Chesroy

1 hour ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Long story is I was an early prototype tester on the Manticore. The performance has never really been a question for me. I've worked with Minelab on various projects for over a decade but I had to bail on the Manticore before release due to health issues which made detecting out of the question for a time (got both hips replaced).

Well done Steve I hope you really gel with it and you enjoy playing with your new toy, hope you have recovered fully from your operation, I had one hip done  so admiration for having 2 done at once.

I also take note that you kept people real on the Manticore frenzy with your knowledgable take on things.

Soooo Steve

Have you made your mind up ? I think from reading all the Manticore/Comparison threads and your own comments regarding not really gelling with the D2, you really underneath want the Manticore ! So have you bought one yet ! its been long enough now, time to dive in and make your own mind up about its performance 😁

3 minutes ago, BigSkyGuy said:

My comment was based on a video he made titled "Why I am Selling the Manticore" or something like that. Maybe he didn't go through with it.

He did, that was the second time he sold the Manticore,  he only jumped on the band wagon again as his viewing figures were hit ! run the machine down enough times compared to his beloved D2.

Just out of Curiousity wondering how many people decided the Manticore was not for them and sold it ! Were you disappointed with it as it didn't live up to the hype ?  or were there other factors that influenced your decision ? Would be interested to hear your reasoning.

Coils and the module are now freely available in Europe.

2 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

I haven't heard that.  Care to elaborate (e.g. provide sources, etc.)?  I and a lot of other people hope you are right.  IMO the provided headphones (ML 105's) have decent sound but are poor at blocking out noise.  Furthermore, in hot weather a lot of us want to use earbuds.  In recent years we've been spoiled by wireless options from just about every manufacturer.  I prefer not to go back to being tethered to the detector, but "if I have to, I guess...."  (Red Green TV show quote)

I hope Gerry can fix you up with some Killer B's.

GB quoted below is a reply I received from Minelab Australia last week !

"I unfortunately don't have any further information regarding the audio module for the MANTICORE, EQUINOX 900, EQUINOX 700 & X-TERRA PRO at this stage.
We have had a number of inquiries regarding wireless modules for these detectors and our engineering team have been looking into this. They are quite secretive when it comes to new things as they don't want to release too much until the products are ready for market. I would think that one wouldn't be too far away though but in regards to dates and availability I don't have any info yet".

and more info below;

Gordon is a well respected tester for Minelab and has been for many many years, if you read the comments, he has answered someone question regarding a Module.

People are also converting the Minelab 85 headphone cup and using this as a module,the 85 headphones are compatible with the Manticore and this may be an option I will pursue, we will see.

46 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

Gerry McMullen ( @Gerry in Idaho ) sells those and is quite high on them.  If it doesn't cost much to phone him from Europe, you can call him and get all the details.  Or just private message him here.

As far as "eventually the Manticore", do you mean via cord (i.e. plugging directly into the unit) or via Minelab (proprietary) wireless?  Gerry can answer the first but no one but Minelab (and they're not talking 😠 ) knows what the future is with their wireless system.

Thx GB I will contact Gerry, info I am getting over here from a few sources suggest that Minelab will provide a module in the future so thats great news as far as I am concerned. But they've got to pull their finger out and provide coils first, testers over here have all got both types of coils so when Minelab have all the info they need I am sure they will be abundant in good numbers. 

Sorry if this has been discussed previously. I am hoping to get a general opinion on the Killer b wasp or Hornet headphones. I need dual volume control due to hearing loss in one ear. Will these work with the Equinox ? and eventually the Manticore ? How do they compare with the CTX version of the Sun ray pro gold headphones ? 

Living in Europe I will have to buy from the US so need good advice prior to pulling the trigger, thx 

Better battery life, anti glare screen, no need for short press noise cancel long press only, and lol if only a module. !

So Steve our Equinox 800's are getting old so when they die what will you do ? Buy another 800 or go all in and buy the Manticore. What worries me is if the 800 is discontinued and we are no longer able to buy a new one.

3 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

They read. They never, NEVER respond on social media. You got their response which is that they are acknowledging the requests. They will either take action or not. In my experience Minelab considers the update function a way to issue bug fixes, not a way to add missing features. That would normally happen in a new model, say a Manticore Pro, or a CTX 4040. But if they did decide to issue it as an update to Manticore, they sure won’t say anything about that until it actually happens. It’s not as trivial to do as you might think, and a promise just sets them up for constant complaints of “why has it not happened yet.” They won’t tell you when the coils will release so why would they tell you this? With Minelab it’s believe it when you see it. Like it or hate it, it’s the way they roll.

Yep appreciate that Steve just poking as much as I can !

Ok Minelab as your reading content on this forum can you please advise if you intend to provide customers with an option to purchase a Module. I have emailed this request to you several times and the response is that you have received many requests and are looking into it. SO ?

It does come across to me that some users really are not totally satisfied with the machine and feel that they should spend hours and hours trying to convince themselves to like it otherwise fellow users will look down on them for not trying. Peer pressure I suppose.

I look at this way if a car handles badly or you do not like driving it why spend hours and hours driving it to get used to driving a badly handling car. 

All your doing is getting used to driving a badly handling car ! and forgetting about the fact that it handles badly lol.

13 hours ago, phrunt said:

The Manticore was certainly a 1 step forward 3 steps back detector, I'm so glad I didn't burn my money on a Nox 900 too, I was very tempted as I love my 800 but the things I love about my 800 the 900 has lost, most importantly target ID stability.  I am rather annoyed that Minelab still market the Manticore as having more stable ID than the Nox 800 as that is the primary reason I bought it and had I have known what I know now I wouldn't have bought it and would have likely just bought a Deus 2 instead and had my more stable ID's.

My last few Minelab purchases have been disappointment's and in my currency I've spent over 10 grand on these last 3 purchases, enough to buy a decent used car.  The first of the 3 was the Pro-Find 35, bitter disappointment, followed by the faulty and buggy GPX 6000, and last but certainly not least the Manticore. 

I haven't given up on the Manticore as I paid so much to get it, in fact I'm trying my best to like it but if I could get a refund on it I would and I'd stick to my CTX and 800.

I don't know who gets these detectors across the line but it appears the finish line is a few miles in the distance yet they release them anyway to get the sales money coming in, a bit like the Legend.

The Pro-Find, 6000 and Manticore, along with by the looks of it the 700 and 900 were not ready for release when they were released.

I'd normally be in a rush to buy the new Minelab pinpointer, but not this time, my experience of the 35 has been terrible, I felt like just throwing it away, no point getting it replaced as the new one is no better, been there done that.

My 6000's been back twice for repairs and one of them took a lot of rallying for Minelab to even acknowledged the fault.

My Manticore appears to have good quality, but certainly doesn't meet what marketing are saying about it.

Does marketing meet expectations?

Simon tongue in cheek 😊 your enthusiasm for the Manticore is dwindling each time you post lol, Sell it cut your loses and go back to the machines that you love to use. I have no regrets selling mine, we can always purchase again if updates improve things to our liking. it's not much fun detecting with a machine that continues to disappoint. 

I have not heard one person say that the Manticore is a brilliant machine or have said that they are blown away by it. I have owned one and then sold it as I was not impressed(I dont beach hunt but I do take onboard that the Manticore is great on the beach), I did however intend to buy again if improvements after an update were noteworthy and if a module was made available. 

Today I spoke at length with 2 dealers in the UK regarding customer feedback and their take on the Equinox 900 and Manticore as my desire to buy a new Minelab to replace my 800 and have a new toy to play with still burns within me. 

The 800 is a great machine and it never fails to suprise me with what it uncovers. Anyhow both dealers said that they and their customers  concluded that the 900 basically was a hardware upgrade and was a little better in and around iron and the Manticore was noisey and chatty with posibly a little more depth, however they felt the price tag for the minimal amount of improvement over the 800 was not justified. 

Both dealers basically advised me to save my money as the 800 was still a great machine(I knew that anyhow) and can still hold its own. 

That is one of the reasons that stops me investing in a Manticore , supply a module ML !

1 hour ago, phrunt said:

My opinion is the 800 is still right up there as the pinnacle of VLF's, the only thing letting it down was built quality, performance wise it's not been left behind by the Manticore.   For anyone that doesn't have a 900 or Manticore you're not missing all that much, better build quality is the major change, but I would not think I'll find much more using my Manticore that I'd miss with my Nox 800.  Extreme circumstances like perhaps heavy iron or something maybe, but under most conditions very little difference.

Thx for your honesty as you know I sold my Manticore as I was not overly impressed, and as you say the 800 is still up there, mine continues to surprise me its a great machine. The Manticore had a lot to live up to, its still got room to grow so hopefully it will improve. Manticore II will be the machine to get I feel and if they stabilise the 900 that may well be my next step when my 800 dies. I prefer Minelab machines.I keep hoping you weaken and give the D2 a try would love to know how you rate it lol

Its really been a disappointment all round I would say. They certainly haven't made many friends, I would think they have lost more than they have made.

Manticore and 900 have been readily available from UK retailers for weeks now so No more having to go on waiting lists. So his comments on demand do not add up in Europe !   that just seems a lame excuse.

He has stated he has been a UK tester and been heavily invoved in the new update. So you might find this worth a look ?

On 6/15/2023 at 3:56 PM, Rattlehead said:

I know this is an old thread, but since it's been bumped recently, I'm going to throw my .02 in for whatever comes next. 😁

 

"What Features And Performance Improvements Would You Like To See In The Next High End Minelab Coin Detector?"

1) As lightweight or even lighter than the current Deus 2. Use carbon fiber wherever possible. Even on the coil casing, arm cuff and grip.

2) Lower shaft should be mounted in the CENTER of the coil. Not offset.

3) Entire shaft should be very rigid. Again, using carbon fiber. This is a high end machine, so why not?

4) Shaft should be keyed like the current Deus 2 and Legend, so that it doesn't rotate. 

5) Shaft should be clearly marked with adjustment lines so that we can quickly extend it to our desired length.

6) Coil cable should be concealed inside the shaft, similar to the CTX, or make it completely wireless like the Deus.

7) A comfortable ergonomic grip, yet still easy to clean. 

8 ) A functional stand. This really shouldn't have to be mentioned, but.... (ahem, XP).

9) The display should be in color and easy to read without glare.

10) The pinpoint button should be trigger style. Activated with the index finger. Similar to the CTX and the older White's units like the V3i, XLT and DFX.

11) All other buttons should be within thumbs reach. No more buttons mounted on the SIDE of the detector.

12) The menu should be well thought out and easy to navigate.

13) Give it descriptive audio like the Deus 2, good visual aids like the Manticore. Audio should be highly configurable to the user's preference.

14) Depth, separation and EMI handling should be as good or better than the current crop of high end detectors.

15) Lots of coil options upon release.

16) Charging connections should be as quick and easy as possible. Magnetic works well enough.

17) Bonus points for a wireless pinpointer running same disc as the detector. Similar to the old Sunray probes, but smaller and wireless.

 

Spot on but I would like it to include a module as well  improved battery and run time.

1 hour ago, longbow62 said:

I have heard the same thing, but I'm not sure I would believe it without actually seeing a Deus II and a Nox swinging over the same target in loose dirt and one doing better than the other. It would seem to me the more fluff there is the more air there is which should not make any difference. I just don't get how fluff can be tougher than compacted ground when air test are always deeper than in the ground test.

Yep strange agree but seems to be the case in fact I have discussed this with the owner of a detecting outlet in UK and his club use D2 for plough and Nox on compact pasture for the reasons mentioned so not just my findings. 

16 minutes ago, Chase Goldman said:

I tend to think ALL detectors suffer in plowed, aerated fields.  It's a known issue that going into a "fluffy" disc'd and aerated field your depth is just going to suffer even with a PI.  We have those conditions in the US too. 

Do you have a detector that does better than the Minelabs under those conditions?

My buddy uses D2 that performs very well in the plough and has the edge over the nox in my opinion

6 minutes ago, phrunt said:

I have no idea about this stuff but did you manually ground balance away from the aerated soil and then go into it and see how it goes?  At a guess I'd think the ground balance would be the only thing that would change the results with aerated soil over nearby compacted stuff.  How does your Nox 800 perform in the same situation?

Yes Simon. Nox more stable in use but always feel that it also could do better.Shallow targets never an issue but depth never impresses in these conditions although very sensitive to very small targets cant fault that.

Just now, GB_Amateur said:

So if it's not iron falsing that is causing problems in you ploughed fields, what is the source?

Its does not perform well on airated soil, depth isnt everything I know that but when compared with the great results experienced on the beach in the beach modes it doesn't  compare. If it performed as well on this type of soil matrix as it does on the beach it would be near perfect for me. 

Looks like the update is geared more for the USA at present and your nail falsing issue's. 

Hopefully the next update will be geared towards inland hunting on ploughed farmland in Europe.

We need a module as the 105 headphones are not very well designed as wind noise is still a big problem. Surely the module will  enhance the Manticores sound and tonal experience.

But a step in the right direction keep them coming ML. I may yet re-invest in one.😀