Why Do We Not See More U.S. Detectors With Selectable Frequencies?

[Goldpick]

This is something that has me a little perplexed, especially when a whole raft of opposition detectors from abroad are offering such an option on their detector platforms.  How easy would it be to improve current popular models like the F75, AT Pro, etc with additional frequencies to make some US made detectors a more attractive proposition, or are we talking about the requirement for a completely new platform for this to happen ( too much cost for not enough return)?

If just worries me when we see little or no response at all on trying to compete on the selectable frequency front.  Some may say the market is already flooded with such detectors, though if you do not offer up an alternative to just single frequency VLF's, then customers may look elsewhere for detector platforms offering more flexibility/features for the money.  

Some of the selectable frequency detectors made abroad:

Minelab Equinox (plus multi)

Minelab 705 (coil change for different frequencies)

Rutus Alter71

XP Deus/Orx

Makro Kruzer Multi

Nokta Impact 

Nokta Anfibio multi

...and many other lesser known Euro manufacturers with at least dual frequencies. 

It is evident that there are two distinct lines of thinking when it comes to producing a detector, either make one that has the capability of covering all or most fields of detecting (ie. prospecting, relic hunting, coin shooting, beach detecting), or produce several detectors, each with a specific purpose. The obvious downside is the sheer cost of owning a whole raft of detectors for specific purposes, something that used to be common place, though now not such an issue with the advent of very capable multi-use detectors suitable for low conductors right through to sub gram gold. 

Will be interested to see other views on the subject, have we seen the end of single use or specialist detectors, and whether multi-role/multi or selectable frequency detectors will rule going forward.

[GB_Amateur]

The US has one detector that runs both selectable and simultaneous multi-frequency:  White's V3i (and sister VX3).  According to Steve's review page

it was introduced in 2009.  Although (AFAIK) not selectable MF, both the Fisher CZ series from the 1990's and the White's DFX (also 1990's?) were among the pioneering simultaneous multifrequency detectors.

Would it make financial sense to now put engineering/design/fabrication time into selectable MF detectors (that aren't also simultaneous MF)?  The competition, as you've shown, is steep.  It may be too late even for some of the recent releases such as the Makro Kruzer Multi and Nokta Anfibio Multi to make much of a dent in the market.  (From what I've read they are excellent detectors, but selectable-ONLY MF may be yesterday's technology....)

I'm hoping for new concept detectors from First Texas, White's, and Garrett.  We don't need any more (sad) Tesoro stories.

[EL NINO77]

....I think of the main role and the prevalence of marketing ... which at that time was more important than the best technical parameters and detector options.

-The next conclusion is that most of the detectors wanted to use a simple and reasonably efficient detector without long adjustment...Dfx and Spectra have been technically over time..

Now new detectors have to offer better technical parameters of more frequencies in one coil... Of course - the influence of certain frequency on the sensitivity, range, ..on a variety of subjects -and especially iron unmasking, .....it's worth it . 

 Today, the detectives themselves are now more experienced, setting up detectors ..., and the Internet and Yt videos allow for a simple understanding of the setting-and their impact on detection ...

[LipCa]

I'd like to see the switch for "PI/VLF" on the same machine.

[LowTide]

One factor, the significance of which is open to interpretation, is the filing of patents.  Minelab has consistently churned out patents from basically day one.  If a competitor has a long development cycle they may find a patent has been granted to another company before their project has matured enough to seek their own patent.

Minelab has demonstrated more than once that they will defend their patents and have the deep pockets to wage those battles.  There were rumors long ago that I have not been able to confirm, that Minelab licensed a form of multi-frequency to White's.  

 

[Alluminati]

So I did the Xterra thing but went to FBS so that I didn't have to buy coils, it was cheaper this way.
 

The only reason the Deus got a shot was because it was built so well and because switching single freqs with the same coil was possible. It wasn't a replacement for FBS, but it was somewhat complimentary. Reactivity is a real thing, a setting that soon would become a new part of our vocabulary.

(Other machines may of had "high trash" settings etc as a form of recovery speed adjustment, but it was never displayed as a main setting with incremental adjustment until the Deus came along. I bet a lot of folks still don't have a gut feel for what reaction speed does. (reactivity))

Enter the Equinox, the great obsoletor and we all know this story.

So basically, the market you are talking about was uneducated until recently. I don't know about you, but the average detectorist in my town still doesn't even know what frequency they are running.

Notka/Makro/Rutus and all that other nonsense is just competing for some Deus market share. It took some time for the Deus to gain some traction, but now that it has these other companies will exploit some of the features that made the Deus great.
That is why I don't care for any praise showered on them, reactionary exploitative nature. They are just trying to get as much money from you for as little effort as possible. Sure it's a valid business model, but I'm out to dig stuff for me, not put profits in some undeserving company, regardless of what country they are in.

Ironically Minelab's biggest competitor is itself in some ways. They are the only company that could make something better then my Etrac and basically obsolete my Deus at the same time.

US detector sales have peaked with the ATPro. Basically a ACE with a O-ring.
People were buying a name, an image, like Ford or Harley.  Seriously, how many people you know that turned into Grizzly Adams a few months after buying ATPro. Aqua-chigger wannabes don't care about FREQ until Garret releases a new model with an effective1500Hz noise cancel, then FREQ is everything, it's a difference between a Pro a Gold and a MAX lol.

The more research you do, the less choices you have in the end really.

[Goldpick]

I guess you are right in some respects, to the layman as long as a detector finds stuff, that's all that matters to them at the end of the day.  And for those that regularly frequent forums, we are much more likely to dissect a detector to figure out how things work, and how to apply the various settings/features on offer to suit the ground we detect - and we are also more than likely to be in the minority.   

The criticism of Nokta/Makro is a bit miss directed, I'm sure if it were a US manufacturer pumping out such detectors in quick succession, it would be a proud achievement and not seen in a negative light.  If people are angry or frustrated that their local manufacturers haven't moved with the times or listened to their customers, then maybe you should take that up with them - people asked Nokta/Makro to come up with alternatives and they obliged.  XP should actually be flattered that other manufacturers are trying to emulate their success on what is now a 10 year old selectable frequency platform.  Minelab were also well aware of XP encroaching on markets outside of Europe, and the Equinox was a direct response to that, albeit with added MF capability for added ability in salt and mineralisation.

Funny thing is that it wasn't all that long ago that that Euro made detectors were often dismissed as not being suitable for mineralised ground that is often found in both Oz and the US, and hence spruiked as not a viable options even for general coin/relic duties, netherlone for prospecting.  This was often a favourite line to run past customers here in Oz to help bolster their own detectors sales.  For me it is this ignorance that has left a few manufacturers behind the eight ball, and it wasn't until some of these Euro detectors were privately imported that they found this wasn't indeed the case - those "unsuitable" detectors worked and they worked well.

Fast forward to several years later, and we now have serious alternatives to the traditional offerings, and they are being actively improved upon with input from users.  As they say variety is the spice of life, and personally I find it is refreshing to see detectorists out utilising a whole assortment of platforms, and not just sticking to the "safe" option. 

[Alluminati]

Looking back on my post it does seem harsh on Makro, but at the same time I just watched an "in the field live dig" comparison between the Anfibio and other modern machines on unknown targets, it still holds water. I think the Anfinbo was the only one "iron toning" on these shallow targets in moderately mild minerlization. It even sounds cheap next to a Deus and thats sayin something.

It's hard to make a single frequency platform stand out in 2018. Adding new features to a mediocre machine will still give mediocre results. That Antifio was performing like a $150 machine would. The rest doesn't matter at that point.

Minelab has been the undisputed king of metal detectors basically since they hit the market. There has never been a time when they didn't have the best machine for anyone. ATGold? please, 705 with a football is a way nicer machine been around forever. Big heavy Whites?, Explorers that squeal on silver. Light zippy audio machine Deus hot on shallow low conductors in iron that necessitate a recovery speed change?, moderately light Equinox that pounds deep low conductors at the same time can use field recovery speeds in iron, with multifreq ID actual usable numbers at depth.  Oh and it's $1000 less. 

While the Deus was out long before the Equinox, Minelab was able to hold them at bay with the Explorer series (Safari, Etrac etc). Apples to oranges as far as machines go, however all the buyers are bananas for the Equinox.

Nobody has made a competitor for the CTX yet, leaky battery and all. If the Equinox housing continues to be water tight, I wouldn't be surprised to see a Equinox 1000 with a color screen and GPS. If they would team up with Ikelite again to make a case for them like they did with the Excalibur, game over.

I'm not a true prospector, but any I've seen use a Minelab of some sort. Those types of detectorist are probably the most uncompromising type of detectorist. Something that heavy and that expensive being swung out in the hot sun? It must be the best lol.

These are just my opinions, however you may find that my opinions are pretty objective, IMO. ?

 

Happy new year.

[BeachHunter]

It seems that detector manufacturers may be treading lightly in developing these new technologies because they can’t afford to get sued by ML.