Chase Goldman

Interesting. Looks like an issue with how a batch of the screens were manufactured for the faceplate and it slipped by QC before being put into production assembly. If that's the case, another black eye for ML. The quality and/or production managers have some explaining to do. Hopefully Mark Gillespie will come back too and give us an update.

So that scratch went through and underneath the screen protector?

What headphones are you using with your Xterra Pro?

Possiby. Though I seriously doubt the software is held hostage by the coil designs or vice versa at this point, especially for "off nominal" accessory coils. If a coil design is impacted by a SW tweak at this stage, what chance does it have to perform adequately in the infinite variability of environmental conditions. Conversely, if the detector (signal processing) requires exacting coil dimensional tolerances as ML has claimed to explain the extra ribbing on the stock coil, then I shudder to think of the product performance variability resulting from Minelab's production vendor's demonstrated shoddy production quality. The deal is probably that ML (unlike XP) outsources production and they simply haven't made the investment needed with their production subcontractor to spool up the assembly lines for the Manticore coils yet, probably because they are prioritizing the new Nox and Xterra Pro production lines because they will sell more of those cheaper units than Manticore coils.

At this point, I would just get a BT APTX-LL dongle ($20) for the Xterra Pro and re-purpose APTX-LL phones (or buy new ones for less than $40) to go wireless with the Xterra to save on the $140 phones that ML won’t even let you purchase as an accessory yet.

Would have cost all of $30 and perhaps additional shipping one way to send it in to the repair center to have the battery replacement done and even after you broke it, they probably would have repaired your damage too for little if any additional cost. You cost yourself the $300+ replacement by getting frustrated and throwing it away. SMH.

Never met him but did have forum discussions with him. Was impressed by his assessments of recently released detectors like the Ace Apex and Vanquish. He quickly identified the flawed implementation of fixed ground balance on the Vanquish (each mode responded to the same patch of ground differently) and gave advice on how to work around it. I was also amused by his tendency (with lower cost detectors) to buy a detector for each accessory coil that he owned instead of buying just the accessory coils so he didn’t have to futz with changing out the coils in the field, just grab the detector with the coil he wanted out of the vehicle. His Nail Board test has worldwide recognition and that legacy will live on. RIP Monte.

Yeah, and then Garrett immediately came out with the Ace Apex with a great, modernized and ergonomic form factor, multi frequency, and selectable single frequency (at the time, the lowest priced detector anywhere with that feature) that satisfied the Garrett fan base that may have started to feel technologically left behind and immediately made the Vanquish feel like a retro toy detector in comparison (that despite its feature flaws, was not a toy). So ML IMO made a classic blunder by competing with “old news” (the Ace 400) while making real head scratchingly bizarre decisions on feature omissions (e.g., fixed ground balance??) to lower the price point and other decisions to limit it from competing with its own Nox 600 (eliminating coil cross compatibility). I think ML got greedy and misjudged both Garrett and Nokta with the Vanquish misfire…and then sat on their laurels and watched XP and Nokta bypass Nox in performance and value with the Deus 2 and Legend, respectively forcing them to announce the Manticore earlier than they planned. I think ML is on the right track now by trying to focus on the gaps in their lineup while trying to emulate their own with high value detectors that look and feel like their flagships but come in at a great price point. Now folks who can only afford and Ace or Simplex can get a taste of ML and swing a detector that is almost visually indistinguishable from a Manticore. Great move and what Vanquish should have been.

Xterra Pro appears to do well on the beach even without Multi IQ which is probably the main benefit of multifrequency (it's no Equinox or Manticore on the beach, but it holds its own as a single frequency machine and it's added user features and adjustments probably make it better than Vanquish overall on the beach). Xterra is also no slouch as a terra detector. With the multiple coil choices and numerous user interface and controls for Xterra Pro and updated ergonomics/user interface that aligns with Nox and Manticore plus the Xterra Pro price point, the operational shortcomings of Vanquish (fixed ground balance, does not retain user adjusted settings, no recovery speed adjustment, lack of an anti-EMI single frequency mode) become stark. Also, Vanquish's retro looks and old-school NiCads make it seem very dated even though it was released more recently than the Nox 600/800. It now literally looks like a red-headed step child in the line of succession compared to Xterra Pro, Nox, and Manticore and I wouldn't be surprised if ML discontinued it. If they start trying to make a "Multi IQ" Xterra variant as a value replacement for Vanquish that starts to eat away at both Xterra Pro AND Nox 600 sales. I don't see the business case for it and it would be good for ML to just discontinue the Vanquish line and save on manufacturing, parts, and support costs. JMO

Yep, that was a consistent junk tell there and in sharp contrast to the Northern Neck mild dirt farmland. One thing that I found interesting is how Deus 2 does ground handling. When you and I were out there, Bob, I went with the 9" coil because "conventional wisdom" would say it "sees less ground" meaning that it would be masked less by ground feedback. You on the other hand went with the 13x12 which afforded better coverage. I was glad that we could compare and contrast targets and it showed that with the Deus 2 there did not appear to be a masking penalty associated with going with the big coil. That is key. We are talking fully pegged D2 mineralization meter soil here when pumping the coil. It does not get any hotter than that magnitude wise. So that is something I will consider under similar circumstances when coverage is key. In the woods, the smaller coil may afford some maneuverability, but coverage was the order of the day when you have limited site access time.

Great find Bob. You worked hard for that one and it's a beauty. I got skunked for the first time ever there and that did not feel good at all (decided not to just remain static and dig bullets in the well known CW camp firing range - been there, done that a few years back and came away with over 80 minies in one day). But that's the nature of the detecting "biz". But learned A LOT about how that Axiom behaves near Culpeper with the small 7x11 DD (had already made a couple runs with the larger stock DD) and different settings. Hopefully, that knowledge, plus a little better luck, will serve me well at DIV this week. But you never know. It's typically boom or bust at these events as the CW finds diminish with every visit.

I'm wondering why no one is offering a single frequency higher than 45khz (Deus 2) on these SMF detectors other than the forthcoming Quest V80 which can go to 60khz in single and tops out at 80khz in SMF.

Not only is it "da bomb" at salt beaches, Jeff, it easily nails sub gram gold too! This is a game changer!

Though there is not a whole lot of maneuvering room in price for ML to add such features as the SMF Legend which has as much capability as Nox is looming at $499 MAP and can be purchased for closer to $400.

Yeah but then ML would have to charge $2000 for it.