Steve Herschbach

Welcome to the forum. The latest information is that a version waterproof to greater depth will be available at a later date, so if this version does not interest you, perhaps one available in the future will. Whatever you end up with, best of luck to you!

Thanks Simon. I look forward to getting my hands on this detector and sharing what I can about it with you all. I think it is a good idea for Fisher, in that if they do this right they can use the feedback to get the final version dialed in properly. Lots of people have already pointed out the obvious limitations in this version, and Fisher listened to that and decided they are not done. They also don't want the work so far and money invested in the current version to go totally to waste. In my case I am honestly just fine with a wading version, which I am more inclined to do now with the locations easily available to me. A battery attached by a cable might even be better for me than a model with an integrated or attached battery of some sort. I will probably make a belt mounted 12 hour battery for my own use and having it connected via a cable actually makes that easy. Most people are probably looking for videos and depth comparisons. I'm sure somebody will get on that, but I'm going detecting. My main plan is to use the discrimination features and go dig everything the machine says is good, and keep it all. We will find out just how good this much touted PI discrimination is in the real world and what junk it calls as good. There will be plenty; it is a PI after all and anyone expecting VLF type discrimination is going to be disappointed. For me though it is any possible technology advance in that regard that I am intrigued by. A PI that goes deep... I've used those. PI discrimination on the other hand is a long promised holy grail of the metal detecting world. What I'll be doing is going detecting and testing that by showing you what I find, the good and the bad. And I'm going to go find a gold nugget with it just to say I did it. Finally, thanks Rick and thanks First Texas for once again allowing me to play with cutting edge technology! Kind of icing on the cake of 45 years of good times metal detecting.

I have been following the pulse induction developments at Fisher Labs since January 2015. Things heated up in January 2018 with the Manta prototype that later became the Impulse AQ. I followed and posted every tidbit I could find about this detector from 2018 on. Why my interest? Simple. I have a history of some pretty serious PI beach detecting. I've used every ground balancing beach detector made... though that's not saying much since there have only been a few. It has been my perception that this is still one of the most under-served, undeveloped portions of the metal detector industry and technology remaining to be exploited. Manufacturers have produced few waterproof detectors compared to other models, and really only the VLF multifrequency models have kept close to performing like dry land detectors. Ground balancing PI beach detectors have fallen far behind the technology available to gold prospectors for dry land use. The new Fisher model gained my interest not only due to the new potential performance benchmarks promised, but the ergonomic design, which looks to be far better than any other similar options. Fisher Impulse AQ Limited Anyone with any sense should know I've been trying to be first in line to get one of these. However, I have not attempted to get in extra early by being a beta tester. Frankly it is a lot of work and not worth it to me these days, even for a free detector. So my goal has been to get my hands on the first one I could purchase. People who have been following the Impulse saga knows it has been a long, strange trail. The long story short is we are all aware of pictures and specs of a version of the machine that Fisher currently has in hand. The most recent photo is above. However, they have decided it needs more work. In particular, longer life batteries, and a redesigned battery system overall that eliminates some weaknesses that currently affect the waterproof rating and possibly the durability of the detector if mishandled. Rather than put this off for more months and probably next year... honestly who knows, given how things have drug out... Fisher has decided to take the hardware they have on hand and produce a short run version of the Fisher Impulse AQ - the Fisher Impulse AQ Limited. The word is there will be no more than 100 of these made. In the meantime work will continue on a future release that addresses the items I mentioned above. The limited production run is intended to target experienced beach hunters who A. know and acknowledge the limitations that exist in the current model and basically promise not to be complaining about what they have been told up front they were getting in that respect and B. people who will be able to offer good, solid, genuine, reliable reports about the detector and what it is capable of. Not sugar coaters, but people who can offer constructive feedback that can be incorporated into the ongoing development of the detector. So kind of like paying beta testers, but not exactly. I'll leave it to the copy of the Fisher disclosure statement I am posting for you to review and which explains the details to decide what it all means for yourself. So why would you want a model that has a limited depth rating and short life battery? Killer price my friends, killer price. I have no idea what the final version of the detector will cost, but this one will be available for $1499. To me even more important is the ability to hit the beach before anyone else with a machine that few will be able to get for some time. I am a "who knows what the future will bring, life is short" kind of guy. I'm going to grab one of these now while the grabbing is good. What's my part in this? Well, not much. I have agreed to the terms and sent a check and have a detector coming soonish, whatever that means. I plan on some fresh water lake detecting and even a little nugget detecting, and will post my thoughts when I have any serious thoughts to post. I did not sign up to promote or do anything at all really except go metal detecting. I'm paying the same price anybody will pay and the terms to me are the same as you read below. Frankly I feel weird posting this, but I asked three separate times and confirmed I can post a copy of this and that the price of $1499 is correct. I must emphasize that I am not a representative for Fisher and am not making a dime off any of this. I'm only passing on what I've been told so far and can only vouch that it is what I have been told. Since I’ve never held the detector I have no more idea than anyone how it will perform other than to say it is a pulse induction detector, and don’t expect it to act like a VLF, especially as regards discrimination. You have issues... don't come looking for me! I'm just a guy who has got my hands on this info and I have been cleared to show it to you. If in doubt, sit it out. That's it. I will post more information when I know it, and photos of my detector when I get it. Fisher Impulse AQ Data & Reviews Fisher Impulse AQ Operating Control Functions Official Fisher Impulse AQ Facebook page Official Fisher Impulse website Click for larger versions....

You maybe thought I sold it - no way! I am the original owner of this Bigfoot coil and it is treated like the gem it is. It certainly is not going anywhere. However, I have bounced it back and forth between several detectors over the years. It started on a DFX, the went to a Vision, then an MXT, then a V3i, then a DFX, then back to a V3i.... and now back to a DFX. I really love the V3i, but the Bigfoot coil was not designed for it, and it has erratic performance that I just can't really get used to. Specifically, the 22.5 kHz frequency target id numbers triple in value, and this makes everything on the high end, like all coins, wrap around into a ferrous reading. This creates an intriguing expanded low end VDI range with a 100 point spread between ferrous and a nickel. But it make running in multifrequency pretty weird. It also seems to throw the multi ground balance off, which makes sense as 22.5 kHz is involved in that. I really only get stable operation running in 7.5 kHz single frequency. But then why bother? I love the features the V3i offers, but getting solid stable performance with the Bigfoot coil is questionable at best. So I decided to go back to the DFX, again, and found a clean one at a decent price on eBay. Many DFX are overpriced right now, going for up to $500, but with shopping you should pay half that. I got a clean one delivered to me for $260. The detector will be dedicated to the DFX, and the 950 concentric will help fill out my V3i coil collection, which right now includes the new D2 coil and a 6" concentric. The 950 may not be V rated so remains to see if the gain can be maxed out on the V3i. Be fun to get out again with this all time favorite combo of mine. White's DFX with Bigfoot coil

Usually it has been because they have been made for scuba diving depths, and so required very heavy housings. There have been very light weight PI detectors designed, like the DetectorPro Headhunter Pulse (no longer made). It’s not that hard if you are designing a lower power PI, and in fact we have had PI pinpointers for many years. The Headhunter started as a headphone based pinpointer design. High power PI units rely on very powerful batteries, so that’s been the other issue. Most Minelab PI detectors use a separate belt mounted battery the size of a brick. Getting powerful batteries that are safe and reliable for underwater use has been a major challenge, and one not really solved to anyone’s satisfaction yet. DetectorPro Headhunter Pulse Operating Search Frequency: Pulse Induction Searchcoil: 11“ Round, Open-Center Audio Frequency: Adjustable Headphone Transducer: Piezo Electric Search Mode: Slow Motion All-Metal Operating Environments: Salt water, Fresh water Submersible: Waterproof to 6 feet Length: Wading Configuration: 43 to 53“ Weight w/Batteries: 3.5 Pounds Batteries: Two (2) 9V Life: 6-10 hours Warranty: 2 Years

Multi-IQ plus 11” coil = 👍🏼 I personally would also not be without the 6” and 15” and get good use out of both. 6” for gold prospecting, 15” for ground coverage. Between the three the Equinox does have things pretty well covered. I’d like to see a 6” x 10” elliptical or 8” round, preferably both.

I have. And this topic has also been covered several times over the last couple months, including in the last week. The AQ by design rejects foil and small gold. This is not a micro jewelry detector. The 7uS is there to enhance signal strength on all desired targets, and is where the Impulse AQ derives its extra performance. The machine is designed specifically to find the most gold by weight, and not have people chasing the tiny bits. The gold prospecting version will focus on recovering tiny gold in mineralized ground.

Welcome to the forum! Yeah, detector ship dates have a way of slipping. It’s not Garrett, it’s all of them.

The Minelab Pro-Sonic specifically includes an SDC 2300 adapter, which is useless if you buy the Pro-Sonic for another detector, and so the kit was kind of aimed at addressing the situation. Z-Lynk and others will work if you get the SDC to 1/4” adapter dongle. Not included with the SDC due to the measly $3799 it sells for. Really great detector despite my bitching. It it were not for the cost and weight (5.7 lbs) it would be my recommended entry level nugget detector for anyone. Powerful, easy to operate, and ignores nearly all ground and hot rocks. Actually easier to operate than a VLF in the worst ground due to that last point.

They won’t take it from you. And then nobody else can get one, keeps the club exclusive!

The SDC uses c cells. The battery is not integrated, no service required. No swap out for existing owners, just buy the new batteries and charger. Current owners may or may not care. Better for new buyers though. Yeah, same SDC, just new accessory items included. What the unit really needed was an upgrade to integrated wireless headphones. The speaker is poor and aims the wrong way. And the wired headphones tug 180 degrees and are prone to failure at the connection site. Hopefully the new headphones are much beefier / reinforced at the connection. Integrated wireless headphone capability would seem a small addition to fix all that, but maybe they balked at the cost of FCC certification in the U.S. for a product already out for years.

Mention unauthorized coils? I suspect the new battery will be well received. The C-cells sucked. We will see - new thread here.

Minelab are excited to release a new enhanced version of the the popular Minelab SDC 2300 metal detector. With availability from mid-June, the new enhanced SDC 2300 will now include re-designed headphones, an armrest protector and a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. A clip-on coil joint protector has been added to the swivel joint for added protection of the coil joint while detecting. Minelab SDC 2300 Data & Reviews https://www.minersden.com.au/minelab-sdc-2300-metal-detector-v2 Minelab SDC 2300 metal detector

Another prior thread with tons of information....

Yeah, I'm kind of familiar with coils. I was asking what other people who have used them think and why. Expanding my horizons - some really smart people here. I don't watch YouTube, but thanks for the suggestion. Maybe if I get really desperate! So if you could have only one, which would you pick and why? I'll offer my pick and why after the thread runs out of steam.

I’m not sure simply entering calibration mode would do anything as I was always too cautious to even go there and look. There are no doubt things that need to be undertaken there to screw things up. But I’m 99% sure you’d never know it except by the machine being out of whack... acting like an uncalibrated detector. The existence of this feature was never supposed to leave the factory. Geotech (Carl) would know, hopefully he chimes in.

Nice find, been a very long time since I found a Franklin. Looks sharp, should clean up nice. Unless it’s a high value coin I break out the silver cleaning paste.

Yeah, CTX replacement at lower price makes the most sense. I’d be surprised if we see anymore GPS from Minelab however. Too many prospectors with conspiracy mindsets complained about Minelab sending the coordinates of their gold patches home to the mothership (complete nonsense) and refusing to use it. Plus people complaining it adds cost and weight to the detectors (negligible in either case). Minelab clearly lost interest in upgrading XChange after the GPZ release and have replaced it entirely with Equinox as the way to get updates, etc. Personally I loved integrated GPS and thought it was only halfway to being fully exploited, but unfortunately few people see it the way I do. I used to actively try and promote integrated GPS, but gave up when I realized I was spitting in the wind. If Minelab drops it the other manufacturers will see it as a failed mistake, confirming they were wise to never try it at all. That era may now be done before it really ever reached its full potential. But this is a Garrett thread so best to stop speculating on Minelab here. That’s a subject for another forum.

Can’t go wrong. You can sell it for more if you don’t like it. If waterproof or manual ground balance is very important to you, then Simplex. But you still can’t miss on an Ace 400 for $100 And overall I agree with Tom. Despite the price a Simplex is not really what I would call an entry level machine, which implies ease of use. Extremely important in a loaner detector. I used to rent metal detectors, and frankly more than two controls starts to confuse people. Kind of why I suggested a Vanquish 340... K.I.S.S.

For those folks who have used both the 9” round HF coil and 5” x 9” elliptical HF coil, if you could have only one, which would it be and why? Thanks in advance for any responses. 22.5cm (9”) Round DD coil: 13 to 15.7kHz, 26 to 31kHz, 50 to 59kHz 24 x 13cm Elliptical DD coil: 13 to 15.7kHz, 26 to 31kHz, 68 to 81kHz

Hi David, No, as an ex dealer I welcome dealers. I only ask that people be above board about it. And earn the free advertising by helping answer questions. Dealers can be some very knowledgeable people, and very helpful when they take off the sales hat. And frankly, in my experience, simply helping people is the best advertising any dealer will ever do. Hopefully you feel the same way. Welcome! My Policy Regarding Dealers

White’s used to have some excellent information on Findmall and their own website. Rob on Findmall in particular had some great V3i information. Then Findmall had a server crash and many of the old posts got lost or cut off after a couple sentences. Not long ago the official White’s forum lost everything, and when they started back up went private... who does that anymore? Long story short a lot of great information on White’s detector’s was lost. Before people point out that some may be recoverable via the Wayback Machine (Internet Archive), yeah, I get that. Unfortunately they did not archive smaller sites much, if at all, and the archives are sporadic at best. And the main thing is most people are never going to look there. Anyway, it is a bummer. Over time I am trying to recreate some of that lost content here, but on older models, especially posts by people no longer with us, it’s just lost and gone.

I think you nailed it. The ORX probably had the unintended consequence of undermining Deus sales.

Welcome to the forum! Rutus Alter 71 Data & Reviews