3 hours ago, Joe Beechnut OBN said:

One thing that makes a difference in this video, is the JBL speaker he is using, the stock head phones will not give the same results. I found the JBL speaker will add a inch or a little more..... Which shows how important having the best audio source is with the AQ. I know this for I used the same JBL speaker for my beach testing, with head phones you will not have the same results.

Ya, you can tell that it's super loud.  He has his T/H super low as well--a good tip. Those micro tuning changes are interesting too.  I can't learn enough about this detector -- got a long way to go though...

cjc

4 hours ago, bklein said:

I removed all that nasty coax-seal stuff. It was getting stuck to everything. Got on the headphones then of course my ear… I wrap every connection with new 3M electrical tape and it works well. Don’t go with an off brand tape though as it won’t be as pliable. I don’t hunt underwater with it, the control head rarely gets wet.

I' ve stoppped wrapping and use Permatech Dielectric Grease to coat everything now.  Haven't seen any wasabe yet. Probably a good idea to eyeball everything everry couple of days though...

cjc

Great run-down video on the capabiles of this machine for anyone wanting to learn more.  ton of information here--thanks Alexandre!

cjc

Sounds rock solid.  TDI is certainly all aflutter in fast salt.  Cuda though---stikes fast bites deep--anywhere....as advertised😁

Gotta  say that even the mighy Dual Field loses depth where there is a lot of interference i.e. fast salt / inclines--just the coil size. 

I like the AQ though--retunes past all of that nonsense...

Jimmy's not the only one with two birds--we agreed that great minds think alike...😁

cjc

On 9/23/2020 at 5:54 AM, Tony said:

Jim,

I wonder if the fish below would snap up an AQ......👍

 

the whole site is on the Wayback Machine--interesting reading...

c

Thanks  Thomas

An amazing service for a well-loved  man.

Kind Regards 

clive

59 minutes ago, Tony said:

I wonder if Alexandre can “up” the pulse width on the AQ. Better potential to capture not only 22K but bigger gold in general. I believe the AQ is running a pulse width less than 100uS. 
I think designers focus on pulse delay too much. The other part of the PI equation is the pulse width…….up around 250-300uS will help light up those bigger and higher grade gold rings.

My modded XL500 runs a pulse width of 350uS (Eric was adamant this was needed)…..and I agree completely. This was also attainable as the detector runs on 3 x 18650 Lithium cells so can still run 10 hours with the increased pulse width. 
I hope the AQ didn’t go the wrong way with the limitations of the stock battery pack (as an increased pulse width will naturally draw more juice from the battery).

Damn that AQ…..it’s a rough diamond that could easily be a polished Bobby Dazzler.

At the same time, the AQ seems okay on big 18k, but it's the Indian people who have the extreme high dollar stuff.  There is just too much SS, Tungsten and Titanium around too--worn by those who would have had normal gold.

 That look like a great mod.  I have a modded board of Bill Lahr's that runs 12 uSc--basically a PI Pro with DF coil--killer on all gold and very smooth.--also a prize project.  

cjc

On 4/26/2022 at 11:11 AM, Geotech said:

Question: is there evidence that the connector leaks or has ever leaked? The story I get from the factory is that the connector is fully waterproof but after hunting in salt water people are removing the connector and allowing salt water to drip inside, which then causes the pins to corrode.

Good point, Carl.  I use Permatech Dielectric grease on everything now.  Picks up a bit of grit and has to be rinsed / changed periodically but at lease there's no wasabi...everything doesn't have to be wrapped up either--just checked periodically. 

cjc

This is a machine that's a dramatic departure from anythig else out there--closest being the TDI Pro.  I have two and plan to keep them in that they do things no other machine will.  I like the smoothness, target information and overall audio.  The optimization is also great too--it loves the high foils and so do I 😁.  This is how I try and set up any machine I use.  If you have some awareness of the concepts of "carry" and "correlation" and stay off the wide, responses, the discrimination is  helpfull.  (I would use a stronger word--but Im still learning).  You are probably better off running in All Metal, for the added depth.  This requires a bit of PI skill.  I do wish that it responded better to big 22k but running A/M does offset this a bit.  Yes there have been build issues but nothing insurmountable.  In particular the Vishay pots are problematic--maybe  the 14.4 is too hot for them in that the T/H seems to be particulary vulnerable to frying out.  I've had several replaced.  In the environment I hunt, (Equinox "troll" under every bridge, lol) this machine is exactly the edge I need.  A few years back my accuracy with the NOX gave me a big advantage, but now I need that same accuracy with even more depth and black sand capabily.  While I'm still developing my accuracy with this machine-there's no queston that the potential is there.  Here is a nice end-of-season 22k band  find from a section that has just been trampled over 8 months by other hunters--the AQ went down about 18" to bring  up a response.  This  is a machine that can go in after anything--save for the TDI--another very deep detector.  There is nothing wrong with the Limited, just needs a bit of extra carefulness around the "tailfeathers."

cjc

On 8/14/2022 at 10:47 AM, F350Platinum said:

Thanks OBN for the scoop lanyard/carry example! 👍

Carry on... 😀

good set up to break the basket out too.

cjc

I can't speak to the shallow target responses--just not what I've tested.  If you secure your cable lighlty using the sock clips or a tied eleastic, there's no need to worry about the coil hardware being pulled.  I would avoid wrapping the cable though, the positon of the hardware would be pulled when you press on the heel of the coil. Like the TDI this is a machine that takes time to learn.  Im continually testing mine and this is paying off.  Try turning the Gain up indoors to get an idea of how essential signal balancing is with this machine.   You can also get more depth my slowing down the retuning  slightly but this offsets your abillity to hear the wide response of caps.  

cjc

Well said, Steve.  He was very central to Fisher--the "point man" if you  will.   I just thought that merited an announcement.

Kind Regards 

clive

Surprised to hear that Felix is no longer with FT.  I've known Felix for 40 years + a great source  of information I will miss his accurate and detailed approach to his work. 

The FT detectors have always been very solid and thanks in part to Felix they do back them up with great service. 

Wishing him well in nis new endevours.

cjc

On 10/23/2022 at 7:54 AM, cjc said:

Cancun--a bit lawless for my tastes these days--probably okay though. 

Its true, Minelab have been inovators and the R&D has paid off but I have to say that with the NOX (a machine  I've had good sucess with) M/L's  smuggness surrounding the leaks has put me off them as an organization.  (I'm on my fourth brain--the last of which I've had to buy).  If success translates into a lack of humility--I'll take mediocre.  This whole "only .4% leak"  line is horseshit--my experence alone negates it.   Same with the CTX--even after the bulkhead was changed, I can't run this machine with a lilthium cell as I've just thrown so many away--at $200 a pop.  These guys acted as if they were doing me a huge favor by standing behind their $3000 product.  And as you said--"me of all people"--studying these products and trying to teach others these specific types of equipment handling tricks and safety measures.  How many of my (otherwise well planned) trips have these two  detectors ruined?  Quite a few . 

I also disliked this whole "army of yes-men" enviroment that surrounded the NOX when it came out.  I've  seen the face of a new hunter who has come out from his first water hunt to see a screen full of water.  

Also even with all the implicit advertising and promotion I've contributed by teaching others how to get the most from their products (and avoid needless warantee repars)  this organization has always treated me like a "prevailing wind" --selecting guys with a few year's experience over me to be brand ambassadors.  (Not that I care to be one at this point).  It's my job to "call em like I see em"--maybe that's why.   

It's funny--my competitor promotes that his books are "factory authorized"  --I promote that mine arent...I write about the whole detector--good and bad--turns out thats what you end up dealing with in the field, hmmm?  My readers expect more from me than "ra, ra."  

It's also why I hang out here--Im not the only one who tells it like it is.  

I'll spit out one more saying:  "better to have questions to which there arn't any answers than answers to which there aren't any questons."

Regards 

clive 

Don't get me wrong--Im as excited about this detector as the next person.  But I also need reliabilty.  No amount of hype can sell me a machine that is not reliable.  

cjc

On 8/28/2022 at 10:39 PM, midalake said:

This was just posted by Tom D.

Gary...... We've been working on the Manticore for nearly 3 years. A TON has gone into this one. And with different 'mindset'. I will share more data.....as time permits...... AND = when it will NOT infringe upon sales of other stuff.,.,.,.,., and/or C.O.I
Something I want to clarify.... that Mark Lawrie stated in the YouTube video: The ID system is on a scale of 99 points. So is the scale of iron ID range! -99 to 0. (Negative 99 to 0). (((Salt ID's as '0'))). This is to say: Nearly a 200-point ID span.
There were 2 VERY primary 'focus-of-intent' into this project.
There's a few more loose-ends to button up.

VERY Interesting>>> 99 points of Ferrous range, and 99 points of Nonferrous range.....

...almost like an XLT...

cjc

Cancun--a bit lawless for my tastes these days--probably okay though. 

Its true, Minelab have been inovators and the R&D has paid off but I have to say that with the NOX (a machine  I've had good sucess with) M/L's  smuggness surrounding the leaks has put me off them as an organization.  (I'm on my fourth brain--the last of which I've had to buy).  If success translates into a lack of humility--I'll take mediocre.  This whole "only .4% leak"  line is horseshit--my experence alone negates it.   Same with the CTX--even after the bulkhead was changed, I can't run this machine with a lilthium cell as I've just thrown so many away--at $200 a pop.  These guys acted as if they were doing me a huge favor by standing behind their $3000 product.  And as you said--"me of all people"--studying these products and trying to teach others these specific types of equipment handling tricks and safety measures.  How many of my (otherwise well planned) trips have these two  detectors ruined?  Quite a few . 

I also disliked this whole "army of yes-men" enviroment that surrounded the NOX when it came out.  I've  seen the face of a new hunter who has come out from his first water hunt to see a screen full of water.  

Also even with all the implicit advertising and promotion I've contributed by teaching others how to get the most from their products (and avoid needless warantee repars)  this organization has always treated me like a "prevailing wind" --selecting guys with a few year's experience over me to be brand ambassadors.  (Not that I care to be one at this point).  It's my job to "call em like I see em"--maybe that's why.   

It's funny--my competitor promotes that his books are "factory authorized"  --I promote that mine arent...I write about the whole detector--good and bad--turns out thats what you end up dealing with in the field, hmmm?  My readers expect more from me than "ra, ra."  

It's also why I hang out here--Im not the only one who tells it like it is.  

I'll spit out one more saying:  "better to have questions to which there arn't any answers than answers to which there aren't any questons."

Regards 

clive 

Certainly sounds like a good machine but nobody rides  on their laurels in my world...

This whole "if I know Minelab" line of reasoning does not take me very far.  

It''s like the guy who says he is having converstations with bigfoot (speaking of beasts): 

"extrordinary claims require extrordinary proof."  

cjc

On 9/4/2022 at 11:33 PM, Jason China said:

I would like to know how Legend can be used to identify or block beer bottle caps, I am from Equinox and am very happy with Legeng in all aspects, the only thing that bothers me is the bottle cap

caps force you to learn a bit more theory.  Most caps are more like the ground than a good target and can be recognised by this feature.  use your cross sweep and look for the "wild" response.  Also try combining  this technique with 60 Tone audio.  See illustration below from my book.   

cjc

On 8/28/2022 at 8:56 PM, mh9162013 said:

How many other manufacturers have spent the time and effort to improve their SMF technology the way Minelab has?

I personally think the 50% more power thing is more of a marketing thing than anything else. But I also think that the Manticore will be able to make use of that power more effectively than the AT Max did when it was released and much of the marketing mentioned its greater sensitivity and increased power.

Well a machine like the Anfibio can be tested indoors and the stability is unreal.  As for these claims about the Mantacore--seems to play on what they hope is the limited knowledge of many consumers in that how much power is being transmitted is only part of the equasion.  What the conditions will allow is the rest..kinda like depth claims that omit the variable of "where?"

cjc 😁

On 8/30/2022 at 12:32 PM, Steve Herschbach said:

The whole phase id thing is pretty much just set by physics, though it can be moved around after the fact through processing. But this phase chart lays out the underlying physics. Keep in mind this are not discrete points, but overlapping ranges, as better illustrated by the second chart. The whole small non-ferrous/small ferrous, and salt range basically overlap. Where you set zero is a choice. Most companies chose a spot where most ferrous is below one point, and most non-ferrous above. They key is to remember it is a overlapping mess, not black and white. Nugget hunters generally will dig everything in that range, which is highlighted in red on the second graphic below.

The Manticore target id readings, by nature of the physics involved, will be close to classic White's detector target id results you see here.

From my article here about the salt/gold overlap:

Note that gold covers the full range of the chart, since target id is more about size, than what kind of metal you are detecting.

Ya, very important for new hunters to understand how to mediate this bottom "rust line" / foils range--something I've tried to addresss in my books.  Things like hairpins and stainless  rings are actually good teachers.  Also, seem to remember that the old DFX had some kind of ID Sensitivity control to mediate "splattter".   Just goes to show how far ahead of their time the XLT and DFX were.  LIkely the Mantacore wont need it owing to the more precise processing.  At the same time, this "splatter" represents a lot of valuable information--one of my best dense trash gold tricksl with the Anfibio.  It alerts you to alloys, steel, and  oversize targets that the machine is reading part of.   Thanks for your informative post as always, Steve. 

cjc

On 9/4/2022 at 8:42 PM, midalake said:

Is there a Calabash Mode.      WAIT?..................Did I just say that? 

...very little feedback...but a lot of random noise....

cjc

On 9/15/2022 at 5:29 PM, Va Dave said:

"XLT style ...😁...always liked it."

You took the words right out of my mouth cjc  😉   Now if they could slap "Mixed Mode" on that bad boy, I might consider one.

Ya that mixed mode was remarklable on the small gold.  The 100+ and minus was amazing too --it had enough room to tell you what was what but was still stable.  Where it got a bit confusing though was with the whole normalization thing.   Also when you saw that 14-16 it was almost always small gold--never seen a detector with this level of conclusiveness before or since.

cjc

On 8/14/2022 at 10:47 AM, F350Platinum said:

Thanks OBN for the scoop lanyard/carry example! 👍

Carry on... 😀

I put the lanyard at the top --it goes over the shoulder  and  I drag...

cjc

I would also say that with all of its threaded aluminum surfaces (and slightly dodgey coil connector) a tube of Permatech Dielectric Grease is a must.  Apply with a toothbrush to all co-axe jacks and pins--hopefully this will prevent any "wasabe'  from showing up. and the jacks turning  properly.

cjc