Need advice on detector?????????????

All advice appreciated... I am going to buy a new detector for coinhunting. In the past used the e trac and thought it was great for deep silver. My question is do users of the CTX 3030 or anyone that has tried one think it is superior to the e trac for coin hunting. Not considering the water usage but mainly for land hunting. I realize it is a lot more money but just wonder if it is worth it. From what I have read in the past the main advantage it seems maybe a faster recovery time on the ctx but not even sure of that. All replies appreciated. I even thoght about the DEUS. but from what I have read it seems to be more for relic hunters....I know the weight difference would be much better...thanks

Do you know what the experienced guys who are successful looking
For what you seek are using?

Sometimes the most expensive machine is not always the answer.

Good luck with your decesion.

Joe from Aus
CZ3D, G2, Garrett Sea Hunter M2

Sonny,

I have all 3 ( CTX, E-Trac and Deus).

As far as the comparison between the CTX and E-Trac (I have the small coil for the CTX, and the Sunray X8 and X5 for the E-Trac in addition to the stock coils), in terms of strictly land hunting for coins, the E-Trac is the way to go since the price, even new, is much lower, and you have more coil options ( CTX can only run CTX coils...there are no aftermarket coils at this time). The CTX is a tad quicker in recovery speed, but since you used an E-Trac before, you know that when you get into areas full of iron and there is more nulling than usual, you have to slow down and hit those areas from multiple angles, regardless if using an E-Trac or CTX.

CTX has some additional features, some I won't ever use, but the main reason I got one is due to me salt water beach hunting most of my time, and I had my E-Trac down near the water on several occasions ( it did very well), and almost got swamped by a wave....so no more E-Trac near the water !!!

If you do want to land hunt in the rain, and beach hunt, then the CTX is a better option simply for it being waterproof so there are no worries.

The Deus is a totally different animal. Much faster recovery speed, lighter, and just a really cool unit to use. It is a great coin shooter and can be set up a multitude of ways. Since it's only single frequency, it is not as good in mineralized soils or on the salt water beaches. Also, due to the wireless technology, if you want to fresh water hunt and have the coil under water, an antennae has to be used since the signal from the coil cannot penetrate water and return to the control box/headphones. There are only 2 additional coils for the Deus, and they are very pricey. The stock coil is a very good all around coil, and is the one to use for coin hunting. I am debating getting the newer 11 inch coil, but at a cost of $499 list, I am not sure if it's worth it for what I use the Deus for which is mainly trash filled areas for sniffing out good targets ( a bigger coil would not be good for that).One of the cool things about the Deus is the fact that the headphones are another detector, so if you get an additional coil, you essentially have another Deus and can set up a friend or newbie to start hunting with you.

Good luck on what you decide, but in my opinion, for strictly coin hunting on land, the E-Trac is the better value over the CTX. Check out some of the like new E-Tracs up for sale on the forums. You can get some good deals.

Personally I would PM or perhaps arrange a tel call with therover as he has used all 3 you are interested in as it may help asking direct questions. In this way you can perhaps personalize what would work best for you. One telephone call can be worth perhaps many E-mails or posts and being you are both experienced imagine it would be fun and perhaps help both of you trading expertise..I know from experience was on that trying them all treadmill for years and must have used 100 units over the years and
it can be confusing and cost prohibitive and wish you luck in your search.

Love The Ctx, well balanced, I have been hunting with the machine for 2 months now and I have noticed it being a little quieter than the E-trac. I am planning to put the
17" coil and do some beach hunting with it.

Sonny, I have used the MXT for 14 years to coin hunt and have done as good or better than any of the top of the line guys. I find rings that some of the V3i guy can,t. When you get in trash, that is when it shines, with the 4x6 dd coil you can go as slow as you want and get those little tick that tell you that there is a coin there. If your soil is mild, it will go as deep as any others. Other than beach hunting, i don,t think any other is better in parks. If you hunt open fields, yes you might get a little deeper with boost on some, but for just coin and rings ,,,and price, i don,t think you can beat the MXT.

Flintstone..I picked up a new MXT Pro with 3 coils. That unit is awesome. I agree with you on what you said about how for the price, it's a pretty hard unit to beat for coin and ring hunting.

The regular MXT's you can get for really good prices now. I went for the Pro due to the tone ID, which I am so used to now using other units with tones, it's hard to hunt with a one tone machine ( for me ).

Plus, the MXT is sooooo easy to use and set up. Not much there but pure power.

Next step is a 8x6 SEF and I am good to go. Dont' care much for the 10 inch DD that came with it. Pretty much running it with the 5.3 Whites coil, but want a smaller DD. Haven't tried the 9.5 coil on it yet.

When you check out reviews on an MXT, they are never any bad ones ! Everyone who uses them loves them and I can see why.

If I remember correctly Jimmy Sierra had a lot of input on its original makeup(MXT)...couple that with an improved pro version and can understand why. Personally I just luv previous Whites units such as the XLT as has the abilities for making changes for various conditions. Always thought of the original MXT as a user friendly XLT...
Everyone looks to new technology but well learned the XLT-CZ makes a great combo. Sort of old technology for an old guy I guess....

Dan...I am so used to using knobs and a simple interface, by running mostly CZ's for the last 20 years, that I gravitated toward the MXT.

Cadillac of coin hunting = Etrac :-)

Unless you enter water - then CTX

Deus is a whole different type machine - best used in iron infested type sites - no where near the depth of an Etrac - just much faster

I use Etrac in wide open - no disc. whatsoever - it doesn't null that way ------- if you add even just a tiny spec of disc to an Etrac - it nulls

I've pulled coins/coin size targets at unbelievable depths with my Etrac and the 10x14" DD Excelerator EQ2 coil (hard to find though cuz they don't make them anymore) but that coil is amazing! (as is the little 4.5x7 DD)! Those are the 2 best coils you can get for an Etrac IMO

I have used all three detectors also. I agree with what Therover61 says.

"Good luck on what you decide, but in my opinion, for strictly coin hunting on land, the E-Trac is the better value over the CTX. Check out some of the like new E-Tracs up for sale on the forums. You can get some good deals"

If you buy a CTX and run it like a Etrac ...jsut get the etrac..

but if you set it up to run more sleuthy...you will see it do things esepcially in iron trash that you thought a FBS could not do...

is it deeper than the etrac? No

but its as deep and can do double duty in iron unamasking that the etrac just cant accomplish on a more advanced level....It dos not have the settings to do it...

It may not be so apparent at first but I promise you it has the upper hand in iron .. and also handles mineral very very well with alot less nulling and falsing if you have such.....

just for the simple ability to break tones to your liking and ability to hunt in combined is huge...

I know alot of peole like the deep faint high ring the etrac gives on silver and the ctx does not do that as well ... it still hears it but its not ringy..and that throws the longtime users of the etrac off on the CTX...but theres so much more ability in the CTX if you delve into the settings...

if you just want to hunt deep silver in a park you'll do fine with a etrac... if you want to hunt deep silver in a 200 year old iron hole and also dig low conductors out of those site's intermignled in iron then the CTX is geared up for that also...

will unmask like a GMP or a DEUS or DTVG and such in iron?..well NO!! but it will unasmk better than the etrac and actually surprise you in its abiltiy to remain quite stable and less falsey in iron sites and bad ground...

its just what do you want to do.....there both great detectors...

its not the etrac is inferior its the CTX is superior in alot of way's ... and again tone break is the must have NOW on the FBS platfrom...again I cant go backward's...My time is important...

The CTX is a sweet unit to own...

Keith

Tough-tough to make the call for the other guy.....speaking from experience Explorer series really gives a lot of info and loves silver but on the other hand coil for coil a CZ will go deeper unless your one of those guys that like to swing garbage can lids...
Never using the CTX imagine it will go deeper than Tesoro water units but Tesoro will spank it it for gold jewelry especially the small stuff which most guys miss and at a fraction of the purchase price. Never did much relic hunting and no gold nugget hunting so no opinions given.
I guess you all see what I am getting at and wish you luck Sonny in your next choice...
" so many detectors...so little time and bucks.."

Therover61, The 8x6 SEF is a super little coil, i sold mt D2 coil i got a 10x6 dd to see if it is any better. I use the 9.5 coil for open fields, it dose very well. For parks with trash the 8x6 SEF is tops. I have the 5" round Excel. coil and it dose good but depth is about 51/2", but it will get in trash and dig. I use the MXT origeral I have bad hearing loss so the tones don,t do me any good. I am not knoting any other detector but for the money you can,t beat the MXT, if you spend $2000.00 to $3000.00 you might find something i wouldn,t find, you would need to buy a 250.00 coil. I have had the T2se, i still have my CZ, i like it to. I still have 8 detectors but still go to the MXT, I just got the VX3 i was thinking it would hunt like the MXT only with 3 frequencies but it can,t stand up to the MXT. Flintstone

bump

As always, Keith makes an extremely important point....the conditions you hunt play a major role in determining what unit is best for you. I agree in heavier iron laden sites, the CTX is more versatile than the E-Trac....but them you stick in units like the Deus, F75s, etc. with their super fast recovery, and it makes for great contemplation as to what to get/use !

For deep silver/copper coins in moderate to light iron, a nice used E-Trac, for the price point and coil options, is a best bet

Also, Keith mentions that higher tone ring of silver....tell you what, my Safari has a higher, more distinctive ring on silver than my E-Trac...and just as deep too ! It's just a slower sweep speed unit and does not have the additional features and ID capabilities of the E-Trac.

So Sonny, which one are you going to get---the CTX or the Etrac?-----I got them both & can't stand the idea of getting rid of either one of them! ha ha-----They are BOTH such excellent machines.-----I've got mucho hours on the Etrac & not so much on the CTX but I'm getting better with the CTX the more I use it.----I know I LOVE the balance on the CTX.----It's actually heavier than the Etrac but you would never know it when you swing/hunt with it.----You got some great answers from the guys here to your question----so which one is it gonna be?? (grin)------Wait, I know----get 'em both!!!!------------Del

therover61 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Flintstone..I picked up a new MXT Pro with 3
> coils. That unit is awesome. I agree with you on
> what you said about how for the price, it's a
> pretty hard unit to beat for coin and ring
> hunting.
>
> The regular MXT's you can get for really good
> prices now. I went for the Pro due to the tone ID,
> which I am so used to now using other units with
> tones, it's hard to hunt with a one tone machine (
> for me ).
>
> Plus, the MXT is sooooo easy to use and set up.
> Not much there but pure power.
>
> Next step is a 8x6 SEF and I am good to go. Dont'
> care much for the 10 inch DD that came with it.
> Pretty much running it with the 5.3 Whites coil,
> but want a smaller DD. Haven't tried the 9.5 coil
> on it yet.
>
> When you check out reviews on an MXT, they are
> never any bad ones ! Everyone who uses them loves
> them and I can see why.


try the "sleeper" m6! virtually the same "guts' as the mxt,
minus the "modes"..outrageous coin and jewelry sniper!
if ya don't relic hunt,or prospect,m6 will save ya some scratch.

(h.h.!)
j.t.