Back With XP After Trying Some Other Toys

[bigtim1973]

I got the itch and had to try out some other stuff. I am not gonna get into it all. However after a couple of rounds with one particular competitors newer unit......I realized I screwed up!!!

Not gonna do that any more. 

So back to XP with the orx, deus 1 and ws6 master.

They just work better for me than anything else I have used. 

I know they may not be perfect but for me I don't think there is a better unit. Even if I had to just go back to one XP ORX unit i would have be happier before i sold off my other xp stuff to try out the latest and improved competitors machine.

In other words....if your used to something....and know it well....don't do what I did and try to see if the grass is greener on the other side!!!!

It wasn't for me!!!

[Jeff McClendon]

bigtim1973,

I think you made the right decision.

Deus 1, ORX and Deus 2 with just the WS6 can definitely get just about everything done really well.

They would not be my first choice for full-time water hunting or frequent gold prospecting but otherwise they are really hard to beat when it comes to ergonomics, speed, separation and now target ID accuracy with Deus 2. If you are like me, you probably have a ton of XP accessories like three sets of charging cables and coil charging clips, a couple of waterproof pouches, several antennas, coil bolts, other odds and ends.etc.

If you get the itch to try something new just PM me again, I will probably have already tried it out!!! 

[Doc Bach]

35 minutes ago, bigtim1973 said:

I got the itch and had to try out some other stuff. I am not gonna get into it all. However after a couple of rounds with one particular competitors newer unit......I realized I screwed up!!!

Not gonna do that any more. 

So back to XP with the orx, deus 1 and ws6 master.

They just work better for me than anything else I have used. 

I know they may not be perfect but for me I don't think there is a better unit. Even if I had to just go back to one XP ORX unit i would have be happier before i sold off my other xp stuff to try out the latest and improved competitors machine.

In other words....if your used to something....and know it well....don't do what I did and try to see if the grass is greener on the other side!!!!

It wasn't for me!!!

Good on you bigtim! I too feel that one of the best decisions that I have made in awhile was to hang onto my deus 1 with all of the coils except for the round eleven.And that comes with some criticism from some of the naysayers who believe that it is obsolete since the release of the d2.It's funny that prior to the release of the d2 the original deus particularly with it's HF coils was the best thing to come along since sliced bread.

[bigtim1973]

9 hours ago, Jeff McClendon said:

bigtim1973,

I think you made the right decision.

Deus 1, ORX and Deus 2 with just the WS6 can definitely get just about everything done really well.

They would not be my first choice for full-time water hunting or frequent gold prospecting but otherwise they are really hard to beat when it comes to ergonomics, speed, separation and now target ID accuracy with Deus 2. If you are like me, you probably have a ton of XP accessories like three sets of charging cables and coil charging clips, a couple of waterproof pouches, several antennas, coil bolts, other odds and ends.etc.

If you get the itch to try something new just PM me again, I will probably have already tried it out!!! 

Sounds good Jeff. Yessir I have a few things laying around too!!

The coolest part between the XP ORX and Deus 1 is that everything is interchangeable. Even a few things between the Deus 2 and the original XP line are as well with the backphone speakers, pin pointer, control stems and a few other items. 

And yes I am well aware of your youtube test and detailed synopsis between different machines too. Your detailed experiences and advice have always kept my attention and make up for the new unit reviews I miss the most since we no longer have a magazine in print.

I appreciate it very much!!!

Thank you!! 

[bigtim1973]

10 hours ago, Doc Bach said:

Good on you bigtim! I too feel that one of the best decisions that I have made in awhile was to hang onto my deus 1 with all of the coils except for the round eleven.And that comes with some criticism from some of the naysayers who believe that it is obsolete since the release of the d2.It's funny that prior to the release of the d2 the original deus particularly with it's HF coils was the best thing to come along since sliced bread.

Yes, as a matter of fact when I was trying to figure out what configuration Deus 1 to go back to XP didn't offer or quit offering an HF 9 inch coil package. So I got online and was looking at the XP website going through all of the accessories that is listed and saw the ORX and Deus remotes. Then I thought.....ok then, I am going to get a new ORX set up with the round HF coil along with a new deus remote. Since then I have purchased a complete deus control rod along with the elliptical coil and placed my orx remote on that set up.

On the XP website it says version 3 or the deus 1 remotes made post 2018  will connect to the ORX backphones. 

So I have that option too.

Now the nokta legend is a great machine. I like it alot...it is not very prone to EMI and it runs circles around that new equinox 900 in areas one would not even be able to use the new equinox 900....without even doing a frequency scan.

My buddy brought over a new legend he just purchased and asked me to set it up for him. I did so and the first target he dug with it was a civil war bullet in my mom in laws backyard in which I have only found clad coins and old hot wheels....maybe a few dog tags...been swinging in there since 2006...built in the 1970s...can you believe that!!

Anyways, I went ahead and traded my legend in for a ws6 set up. 

Going back to the HF coils....here at home I found a small Civil war campsite back in 2014. With that said...I found old forks, spoons, parts of lanterns, odd and ends along with aa couple of buck and ball shot bullets, camp lead and a pair of US bit bosses. 

With the other units I only found a total of 3 musket balls and some camp lead where they were casting bullets. I thought there was no more out there. When I purchased my first ORX I went out to the same spot that I ran an MXT, F75, T2, Several Tesoros, V3i, Equinox 600 and who knows what else over a 2 year period. I found 21 more shot bullets in the exact same place running 31khz with both the ORX and the original Deus!!

Like I said, the legend is a great unit. I only traded it toward the ws6 master to not have to shell out all of the cash and to stick with the convenient accessories shared between the XP line.

 

[abcoin]

Good on you, bigtim. I use a D2 as my main machine, but earlier this year, a T2 and then an F75 fell into my lap. I've put some time on both of these machines and they have their merits, but left to my devices I'll reach to my D2 when I head out the door. 

The temptation to hop between machines is real. However, if you stick with one machine and learn it inside and out, it will become the best machine for you.

[Digalicious]

10 hours ago, abcoin said:

 

The temptation to hop between machines is real. However, if you stick with one machine and learn it inside and out, it will become the best machine for you.

Wise words. Especially considering this is a hobby of "dreams". As such, it's chock full of shills and ridiculous detector / manufacturer claims. Fortunately, there are many in this hobby who are not only very knowledgeable, but much more importantly, "objective". Those are the hunters that I trust, and those are the hunters that I've learned a lot from. Hmmm, almost all of those hunters are members of this forum 🙂

After a long time away from this hobby, I started with the Vanquish 540 and a Simplex. The D2 and Legend weren't released at that time. Both the 540 and Simplex were good performers for what they were to designed to be, but I just about immediately outgrew them. I quickly realized I wanted a lot more control / features, and a lot more versatility. I then purchased a Legend, and with the 6" round coil for really trashy sites, and the 9.5x6 coil for just about everything else, I have "become one with it" lol...and that's what matters. Although, I'm still occasionally tempted to buy a D2. Not because I think I'll find more with it, but rather the ergonomics and that "itch" Tim mentioned. I still may end up buying a D2 to go along with my Legend, but if the Legend didn't exist, I would be swinging a D2.

[bigtim1973]

1 hour ago, Digalicious said:

Wise words. Especially considering this is a hobby of "dreams". As such, it's chock full of shills and ridiculous detector / manufacturer claims. Fortunately, there are many in this hobby who are not only very knowledgeable, but much more importantly, "objective". Those are the hunters that I trust, and those are the hunters that I've learned a lot from. Hmmm, most of said hunters are members of this forum 🙂

After a long time away from this hobby, I started with the Vanquish 540 and a Simplex. The D2 and Legend weren't released at that time. Both the 540 and Simplex were good performers for what they were to designed to be, but I just about immediately outgrew them. I quickly realized I wanted a lot more control / features, and a lot more versatility. I then purchased a Legend, and with the 6" round coil for really trashy sites, and the 9.5x6 coil for just about everything else, I have "become one with it" lol...and that's what matters. Although, I'm still occasionally tempted to buy a D2. Not because I think I'll find more with it, but rather the ergonomics and that "itch" Tim mentioned. I still may end up buying a D2 to go along with my Legend, but if the Legend didn't exist, I would be swinging a D2.

I have not tried the new coil that nokta has now with the legend. I had the 11 inch and also bought the lg24 elliptical. 

I like the 11 inch coil and for old house yards I liked the lg24. 

The legend is a good solid unit. Well made and you can see the screen in the sunlight. Not many units out there are you able to see the screen so well. 

The ergonomics of xp units are superior. And if you go with the ws6 master set up with the puck on the stem and the wasii wireless backphones you will have the lightest TID machine available. Yes it takes a little to get used to navigating the menu on the puck. But once you configure it you will pretty much be set. 

I think what I like about the most of the XP stuff is that it is so small.  You can take 1 control rod, 3 coils,  orx remote, deus 1 remote, deus 2 puck and 2 sets of back phones and keep them all handy in a backpack or bag nearby. The footprint of XP units 1/3-1/2 the size of the other machines. 

I think that is my favorite part about the XP detectors.

[Digalicious]

47 minutes ago, bigtim1973 said:

 

The ergonomics of xp units are superior. And if you go with the ws6 master set up with the puck on the stem and the wasii wireless backphones you will have the lightest TID machine available. Yes it takes a little to get used to navigating the menu on the puck. But once you configure it you will pretty much be set. 

 

I think people put too much emphasis on menu systems. Realistically, it doesn't matter how complex the menu system is. I mean, after a few hours, you'll quickly get used to it, and then be able to quickly navigate through it without even giving it a second thought.

Regarding the ergonomics:

In my late teens and early twenties, I would hunt just about every day after work, and all day Saturday and Sunday. My body didn't hurt at all. Fast forward 30 years later, and after a few hours, my knees and elbow are hurting. It's even worse the next day. I managed to over come much of the elbow issue by switching arms, and not extending the coil out too far out from me. The knees though? Well, even a feather light detector isn't going to help for that.

Aside from the possibility of buying a D2 to go along with my Legend, the only way I'll ever purchase another metal detector again, is if it can distinguish between gold jewelry and aluminum trash. That's not going to happen with induction balance, and probably won't happen in any practical way in my lifetime.

[abcoin]

3 hours ago, Digalicious said:

Although, I'm still occasionally tempted to buy a D2. Not because I think I'll find more with it, but rather the ergonomics and that "itch" Tim mentioned.

Gonna violate the rule I just stated to say that the D2 is a very, very nice machine and you should try one. Ergonomics are great, it's fast as lightin' and you and tune it just perfectly for any kind of hunting.

I've found rings underwater in Hawaii and three-ringers near CW camps in Virginia with mine. It rocks every environment you can detect in.