I am predicting a lot of the CTX3030 "naysayers" will be eating "crow" a few weeks from now......

I am amazed at all the negative speculaution on various forums considering how little we know about this new machine . If I were to judge it solely on Minelabs past record/history I am thinking it will be a top notch performer.
A company does not get to the top by producing lemons unless they are into lemonade sales lol.

Hi, I know Minelab has not even released the selling price yet....So I really don't know where everyone has come up with the price of this new landscapers dream machine.....I know if it goes for the speculated price that's going around, I would have to eat some Crow not to mention Road Kill because I would not have any money left for food after buying it....LoL....JJ

there are always gonna be haters,,,,, ignore them and let the machine make it's own way,,,,,,,,, good or bad

Andy Sabisch says its more of niche machine. Its waterproof, so it appears to be a beach machine... maybe very sensitive to gold, or awesome id capabilities? we will know soon.

Most of the negative stuff has to do with the price. I think there is a small rallying cry from people to try to band together to say to the manufacturers enough is enough. Unfortunately we are not all in the same boat financially. Some will just buy any top model just because they can. I have no doubt that the detector itself will be a very strong performer. I look forward to the FBS2 review. But I think that this model is loaded with features that I will not use. And I have a hard time convincing myself to spend the cash on that. I look forward to honest reviews. Especially recovery speed.

i am amazed at all the chatter over a video with no info.

gman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> i am amazed at all the chatter over a video with
> no info.

Part of Minelab's marketing strategy, get everyone talking. Garrett did it with the AT Pro's.

DeepTech Vista X with 3 search coils.
Works for me

Minelab recently raised prices across the board about 10% - including the E-Trac to a $1549 suggested retail.
I've been a Senior Marketing Executive for many international companies so I know the drill - now think about this - they obviously knew for months that the CTX was coming.
By raising the price of the E-Trac they effectively pushed the price point up for the CTX.
We shall all see soon enough but a little birdie tweeted in my ear something like $2295 no wireless and $2495 for wireless...

If you got the room on your credit card - go for it...If you don't like it - you'll probably be able to unload it used (probably close to what you paid) before you even have to pay your credit card bill...

Quote
goodmore
I look forward to honest reviews.

That's why I'll be here. Ray-Mo., you'll be too busy deleting posts at FM to contribute much over here. (lol)

Thursday ML will describe more functional details, maybe tying some of Candy's recent patents to the CTX hardware. Hopefully some of their beta testers will be allowed to tell us a little more. Maybe beginning the 17th? I'm hoping the improved balance overcompensates for its titanic weight.

Minelab's strategy of spoon-feeding us information is getting a bit irritating...

Those who already sold their DEUS, and buy this new "bells and whistle machine" may find themselves selling it just as fast....

But Andy admits not, I say again, not involved in any of the testing or pre-production of this machine. So how can he know any more that anyones else.

possum mo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Andy Sabisch says its more of niche machine. Its
> waterproof, so it appears to be a beach machine...
> maybe very sensitive to gold, or awesome id
> capabilities? we will know soon.

I just talked to Andy yesterday and he did not have anything good to say about this new machine. All the speculation talk is just that, speculation. There is no "new" tech here, no P.I., mixed with FBS, ect. The big battery, according to him is to power that big color screen. Seems only logical, right?

And...like Andy says: "5 pounds is still 5 pounds no matter how you balance it." I cannot see swinging something like that in the water.

I cannot understand anyone who cannot handle the weight of the ETRAC, would even consider this machine.

Oh.....BTW....Andy said there is NO plans for a 5" coil from XP. However,,,there is some new software coming out that is supposed to lessen the footprint size of the 9' coil and address steel bottlecaps.

Reminds me of those storage locker wars on TV where prosective buyer are only allowed to look in the locker before bidding.

Indeed Minelab makes a fine product built to last and am sure this will be no exception.

Indeed just look around at rising prices and you will see why the price of mens toys are indeed high....

Perhaps a lot of the negitivity is coming from the honesty we all share here without sponsor interference. Ive seen the CEO of Fisher and Tom debate on here. They agree to disagree many times but the info is great. There isnt much info but price, weight and same tech..... im out. Ill hold my change for a NEW beach/water machine.... if i dont see one soon ill get a PI to go with the Xcal.

Dew

VERY GOOD point Dew!
Thank you and AMEN!

Andy could be so against it because he doesn't sell them and it is competition for what he does sell. Not meant as a "burn" but there's that part to consider now that he is a dealer.

5 pounds is still 5 pounds BUT it makes a HUGE difference in how it is balanced. Weight distribution is everything. A GPX weighs 5.3 lbs and it is balanced with the weight behind the elbow pivot. You can GLIDE the coil with one finger on the grip. I actually swung mine with the web between the thumb and index finger. With the arm strap on the arm, the machine just floats there. The only time the machine gets heavy are for the prospectors that use the HUGE coils on it. It throws the balance out out of whack. I tried a 12x15 DD coil on it and it by itself is a HEAVY coil and messed with the balance. I can only imagine what running those 18 inch mono coils do to you after a while. With the 11" and smaller coils...it's VERY easy. The eTrac weighs 2 lbs less than the GPX but is not balanced well....thus you hear people complain about how it fatigues them in just a few hours. I guarantee these same people could take the 5.3 lb GPX and hunt all day. I say again....if the CTX is balanced similarly (and it looks to be) it will be the same way. The #1 comment about weight people will be making is that "it says it weighs 5 lbs but it feels like its just 2".

Daniel, Andy IS a MineLab dealer.

Most of us are WELL aware of the importance of weight distribution and balance.

Again, my point, AS A WATER HUNTER, is that is a a lot of weight for a water machine.

Aaron, you left THE big thing about Andy out. He was not involved with the testing AT ALL, so what could he know? I have spoken to a tester or someone who got to use the machine ( I won't say which) and without breaking the NDA, he told me the machine is incredible and way beyond the E-Trac. He was shocked. He said it feels much lighter than the E-Trac. I'll take the word of someone who used the machine. And I think Daniel hit the weight issue perfectly. 5 pounds that is balanced is nothing, but unbalaced it feels like 15.

I really thought the reason for the weight is because it is a water machine?

I returned the Deus ONLY to fund this purchase. I really liked it overall. The ID was terrible beyond 5" in my ground and targets beyond 7" didn't ID and only 10% of those at 9" or more that I dug were keepers (note I'm in somewhat iron mineralized ground.) that said, for lightness, portability and working in iron and not too deep, it is GREAT. I will get another if I can. Love the sounds, very descriptive. I sort of felt bad returning it.

Albert

Albert, I comment on the weight only because I water hunt. I have never had a problem with the weight on ANY machine, weight is not a issue with me (on land).

However, those of us that do water hunt go to great extents to modify our equipment to be able to swing wider and bigger arcs in the wet surf and weight is HUGE.

A big shot BMW Exec like you should buy two and just loan one to Tom for the benefit of the rest of the forum members.On the other hand I doubt you have time to detect while spending so much time trying to get back on a forum you were banned from several times.

Aaron Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Albert, I comment on the weight only because I
> water hunt. I have never had a problem with the
> weight on ANY machine, weight is not a issue with
> me (on land).
>
> However, those of us that do water hunt go to
> great extents to modify our equipment to be able
> to swing wider and bigger arcs in the wet surf and
> weight is HUGE.


I meant that I thought water machines can't be light cause then it's harder, your arm has to do all the work. I've seen many mention this, but I don't personally know it.

But what about my comment above regarding Andy? I know he posted that he wasn't involved with the CTX, so why listen to him?

theres a small army of users who would always look at all models of machines but would never look at a ML model because of the overweight issue .
theyve (ML) been told about it but never address the issue .
a good proportion of global users are not young and cant swing a heavy machine no matter how well balanced it is.
and thats before we even look at the pricing .

earthman --

While I agree with most of your points, I just wanted to offer an opinion that perhaps it may be risky to take the testers' comments with any more than a grain of salt, at this point. You said that you spoke to a tester who said the CTX is "incredible, and way beyond the E-Trac..." I can't imagine the tester saying anything BUT that; I personally want to wait until a person I percieve to have less "bias" or "vested interest," offer their thoughts on the performance of this unit (ideally, NASA-Tom!)

I would think, at this point, that anyone who has been permitted to have their hands on the unit thus far (pre-release), would NOT be truly "free" to offer an "unbiased" perspective on its performance. And, given the expected cost of this unit, I'm guessing that "unbiased, very positive reviews" would be MANDATORY for many users, before being able to justify the expense.

Just a thought...I look forward, with an open mind, to some good, honest reviews of FBS2...

Steve



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/08/2012 03:53PM by steveg.

The same negative reviews came out about the E-Trac too. Look what it has done.

If you wrestled with crocks and kangaroos all the time, maybe the weight wouldn't be a factor....... Ha ha ha, That's not a metal detector...there's a metal detector.

Albert,

According to Andy, he has been involved w the development of all the minelab machines prior to this CX machine and according to him he and someone else had a big part in some of the tech that went into this new machine, that he originally wanted in the Etrac.

I feel a certain amount of credance should be allowed to someone who has such close involvement with minelab for so many years.

I'm not here to knock the machine, I'm only stating facts and my concerns as a water hunter.

Wow this is what it is all about you say what you feel then you wait till we learn more and then when the machine comes out you read the posts from the ones that buy it on this forum and then we start to learn more and more...I could not spend that much money no matter what..but yes it would be great to see Nasa Tom give it a spin and read what he thinks. IF it is a lot of money like over two grand and Fisher/Tek comes out with a new platform that works for less..I think they will be the winners. I never liked the V3I in color and I used that for a number of months and it really didn't click with me it was more fun using my G2 but the V3 was a good park and school machine just too much money for something I don't do that much.

But it will be fun to read about this new machine and what it can do and why it is a better machine at what ever it is going to do...I see that hunters that understand the Deus and the programs are getting more depth understanding the silencer less is better just like disc...

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!

steveg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> earthman --
>
> While I agree with most of your points, I just
> wanted to offer an opinion that perhaps it may be
> risky to take the testers' comments with any more
> than a grain of salt, at this point. You said
> that you spoke to a tester who said the CTX is
> "incredible, and way beyond the E-Trac..." I
> can't imagine the tester saying anything BUT that;
> I personally want to wait until a person I
> percieve to have less "bias" or "vested interest,"
> offer their thoughts on the performance of this
> unit (ideally, NASA-Tom!)
>
> I would think, at this point, that anyone who has
> been permitted to have their hands on the unit
> thus far (pre-release), would NOT be truly "free"
> to offer an "unbiased" perspective on its
> performance. And, given the expected cost of this
> unit, I'm guessing that "unbiased, very positive
> reviews" would be MANDATORY for many users, before
> being able to justify the expense.
>
> Just a thought...I look forward, with an open
> mind, to some good, honest reviews of FBS2...
>
> Steve


I see you point Steve. It is hard for me to communicate things the way they happened as 1. that is a bit difficult and 2. Even though the NDA wasn't broken from the way I understand it, I don't want to chance getting someone in trouble.

Aaron - I really respect Andy as a detectorist. I'm just wondering how much he knows. Maybe he is right. Maybe he is wrong and no matter what it is one mans perspective. It will take a while for the "truth" to come out. But, if he had no input on the detector and yet told you his input of prior suggestions on the E-Trac did indeed go into this detector, then he DID have input on this detector, just on a past suggestion. So, I am curious about what that is. I have a feeling it doesn't have to do with FBS2 technology and is rather from an end user and testers perspective.

Regarding the water machines, I still would like to know, "I thought water machines had to have some weight to them to better swing in the water. I heard too light is bad." Is this not true?

I'll say this, if I get the detector (and probably will unless the price is more than what I am hearing) and there are things about it I don't like, I will state it, video it, express it and comminicate it as best I can do as many people as I can. I did that with the V3i, the E-Trac, etc. Remember, the reason I am looking at the CTX is the weight of the V3i really gets to me - Isn't it ironic, don't ya think? eheheh ;-) I'm hoping for perfect balance - I'm young and in shape...

This is all quite exciting. I remember when the Deus came out and I mentioned it on the bigger forums as I had heard quite a bit about it. I will say 90% of what I heard 2 years ago is what I am hearing now in America. (good and bad). The release of new machines always come with all of this it seems. I'm really enjoying this....

Albert

LowBoY -- agreed, on all points!

Glad to see you posting, too...when you are ready to get "back in the swing of it" (pun intended!) there will be no shortage of machines for you to try, if you so desire. Otherwise, that G2 is no slouch of a unit...

Take care, sir!

Steve

Albert,

I have no doubt that you will give a honest report on the new MineLab based on your past reviews, videos and posts that I've enjoyed.

Regarding the weight of a water machine.
Almost everybody I know hipmounts their machine. When hunting surf and sand you can swing as fast and wide as you can careful to overlap though. To do this you need a nice balanced pole with pistol grip control box hipmounted. Now the ATPro is not able to hipmount, but it does matter to me because it's so light.