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UtahRich
Hey Monte -

Looking at this from a sales popularity contest among detector dealers, which you are returning to as we speak, the Minelab Equinox 800 made all other detectors obsolete.

Almost, and I 'generally' agree, but they didn't make all other detectors obsolete because there are times when the Equinox does perform better when a SF is used, and in those cases, other SF detectors can compete with the Equinox.

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UtahRich
Both of these detectors are considered All-Purpose or All-Round Detectors. The AT-Pro gained notoriety through YouTube personalities like Aquachigger, The Hoover Boys, Relic Recoverist and so on. Were there other detectors with better performance out there for us to use, you and I would both say Yes to that.

Yes, we would agree there. And while those personalities were promoting Garrett, we had Gary Blackwell and a few others over in the UK who really promoted the XP Deus, and there were/are others.

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UtahRich
But it isn't about what detector you think is the best value or I think does best on deep targets and targets missed by previous detectorists. It is about Market Share and what the buyer wants.

Yes, Market Share is important, but a good sales plan can sell less-than-impressive detectors to a lot of folks. And I agree that in some applications we can see some advantages to some SMF's. For example, you mentioned going after those deeper targets, generally old coins, that have been mise by folks for a long time. No argument there because a lot of SMF's have provided us with improved deeper-target detection, and especially deeper-target visual ID than most other detectors. In this category, Minelab has usually been the noteworthy winner.

Like you, I have also owned and used a lot of Multi-Frequency detectors since he '90s, starting with the Fisher CZ6a and, for me, especially the CZ-5. Than the Sovereigns and, for me, the Explorer II and SE. I borrowed and used a CTX-3030 but never owned one.

For a lot of my urban Coin Hunting in locations with a better potential for there to be older coins and missed silver, I did use the SMF's. I was sent a lot of coils by Detech to evaluate on the Explorer, too, so the SMF did get used.

But if I was hunting places around here in Utah, I might have been going up against you and you are skilled at what you do with a good SMF. However, 85% of my detecting was in ghost towns and other similar challenging sites where the amount of iron debris and other conditions favored a really good, solid-performing SF detector and smaller-size coil.
As you knows a really nice example of such a tool is he Nokta FORS CoRe, and we can add the Relic to that list as well as the original Racer and Racer 2.

Like all detectors, they will have their place based upon performance as well as search coil choices, plus the retain market they fall in. For where I spent most of my time, I took an SMF but the SF units that I favored provided med the best performance where challenging trash was tough to deal with and most old coins and tokens were not / are not deep. Surface to 3" or maybe 4" but you need to deal with target masking and have a very fast-response an quick-recovery detector & coil combination.

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UtahRich
The Equinox 800 phenomenon came and took the top sales spot away from the AT Pro not long after it was introduced. Despite some embarrassing build quality issues, it still dominated sales. What about the other manufacturers trying to keep pace with the Minelab Equinox 800? XP responded with their Deus II, Nokta with their Legend, Garrett joined with their Apex. I suggest that they responded with their own SMF offerings because that is what consumers wanted.

Yes, a lot of consumers have gone with an SMF, especially a Minelab. No problem and that's fine. Those consumers, and I think most are in the Coin Hunting group, have good choices. And if they have bn hunting long enough, like you or me, they have a better understanding of a detector designs and how / why they work better for them.

What I was trying to get across is that so many new-comers to the hobby or those with little time afield but more time for videos and such, have easily been swayed toward SMF', especially Minelab's Equinox or Vanquish units. Remember, I have one in my outfit, and even my primary loaner Unit is an SMF.

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UtahRich
I have been using SMF detectors since the early 90's when they were first introduced. During my 30+ years of using them i have used many other detectors and keep coming back to SMF detectors. Not because I have been Snake Oiled by Minelab as you suggest, but because of the results. Results are noticeable. When I suddenly stop finding deeper targets that I'm used to finding, something is wrong.

Nope, not suggesting Snake Oil, and have also been using SMF's as long as you, but it is more site dependent on the make and model and circuitry design we choose to use. And you are right, it is selecting a detector that works well and provides what we need. My sites have favored a good SF detector and smaller coil.

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UtahRich
I wish you and the boys luck with your new business venture. Don't forget to include detectors that potential customers want to buy. While you will have your personal favorites for those spots YOU like to hunt, your potential customers will likely have scoured the web and YouTube to educate themselves and will likely want to purchase something else. That's what the upcoming generation does. They research using Google, evaluate Online Reviews, look to YouTube for demonstrations and once they're 'educated', they jump in with both feet running expecting to have the same experience as those who they are following. It's the new way of doing things.

We are planning to carry and offer both SF and SMF models so consumers have a choice. I have done my part to help promote some affordable SMF's and have 'converted' some of my long-time hunting friends to add an SMF to their outfit, and a few of them like those units the most for where they hunt. But they are on ight budgets so they chose mid-range priced SMF's and not top-dollar units.

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. ***