Jeff McClendon

Taras, you referred to Deus in your recent post. Alain and I are recommending Deus 2 WS6 Master not the original Deus or the ORX. Nokta is having a sale right now with some free items included with both the Legend and Double Score. Some of the German dealers that I checked are showing the Double Score with free wireless headphones for 549 euro. That is the sale deal to look for. There are some deals on Minelab detectors right now too in the USA. I don't know if that is also happening in Germany.

I can't speak for JCR although I do know that he has similar issues as me with both of the detectors you mentioned. I can only speak for myself. I use detectors in the USA where ground conditions are not good with high amounts of natural iron and volcanic material mixed into the soil. The Fisher F75, Nokta Simplex and the Minelab X-Terra Pro do not operate well in these conditions. Potential depth is cut in half and target ID stability and accuracy are poor. I know this from actual experience through owning and using the F75, Simplex and the Equinox models in single frequency, not from reading about it or from hearsay. The Xterra Pro is basically an Equinox 700 without a few features and most importantly without simultaneous multi frequency operation. The only detectors sold in the USA that can handle these conditions easily are simultaneous multi frequency detectors like the Nokta Legend and Double Score, Minelab Equinox 600/800 700/900, Minelab Manticore and XP Deus 2. All of those detectors also can be used as selectable single frequency detectors that will run at the same or similar frequency as the F75 and Simplex. Unless you simply do not want one of the detectors JCR and I mentioned, having a detector like the Legend, Double Score or Equinox 600 which can be used in Multi frequency or one or more single frequencies just makes sense plus they have wireless audio, internal rechargeable batteries, online software updates, and lots of other useful features that especially the F75 simply does not have and never will. You get the best of both type of detector in one, single and simultaneous multi frequency. If your ground conditions are challenging, simultaneous multi frequency tech in the Nokta Legend/Double Score, Minelab Equinox/Manticore and Deus 2 will make a huge difference compared to the Xterra Pro, Simplex and the F75. If you are new to detecting......OK. Buy whatever you want. The F75 is not a beginner detector. The Xterra Pro and Simplex, sure they are suitable for a beginner. So is the Equinox 600 and the Double Score and Legend if you go slow.

I takes me all of 2 minutes to use a fine grit foam sanding block to custom fit the washers for this situation. Just saying.

I’ve done it on Nokta Makro, FTP and Whites detectors when using their own and aftermarket coils.

I don’t own a Gold Bug Pro. Never have and I haven’t read that detector’s manual. On my present and former F19s and Tek G2s the lower shaft by itself with no washers was usually a tight fit. I have always just sanded the lower shaft and washers until they fit the coil ears snugly.

There is no confusion for me. The F19 lower shaft has indents on both sides for washers and comes with two. I doubt that FTP manufactures those washers. They probably source them and perfect fit is obviously not happening currently. I would rather slightly stress the 10x5 coil ears with rubber on both sides than have rubber on one side and have hard plastic vs hard plastic with no cushion on the other side.

My recent F19 purchase had washers that didn't quite fit into the lower shaft and were a tight fit for the coil ears too. I just sanded them down a bit until they fit better. Not the first time I have needed to do that on several different brand detectors.

Check the information on this site about both detectors. They aren't perfect and may or may not suit your needs. Check on the GPX 5000 and Garrett Axiom too.

Found on land in the last three months along with over $300 in US clad coins: These were all found in areas that I have extensively hunted with the Equinox 800 and Deus 2. Thanks Minelab and Gerry's Detectors @Gerry in Idaho

Just launched promotions from Nokta Detectors. Free Accupoint with any Legend model purchase Free wireless headphones with any Double Score purchase https://www.noktadetectors.com/metal-detector-promotions/

The pulse induction detectors currently manufactured and listed on Minelab's website are the SDC2300, GPX 5000 and GPX 6000. There is also the GPZ 7000 but it uses what Minelab labels ZVT=zero voltage transmission instead of pulse induction or induction balance tech.

I have found small nuggets with the ORX, Nox 800, and Nox 900. I haven’t had an opportunity to nugget hunt with the Manticore yet. The ORX has great ergonomics and can be configured many ways including removing the lower shaft and coil from the rest of the detector and as long as the wireless signal stays connected I can just detect with the lower shaft and coil. It’s great for pinpointing and for detecting overhead or on the sides of cuts, etc. The ORX is not waterproof and the wireless signal will lose connection if the coil is submerged even in an inch or two of water unless you use the wired antenna. It has very acceptable sensitivity to really small nuggets, has ferrous/non ferrous 2 tone capability using its Gold modes and handles difficult ground conditions very well. Its audio is a little brash and cannot be adjusted or changed. The Nox 900 with the 6” or Coiltek 10X5” coils using its Gold modes in Multi simply has another gear compared to the ORX. Running the 900 at 20 of 28 sensitivity, it can compete totally with the ORX but the ORX has to be run at 95 of 99 to stay competive. The Manticore has yet another gear sensitivity wise that takes it past the 900 in its Gold mode if ground conditions allow. The Nokta Legend is also an excellent gold prospecting detector that I would consider to be slightly better than the ORX. Both the 900 and Manticore have much better stock ergonomics than the Nox 800 and easily compete with the ORX for balance and versatility in the field while being fully waterproof and having no issues going in or out of water. They are exceptionally versatile detectors for just about any kind of detecting.

The Legend will find small gold nuggets no problem with the LG15, LG24 and even the newer LG30 coil using Goldfield Multi or 40 kHz. I usually run mine in the A discrimination pattern and with sensitivity lower than Andy is using in the video. The Legend hits hard on anything metal within detecting distance down to about 0.01 grams.

I do updates with a Mac. Never had an issue and I ran pre-release V1.09 and other Beta versions for months and updated straight from those. I just make sure that I delete all previous versions of software and updaters on my iMac before I do the newest update and I do a user profile reset before and after installing the newest Legend software. I didn’t load V1.14 Beta 2…..no need since I followed Nokta’s instructions for only using the A discrimination pattern with Beast Mode. The A disc pattern is what I use most of the time anyway. With all of the Windows USB driver issues that people had with prior update attempts, I would not be asking Legend users to do any redundant software updates.

I had to pay for shipping and insure my former GPX 6000 to get the speaker/EMI upgrade done under warranty. It definitely did not cost me $9.99!!! I hope they get you a working 11" coil soon. Found more ridiculous coins at 11" deep today with my Manticore 11" coil in an aluminum trashed public park. These coins are from the time that the park was built and are very old for the Denver area. I am positive that the M8 would not have gotten anywhere near that depth in that park.

That message from Nokta to revert to 1.13 is weird. I am just going to stay with 1.14 Beta until the final version comes out. 1.14 Beta works just fine on my Legends.

Shaft system is trapezoidal and is basically a Simplex mid and lower plastic shaft. 15khz single frequency waterproof detector that just makes the US manufactured offerings look plain silly.

My Manticore has paid for itself with finds already and I traded in another Minelab detector to a great dealer who is a member of this forum and that deal was good for both of us. The brick and mortar dealers are the ones that are really getting the finger. Minelab could show some respect to their “loyal” customers who paid full retail price for their Manticore and gives us a factory direct 30% discount on the coil of our choice or a WM09………. similar to what Nokta did when they released a coil and shaft upgrade for the Legend. I’m not holding my breath on that happening.

A coin/jewelry/relic detector with fixed pulse delay set for larger coin sized targets. It will ignore the really small stuff A gold prospecting detector with fixed pulse delay set for 0.1 gram nuggets and larger. Personally I would like both options in one detector. Waterproof would be awesome.

I don't mind the Apex audio quality or the length of the tones. I do mind it being stuck on 5 tones. When a simple non-ferrous low to mid conductor aluminum coins sized target at 4" deep is sounding off with all 5 tones......that gets old quick. A 1 or 2 tone option would make the Apex a lot more flexible in my opinion.

I love my Deus 2 but I recently sold my remote partly because I absolutely hated screwing on that charging connector and partly because I just don't need the full remote. The WS6 Master setup works good enough for me since I won't be doing any diving or submerged Deus 2 water hunting. I like that new charging cable as long as the pins don't break. Now maybe XP will also come out with a different coil charging clip.....PLEASE!

The OP and another poster started this topic with a direct comparison between the Garrett Apex and the XP Deus 2 on page one. I was going to stay out of it but I don't want unknowing prospective Apex buyers to get the wrong impression. I think the OP did a good job of making it clear later on that the Apex does have some issues in higher iron mineralization. For me it has nothing to do with elitism. I don't enjoy using detectors that don't perform well where I detect. I am too old to waste time wondering what a detector is trying to tell me in a simple park hunt situation on 4" deep or less targets. I don't care who made the detector. If that means I have to buy more expensive detectors because of soil mineralization levels then that doesn't make me an elitist. I am a longtime happy Garrett owner that just wants them to produce a better SMF VLF.

Andy and I both tried to make the Apex work in our western USA soil conditions. My experiences were very similar to Andy’s. I actually bought two different ones hoping that the first one was just a lemon. Lost money when I sold them. I didn’t unfairly dismiss or ignore the Apex. I really liked everything about it except for the way it detected here. I gave it an honest go. It just couldn’t handle the ground conditions that the Equinox, Legend, Deus 2 and Manticore handle easily. I also really hope that Garrett’s next SMF detector will be able to handle the ground conditions here a lot better than the Apex. I really like Garrett as a company, I like the Axiom a lot and would love to own and use an all terrain, fully competitive Garrett simultaneous multi frequency detector.

Anyone expecting the Legend to beat out the Manticore with both running maxed out sensitivity (if that is even possible) is going to be disappointed and also probably needs to really take a good dose of reality with their next aspirin dose. For me anyway, the Legend is an improvement on the Equinox 800 and matches or exceeds it at most locations aside from Midalake's saltwater beaches. Expecting anymore from it is just fantasy.

I have not found Beast Mode to be unstable. I don't find the Legend in general to be unstable either. It is well behaved for me as long as I do a noise cancel, properly ground balance it and don't go much over a sensitivity setting of 25 and if I make sure to take the target IDs for border line deep and for surface targets with the coil actually centered over the target. I can see Beast Mode being a very good tool for double checking areas where deeper relic and coin sized objects may be lurking as long as there aren't any buried utility lines in the same area. So, rural areas with open fields or woods with little to no infrastructure build up. I can easily see me or someone less experienced going after electrical, gas and water line/sprinkler systems using Beast Mode if they use it in the wrong area.