If you had to choose between a

Sovereign GT and a Sovereign XS-2a Pro, which one would you choose and why? After reading post after post and watching many videos, it seems many prefer the GT over the XS. Just wondering.

A good question.

Having prototyped both, the GT stands out as 'the better detector' because it can be 'manually ground balanced' albeit via AccuTrak.
But it's a limited and hit or miss ground balance choice let's say from -2 to +2

The GT did definitely get me a few inches of additional depth in one afternoons tests by getting down to about 2" deeper on a few large copper coins from c.1923 or thereabouts whereas the XS2-a AND the Elite hadn't even whimpered they were there during other testing.

But, for wet sand work, and especially for smaller items, I always felt the XS2-a was more at home.

Your choice probably should be the GT if, you're after high conductive coins in grass.

Des D

Des D Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A good question.
>
> Having prototyped both, the GT stands out as 'the
> better detector' because it can be 'manually groun
> d balanced' albeit via AccuTrak.
> But it's a limited and hit or miss ground balance
> choice let's say from -2 to +2
>
> The GT did definitely get me a few inches of addit
> ional depth in one afternoons tests by getting dow
> n to about 2" deeper on a few large copper coins f
> rom c.1923 or thereabouts whereas the XS2-a AND th
> e Elite hadn't even whimpered they were there duri
> ng other testing.
>
> But, for wet sand work, and especially for smaller
> items, I always felt the XS2-a was more at home.
>
> Your choice probably should be the GT if, you're a
> fter high conductive coins in grass.
>
> Des D

You mentioned wet sand work. Do you remember specific observations by chance? Currently have a GT as a backup to the CTX for working the beach. Never tried the XS2a. Just wondering what I may be missing; always in search of better/best. Thanks.

Use the GT for wet salt beaches. Neve tried the XS, but am going keep watch on this thread and hope to learn more!

Devilpookie,

I remember very well. I've got Notes and articles that I wrote.

Word of caution here: DON'T throw out your GT's and go looking for used XS2's...etc

The GT is a great beach hunter and on open flat sands, say with a 12" or 15" coil, unbeatable.
But a lot of my beaches are rocky and have cliffs and therefore I have a lot of rock pools exposed at low tides.
So my hunting requirements "might be" different to yours and others?

One of my 'best' beaches has masses of flat sands but dotted here and there are low lying rocky/stony areas and that's where I tend to find the small items from rings to old ammunition in the form of lead minie type ammo.
I use 8" BBS coils here and they are super sharp. I would not use a 10" here. I'm not looking for depth: I'm looking for pin sharp vision and I get that with the smaller scan of the 8

The other reason why the XS2's 'might be' [ slightly better] than the GT's could be down to the coils?
I always felt the original 'thicker' BBS coils were [ better ] than the more modern 'Tornado' coils that were shipped with GT's.

So, looking for older BBS coils might be a shrewder move than looking for older SovXS'sa's etc as they can still be used with GT's"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/2017 08:11PM by Des D.

Are the coils interchangeable between both units? I would assume they are, just don't know a lot about these models.

Des, thank you for the information. - Jim


Des D Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A good question.
>
> Having prototyped both, the GT stands out as 'the
> better detector' because it can be 'manually groun
> d balanced' albeit via AccuTrak.
> But it's a limited and hit or miss ground balance
> choice let's say from -2 to +2
>
> The GT did definitely get me a few inches of addit
> ional depth in one afternoons tests by getting dow
> n to about 2" deeper on a few large copper coins f
> rom c.1923 or thereabouts whereas the XS2-a AND th
> e Elite hadn't even whimpered they were there duri
> ng other testing.
>
> But, for wet sand work, and especially for smaller
> items, I always felt the XS2-a was more at home.
>
> Your choice probably should be the GT if, you're a
> fter high conductive coins in grass.
>
> Des D

Des D Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Devilpookie,
>
> I remember very well. I've got Notes and articles
> that I wrote.
>
> Word of caution here: DON'T throw out your GT's an
> d go looking for used XS2's...etc
>
> The GT is a great beach hunter and on open flat sa
> nds, say with a 12" or 15" coil, unbeatable.
> But a lot of my beaches are rocky and have cliffs
> and therefore I have a lot of rock pools exposed a
> t low tides.
> So my hunting requirements "might be" different to
> yours and others?
>
> One of my 'best' beaches has masses of flat sands
> but dotted here and there are low lying rocky/ston
> y areas and that's where I tend to find the small
> items from rings to old ammunition in the form of
> lead minie type ammo.
> I use 8" BBS coils here and they are super sharp.
> I would not use a 10" here. I'm not looking for de
> pth: I'm looking for pin sharp vision and I get th
> at with the smaller scan of the 8
>
> The other reason why the XS2's 'might be' [ slight
> ly better] than the GT's could be down to the coil
> s?
> I always felt the original 'thicker' BBS coils wer
> e [ better ] than the more modern 'Tornado' coils
> that were shipped with GT's.
>
> So, looking for older BBS coils might be a shrewde
> r move than looking for older SovXS'sa's etc as th
> ey can still be used with GT's"

Thank you Des, I appreciate it. Used to run the WOT which I liked but was just a hair too large too keep putting in and out of my vehicle so I moved over to the SEF 10x12 which was almost as deep, less bulky, and was quicker for me to pinpoint with. Although I do have the original tornado that came with it, I have never used. My previous objective had been depth over target size/separation but have recently reversed focus and acquired the tornado 8" last week. Beaches here are not very populated and targets are sparse. Thank you again for the input.