2021 - A Look Ahead

[Steve Herschbach]

I have got up on my soapbox every year about this time to prognosticate about the coming year in metal detector technology. 2020 was an especially significant year as we lost another major player in the industry. A few years ago it was Tesoro going out of business. In 2020 we learned that White's is closing shop and being acquired by Garrett. It is unknown if Garrett will attempt to keep White's alive as a separate product line, or simply acquired the rights and technology to keep somebody else from doing so. At the moment it seems White's has gone away for good, but it is not impossible Garrett will revive the name in 2021. Whatever they decide will have a major influence on metal detecting in the future. But in the meantime we have fewer players now to speculate about.

Garrett/White's - we just saw the release of the Ace Apex, a first foray into multifrequency by Garrett. The company already has a very well implemented wireless audio system, and the Apex is fully rechargeable. The White's acquisition means Garrett adds the V3i multi tech and TDI PI tech to their IP base, and this along with the half-sine patent means Garrett has a fresh shot of technology options to choose from. The White’s 24K is a superb product, now unavailable new. However, I expect an acquisition of this magnitude to take time and I'm not holding my breath on any really new product in 2021 from Garrett. At most perhaps a revival of some White's models, or releasing clones under the Garrett name. At the moment however I see Garrett as the U.S. company with the most potential for the longer term future, regardless of what happens in the near term.

First Texas (Bounty Hunter, Fisher, Teknetics) - whereas Garrett seems to have a purpose, First Texas seems adrift these days. Most of the Fisher models on the website have been discontinued, or are decades old. Teknetics as a brand seems nearly dead, focused on factory direct sales. Basic advances like in-built rechargeable battery systems, wireless headphones, and over the internet updates - all go ignored at the company. The only news is a new line of pulse induction detectors, but as the lack of interest from users on the internet shows, most people are not screaming for First Texas to bring a PI to market. Everyone wants to hear about a major response to new machines like the Equinox, but so far it's crickets from First Texas.

The final production Impulse AQ will hit the market in the first half of the year, but I expect it to have almost no impact on the overall detecting world, or even the beach detecting world for that matter. People will still choose VLF over PI for beach detecting by huge margins, so the Impulse AQ has a shot at being nothing more than a niche detector in a niche detecting market. The Gold version has potential to crack open the gold prospecting market that Minelab currently dominates, but it is going to have to have a very attractive price/performance ratio if it hopes to make Minelab users consider a new brand. For many gold prospectors Minelab currently is the only choice in detectors.

Hopefully there is more going on at First Texas than PI, because they are sliding into irrelevance in high end VLF. It seems more models keep slipping into the Bounty Hunter lineup, and if nothing changes someday the Teknetics and even Fisher lines may be retired. Or the Fisher line could be boosted with new high end machines to become the high tech alternative to Bounty Hunter. That was the original plan buying this old name in detecting, and 2021 will probably determine what happens for the Fisher brand in the future. Revival... or the next slow death?

Minelab - on a roll still, with the new GPX 6000 due out this spring. When it comes to cutting edge technology, Minelab remains the company to watch. There is no doubt a replacement for the CTX 3030 in the works, but there are no solid hints at when it may arrive. I am guessing 2022 since the last two rollouts were for coin detectors (Equinox and Vanquish). Minelab tends to address areas in a round robin fashion, and I believe 2021 will preferentially freshen the gold prospecting lineup.

Nokta/Makro - the easy picking low hanging fruit of single frequency VLF has been fully exploited at Nokta/Makro, and it remains now to see if they can make the move up to higher tech product like simultaneous multifrequency and ground balancing pulse induction. The rapid pace of new product releases has stalled out as further advances will be more difficult. Historically NM has used their Christmas card to hint at new releases, and this year they took a pass on that. I'm hopeful for 2021 but certainly not holding my breath, as it may be fall at earliest before we hear more.

Tarsacci - a new 12" coil for the MDT is in the works, and a possible change to the battery door design in future versions.

XP - still largely a one-trick pony with the DEUS, and the ORX, which is really just a subset of the DEUS. Will we ever see multifrequency or PI from XP? All is quiet now with the news over ORX run it's course, and right now there are no hints of anything new from XP for 2021.

Just random blatherings from an industry old-timer, worth every penny paid.  I'm pretty well set for detectors these days, with only the grudge match between the Minelab GPX 6000 and Fisher Impulse Gold having any interest for me personally. I have to put my money on Minelab when it comes to cutting edge tech, but I do hope the Impulse Gold is good enough and low priced enough to shake things up.

[jmaryt]

excellent point of view steve! am waiting on fisher. don't know to a certainty,
however believe that 'fisher" is ''still" in the hunt!  wishful thinking? perhaps!
never sell dave johnson and crew short though! ''tons" of experience there! 

(h.h.!)

j.t.

 

[jasong]

Thanks for the great breakdown. I have to admit I've fallen behind on much in the detector world aside from Minelab gold machines, it's nice to get a concise summary of what's going on and what's to come in the wider world.

[Rivers rat]

Hello and Happy New Year!

 

I m pretty sure XP will release something soon,those guys aren't sleeping.i will put my bet for April........The fact that we are so spoiled for choice make me wonder where will i put my money next if i do as i realised that the Nox on the beach is very very good,The Tarsacci another very good one.

For my type of research on the Thames i ve got all of the best/fast and selective machine.

I ll get the 12" coil for the MDT when it comes out and should use my G5c more,Covid restriction out of the way of course!

 

 

RR

 

 

 

 

[RickUK]

$teve,as usual some interesting input on the state of the most popular detecting machines around at the moment,the main 2 that you have mentioned that i use are of course the Deus and the Equinox as these machines basically cover all my everyday use.The 2 other that i am dusting off and plan on using more are the Nexus MP and the TDI Pro both the latter detectors are for real deep artefact hunters and best suited for pasture sites,both are deep especially with the larger coils that can be used on them but not used them much this year due to the Covid lockdown.

Thanks again for your thoughts on what is currently happening in the detector market but still my favourite machine and the one i grab as i am heading out is the Deus with the HF elliptical coil.

[Valens Legacy]

Great insight on all the brands and glad to see a point of view from someone that knows their business.

Good hunting and good luck in this 2021 year.

[Mike Haer]

I agree with every word you say and glad to see someone will say it.

[broadfield]

XP Have made no secret that a new machine is imminent, they have also said the DEUS is not being discontinued or retired.

If I were to put my money on anything it would be a waterproof multifrequency.

[Chase Goldman]

2 hours ago, Dan Fox said:

XP Have made no secret that a new machine is imminent,

Problem is when you've been implying it is imminent for multiple years, you kind of lose credibility.  They've been saying that about the Deus companion app for years also.  It's always just few months away.  A few months later, its still a few months away.  That's how XP has done things since they announced version 4 SW is imminent 1.5 years before it was actually delivered.   I've been seeing photos of their 2-box coil since 2015.

Bottom line, I'll believe the XP rumors when I actually see some hardware and not just whispers or even glossy marketing brochures.

[Rivers rat]

1 hour ago, Chase Goldman said:

Problem is when you've been implying it is imminent for multiple years, you kind of lose credibility.  They've been saying that about the Deus companion app for years also.  It's always just few months away.  A few months later, its still a few months away.  That's how XP has done things since they announced version 4 SW is imminent 1.5 years before it was actually delivered.   I've been seeing photos of their 2-box coil since 2015.

Bottom line, I'll believe the XP rumors when I actually see some hardware and not just whispers or even glossy marketing brochures.

I agree but aren't all manufacturer the same????? they need the hype :)

The hoard hunter is a delicate one as when you hunt hoards it aint anymore a hobby.......

RR