Explorer se pro or etrac?

Ok, been saving and were getting close to being able to pull the trigger on a new etrac price range detector. My question is there are some nice fair priced explorer se 2's up for grabs now and then to so which way to go? And why? My wife and i have ruled out the safari because she likes the graph style screens better and the fe co numbers. We both would be using the machine and we mainly hunt private homes and so on for older coins. seeing bare explorers bring 500 and decked out clean ones with more than one coil bringing 600 plus. Have also seen some good deals on etracs. Price is a factor being that we can spend the money on a new etrac but it we surely aren't opposed to saving some money and picking up a clean explorer se pro? we have read everything we could find on both models talked to several users and watched a ton of videos.... and we still can't decide. What would we really gain with etrac? Is one easier to learn? Easier to use? Near as we can tell they both will hit coins about the same? If we decide to sell later on as of current, can't expect people to predict the future, are they both fairly easy to get your money out of them if bought used? I see stuff for sale but never really know what the final agreed price ends up being? Kinda hit a dead end, no one around me owns minelab so can't play with one. Sounds like this spring we might get the chance to meet up with fellow that has done quite well with his explorer and test it out. Just doing some more research till we get to digging weather. Have many of you went from explorer to etrac and been happier wished you wouldn't have upgraded or no real change? I'm swayed towards explorer on one hand do to price and being able to add a couple coils and such and still come in under the etrac, but etrac would have warranty and is current production, also tons of videos and info for etracs not as much on explorers. I'm not expecting to get a magic wand and head out and just start digging loads of silver i know it needs to be there first to find it. Also my wife likes the idea of being able to load custom programs with the usb. She mentioned once she gets the hang of the initial machine might be nice to be able to add some other folks programs and see what works and what doesn't. To be honest if there was a machine that could id like the minelabs but was set up like the omega t2 racer or mxt i would look no further, these computers on a stick intimidate me! Thanks again, Josh

You are likely to get longer customer support with etrac vs the other models.

As far as learning--- etrac is probably easier.

The way the ferrous line is straightened out on etrac.

Here's a chart showing TID with the older explorers---- etrac, the conductive range is expanded moreso.

[www.findmall.com]

Cant go wrong either way. To me, factoring in price a clean SE pro with an extra coil or two, or even a sunray probe thrown in is the better route. But the etrac is certainly a great machine. I just have a hard time with the etrac 12 line, dont like how it congests targets. Prefer the explorer "square", but I didnt hunt with the etrac a ton. I own 3 explorers now, all explorer 2's.

I prefer the SE over an etrac, with Pro coil.

Get a good used SE for almost half the price of an Etrac.

Good luck, Paul

The Exp was discontinued. Out of the box the learning curve goes to the ET..... and it makes it easier to move up to the CTX. BUT..... the Explorers are very hard to beat once learned because of their unique TINKLE sound on deep silver.

Dew

Great units and good advice. You mentioned that you and farmergirl hunted mainly around older homes for old coinage. My machine pick would be a unit that is better in iron....there are quite a few. Not only better in iron but lighter in weight and better balanced.

Thanks folks for all the replies! I've seen some se pro's sell pretty well around some bringing nearly 700 with extras. Not sure what a fair price is on them or even what to watch for. What are people talking about when they say certain explorers are harder to pp with than others or am i misunderstanding? Tnss neither of us have been around or used a minelab before, could you please expand on this straightened out ferrous line and thank you for the link I will check that out next thanks.

Ozzie were not opposed to other machines just seemed like after watching all the "hype" with minelab over the years that maybe it's not hype and maybe they really do work well for people that learn them and put them to use. I will start another post about machines to use around old houses and such that will give depth and separate. Thanks Josh

Don't get me wrong Josh, the se pro and etrac are awesome detectors...I have used both. I'm sure you will learn and love either one. I thought I'd get more site specific, that's all.

For coin hunting FBS detectors are probably the easiest out of the box detector to learn. Turn on, noise cancel, and hunt! You'll get 90% of the machines max performance doing absolutely nothing. Which for coins, trumps most other detectors.

Used all the Explorer models but never an E-trac but have done a lot of research and reading....Understand the E-trac is easier to learn but know several E-trac users that went back to the Explorer series which makes me think why fix whats not broke comes to minds...Both are great deep seeking units but indeed would consider other units also as what you are looking at are heavy and surely more user friendly units that excel in iron and lighter for long hunts more adaptable to your wife and yourself...In other words would consider other models also...

Etrac

I prefer any Explorer over an etrac if you have higher Mineral..

The Etrac is not as deep once the Nuances are learned of both units..

Not that the Etrac is a inferior unit just that the more Minelab tried to control mineral noise the more the units became more stable but also depth loos insued.

Actually the first explorer Xs is the ones you want if your after the deepest of Silver..

Keith

“I don't care that they stole my idea . . I care that they don't have any of their own”
-Nikola Tesla

I will agree........ they arent fast recovery machines, so the use of a smaller coil may be needed in some spots. They do get heavy. Keith is right the older ones are a bit deeper...... but didnt they just have CON..... not FE/Con? Almost impossible to get the older ones repaired, but you can get them MUCH cheaper and they are built to last as are the Explorers.

The SE Pro doesn't have 2 tone ferrous and the whole graph/numbering system is different from the Etra, but the se is a good machine for sure once you use it a few times.

Well I think if I go with a minelab I will be watching for a explorer deal to show and give that a shot first more affordable for me. I think I can get an explorer and a racer for about where I would be on etrac. Definitely wouldn't say no to a deal on an etrac either. ... I sure appreciate everyone taking time to answer some of my questions! I have a lot to learn on them seeing as how I've never ran a mine lab or even read much till now. before I had the net I always kinda considered minelabs that "other" brand lol. Lots a folks round here were loyal whites guys and to be honest until about 2 years ago I was "unaware" that whites had any competition! Must be the farmer in me had farmall for 66 years on our farms and 3 generations including myself ran Chevy pick ups. Funny thing is now that I'm married there's a Ford in the drive way an 3 ford tractors in the shed along with 3 teknetics and a garretts in the stable! A woman can sure change a man!

Can't go wrong with International and Chevy...I parted out IH Cub Cadets for about 5 years before eBay got flooded,made a pile o cash selling to restorers and users. Don't know where that cash went though...