' and 'success' are two different things and I have different answers (see below).  2) Fisher m-scope specifically?  All other Fisher detectors go under 'misc'?  And who/what is Wilson (besides a huge sporting goods company)?  Is that an early European brand?

"You always remember your first..."  leads to my 1st and 2nd in the 'fun' subcategory:

Nothing like the fun of finding your first 'treasure' (early Wheat cent in my case) with a detector.  That's the Heathkit GD-48 which was a DiY assembly project (that I screwed up by getting a diode in backward 🙄).  Was still in high school ~ summer of 1970.  Hammer (head only) shown in photo was also a find which I still use today.  2nd most fun (I won't include photo since it's well known) is the Fisher Gold Bug Pro I bought in August 2015 and proceded to find my first silver coin, first Indian Head penny, first gold ring, and first Civil War relic (button), all with the 5" round stock coil.  I was digging it all back then (except low conductive ferrous) -- those were the good old days.

Most success easily comes from the ML Equinox.  Part of that is because I have by far the most hours with it.  It's my detector of choice with others relegated to the 'specialty' category.

[kac]

I like the analog machines because they can be challenging and I tend to rely more on my instincts on what to dig and not to dig vs a VDI machine that takes some the guess work out. The anticipation of something good is much greater when you have just your ears and a couple of knobs. Also nice to run reallly quiet until you come across a target. Find myself more likely to dig a suspect target than with a VDI that may or may not be spot on so I have dug some very nice rings many walk past.