UK METAL DETECTING

austin · Joined: 30 Jun 2007 Posts: 65

As time goes by certain machines become very fashionable, and everyone wants to be seen with one at a rally. Then they will fade away and something else becomes flavour of the month. Right now everyone wants a Tesoro (almost any model will do it seems), and eBay prices have skyrocketed. It also seems everyone has to have a Goldmaxx Power, yet many are saying that the old Goldmaxx is better. Certain Tesoros are indeed very good at lifting a hammered off a nail, but detectorists have a much wider range of requirements than just doing that one thing.

I get the feeling that a lot of people out there are using somewhat older machines whose voice they know 100% perfectly - not the latest technology perhaps, but productive in the hands of a very experienced user. I heard recently about some guy who uses an old Musketeer (not me - I just sold mine) who thrashes his fellow club members who all have Explorers - simply by totally knowing his machine.

The reason I've just bought an old Whites Spectrum XLT is because I've read so many people say it's truly a keeper which can be tweaked to do so many different tasks. I know Gary has a soft spot for the old XLT - it remains a very interesting machine, even today when the competition is fierce.

So find yourself a "keeper" and get to know it properly over several years. Flirt with the latest technology if you must, but come home to the one you know...

Austin Smile

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Gary uk · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 73 Location: Buckinghamshire

Excellent post Austin and very true, the XLT is a fantastic stubble basher and when released was well ahead of it's time. I must dig mine out of the loft this week. Also the old type metal box silver sabre is a good tool it still stands it's own on a freshly rolled Roman site, no learning involved just point and squirt, the Sabre can have a much higher coin to junk ratio compared to todays high frequency sets.

UK Brian · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 431 Location: Wales

Still use my XLT most weeks (don't think its as good as the long box Spectrum though).
Other machines that still hold there own on difficult sites are the Gold Mountain(GMT 1650), Bounty Hunter Mk 1 and a few of the old pre motion machines from Viking, Compass(77b for flat ground, Legend for rough) , Whites Beachscan etc that have little depth compared to modern detectors but have see through on nails areas that drive most machines mad.

malachite · Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 203 Location: The Toon

it will always be a case of horses for courses.. i bought my Goldmaxx Power well over ayear ago when not many people had them and it has served me very well indeed..

the old XLT 1.1 was a superb machine and can still do the job very well nowadays so it will be a classic no question although as has been said the big box spectrum is a better machine and certainly deeper.

another classic is the Laser B3 powermax and for the second time this year whooped everyone including myself at our recent lincolnshire rally.. ok its downfall is coke but even still i had a few very successful years using my old B3 and thats why i bought another couple when they came up..

the arado 120 and 130 is another classic and was the bench mark for many years especially on pastureland

daunker · Joined: 03 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

Hi guys, I've had a garrett ace 100 for a while, and used it a bit. Found a lot of newly old coins (1900 pennies etc.). I have decided to treat myself to an upgrade. I was looking at the XLT as value for money it looks great, I haven't been able to find any information on the "long box Spectrum" you mention- could you give me a little more information?

In addition how would I be able to confirm that an XLT model is the 1.1 you mention? (are the other models not as good?)
thanks,d.

malachite · Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 203 Location: The Toon

ok firstly the long box spectrum is simply called " whites eagle spectrum"

the XLT 1.1 is usually easy to spot as it has the older coil on it and also the display tells you the software version when switched on.

the older XLT coil i think says " whites spectrum" whereas the newer E Series simply has XLT written on it

malachite · Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 203 Location: The Toon

ok firstly the long box spectrum is simply called " whites eagle spectrum"

the XLT 1.1 is usually easy to spot as it has the older coil on it and also the display tells you the software version when switched on.

the older XLT coil i think says " whites spectrum" whereas the newer E Series simply has XLT written on it

above is a pic of the XLT 1.1 coil

austin · Joined: 30 Jun 2007 Posts: 65

daunker · Joined: 03 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

Thanks very much for the help malachite. I just purchased a whites eagle spectrum (long box) on Monday. I should have a decent chance to get out with it next week and will let you know how I get on Cool

Also thanks everyone for the comments on this thread. Trying to do internet research on metal detectors is a minefield, it seems every new detector is the best thing since sliced bread, but they all seem worse than each other when each author boasts about how great their particular model is... Rolling Eyes