First Impressions On The Apex

[phrunt]

I honestly can't wait for the higher end version of the Apex to come out, thanks for your review on the Apex, I've resisted it as I just know they have to be working on a better higher end model and my collection is already too big to fit in my cupboard.

Things are looking up for Garrett, fingers crossed, and I have my fingers and toes crossed they stick with their current policy of allowing aftermarket coils.

The Apex does sound like a good detector when it's been positioned at their low end, and people are comparing it against their AT Pro/Gold/Max higher end models.   I'm very happy with the look of it, and the screen is awesome, hopefully they stick with that design.

I look forward to hearing how you go with it over time kac, so far it's sounding promising and I love that these entry level type detectors from various manufacturers are starting to get attention, it helps bring the prices down of higher end machines making them more accessible for people.  Garrett is starting to become competition again.

[palzynski]

Yes the Apex is a very good detector , especially in the iron trash, which is a huge advantage for my kind of detecting . 

I just still have some concern about interferences that I solved last time by stopping the Apex , disconnecting /reconnecting the coil cable connector and restarting the detector. Hopefully it happened only once over 6 outings with the Ripper coil. Never had this kind of pb with a Vanquish for example . 

[Steve Herschbach]

I do not think Garrett has been getting the credit they deserve on their first attempt at multi, and a very well executed detector in general. You have to start someplace, and this is a very good start. It’s better than any Nokta/Makro multi you can buy right now. Better than any First Texas multi you can buy right now (sorry CZ), better than any Tesoro or White’s multi available new with warranty. Better than the XP multi.

People keep thinking Garrett was supposed to deliver a Equinox knockout at this price? This is a huge deal in the big picture, but few are seeing it. Rate all available multi with selectable single frequency models in any order you want, Garrett is in the top three, with the lowest price. The other competition have got nothing, or gone out of business. Hello?

[mh9162013]

2 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

People keep thinking Garrett was supposed to deliver a Equinox knockout at this price?

I think many people were expecting that, yes, as unfair as that is. However, I think many people were also expecting it to be a Vanquish killer too, especially at its price, but from what I've seen and read, it's not.

A lot of people knock the Apex in terms of performance. But I think that's only half of the issue. The other half is its price. If it's street price was $100 less (give or take), I think that would have made a massive difference in the criticism it received.

On the other hand, I do understand why it's priced the way it is, given how it has features that go above and beyond the Vanquish 540. But I think the Apex is a great example of how perception > reality. And I'm of the belief if that the Apex were cheaper, yes, Garrett would have had a drop in revenue, but I think the Apex would have been viewed far more positively and perhaps that would have been worth the lower income/unit sold.

[Steve Herschbach]

I've got an Apex, not a Vanquish. People see and read lots of things, and frankly, people can find whatever pre-conclusion they want to find by reading and seeing, instead of using. When people say they know things because they saw it on YouTube, I want to go outside and scream. When did virtual reality replace reality?

I do not think either is "better" than the other. This whole idea of "best". What is the "best car", "best cell phone", best anything? People have different desires and budgets, and instead of deciding that what I like is best for everyone on the planet, I think its more about trying to discern nuance, and getting people into products that will serve their purposes and make them happy. Buying detectors because they "go the deepest" makes as much sense as buying a car because they go the fastest. People do not need race cars in everyday life, and plenty of people are very happy with low to mid-range detectors that most forum members consider not worth their time.

I agree a lower price would have made the Apex a better seller for Garrett. As a businessperson who does appreciate nuance, big picture thinking, and long term planning, I can't argue with them at all on the positioning. It's about more than one machine, or one moment in time.

[Rick N. MI]

The Apex does have ground balance which is a big plus. I'm waiting for there new waterproof one.

[mh9162013]

38 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

When people say they know things because they saw it on YouTube, I want to go outside and scream. When did virtual reality replace reality?

Most people don't have the time or money to buy a machine, try it for 50+ hours, then make a decision whether to keep it or not. And if they need to sell it, they don't want to spend the time, effort and money of listing it in eBay, Craiglist, etc. Then there's always that small risk of having that "buyer from hell." And from I've seen about the Apex's resell value, it's doesn't have the re-salability that the AT Pro or Max seem to have.

So many people have no choice but to rely on other people to get an idea of how well a machine does or doesn't work. I agree, any online opinion must be taken with a few shakes of the salt shaker. But when multiple people are criticizing a machine in a similar manner, there's probably a pattern of some sort going on.

You can use me as an example of this. I bought an AT Max more than 2 weeks ago, but I only have have a few hours on it and I'm still trying to decide whether to keep it or not (I'm leaning towards yes). When I do make my decision (hopefully later today, when I should have a few hours to play with it some more), I then need to spend the time to prepare and list either the AT Max of my Vanquish 540 for sale. That's gonna take some time and effort I'm not looking forward to. And then it'll probably be a few weeks until I finally have the money in hand.

I'm fortunate enough to be ok with having $250-$400 "floating" right now, but I imagine a lot of other people don't have that luxury.

[Monte]

14 hours ago, palzynski said:

Yes the Apex is a very good detector, especially in the iron trash, which is a huge advantage for my kind of detecting .

I have been following your comments in this thread, and I have to agree wholeheartedly that the Garrett Apex is a very, very good detector. I generally have a big assortment of detectors but in the last year or two, due to health issues, I've been thinning my detector outfit down. I have several detectors that are very proven performers a field for me, to include my FORS Relic, Simplex +, Bandido II microMAX & Silver Sabre microMAX and ORX.  I use them all as needed, however my most frequently used detector(s) are my three Apex devices.

My primary use Apex keeps the Ripper coil mounted full time. For open areas such as plowed fields or a Beach, my second Apex has the Raider coil mounted full-time. For the most littered sites with confined spaces where I need to try and fit in a smaller size coil, I have a NEL 5" DD attached to my third Apex.

I did have a Vanquish 540 as a loaner unit for friends and family, but I traded it off to pick up the 4th new Apex the end of March. I keep the standard Viper coil attached to it, and it is my loaner unit.

No, it is not waterproof, but I don't need waterproof. No, it does not have a threshold based all metal mode, but I have that available on some of my other models. The Apex does have, however, a well-designed circuitry, a good selection of available search coils, and it has been proving it's performance afield for me ever since its release, and most of the places I have been hunting are quite challenging with a lot of iron trash contamination.

The Apex is lightweight and very handy to use, features simple adjustment functions, and continues to reward me every time I go out detecting. I feel Garrett did their homework and entered the SMF world with a very decent entry level model for this market.

Monte

 

[Steve Herschbach]

4 hours ago, mh9162013 said:

Most people don't have the time or money to buy a machine, try it for 50+ hours, then make a decision whether to keep it or not. And if they need to sell it, they don't want to spend the time, effort and money of listing it in eBay, Craiglist, etc. Then there's always that small risk of having that "buyer from hell." And from I've seen about the Apex's resell value, it's doesn't have the re-salability that the AT Pro or Max seem to have.

So many people have no choice but to rely on other people to get an idea of how well a machine does or doesn't work. I agree, any online opinion must be taken with a few shakes of the salt shaker. But when multiple people are criticizing a machine in a similar manner, there's probably a pattern of some sort going on.

You can use me as an example of this. I bought an AT Max more than 2 weeks ago, but I only have have a few hours on it and I'm still trying to decide whether to keep it or not (I'm leaning towards yes). When I do make my decision (hopefully later today, when I should have a few hours to play with it some more), I then need to spend the time to prepare and list either the AT Max of my Vanquish 540 for sale. That's gonna take some time and effort I'm not looking forward to. And then it'll probably be a few weeks until I finally have the money in hand.

I'm fortunate enough to be ok with having $250-$400 "floating" right now, but I imagine a lot of other people don't have that luxury.

I understand all that. I admit I can rotate machines at cost or less. It changes nothing about my views on the general accuracy and reliability of second hand YouTube reports. Of course there are exceptions, and fine reporting. But it is so rare, and half the time is in some low mineral stuff that has nothing to do with where I hunt, that I simply do not bother any more. That's just me being me - no reflection on others.

[kac]

I went back over a section of the river I hit with the Apex with my Multi Kruzer to see what the ground was like just because I have many more hours on the Kruzer and know exactly what is going on. As a comparison the Apex handled the ground very well and handled the EMI way better. The ground was near a bridge that had transformers above with a massive pile of coal and coke just under hard packed gravel with lots of iron trash. The bridge was replaced about 10 years ago. Toss in some brackish water and that makes for some really tough hunting.

My concerns with the ground balancing I had with the Apex are gone, it handled that terrain as good as any machine could.

If Garrett put the AT Pro's pro audio on the Apex out of the gate I think people would adjust to it much faster. That doesn't necessarily take away from the machines ability to pick up on targets, it's just audio and it's quick and clean. Took me a little to get used to and far better than the AT Pro standard audio or older Ace series.

Big key for me is to pick up my swing pace 3ft per sec vs my old sloth way of doing things.

I looked at the Vanquish 540 and the Simplex +. Vanquish didn't have ground balance so I doubt it would do very well in some the tougher areas here and the Simplex would have been a somewhat redundant machine to my Kruzer.

Should post a chart of machines under 3lbs with their features for people to compare with.

I agree with Monty on the all metal mode, I too have a couple other machines that have that already and same with being waterproof.