Garrett AT Pro

Yes the audio sounds alot like a mixed mode audio offered by white's but more nuanced if you will....Should help the coin hunter's on bottle caps for sure...now picking in iron for good target's might be tricky with that option? Maybe not but let's hope it does not high tone on flat iron or there will be a mess with all that extra blurping mixed in...Hopefully it wont but machines can get to busy audibly when rolling tone's sometimes to the point of mental exhaustion ..But usually only in the worst of century's old habitation site's...

one of the reason's that the First Texas machines perform well in the dual audio mode is the iron is reduced to more of a low background type response not a loud response proportionate = too the High tone....

But you also loose some of the target sizing and shaping of the iron with that mode.. So the pro mode on the AT will give back some all metal type attribute's

If you have ever ran a Nautilus you know how quick the audio can drain you in and iron patch but can produce also ....I can use the 2 tone mode on the FT machines all day in dense iron compared to the naughty but the naughty is more informational...

I believe it will have it's place but wish there was a T-2 low grunt type mode also for the area's where the full audio is just not doable...

Keith

I think it's more than just a concerted effort in the right direction. Having no idea how the unit really performs.............just the spec's alone......truly dictate the 'intended direction' of the company. My focus is; Of all the different hunting types......and of all the different hunting scenarios.......there is a good possibility that this unit MIGHT hold a trump-card in only one (or more) environ's.......and trump all other brands in this exacting/one specific niche.

Examples:

Relic hunting in excessively mineralized wet soils: Explorer

Exclusive coins-only (with extreme human-intelligence audio): CZ

Micro-jewelry, dry sand only, volleyball courts: Only the Gold Bug-II

Mid-depth only relics in carpets of nails: T2

Deep-depth only relics in carpets of nails: F75 LTD

Many of these detectors will perform OTHER tasks......and sometimes with above-average success........but........they have a pinnacle-niche in which they are MUCH better suited.

tom, what about these hunting scenerios using a detector with underwater capabilities???
micro/tiny gold jewelry... small to medium gold chains....depth on tiny gold....depth on medium and large gold.
1. wet salt beaches
2. mineralized wet salt beaches.
3. dry sand.

I believe it'll fail in the wet salt.......due to single freq unit. I also believe it'll fail with micro-gold........due to it's operating freq. I would guess it will be fairly hot on small gold and relics. I also question how finite/tight the EM footprint of that 'spread' DD coil will be. Looks like the T2 and F75 coil still produces the most narrow footprint in the industry. Will also have to wait and see how 'fast' the electronics are. And its two operating modes are akin to the F70......where it has a 'fast' recovery (compromising some depth)......or a slow recovery.....giving the unit greater depth and less adjacent target separation.

Everything still remains 'speculation'. A very definative hard-core field tester of unbiased/reputable statue will need to try the unit out in many different hunting applications/scenarios.........find its pinnacle niches/strong-points.........find its failures/weak-points............and report in emotionless/unbias white-sheets.

I can't believe that the AT Pro does not have a backlit screen. I wish my Omega did, but if the unit is taken underwater, isn't that mandatory to see the screen if the water isn't clear? I guess you'll have a light with you, but still, that would have been really nice.

All detectors should have one as the twilight hours make it hard to see the screen.

As you said Tom, it's going to take a unbiased/reputable field tester to make the rounds on this machine. That should be just around the corner...

Vaughan Garrett and Brent Weaver raw video.

First; I am MUCH mor appreciative of raw/off-the-cuff video.........vs..........a fully staged presentation.

Secondly; And most importantly.......looks like Garrett has evolutionized/come a LONG way.....and are seeing requirements of real-world scenarios; subsequently the merits of many features are inclusive of this new product.

I am curious as to why the AT Pro would ID (what appeared to be a 12 Ga Shotshell) as 'Iron'......when it was stated by Vaughan to be a 'brass' shell. I don't even know the performance/operating characteristics of the AT Pro.......yet........would be willing to bet..........via extrapolation of what the detector was indicating...........that the shotshell was actually iron. The shotshell would ID quite a bit below 'nickel' (which ID's as '51'). True brass shotshells will ID in the higher end of aluminum soda-tab/old-style 'square-tab' range (((this would probably be in the 57-61 range of the AT Pro). I would surmise that the so-called 'brass' shotshell that Vaughan was utilizing.........would easily stick to a rare-earth magnet...........verifying ferromagnetic properties.

Brent Weaver did a VERY good job of off-the-cuff explanation of operating characteristics of this particular unit. The merits/accolades/intents of this unit are a major leap in real-world performance....and are extremely similar (in many respects) to the top-end T2's/F75's. It may be 'claimed' that Brent is trying to "copy" the T2/F75 platform. Fact of the matter is....the astute Mfr's are 'dialing-in' to what Geophysics dictates.........and if that means a extremely tight EM footprint elliptical DD coil...coupled to a rapid microprocessor...........with high resolution iron discrimination.....and plenty of other features.......so be it. It may not necessarily be 'chasing the tail of said competitor'; rather, dialing in to mother-nature/Geophysics unalterable requirements. The 'wheel' being invented in China......vs.........the wheel being invented in Canada.....................will...................most probably.............have extremely similar 'end-resultant'.

Get that darn pencil (with aluminum eraser) off the table!!! ((( I know it's static.....is far away enough to NOT effect performance........but I'm a stickler to 'attention-to-detail' ))).

I'm sure Brent is well aware of this; yet, is worthy of mention. Steel bottle caps are usually 'zinc' or 'nickel' coated. Electrons pronounce 'skin-effect'.....following the outter surface of the steel bottlecap. A detector DE's nightmare.

Nothing was specifically mentioned about 'wet-salt' performance.

The demo of 'just barely' Disc'ing out the nail.......and demo'ing the nail/nickel combo was well orchistrated. However; what I would LOVE to see.......(for decades)........would be to place your hand vertical.......like you are going to chop something with your hand.............................hold your fingers together..........place the nail between two fingers................then place the nickel between two DIFFERENT fingers.............so as to provide vertical (depth) separation.............and see if the unit will detect the (deeper) nickel. ((( No detector can perform this..........yet ))). (I demonstrate this in the DVD).

I question if 16-bit or 32-bit microprocessor and clock speed. This somewhat dictates adjacent target separation recovery time-curve.

I did see where ID started to become more 'jumpy'......as distance/depth was increased. Common with any detector.....and more prone to DD coil config design.

The hair-splitting options that are offered in the 'Pro' mode..........I would want a NON-modulated audio option (so as NOT to miss the deeper/weaker targets).....and still utilize the merits of the other audio options offered only in the 'Pro' mode.

Real-world performance is what is really going to count.

I have a lot more I could say..........including more real-world engineering input/ideas/concepts...............yet, am short on time.

Kudos to Brent and Vaughan.

Tom

I am glad Garrett is moving or trying to move out of the shadows. I tend to be very analytical when it comes to any new purchase. I will wait and read the reviews, watch the videos. One thing that I have learned is that the detector that a person has, seems to always be the best as far as they are concerned. For this reason I take the reviews with a grain of salt. Within 6 months start looking at the used detector classifieds. If they start showing up there in quantities, then there must be an issue. Look at the Tek Omega 8000. It came out slow, the reviews started spreading about the abilities of this light detector. If you check the classifieds you will find very few listed as used unit. This to me means a lot. Good luck to Garrett on this unit, their success will mean our success in the field.

Tom in SC

One thing for sure, If Tom gets his hands on one of these new machines he'll test and give the facts as he sees them.

He has been right so far with the LTD.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2010 11:46AM by markg.

Tmanly..............the T2 & F75 (and Explorer) were on e-bay.......enmass.......right from the get-go. Kind of a unique situation here though. The primary reason for this was due to folks not knowing (lack of education......and patience) how to use it. I too.......impatiently.......overdrove the unit out-of-the-box. Not that this is a problem with the detector............rather............my brain was overloaded and fatigued.....because I could hardly handle/process all of the data it was presenting; .............. I had never been exposed to this before. ((( How do you know what you are missing, if you don't know it even exists....syndrome again ))). I have since recalibrated my brain to handle the 10-fold increase in audio data that these platforms present. EDUCATION IS CRITICAL!

Yes, you are correct in the fact that folks tend to be proud of thier purchase......may be brand-loyal.......and would never slam their own purchase/doings/pride. To me..........life is too short.............to fall prey to fallible human pride. Live with it...........deal with it..........and move on to what truly performs...........so as to ascertain maximum performance in minimum time-allocation.

I surmise/speculate the AT Pro will perform many, many times better than any other platform ever produced by Garrett..............a huge leap in performance via evolutionary awareness/epiphany. . . . yet, it may not instantly be at the performance level of the F75 LTD................yet. A huge leap for Garrett and mankind. Let's watch what happens in very near future......and mid-future.

Tom

Tom, like your other postings, your comments on the Garrett AT Pro videos were really excellent from my perspective. One other thought, in addition to your "Get that darn pencil (with aluminum eraser) off the table!!! ((( I know it's static.....is far away enough to NOT effect performance........but I'm a stickler to 'attention-to-detail' )))" remark, occurred to me when watching the videos. The kind of foldup table they were using usually has a substantial metal frame around the outside edge, along with metal legs and lock-in-place components. Assuming that was the case with the table they used, I wondered how much all that metal below the table might have affected the detector.

Tom

It will be interesting to note how many faithful Garrett users are able to adapt to a fast response fast recovery audio detector. I'm sure some will "get it" and there will be those that don't. I can just see the forum questions asking "how can I make it (the audio) like my other (Garrett) detector".


Tom Z

LOL, I remember when I first used my T2 a few years back. I had never swung anything that was so fast (who had?) and thought it was broken. But in a few weeks, I was able to adjust to hearing so many signals. It is strange thinking back to that time and now taking that speed for granted (even with the Omega). I don't ever feel like I'm missing a target due to the machine, just maybe due to the coil size - I have to use that smaller 5" coil more.

Another note worth mentioning regarding speed is o XP's Deus machine. You can adjust it's recovery speed, which is directly correlated to depth (slower recovery = more depth). I hope other future machines give that flexibility, if not with a recovery speed option directly, but with another "mode" e.g. - fast mode or deep and slower mode. I know the T2's modes play with sampled and continuous signal processing... and maybe those incorporate a recovery speed adjustment. Maybe the Cache mode on the limited does that? I do wonder how much the recovery speed affects depth though, I mean you can probably compensate with other settings some.

Another interesting note with the Deus from reading forums here in Europe. It seems that he users can hit any targets they find with any of the frequencies (it has 4, but most use 3, 8,13 and 18 I think, not the 4 - that is meant for the upcoming larger coil). Many of them use the frequencies to check targets as well as checking that iron is iron.

I agree Tom but to take that a step further, I wonder about the ones that do adapt and see the benefit of speed. Will they bail (or just closet) on their older tech Greenies?

BuckeyeBrad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I agree Tom but to take that a step further, I
> wonder about the ones that do adapt and see the
> benefit of speed. Will they bail (or just closet)
> on their older tech Greenies?

The sentimental ones will keep em. To Garrett's chagrin those that bail might just start looking around for other similar products. Uh-oh !

And if their "mono-visionaries" were to become aware of what all is out there, the sound of that bubble bursting would be the venerable "shot heard 'round the world"! Ahh, probably not because emotional based loyalty and objectivity don't mix. Of course I replaced my "waterproof" Infinium with a TDI so what do I know?

But at least Garrett is trying and who knows it may turn out to be a good first effort.

Tom Z



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/2010 08:39PM by Jackpine.

Trust me, Tom...as a Cleveland Browns fan all my life I know full well about the feelings of being loyal to an entity that doesn't quite deliver up to the level of being the best. The difference is I didn't assume from those several individual quarters of promising brilliance displayed in this years Green Bay pre-season game that they were gonna be the holy grail of the NFL this year. LOL!!!

I could only assume what metal was in/under the table....and chose to NOT comment.......for mere speculation purposes.

The F70 has a fast or slow speed option.

The F75 is extremely fast AND deep. The LTD is yet another story. The paradox here is............the F75....for the freq in which it operates......for the extreme clock speed.......for the extremely rapid adjacent target reset speed.........and other characteristics.........achieves exceptional depth,,,,with all of these paradoxical handicaps. Blame Dave & John!

I don't want to become overly zealous on this new AT Pro platform......yet......but would love to see Garrett's 'first shot' // 'first attempt' ...be at least a near-competitor to the T2. This would be a tremendous leap for them......and would be a great jumping platform to even greater heights. NEVER condemn major advancements/improvements!

Tom (D), are you gonna step up and buy one of the AT first releases?

Brad, Tom has to try the GB/G2 first . haha

Reading the hype we know the AT Pro will destroy all others.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2010 09:49PM by gman.

I don't plan on buying an AT Pro.

Well whatever it turn's out to be I am sure Garrett will sell a ton of them....That forum on the Findmall is constantly a flutter with activity....

Garrett seems to have strong following just look at the Garrett post just 450 shy of 100,000 post...

Even there Pinpointer created some buzz ......And I hear it's pretty dang good pinpointer....I don't know I don't use them but They sell a ton...

another example of a man making what he want's to out of his life....He starts out making them in a garage and now look...Still kicking and trying over 40 years later...Gotta love the Freedom that America allow's each of us to do such thing's....

What I like about the Detector is the Price point He is keeping it at...Lot's of feature's for the Money...If it can compete with say an MXT in depth and separation that will cause some rethinking in other manufacturer's detector's that push 900.00 or more easily...

If He build's a Top end unit and I am sure he will and keeps it under a grand and it can truly bring some real performance to the table I bet there will be a lot of convert's and some loyal user's happy...

I had a buddy of mine go out on one of the Field Test here In GA....I want say a whole lot but he Liked what he saw for the short time they were together and he was running all metal on another machine and letting them test the ATPro on the target's and it was hitting them in the disc mode not loud but was hitting them ...

Sound Interesting to say the least...

Good Thread also

Keith

Keith, I have a Garrett Pro Pointer and the time it saves when recovering is incredible. Of course a big part of that depends on where you are hunting, but when you need to keep things clean, like in a park, it does wonders. You know, first I bought a Lesche digger and was amazed that a 50 dollar digger can be so much better than a 20 dollar one, well, that Garrett Pro pointer is on another level comparatively.

I like what you said about value for the money regarding the AT Pro. I think the Omega 8000 did that for coin hunters. I am continually amazed with it. I think the Omega is going to be a great unit for me (and others) to compare the AT Pro to. I'm real curious if it will go deeper on coins (and be as good on them) as the Omega is. Most of the coins I find here in Germany are copper, so the lower frequency of the Omega has an advantage from the start. I'm also digging more silver, though still not much.

Interesting what you buddy found, man, a deep unit with good separation. Again, is it going to be as deep as the Omega on coins and will it have as good separation (and in iron)...?

Tom - With all that you said about the AT Pro, why not get one? Are you going to test one at least?

I do not plan on purchasing one..............but would give a full/thorough/comprehensive unbiased report on the AT Pro......should I ever acquire one.

I have been detecting for over 20 years and in all that time I've tried models from many makers. Some were top of the line and others were not. Most were lauded as the "hottest thing going," at one point or another.
After looking at my best finds and comparing many models side by side, two makers' always emerged near the top:

Fisher
Garrett

You can say what you want about Garrett's being toy like. Initially I would have agreed - until they went to finding stuff... stuff overlooked or not seen by other models, even in the same hunt. Or silver from very deep that still came through loud and clear. And so on...

One can talk all day about Garrett "joining the rest of the world," or finally adding a unit that impresses. One can look down the nose at Charles Garrett for being a coinshooter or a mass marketer. But none of that is impressive at all; it is only opinion and chatter.
It is what is uncovered in the field that DOES matter.

And I have found the Garrett's to be the pleasing dark horse in most detecting races. I have little doubt that in the hands of someone willing just use the danged thing and overlook the name, the AT Pro will perform handily. Impressively, even.
I have not tried the AT Pro - yet.
But I have the utter faith borne of experience that it will be a dandy. And it's color matches my Fisher, nicely



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/14/2011 04:20AM by dahut.

Good post. ..... I think you will be 'stunned' by the performance of the AT-Pro.......should you acquire/test one. It will be worth your time.

When all is said and done will certainly be top notch in its price range..

Heck I would use a pink detector if I had confidence in it..

Do expect a learning period and Garrett to back its unit relative service after the sale.

In addendum Garretts just work better in some parts of the country and in my neck of the woods are not a big seller
but have used many of their units and find they are not a depth monster but surely are competent units that have been around a long time and that ought to tell you something...