Steve Herschbach

Just a side note, but DFX was derived from a Minelab patent that has to be long expired. BBS has all got to be expired, maybe even FBS. To my knowledge V3i had no frequency patents. And even Equinox I think they relied more on encoding the software in a hard to break fashion than a patent, which by nature reveals processes. A lot if the stuff was blocked by patents for some time, but may be the case that firewall around Minelab is finally breaking. Or so it would appear.

I’m not saying the MDT 8000 does not perform well on the beach, and it obviously makes some people very happy in that environment. I just think that it was a happy accident of design, kind of like Equinox and nugget detecting. Just my opinion. But not only does Tarsacci not sell waterproof headphones for the detector, they clearly state this on the website: “The MDT 8000 is IP68 rated. This means you can submerge the detector in the water up to 1.5m for up to 30 minutes.” If you are looking to actually submerge the detector, there is simply no comparison between 1.5 meters and 18 month warranty, or 60 meters and 5 years. I’ve long noted a reluctance in the part of those who sell the MDT to ever say why. People want to bend over backwards for the small guy putting out a detector as opposed to the big manufacturers. I get that. But I do think a lot of these machines get sold on the quiet with no explanation. It gives a false one sided view, and I’d feel like I’m being less than honest if I did not at least try and articulate what the other side is, since it's being asked for specifically on this thread. The MDT 8000 is very much a niche detector, that in my opinion will only truly suit small numbers of people. Somebody has to say it, and I guess I’m the guy. I’ll leave it there, take or leave it for what it’s worth.

All I can say is after having a Tarsacci for two years I’d recommend getting the Deus II. While the Tarsacci can be made to perform, there are various things about it that make a lot of people just quietly let it go after giving it a spin. In my case I really did not like the tones, and the inability to adjust them at all. There is what I consider to be a poor menu structure, that makes adjusting the detector an exercise in frustration. In bad ground there is almost no way to quiet spurious high tone false signals without employing undocumented salt balance and notch tricks, which frankly are just workarounds. Getting it tuned properly in different locations requires different tricks, is not easy, and leaves one never 100% confident the detector is set up correctly. Despite being marketed as a beach detector, the MDT 8000 strikes me more as a ferrous/non-ferrous relic detector. The manufacturer does not even make or supply waterproof headphones for the machine. The 18 month warranty is kind of the nail in the coffin. There are some people who love the MDT 8000, and more power to them, but in my opinion, if given the opportunity to try both, most people would choose the Deus II as the one to keep. I say that having never laid hands on the Deus II, so that might indicate I’ve got pretty strong feelings on that.

Except by yours truly, who was finding nuggets with it in the U.S. before anyone else in the country so much as laid hands on one, and wrote articles trying to get the word out. I can’t help it if people don’t listen. Here are the first gold nuggets below ever found in the U.S. with Equinox in January 2018. Equinox 800, Gold Mode, MF, relatively mild ground and so I was pushing sensitivity levels high, 22 - 25. Three nuggets, two only 0.6 grain each (480 grains per ounce) and one 9.8 grains (0.6 gram). The 0.6 grain nuggets are one smaller, fatter one plus one thin flake. The kicker? I found these with the 11” DD coil!! The Equinox did not even start shipping until February of that year, and I had yet to lay hands on the 6” coil. So yeah, I knew this dog could hunt on my first nugget outing with it. I also knew it was different, and prospectors don’t like different, so I expected an uphill battle. The lack of 6” coil caused me to soft pedal my report at the time, but I ramped it up after running the 6” coil finally. All while screaming bloody murder for the 6x10 that would end up taking 3 years more appear, and still was not the Monster coil clone I craved. The thing is, nugget detecting was last on the priority list in Equinox design. Imagine a multi-iq detector designed with only nugget prospecting in mind, with coils made just for that task. That will be a detector worth having, and will probably put the last of the single frequency designs in their graves. Just so people know, the article I wrote for Minelab was updated with new experiences on my part, and better advice, in the version posted on this website.

This does actually help with hot rocks. If you have a normal ground tracking system, it is balanced at one number at any one point in time. The number moves around as the unit tracks, but it is this narrow window that is the issue when it comes to hot rocks. If the unit is tracking the ground, any rock just slightly off the ground setting is going to react. It stands to reason that due to normal variability, lots of rocks will be close to, but not quite at the same setting. The XGB system combines a wider ground balance window with the tracking system, and attempts to mold itself to a small range so as to reduce or eliminate this issue. Like Simon, I found it to be very effective in some locations, almost magical. However, if you are in a spot where the rocks are well outside where the window can “stretch” then you will still have some rocks that signal. Being able to lock the tracking allows a person to try and balance to ground, and these “out of range” hot rocks, to find a setting that averages both. Then lock the setting in place. It’s not perfect, but better than systems that chase themselves all over the place, with no way to put it to a stop.

Kind of cool Tom for you to have taken a big part in the last good Whites detector made. Something real you can point at and say “I helped make that happen.” When Garrett queried me on other White’s models that might be worth continuing, I came up totally dry except for the TM808. The market has totally moved past everything else White’s made, despite what a few fans of certain models think. The 24K though, has a decent claim to being the best single frequency nugget detector on the market today, and I’m really glad it did not die with White’s. 24K Specs and More GOLDMASTER 24K WHITE'S PAPER XGB - A New Way To Ground Balance The biggest challenge we face as electronic prospectors is highly mineralized ground. Simply increasing the gain on the current VLF platforms might help prospectors in very mild ground conditions, but what about more difficult areas with concentrations of black sand, maghemite, serpentine, or alkali salts? On a trip to Brazil we witnessed a combination of these conditions, with soil that ranged from red to black to purple, and exhibited a combination of ferrous and alkali properties within a 4 ft square section. We saw first-hand VLFs from each manufacturer fail to balance out the combination of minerals. Even the top-of-the-line pulse induction machines struggled in this area - machines which cost the garimpeiros (the local term for gold miners) several years’ wages. Our goal was simple: a nice even threshold in challenging ground conditions without giving up sensitivity. The theory is that the main battle most electronic prospectors fight is being able to discern a potential gold signal from ground noise. A smooth threshold would allow users to use more gain and increase their odds of finding small gold where it likes to hide - in mineralized ground. The issue with other VLF detectors on the market is that they were tracking a single ground balance point. When the ground type changes quickly, the machine gives off a false signal. For a user the result is ear fatigue, frustration, and less positive signals dug. One easy way to mask variable ground is implementing an auto-gain feature that automatically numbs the detector. This does not solve the issue, only hides it. The Goldmaster 24k’s XGB is a new automatic ground tracking system that works by tracking multiple ground points simultaneously and quickly. Where other VLF’s track one ground balance point, the Goldmaster 24k tracks several, and can determine an optimal “ground window” based on ground history and strength. This is very useful in rapidly changing ground conditions, where other VLF machines may struggle to track the mineralization changes. Combine this with the speed at which the Goldmaster 24k is able to grab ground samples, and you have a superior ground balance system for a prospector’s VLF. XGB Ground Balance versus legacy methods With any automatic process, there are some concessions. Take vehicles for example - manual gearboxes are still preferred by car enthusiasts. That’s why we felt strongly about including a TracLock® ground option. When used with the Ground Grab, a locked ground balance setting allows users to set the ground balance in an area and lock it until they need to re-ground balance. For users after the tiniest bits of gold, this option allows for the maximum sensitivity to small signals. One technique we observed from field testers was allowing the XGB to automatically track, and then after getting a solid hit or finding a patch, locking the ground balance for target location and retrieval. For many users this combination will be the best of both worlds - the strength of XGB, but only when you need or want it. The net result of an overhauled automatic ground balance system is a VLF gold nugget detector that can be used in wider variety of ground conditions with a nice stable threshold. Operating a machine with a smooth threshold allows for a user’s ears to tune into those slight variations that just might be the next nugget. Our goal is that our customers are able to have success with the Goldmaster 24k in areas that other VLF’s struggle, and at a price that allows more people to get a taste of electronic prospecting. Tom Boykin White's Project Manager

If you were to take opinions from people like Gerry McMullen and I at face value, one might think the Equinox has got it all over the Gold Monster as a general prospecting device. I don’t waste time on depth comparison quotes as they as context sensitive. Like I said before, the machine has to be learned, and those looking for pickup and go are better off with the Monster. I personally find the Monster to be very limited, and constraining, due to the lack of tuning and coil options available. But as far as depth, just think about how a Monster with its largest 6x10 coil might compare for depth with an Equinox running a 12x15 coil on a half ounce nugget. Which would you bet on? Tips On Nugget Detecting With The Minelab Equinox

I think normally that niche is filled more by university libraries that lean into the subjects, like at the Colorado School of Mines, for instance.

Excellent find for sure - congratulations!! 👍🏼

Anything built and in the pipeline will need updates. Just treat new detectors these days like a new computer. Unbox and update. Just assume it for almost any modern new detectors going forward. Updates are the norm now, not the exception.

Welcome to the forum Gary. Although you’ve been a member for many years, I never really clued in it was you. I really do think your videos are great, and I’m a harsh critic of most videos. Very much looking forward to my Deus 2 also. I have to admit my first two Deus never were a real fit for me, but looks like a good chance I’ll finally be permanently on board with XP due to Deus 2. What a nice surprise for 2022. Any chance of a 6x10 coil someday? Or 11x13?

Single frequency VLF is tapped out. Anything “new” is just old tech in a new box. In some ways nothing much has changed since the 71 kHz Gold Bug 2 and 50 kHz Goldmaster II came out. Either of those old models can generally keep up with the latest and greatest in capable hands. It’s really just been new decals and paint jobs for almost 30 years. My 24K is probably the last single frequency nugget detector I’ll ever get. The future for VLF is multi, and I’m quite curious to see how the Legend ends up doing on nuggets.

It’s version 0.6 which simply tells me they have a plan for a lot more updates, shooting for a full version 1.0. This is not unusual these days. You can only do so much with a handful of testers. So get it out there, and listen to your customers, and finish it up. Think getting a new cell phone, and the constant updates. I actually like this. Many people complained about some Minelab detectors making them think they would see lots of updates and improvements, then just one or two happened, and then nothing. CTX comes specifically to mind. In this case it really does seem to be more a promise of lots of updates to comes, and due to the display being fully programmable (most detectors have custom displays that can’t change) they could completely revamp the screen based on feedback. I’d love a mode where the screen I’d filled with the target id number and nothing else. It’s possible if enough people ask for it.

I use the default, but reduce the ferrous volume by about half. It’s hard for any normal person to easily understand what they are explaining, and I don’t even try. But I do always run 50 tones (is it really 50?) for nearly all my detecting, and like it very much.

Good place to start are these 26 Threads About Scoops. Focus on the ones with the most replies as having the most discussion and information. Lots of photos there you can look at. Aluminum can work if used with care in soft sands, but for almost anything else, you need stainless. Even soft sand creates a suction effect, and if you just want to pry sand fast as opposed to working the scoop, you need stainless scoops and a robust handle. It can be a tough balance getting hole size right. Too small and they sift too slowly. Too large, and you end up chasing small items that drop through the hole - really fun if you think you are glimpsing an ear ring. Finally, always put a strong magnet in the inner rear of the scoop to help capture hair pins and wire wraps, which do have a tendency otherwise to get chased around.

Just the new Legend multifrequency. Tons of posts on Nokta Forum about it. If they think it alone can replace all those models, that’s saying a lot. Maybe multifrequency does make single frequency obsolete.

I’m not having EMI issues outside the norm in Nevada and California at least. More like the GeoSense programming loses its train of thought for a bit, detector audio goes nutty, and it takes a couple resets to get it stable again. And even then it’s more like SDC stable, not GPX 5000 stable. I’d not say mine purrs like a kitten, more like spits like a cat! Whatever, it darn well finds the gold.

Minelab deserves a little heat on this one, and something tells me they can handle it just fine. Laughing all the way to the bank no doubt, as usual. As long as they deliver the performance edge, and they do without a doubt, they will remain the market leader. They can put spikes in the armrest so you have to bleed while using them, and if they bring home the gold, people will buy them.

Tesoro’s all had lifetime warranties, just as good as those old Fisher warranties are now. New Fisher disavowed all those old warranties. Good for the life of the company, it turns out, not the detector! Lifetime warranties are a bit of a joke though. Warranties protect against factory defects, and are not fix your detector for free forever contracts. It’s hard to claim a detector or anything else has a factory defect if it works for even a few years. At some point it’s just wear and tear, and not covered by warranty.

https://www.noktadetectors.com/discontinued-products/ Along with seven other models, nine in total. That’s some serious housecleaning, including both dedicated gold nugget detectors, with no replacement unless you count Legend. On the chopping block: Anfibio 14 Anfibio 19 Kruzer Multi Kruzer Racer 2 CF 77 Coin Finder Jotech LED System Gold Racer AU Gold Finder

https://www.noktadetectors.com/discontinued-products/ That’s some serious housecleaning, with no replacement unless you count Legend. On the chopping block: Anfibio 14 Anfibio 19 Kruzer Multi Kruzer Racer 2 CF 77 Coin Finder Jotech LED System Gold Racer AU Gold Finder

I'm just lazy. I built my own answer list over time, simply to save having to repeat stuff. Now there are few questions I just can't point to with a canned answer from the past. And I always try and remember good stuff other people like you post, for the very same purpose. It's the number one way a forum beats Facebook and all that other stuff. The ability to organize and archive information for future reference. You see good stuff on Facebook, it just flows away and is lost. A primary goal of my setting this website up is to archive information being lost as other forums, and even companies, die and go away. But thankfully we have the internet archive also.

Everyone is all about “more depth” and so big coils sell. I’m more about separation and smaller stuff, and in general with me it is “VLF for smaller coils, PI for larger coils.” But does sound like it will be harder to get the 9” than the 11” initially, whatever the reasons. Whatever, I’ve got plenty of detectors, won’t miss any detecting no matter what happens. And having made a career in sales, I’ll never be “that person” as a customer. No, the customer actually is not always right. It was so nice near the end of my career to get to be able to tell at least a few of them just that!

Blocking ground signals can block gold nuggets, which read well into the ground range, as do many small targets in bad ground. So yes, blocking hot rocks and blocking certain ground readings can and will mask targets. This is common knowledge with gold prospectors, not up for debate.

I'm not saying Gold Mode is not better. I'm saying Relic mode is better than many think, and is not worth discarding out of hand as an option. In some areas wide open ferrous/non-ferrous tones can be nice, for instance. That's all. Gold Mode threshold is a reference threshold, but will come very close to mimicking a genuine ground coupled threshold if sensitivity is pushed high enough. But we need to stop talking Equinox now, wrong venue.