A Good Unmasker?

Guys, I'm looking for a unit that excels at unmasking, mostly for coins, to use at my sites. To be clear, I don't really have sites I hunt that are 'carpet of nails' type places. However, at most of my spots, there ARE areas that are heavily iron. The Safari & CZ just can't cut the mustard in these places. So, I'm looking at both the AT Pro & AT Gold. Need opinions though. I'm leaning towards the gold due to the fantastic iron resolution & iron I.D. function, yet, I'm concerned because of the higher operating frequency.

Solely to be used as an unmasking unit in trashy/iron prone areas, will the gold have a problem on coins?

I've been watching Bill Ladd's YouTube vids using the gold in his iron blanketed cellar hole sites, and DAMN, it seems to be sniffing out some good coins & relics!

What say you?

Joe

Some Like the Gold some like the Pro....

To be honest if the iron is not extremely dense you will see a slight depth advantage with the pro on coin's....

As far as resolution of iron and such they seem the same ...

I have found the Pro to be slightly deeper also on mid to high conductors Vs the Gold....The Gold seems to be slightly deeper on smaller lower conductors...but heres the thing the AT-Gold and the AT-PRO are almost a mirror image of each other in disc mode....the difference is the gold has a true all metal mode the Pro does not...But if you stay in disc mode the freq dictates slight gains in the places I mentioned...

I like them both but if I could only have one I lean more to the PRO than the Gold for all around hunting...

One thing you will find unique to the AT series is tha abiltiy to accurately I.D. a target that is next to and at times intermingled with iron...that's one of the things garrett really got right on that unit....Seems Brent really has a sophisticated algorithim of some sort going on in the AT design...

All my opinion and all in my dirt scenarios...

Keith

The Gold is awesome, best detector I've ever used in iron!! I went back over areas I had hammered with CZ'S and a Etrac and I found silver dimes 4" deep with nails laying all around them. Get the gold and there won't be no looking back!!

ATP for coin & coin sized targets (especially higher conductor targets like copper/silver).

ATG for smaller and lower type conductors/coins (more like small brass buttons, thin coins like silver 3 cent, etc.)

As Keith mentioned - the ATP is slightly deeper on most coin & coin size targets where the ATG may be slightly deeper on tiny lower conductive targets. Also - the ATG has the non motion all metal mode but for general purpose and everyday hunting - most never use that feature anyway, and it certainly does no good in iron!

Both waterproof to 10' ft deep, fairly rugged machines, good VID readouts, both handle iron very well, tone roll audio is a great feature (helps you ID rusty bottle caps & odd shaped rusty iron targets based on the sound) = as it approaches a bottle cap or say like a rectangle rusty piece of iron - it breaks then hits full tone over center and then breaks again when moving past it - saves you a lot of worthless diggin but takes a few hrs/hunts to get used to/learn how to use it consistently.

If you're only going to use it now and then for iron infested sites when needed and for coin hunting mainly - the ATP is a good way to go for not a ton of $$ and it serves as a great backup machine being so versatile (water, land, iron, etc.).

Good luck with whatever you decide

HH

MRH

You are probably gonna get this split down the middle as to who likes which better. I have owned both and I would take the gold. Here in ohio and with both units using the same coil, atpro in pro zero and atgold in disc1, I found the gold to be the deeper machine on coins. There are also a few well known past atpro users who have switched to using the gold(aquachigger, and the diggers guys). They were the ones that actually recommended I give the gold a shot. You might wanna give them a shout for opinions also. I know aquachigger replies to comments on his youtube videos and tim and george you can get ahold of on their Diggers facebook page or at anacondatreasure.com I like both machines though and It all comes down to personal preference.

Yes there seems to be alot fo people going to the gold...Not sure if its just the newest so gotta use it or if they see definite better performance...

The info I gave was side by side in hunt sites checking both on same targets and they were real close..with the nod for coins in my dirt being the pro.. even the high conductors non coins seemed to hit better...not alot of the one could hear this the other could not here this type scenarios just you could tell were the strong areas were at...

now with that said I only used the Gold that was loaned to me for a couple of weeks and it was like the first week it was out so theres alwasy hot and cold unit's in any brand and any model....but with all that said both are nice machines for the money...the gold is geared with the extras for hunting gold...So it cost a little more...but in my opinion the coil you get wiht the gold is the coil you will use the most in trashier and even to a degree semi trashy area's on either machine..

I liked the 5x8 on the AT PRO more than I liked the 8x11 pro on the Gold ,,,if that mean's anything to you also

Keith

I have had a lot of detectors and not one is the best of the best. Since you watched bill ladds video you can see how it does in iron but throw in trash and you will be digging a lot of targets if you want gold and silver and anything else. I think foil gives a dirty sound that is something I have to dig more and see what I find. It is fast and has a nice mix of the iron with the good targets. You just have to slow down when you get a target that repeats and then find it isolate it and dig. I think it is a great detector I have been trying the gold had the at pro a few years ago but didn't care for it and can't remember why. Depth I guess I would hunt in all metal mood and see what I can find that is deep maybe at an old school or park. I think bang for the buck it is a very good unit once it is learned. And I don't see anything out there that can do much better but I am always hoping Tek and Fisher will blow my mind with the next best thing that will out due them all and we just have to have it. The more we understand iron and masking the more we can really compair the new to the old and see if they are realy going to help us. Even though all my places are almost gone the other day I found a 1871 seated dime.

LowBoy

TAKE A LITTLE TIME KICKBACK AND WATCH SOME OF MY DETECTING VIDEO'S BELOW ON YouTube

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If you don’t dig it, then how are you going to know what you’re missing!
How can you have your pudding if you don’t eat your meat!

Thanks for all the replies, fellas! Yeah, this choice is a tough one. Question (especially for you, Keith)...

One having a slight edge on depth (for coins) doesn't concern me that much, as I'm more interested in sniffing out keepers co-located in/around iron versus depth. So, with that in mind, is the iron I.D. capability equal on both units? Meaning, can one hear the 'chirp' of a good target mixed in with iron equally well on both units, or, does one have the edge in that department? Also...

Can anyone explain what 'tone roll audio' is, and what the benefit is? I know it can help I.D. screw caps to some degree, but, is this its primary usage?

Joe

(((CZ and most Minelab's are a failure in carpets of nails)))

F75 SE w/5" DD coil
GMP/Deus
AT-Pro

GMP/Deus if nails are extreme......... otherwise, F75 or ATP. (( Worthy mention; the F75 SE whilst in 'bp' mode with 5" DD coil..... is slightly deeper than AT-Pro with large stock coil. ))

For in tight iron the higher freq may help you on certian target's of smaller thinner size...but remember they are only 3kHz apart...and the Gold while an excellent machine is not the Best GOLD machine for the money.....a G2 is hotter on small gold...So what I am trying to say the detectors are real close in performance because they are real real close detector's..the golds strong point is the added all metla mode for more depth in bad dirt to small gold.Signals that disc mode cant see..The Gold may also be a hair faster in disc mode Vs the At Pro...

the tone roll means more or less that the audio in disc mode will have more of the feel of an all metal mode...by this I mean you can hear a target coming before you get to it,,it will usually be in the form of the low iron tone then a strong iron tone if its iron or if its non ferrous it will go high then after passing you will have the trailing lower iron sound again.....it also allows for the tones to bleed around on top of each other like a caliope if you will...

the roll is a nice feature...especially on islolated target's....you migh well miss if not centered above with regular audio disc.....
if you hunt in all metal alot or use a machine that has mixed mode you will see what I mean....you will hear a target coming in on the all metal side yet the disc side has not reported yet till right on top.......nautilus is the best at this.....on a nautilus you can tell the conductivity of a target by how well it hits with the unison of the all metal side...
Low conductors will signal late and end early comapred to the all metla side and high condcutors will be more in time wiht the approach and departure of the all metal side...

the At's iron roll audio does not offer this TRUE all metal but its does offer more intelligence about the target audibly even shaping and such while remaining in a pure phase shift disc mode....


Keith

I own the Gold and prefer it over my wifes Pro.

I just sold my AT Pro that I used in iron to bigboar here on the forum (traded in part for a Deus) - he chimed in above on this post and says he likes the AT Gold better and has had/used both in the past but wanted another ATP = hence the trade.

I also have a Gold Bug DP/Pro for sale that I used in iron for like five 3 to 4 hr hunts and even though I have to sell it - I don't want to (which should tell you something).

Personally (and this is only my opinion based on extensive field test/use of the ATP) - I'd take/keep a Gold Bug over an ATP/ATG any day of the week when it comes to hunting iron (<< key phrase) "hunting iron"...

I used the ATP in iron and the Gold Bug and I'm here to tell ya - the gold bug smokes the ATP as for "speed and separation" (there's no comparison when it comes to those 2 things) and I'm sorry but - in iron - that's what counts the most in my opinion because all the glorified VID's in the world and depth doesn't do a lick of good hunting iron - it's all based on sound and speed and the ability of the machine to separate the good from bad

when hunting iron - you dig ALL above a certain point/threshold or # anyway - you don't look to the screen/VID as to dig or not because it's never going to be 100% true due to the masking/partial masking of iron so you dig based on what you hear and when you're slowed down because of a machine that doesn't work as fast as X machine does = that's a negative in my mind which is why I prefer the Gold bug over an AT because at the end of the day - I want to work as fast as possible and dig as many targets as I can as quick as I can to gain as many goodies as possible (which the Gold bug is better at allowing you to do) - the same as the DEUS is better at allowing you to do VS the Gold bug!

Just my opinion/s based on my experience/s with all of the above machines -

good luck with whatever you decide

HH

MRH

It may depend on the dirt also and the user. I will do some testing this fall on the G2 in iron with the new coil and the At Gold and see how they hit and maybe shoot a video...

LowBoy

TAKE A LITTLE TIME KICKBACK AND WATCH SOME OF MY DETECTING VIDEO'S BELOW ON YouTube

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If you don’t dig it, then how are you going to know what you’re missing!
How can you have your pudding if you don’t eat your meat!

Lawrenzo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It may depend on the dirt also and the user. I
> will do some testing this fall on the G2 in iron
> with the new coil and the At Gold and see how they
> hit and maybe shoot a video...

I agree - it definitely depends on the "user". Dirt can be a factor also... My dirt is moderately mineralized - Ground bal at around 85 on the ATP

Whatever size coil you use on the ATG for testing - you'll have to use on the G2 to keep it fair/equal for the test. (That's how my test were based - the 11" standard coil on ATP and the 11" coil on the G2/Gold bug). The smaller 5x8 DD coil for the ATP/ATG does help for separation but I still prefer the Gold Bug/G2 with a 5x10 elliptical coil VS any of the AT's with whatever coil/s when it comes to hunting iron infested sites...

PS - the G2 is the exact same machine as the Gold Bug DP - the only diff is the "rod" in which it's mounted to.

Would like to see your vid lowboy
'

Yes the coils will be the same size we just need one good rain to losen up the ground

LowBoy

TAKE A LITTLE TIME KICKBACK AND WATCH SOME OF MY DETECTING VIDEO'S BELOW ON YouTube

[www.youtube.com]

If you don’t dig it, then how are you going to know what you’re missing!
How can you have your pudding if you don’t eat your meat!

I hope you are cleaning up with the deus MRH! If i were able to hunt more than once every month or so I would have kept the deus. It is so fast and light, it is a joy to swing. No more than i get to hunt i just couldnt justify having so much money tied up in a machine though and why I looked to make a deal. I still wanted a machine for those few outings I will get in and decided on another gold or pro because i think they are the best bang for the buck. It doesnt hurt that you dont have to worry about them getting wet either.
I do like the gold better but never received an offer for one in partial trade. I also like the pro and had a few possible deals which I assume is because there are so many more pros out there. I will be very happy with the pro but if I were buying new between the gold and pro, I would pick the gold. It is just my preference. If I liked to hunt with more options for discrimination the pro would definately be my choice. I dont though and always ran the pro in pro zero and the gold in disc1. When I got in cleaner areas I would sometimes throw the gold in all metal. A person also needs to ask themselves if they want a machine that uses threshold or not? I like a threshold tone but those are just my personal choices.

MichiganRelicHunter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just sold my AT Pro that I used in iron to
> bigboar here on the forum (traded in part for a
> Deus) - he chimed in above on this post and says
> he likes the AT Gold better and has had/used both
> in the past but wanted another ATP = hence the
> trade.
>
> I also have a Gold Bug DP/Pro for sale that I used
> in iron for like five 3 to 4 hr hunts and even
> though I have to sell it - I don't want to (which
> should tell you something).
>
> Personally (and this is only my opinion based on
> extensive field test/use of the ATP) - I'd
> take/keep a Gold Bug over an ATP/ATG any day of
> the week when it comes to hunting iron (<< key
> phrase) "hunting iron"...
>
> I used the ATP in iron and the Gold Bug and I'm
> here to tell ya - the gold bug smokes the ATP as
> for "speed and separation" (there's no comparison
> when it comes to those 2 things) and I'm sorry but
> - in iron - that's what counts the most in my
> opinion because all the glorified VID's in the
> world and depth doesn't do a lick of good hunting
> iron - it's all based on sound and speed and the
> ability of the machine to separate the good from
> bad
>
> when hunting iron - you dig ALL above a certain
> point/threshold or # anyway - you don't look to
> the screen/VID as to dig or not because it's never
> going to be 100% true due to the masking/partial
> masking of iron so you dig based on what you hear
> and when you're slowed down because of a machine
> that doesn't work as fast as X machine does =
> that's a negative in my mind which is why I prefer
> the Gold bug over an AT because at the end of the
> day - I want to work as fast as possible and dig
> as many targets as I can as quick as I can to gain
> as many goodies as possible (which the Gold bug is
> better at allowing you to do) - the same as the
> DEUS is better at allowing you to do VS the Gold
> bug!
>
> Just my opinion/s based on my experience/s with
> all of the above machines -
>
> good luck with whatever you decide
>
> HH
>
> MRH

I had a G2 and my AT-Gold running in disc1 iron audio on would eat the G2 alive in a bed of nails! The only way the G2 would come close to the separation of the Gold is to put a 5" coil on it. As far as the all metal mode I hunt in that mode in non iron infested sites you still get a VDI readout just not the tones! If you use a AT-Pro or AT-Gold and don't use the iron audio feature you are really not getting the full effect of the machine in iron. I've said it once and I'll say it again if I could only have one machine to use the rest of my life it would be a AT-Gold. It is the most versatile machine I have ever used. In the 5 months I've had it I have found more silver than I have in my 20 years of detecting and I ain't talking small silver liberty halfs and quarters and dimes and I had a AT-Pro before I got it. The Pro is a good machine I just like the tones on the Gold better and the Gold locks on to targets better and it is about a inch or so deeper.

bigboar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I hope you are cleaning up with the deus MRH! If
> i were able to hunt more than once every month or
> so I would have kept the deus. It is so fast and
> light, it is a joy to swing. No more than i get to
> hunt i just couldnt justify having so much money
> tied up in a machine though and why I looked to
> make a deal. I still wanted a machine for those
> few outings I will get in and decided on another
> gold or pro because i think they are the best bang
> for the buck. It doesnt hurt that you dont have to
> worry about them getting wet either.
> I do like the gold better but never received
> an offer for one in partial trade. I also like the
> pro and had a few possible deals which I assume is
> because there are so many more pros out there. I
> will be very happy with the pro but if I were
> buying new between the gold and pro, I would pick
> the gold. It is just my preference. If I liked to
> hunt with more options for discrimination the pro
> would definately be my choice. I dont though and
> always ran the pro in pro zero and the gold in
> disc1. When I got in cleaner areas I would
> sometimes throw the gold in all metal. A person
> also needs to ask themselves if they want a
> machine that uses threshold or not? I like a
> threshold tone but those are just my personal
> choices.

I hear you Dale - the ATP or ATG is definitely a lot of detector for the $$ and I'm not trying to downput either one of them here - if you're talking about buying a machine for an all arounder - either one of them are an excellent choice - that's why I bought one myself!

But,

this whole topic is strictly about hunting iron infested sites as the OP is intending to do with a machine and I am only giving my opinion based on my experience/s with the ATP in iron - it's ok and it works but there are far better units out there for the task IF that's what you plan on doing with it a majority of the time.

I used my ATP mainly for water hunting as a cheap alternative to a CZ21 or Ex-cal and bought the Gold Bug for my iron sifting machine because it works better for that task (at least here in my soil and from my experience it does).

Then - when my buddy got a Deus and we hunted a few iron infested fields together and I seen how fast it was and how many more targets he dug VS me with the Gold Bug time after time leaving me in the dust on good finds - that's when I knew I had to have one!

Hi,,,,"I'm looking for a unit that excels at unmasking, mostly for coins, to use at my sites. To be clear, I don't really have sites I hunt that are 'carpet of nails' type places. However, at most of my spots, there ARE areas that are heavily iron."

Question are you hunting a fairground & park type scenario?...I have literally thousands of hours using an AT and have yet been able to pull a nail and a coin out of the same hole....This was a common occurrence while using my other older modified Garrett and others....Those of you that are doing so great are you digging mid tones on up to get coins? I have dug a lot of mid tones and they were always junk....In an old farm field site I leave my AT at home and use my older modified machines,the AT exhibits way too much unnecessary noise...I want to hunt the old farm and not end up on the funny farm... LoL...I also find that the VDI is inaccurate in a trashy area however if you get it out in a baseball field with no trash etc. it works fairly well....I hunt by sound only and could care less what the VDI reads,I will give it an occasional glance on the deeper mid tones hoping for a nickel....More later?....JJ

I should have been more clear Wayne. I was just comparing the two and not considering other machines. I have never owned a GB so I cant comment on it..

MichiganRelicHunter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bigboar Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I hope you are cleaning up with the deus MRH!
> If
> > i were able to hunt more than once every month
> or
> > so I would have kept the deus. It is so fast
> and
> > light, it is a joy to swing. No more than i get
> to
> > hunt i just couldnt justify having so much
> money
> > tied up in a machine though and why I looked to
> > make a deal. I still wanted a machine for
> those
> > few outings I will get in and decided on
> another
> > gold or pro because i think they are the best
> bang
> > for the buck. It doesnt hurt that you dont have
> to
> > worry about them getting wet either.
> > I do like the gold better but never
> received
> > an offer for one in partial trade. I also like
> the
> > pro and had a few possible deals which I assume
> is
> > because there are so many more pros out there.
> I
> > will be very happy with the pro but if I were
> > buying new between the gold and pro, I would
> pick
> > the gold. It is just my preference. If I liked
> to
> > hunt with more options for discrimination the
> pro
> > would definately be my choice. I dont though
> and
> > always ran the pro in pro zero and the gold in
> > disc1. When I got in cleaner areas I would
> > sometimes throw the gold in all metal. A person
> > also needs to ask themselves if they want a
> > machine that uses threshold or not? I like a
> > threshold tone but those are just my personal
> > choices.
>
> I hear you Dale - the ATP or ATG is definitely a
> lot of detector for the $$ and I'm not trying to
> downput either one of them here - if you're
> talking about buying a machine for an all arounder
> - either one of them are an excellent choice -
> that's why I bought one myself!
>
> But,
>
> this whole topic is strictly about hunting iron
> infested sites as the OP is intending to do with a
> machine and I am only giving my opinion based on
> my experience/s with the ATP in iron - it's ok and
> it works but there are far better units out there
> for the task IF that's what you plan on doing with
> it a majority of the time.
>
> I used my ATP mainly for water hunting as a cheap
> alternative to a CZ21 or Ex-cal and bought the
> Gold Bug for my iron sifting machine because it
> works better for that task (at least here in my
> soil and from my experience it does).
>
> Then - when my buddy got a Deus and we hunted a
> few iron infested fields together and I seen how
> fast it was and how many more targets he dug VS me
> with the Gold Bug time after time leaving me in
> the dust on good finds - that's when I knew I had
> to have one!

The problem I'm currently having with the AT Pro is getting some decent depth out of it. I've been hunting a few spots that are like any other place...they've been in use since the 1800s so there are layers of trash on them. I've been trying to ignore the surface trash and still digging anything that shows on the display as deeper, or just sounds deeper due to the audio. I will give an example of what I've ran into. I will get a signal that the detector IDs well, say it IDs past the Tab icon and bounces in that area up to coins...and the audio makes it certain that it's not right on the surface, and in fact, the pinpoint button barely picks up a signal at all. The depth indicator is saying it's 6+ inches. I will cut a plug, rescan the hole...and nothing will be in the hole. Instead, it will be in the plug and only be a dime or penny that was about 2" under the grass. The detector air tests fine. Running it in Pro/Zero mode with sensitivity all but one bar to being maxed out. The deepest coin sized thing I've dug so far, was a 1970s dime that was about 4.5 inches deep. I got a coin signal...deep sounding audio. Dug my plug and the signal disappeared all together. I knew from past experience with detectors to dig a little more in the hole...and I dug another inch or so and checked my dirt pile and there it was in the pile.

In the nasty sites I will park the Etrac. The F75 with the 5" is my go to machine. It still blows my mind sometimes with what it can pull out.

Hi,, Hey Daniel it sounds like your not ground balanced properly...Forget the depth indicator because it lies or at least mine does....What numbers are we talking about when you say past the pull tab icon? What does your AT air test at on a penny with GB at 80 in zero and sensitivity at full in the custom mode? There is hot and cold AT's....It's quite common for my signals to disappear but when the AT tells you there is something there,it don't lie...The pinpoint audio sometimes struggles to function properly on deep iron signals in some grounds....Sorry for the off subject comment but I just felt the need to respond....JJ

Jimmy -- I wouldn't think I'm not GBing properly. I mean it's pretty self explanatory there...hold the GB button in and pump the coil up/down several times in a spot with no metal in it. It usually GBs in the low to mid 80s from what I've seen so far...once place it balanced in the upper 70s.

Past the pulltab icon = 60+ VDIs.

Air test on a copper penny in Pro/Zero = approx 11 inches with repeatable audio.

Go with the AT-Gold Joe,

That is one of my favorites and an old Compass Vari-filter works well too, Allot of other models are good too (T-2-F-75 etc).

Hi, Yeah you are probably right Daniel...Good air test.....HH....JJ

Daniel Tn Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The problem I'm currently having with the AT Pro
> is getting some decent depth out of it. I've been
> hunting a few spots that are like any other
> place...they've been in use since the 1800s so
> there are layers of trash on them. I've been
> trying to ignore the surface trash and still
> digging anything that shows on the display as
> deeper, or just sounds deeper due to the audio. I
> will give an example of what I've ran into. I
> will get a signal that the detector IDs well, say
> it IDs past the Tab icon and bounces in that area
> up to coins...and the audio makes it certain that
> it's not right on the surface, and in fact, the
> pinpoint button barely picks up a signal at all.
> The depth indicator is saying it's 6+ inches. I
> will cut a plug, rescan the hole...and nothing
> will be in the hole. Instead, it will be in the
> plug and only be a dime or penny that was about 2"
> under the grass. The detector air tests fine.
> Running it in Pro/Zero mode with sensitivity all
> but one bar to being maxed out. The deepest coin
> sized thing I've dug so far, was a 1970s dime that
> was about 4.5 inches deep. I got a coin
> signal...deep sounding audio. Dug my plug and the
> signal disappeared all together. I knew from past
> experience with detectors to dig a little more in
> the hole...and I dug another inch or so and
> checked my dirt pile and there it was in the pile.

Danial

my guess would be more of a mineral issue in your dirt from the way you're describing the problem/s you're having.

You may need a dual freq. machine (or more) to combat against the minerals and to punch deeper.

I'm sure there are parts of TN where the dirt is more mineralized than many other parts of the country (after all) there are mountains there and where there's mountains - there's mineralized dirt.

Just a thought - you may wanna try something like a CZ or E series ML, DFX or something with 2 or more freq. running at the same time.

HH



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/27/2013 03:16AM by MichiganRelicHunter.

I have several things to add to all this. First off, i had the G2 and in my soil, the AT series machines would out perform the G2 hands down in iron sites.

Also, the AT Pro in Pro mode has probably the best audio i have ever seen or heard for that matter on any machines i have tried. The Golds audio is a bit different but also bery good.

These machines equipped with the 5x8 DD coil can accurately ID to very good depths. Maybe the best i have used besides a minelab for accurate identification of a target.

My only complaint of the AT machines is they are not depth machines. Some get good depth, i however am lucky to achieve 8 inches in ground. Secondly, the display is bery, very small.

My biggest bitch about the ATPro is the dang coil connector! What friggin genius decided that was a good design??? Took me 5 minutes to get it the other day.

Tim N Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have several things to add to all this. First
> off, i had the G2 and in my soil, the AT series
> machines would out perform the G2 hands down in
> iron sites.
>
> Also, the AT Pro in Pro mode has probably the best
> audio i have ever seen or heard for that matter on
> any machines i have tried. The Golds audio is a
> bit different but also bery good.
>
> These machines equipped with the 5x8 DD coil can
> accurately ID to very good depths. Maybe the best
> i have used besides a minelab for accurate
> identification of a target.
>
> My only complaint of the AT machines is they are
> not depth machines. Some get good depth, i however
> am lucky to achieve 8 inches in ground. Secondly,
> the display is bery, very small.

With my ATP with the 8.5x11" coil --- I dug a SBA dollar in wet sand (here in Michigan so it's fresh water environment) at approx. 15" deep - it ID'd on the ATP as a quarter.

I use a heavy duty bucket scoop (stainless) that has a 12" long bucket on it (tongue to backend) with a 4 ft handle and I had it buried at least 3 inches or more beyond it's length before finally pulling the coin out - I almost gave up thinking it was a pop can or the like but the ATP kept repeating a high tone with the faint/deep sound indicating something smaller.
.

They can/do go deep when properly GB'd -