Comparison Minelab Vanquish 540 vs Minelab E-Trac Pro

The shape of the coil (frame) of the metal detector.

— Round. The traditional form used in almost all types of ground and underwater metal detectors (see "Type"); the only exceptions are models that work according to the RF method (see "Operating principle"). When using concentric coils (see "Coil Type"), this option allows you to create a conical field, which is convenient for pinpointing the location of the find, but reduces the covered area and makes it difficult to search over a large area; models with DD coils do not have this drawback.

— Elliptical. The shape in the form of a longitudinally elongated ellipse allows you to somewhat "stretch" the field created by the metal detector in length. This is especially true for coils of the concentric type — however, such an expansion somewhat reduces the positioning accuracy of individual finds. But in coils of the DD type, where the accuracy is by definition low, the choice between round and elliptical shape is most often not fundamental.

— Rectangular. A specific form used in RF or PI instruments. For technical reasons, it is considered optimal for such devices, but it is practically not found in other types of metal detectors.

— Butterfly. Another option used in DD coils along with the ellipse (see above). In fact, it consists of two elliptical windings..., partially combined and resembling butterfly wings in shape — hence the name. This option is typical mainly for large-sized DD coils; with a large width, it is considered more optimal than an ellipse.

The size of the standard coil (frame) of the metal detector. Theoretically, the larger it is, the deeper the device is able to “see” and the more space it captures in one pass, but the worse it is suitable for searching for small objects and the lower the accuracy with which it localizes them. At the same time, these characteristics depend on so many other factors that in fact, the size of the coil itself affects them very little.

Note that for coils (frames) of an elliptical shape, only one size can be indicated — along the length.

The operating frequency (or frequency range) of the metal detector. This is one of the most important parameters when choosing a device, because the optimal frequency for different cases will be different — depending on the size and material of the items being searched, the characteristics of the soil and other factors. Detailed recommendations on the choice of frequency for each specific situation can be found in special sources; And already on the basis of this information, it is worth choosing a specific model.

Note that the actual frequency at which the metal detector will operate also depends on the installed coil — they are usually made for a specific frequency. Therefore, to use the full capabilities of the device with the ability to adjust this parameter, you may need replaceable coils.

The greatest depth at which a metal detector is guaranteed to be able to detect a metal object. Note that this parameter is most often quite approximate, moreover, somewhat conditional. This is due to the fact that it is usually indicated for an perfect environment (low-mineralized soil, a fairly large object, the material of which optimally matches the frequency of detection of the coil, etc.), and even for such conditions it is difficult to derive an absolutely accurate value. Therefore, in fact, the detection depth is highly dependent on a number of additional factors (from soil characteristics to user skills) and can be significantly less than indicated in the characteristics. Nevertheless, the claimed depth describes the capabilities of the metal detector quite well, and it is quite possible to compare different models with each other.

Note that a large depth not only increases the cost of the device, but can also adversely affect its ability to detect small objects.

The deepest depth at which a metal detector is capable of detecting small coins and other objects of similar size. Many users buy a device with the intention of “hunting” for metal trifles, so manufacturers often indicate this parameter separately in the specifications. Due to the small size of the coins, their detection depth is usually much less than the total maximum detection depth (see above).

The number of individual discrimination programs provided in the design of the metal detector. In this case, discrimination means filtering the detected objects using a discriminator (see above) so that the device does not work on unwanted objects such as pieces of foil, bottle caps, etc. You can also configure such a filter completely manually, but this may require special knowledge and create difficulties for inexperienced users. To avoid this, some models may have preset programs instead of manual settings. Thanks to such programs, the user just needs to select from the list what type of objects the metal detector should react to, and all the necessary settings will be set by the device's electronics.

Ground balancing method provided in the design of the metal detector. By itself, such balancing is a setting of work parameters for the characteristics of a particular soil — after all, depending on its mineralization, humidity, etc. The soil affects the search signal in different ways, and the device electronics must take this effect into account for high-quality processing of such a signal. Due to the correct balancing, the detection of the desired objects is ensured and at the same time the probability of false positives is minimized; and it can be done in the following ways:

— Automatic. The most convenient type of balancing that does not require the user to manually adjust the device. Usually, tuning requires some time to move the coil up and down above the ground until the automation sets the necessary parameters. There are two types of auto tuning: preset and tracking. The first option involves balancing the metal detector for a specific type of soil before starting work, after which the device uses the same parameters until the next setting. Such a scheme is inexpensive and can be used even in fairly simple models, but it is not very reliable: even a small change in the type of soil under the coil leads to a decrease in the effective detection depth and an increase in the probability of false positives. Follow-up balancing does not have this disadvantage: devices with this function constantly monitor the characteristics of t...he soil and make the necessary corrections to the operating parameters right in the process of operation. This increases the efficiency of the search, however, the price of such devices is very high.

— Manual. As the name implies, with such balancing, the necessary parameters must be set by the user himself. This option is considered the most reliable, because. even the most advanced automatic systems do not always work perfectly; And yes, this setup is cheap. On the other hand, it requires certain skills from the operator and may not be suitable for inexperienced users.

— Manual / automatic. A variant that combines both types of balancing described above; in such models, the user can choose the way of setting as they wish.

The number of pre-installed programs for searching for various materials. Their number reflects the capabilities of a particular model, allowing you to start working right off the bat.

Regular metal detector search programs include detection of coins, all metals, jewelry and relics. In some models, this list can be expanded with "Beach" programs, custom (user) detection mode, etc.