Definitely a loaded question as we've seen from the many emotional responses below.

Red flags went up for me as I watched Loren Lemcke's video and he comes back to his data source of 1000 targets over the summer (3 min mark), 50% initially found by the deus 2 and 50% initially found by the 800. Targets are NOT just easy surface targets, but possibly masked targets and deep targets as well and both detectors always detected them. His take away from the experiment: Perhaps 1/1000 targets were different. Thus, essentially no difference in the upper end detectors. Well, there is price.

Why is this a red flag for me? Because when I hunt with other detectorists and we compare targets, it is common to have difficult targets seen by one detector and not seen by the other. It is also common to have a detector call something bad (discriminated) and another call it good. This is educational and eye opening and may have you making tweaks to a setting(s), changing to a different coil or even considering a change to your detector.

Going out hunting with Loren, in his area, would be really interesting to see how he sets up his detectors and how he goes about his hunting and to get an idea of the local conditions. It would be a learning experience for me I'm sure. For the time being, I move on for my advice.

Where to turn for advice? Well, I'm guessing that some won't be turning to Calabash Digger as his strong personality and abrupt responses to criticism don't typically endear him to many. In my mind, he does hunt in places similar to what I do and if i can glean some helpful knowledge from him and his videos, I will. He is also looking for the best performance possible out of his machines and can be quick to change to something else if he thinks there is an edge there. I tend towards technology advancements like he does. That makes me poison to some entrenched in long standing opinions or ways of doing things. Granted.

As for me, there are other YouTube personalities that hunt locations similar to mine, but from watching their methods and procedures on camera, I see too many red flags and think their opinions need much more experience before they would be helpful to me.

And then there are those who hunt areas different than I, who i watch carefully for ideas that might open new avenues to my detecting so that I always have places to hunt. These are the gold nugget prospectors, beach and shallow water hunters, and such. I Break for Bedrock, Two Toes, Tassie Boys Prospecting, Outback Gold Fever, Hiluxyota, Aquachigger, I Dig Daytona, Relics and Rings (Andrew) and many others. I see ideas and inspiration here.

And some I may seek advice from don't have a YouTube presence, like many of you that gather here and on other forums. I read and evaluate. Consider.

A last comment - we always have things to learn and knowledge to gain. Being able to hunt with others and compare notes, signals and experiences with them will help further your own progress, it may have you changing or modifying your own 'methods and procedures', might even have you considering a change or addition of equipment. It might just validate that you have your detector pretty well figured out and others may learn from you. In my mind, there are differences in the performance of equipment and as your knowledge and skills increase, your ability to notice these will increase as well.

UtahRich -

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Zen and the Art of Metal Detecting . . . . .