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zincoln
Gregg saw fit to ship me his V540 to try out. Spent about 8 hours with it now and have formed my opinion.

Found little but a bunch of bent nails and pop tops/pull tabs that my White's machines passed on.

Nails, Okay, ... but Pop Tops and Pull-Tabs your White's should have responded to.

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zincoln
After getting tired of the chatter in the recently filled area, i moved to an old, but less used part of the park that I've never found an old item in. Shortly, i dug several deep (6"+ pop tops) and a deep nickel. Not long after, i pulled what I'm pretty confident is the top of an old crotal bell.....then an old Assembly of God label pin...and then an 1887 V nickel. Also a wheat in the recently moved dirt.

What was causing the "chatter?"

Congrats on the good finds and yes, the Vanquish 540 can get some deep targets. Also, you only had the 9X12 DD coil to use. A good coil for a beach, plowed field, or a wide-open grassy park with minimal masking trash to encounter. The 5X8 DD is a splendid coil for day-to-day hunting with the V-540.

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zincoln
So, what did i think and what did i learn about this machine. First off, I'm comparing against my various white's machines as that is what i swing (IDX, V3i, MX sport, M6).

It's always good to compare a new or different detector and coil against those you own, use and know. Again, one 'problem' is you didn't have a smaller to mid-size coil for comparison.

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zincoln
I ran the machine mostly in coin mode, iron bias low, gain about 3 notches from max, iron audio on. I also tried relic mode which is definitely slower response.

► I found the 9X12 DD coil to work better in the Relic mode which does allow for a slower sweep and has a slightly delayed response, but that is comparable to a 'Deep' or 'Boost Process' function on some competitive models. The Coin and Jewelry modes do have a faster response and recovery time.

► Using Low Iron Bias is going to produce a lot of hits on a good portion of the Iron Nails, Rusty Tin and a lot of other ferrous debris you would encounter. I use it at times, but prefer to leave the V-540 in the turn-on High Iron Bias setting which does a much better job at handling most ferrous junk and crown-type, pry-off Bottle Caps. So that setting choice was going to result in a lot more noise and chatter where you were hunting.

► The Gain, aka Sensitivity to most folks, I always had at Max unless there was some EMI, then I reduced it only to the point of stability. I could run at Max also because it had settings that helped eliminate a lot of the noisy chatter I could have had to deal with.

► By Iron Audio 'On' were you referring to activating the 'Horseshoe' All Metal button so as to hear ALL ferrous and non-ferrous targets? If so, that was likely one of the biggest issues you had with regard to a lot of falsing and chatter. From the first few minutes after I got my first V-540 Pro Pack unit in-hand a year ago, I determined it had a Ground Balance glitch that affected the Coin and Jewelry Modes one way, and the Relic mode the other.

The Vanquish series have a designed in GB that is either preset, or fixed, or some might argue that is automatically shifts within a pre-determined range. To me, it is simply a 'preset GB' and we have to live with the design. In neutral or very mild, lower-conductive ground, it is hardly noticeable at all. But in higher mineralized environments, or especially when working the coil over rough, uneven ground with voids, dips, depressions, humps, bumps or mounds, it is going to be quite noticeable. Also, for a quickly changing ground mineral make-up. This is all noticeable when the 'Horseshoe' is used to activate the full-range of Disc. acceptance or Iron Audio response from all ferrous junk.

Without Ground Balance capability in the design, we do have one way to address this design glitch and eliminate the bulk of the chattery behavior of the V-540. Here are the things to do:

1.. Never activate the Horseshoe / Iron Audio function.

2.. Decide which of the three factory search mods you prefer, that offer different recovery speeds, etc.

3.. Once you know the mode you want to use, ACCEPT all but the first 2 Disc. segments. That will then allow you to hear most of the iron debris, but it will also eliminate the very lowest range of acceptance that can include the ground make-up that is affected by the errantly designed GB setting. In short, it will eliminate virtually all of the falsing chatter you get from having a too-negative GB behavior or a too-positive GB behavior when using the 'All Metal' Horseshoe function.

4.. Once you have selected the Disc. segments above the first two, Hold the Mode Button for several seconds and Save that mode and settings in the 'Custom' mode slot. It will then be saved so you simply turn on the V-540 in the Custom mode and start hunting. It will be at the High Iron Bias at turn-on and most chatter will be dealt with.

5.. Make sure you have the Iron Audio VOLUME set down at maybe 1 or 2 so that most ferrous trash will not be loud and annoying, but you will know it is there.

Follow those steps to save a workable program in the Custom slot and put in some good search-time with the V-540, and do so w/o using the Low Iron Bias. At least not until you've covered an area you might want to re-hunt, then try it.

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zincoln
Short answer.....i wouldn't' trade the V540 for any of them. I believe i found a strength however. In pretty clean ground, it hits deep on low conductors, more so than I'm use to with my White's equipment. I like its balance, even w/ the 9x12 coil. Light machine. Wireless headphones work well enough and have good sound.

I really like the weight and balance and the wireless ML-80 headphones. And yes, even the 9X12 DD feels comfortable enough.

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zincoln
What didn't i like....or maybe what am i not used to....

- Tones don't have enough separation and aren't adjustable. Combined with the noise from multi IQ, it was a scramble of similar frequencies. Made it hard to pick out an actual good target. Good tones are like all others - rather staccato and doesn't have any delay/hit hard when getting a stronger target.

I didn't have a problem with the audio Tones, and I don't have a problem necessarily with Multi-IQ. I think the 'noise' from Multi-IQ you relate to wasn't from that at all. It was from the settings used and the chattery behavior due to the design's GB when using the Horseshoe, which it sounds like you did. Knock out the first two segments and leave the Horseshoe 'Off' and I think you'll like the V-50 a lot more.

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zincoln
- Multi IQ is fine...but it is a noisy machine with any junk around and in ground with rocks and variable substrate it was noisy.

On my higher end V3i, you can set the machine to only respond when to a certain number of positive hits within a frequency range...cutting down on chatter. I can only assume this beeps on anything it sees, no matter how small, eddy currents, etc.

I addressed the Vanquish's noisy behavior and it is one thing that can really bother someone hunting in a challenging mineral environment. The "beeps on everything" you asked about is an issue that it beeps on tough ground conditions due to the GB design AND it is most noticeable when the Horseshoe is activated.

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zincoln
- Gain and pinpoint are so close together i was always hitting them both at the same time.

I didn't have that problem, but I don't wear gloves, my fingers are not big, and for whatever reason the PP button just seems to be there when I pressed towards it.

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zincoln
- Always falls over when you set it down as it has not solid base

Yes, it can, especially on uneven ground, or by the way the upper rod-length is adjusted. The bottom of the grip/handle seems to get in the way of the arm-cup/stand a lot of the time.

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zincoln
- Eats batteries

Totally agree and that's why I used their Ni-MH and a back-up set of other Ni-MH batteries that traveled with me. I think anyone who uses a Vanquish often might consider the R-n-B battery for it because, as you've noticed, it isn't a fuel-efficient detector.

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zincoln
- It likes iron - bent nails to be specific. Dug a lot of junk i have passed over dozens of times w/ my other machines. Granted, i was running in low bias, but wanted to see iffys.

It likes Iron Junk if you are using Low Iron Bias and also if using the Horseshoe feature. Use the 'Custom' program settings I suggested and Low Audio Volume for iron and you'll hear a lot of the 'iffies' but it will be more bearable, and you'll not be hearing the ground noise mixed in with everything.

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zincoln
- hard to pinpoint well. Always seemed to be on the heel of the coil

Interesting. The 9X12 coil might make it a little more difficult, but I generally Pinpointed just about dead-center where most targets will, if they are roundish and flattish rather than odd-shaped or in a canted position.

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zincoln
- no overload signal; all signal big and small sound exactly the same until you pinpoint

I can live without an Overload, but on some models I do like a good Overload Audio. But the Vanquish didn't annoy me in that respect.

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zincoln
- Didn't like relic mode as it was slow enough in response in the iron that it took an area that had signals in coin mode and effectively masked them. Not sure I'd find a coin in iron w/ Relic mode.

The Relic mode can work okay, but it didn't sound like you were working the better territory for the Relic mode and that coil. I wish you had the 5X8 DD for the places you typically work.

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zincoln
- Compressed VDI scale. Hard to distinguish possible signals as many lump together between 25 and 31. I'm used to space on the scale and you can often ID no desirable non ferrous material in the VDI mid ranges. Nothing is as good as your eyes, but you can tell quite a lot. This scale compresses everything tightly enough its hard to draw any conclusions - might be better off w/o the display.

The compressed VDI scale is fine ----- if you ever get used to it. Like you, I prefer a broader-range VDI read-out like I have with my other makes and models..

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zincoln
Is this fair to compare the v540 to my other equipment. I think so - at least all but my V3i. I recognize this is a midrange type machine, but its lacking in a lot of areas that i simply couldn't see putting it into my regular use collection....even with its strength in low conductors. Maybe its a gold coin magnet??

Anyway, one guys possibly slanted opinion. Take it for what its worth!

Zincoln

Yes, I think it was a fair comparison. Now, put in another ±8 hours, but use my Custom settings, avoid using that Horseshoe feature at all, and try working only with High Iron Bias most of the time. A smaller coil would be to your advantage, but I think some additional hunt-time with the settings I suggest will get you liking the Minelab Vanquish just a little bit more. It should be quieter, and hunting with less noise can be a good thing.

Monte

"Your EYES ... the only 100% accurate form of Discrimination!"
Stinkwater Wells Trading Post
Metal Detector Evaluations and Product ReviewsI'm now 'back home' in Farr West Utah monte@ahrps.org ... or ... monte@stinkwaterwells.com 503-481-8147Detector Outfit: A selection of my chosen makes and models, with the best coils mounted for the tasks I'll take on.F-19 * F-5 * Racer * Racer 2 * V-540 * Relic * Silver Sabre µMAX * Bandido II µMAX * XLTPinpointers: Garrett AT Pro-Pointers .. Headphones: 'Hornet' .. MS-3 Z-Lynk .. ML-80 *** All working well today to make memories for tomorrow. ***