I hear what you're saying too Dan
I've been a Fisher & Garrett guy since 1977 when I 1st picked up a machine and over the yrs have become proficient with the CZ models which to this day are hard to beat IMO
what I've found over the yrs though is ---- you can't have just "1" machine that does every single thing for every type and style of hunting in every single environment, ground, conditions, etc.
Therefore ---- the way I've gone about it is trying to obtain the exact machines to use in whatever environment & conditions I'll be hunting in that excel in the job at hand while not spending a fortune for any *1* of the machines.
My current setup is:
CZ6a for coin shooting/general purpose hunting but more for the really OLD coins as I know the cz's inside & out and can pick out the Indians, Buffs, V nickels, and other really old coins with one far better than any other machine I've ever used.
Gold Bug Pro for gold hunting on the beach and for use in iron infested sites where most other machines just can't go.
E-Trac for deep silver in old parks, yards, etc. even though I'm still learning the unit and testing it in various sites/etc.
AT Pro for water hunting/all purpose & all weather hunting and it's pretty good in iron too.
It would be nice to have the newest, most high dollar machines out there (Deus, CTX, etc.) but my problem these days is $$ ----- I can never come up with that kind of cash all at once to buy those machines so I've had to pick up a machine here & machine there for $600 - $700 or so and the E-Trac was a trade deal I made for some scuba gear I had sitting around doing nothing.
If I sold all of my current machines/extras I would probably have $2500 cash when all said & done by basically giving them away but I can't get a Deus & CTX for that $$ plus I'd be losing a good $1000 on my investment and then have to kick in another few hundred $$ ---- which I wouldn't mind but selling 4 machines/extras is a task within itself and I don't want to wait weeks/months to go thru the process before selling them all because I'd most likely spend some of the $$ along the way and then have to kick in even more $$ PLUS be without certain machines that I may want/need to use!!
So currently --- I can hunt everywhere that those 2 machines (Deus & CTX) can, in all environments, conditions, etc. and find the same stuff they do but instead of 2 machines/equipment that can do what I want/need it to do ---- I have to use 4 different machines & extras to get the most out of detecting in all environments, conditions, etc.
That's what I don't like though ---- buying extra coils/etc. for 4 different machines instead of 2 and having to lug everything around, buy different batteries for all of them, carry bags, etc. etc.!
I just want 2 machines that have rechargeable batts, a couple of coils for each, 2 bags, and I'm good to go no matter where/under whatever conditions in any environment!