Does anyone own a Spectra V3i™?

[Dusty]

I know you guys don't like the vs game, its all down to personal taste, wallet etc....

My mate has a whiz on my SE and wasn't to impressed probably because I still haven't worked out a good prog for coins and jewellery so his attention has moved to the flashy looking V3. I have no experience with this machine so a view on it from someone who has used one would be great.

Thanks all

[Dylan]

I can't comment on the V3i but I've had a V3 for about a year now and I'm still learning how to get to get the best out of it - there are so many things that can be configured.  I think I've got a reasonable set up at the moment but I'm waiting for a friend of mine to come out on a session with me so that we can compare signals (or lack of!) - last time we went out he found stuff with an X-Terra 70 that didn't even register on my machine.  However, I've since found out that the settings that had been programmed in by the dealer were pretty 'soft' so that the machine ran quietly.  I'm now running it pretty hot and I've had signals down to a measured 20ins (unfortunately only an old water pipe - aaghh).  Using 3 frequencies is brilliant on contaminated ground and I've been able to clearly pick out the real finds using the Spectrograph; on cleaner ground I tend to run all the power through one frequency as I think it adds a bit of depth.  Hope that's useful.

[rjm]

I had the V3 and it's a very good, capable machine, and value for money around £1K (new)

The factory settings are set hot and, if anything need to be tuned down for stability. The machine can seem
daunting to learn but when you do get your head around things and set it up right it's can be a VERY deep
machine.

I intended to use it as a back up to the Deus but, after using the Deus I realised that I could no longer cope
with the weight and setting it up and constantly checking the settings was no longer my cup of tea. Also, the
headphones often just cut out and I had to carry piles of batteries to sort it out. I found out that using
rechargeables doesn't put out the 1.5v that the headphones constantly need.

Another thing was the Ground tracking was going up and down like it was out of control and any settings
made no difference to how it operated.

Those were the downsides. On the positive, it was superb in three frequencies and was great at getting
all sorts as those frequencies were aimed at specific metals. The Signagraph was good at sorting out
good/bad targets which saved a bit of digging.

There is nothing you cannot alter on this machine. Sounds, recovery speed, screen colours, etc etc. so
you can get it exactly as you like.

I would like to have seen an "Automatic" program where the machine set the GB and others settings automatically
so you didn't have the fiddling about.

It's certainly a good alternative to the Minelab multi-frequency machines. The Whites V3 simultaneously sends three signals out and sinultaneously analyses the three returned signals. This is different to the Minelabs which make it sound like they do! The Minelabs work out the best frequency for the ground conditions which isn't necessarily the best signal for the type of thing you are hunting for. Minelabs advertising makes a very clever play on the fact they are multi-frequency. They are....and so is the Deus, but they operate is different ways! The 28 frequencies of the Minelabs aren't all used at once!!!!

If you are technically minded then the V3 is the machine for you. It can be any machine you want it to be and the fact it actually uses 3 signals at ONCE, ALL THE TIME, is market first. Personally, I believe if you have it set right it has the beating of the Minelab, but the secret is getting the settings right! It will take some time to learn but so will a Minelab.

I now just use the Deus but if the weight of the V3 wasn't an issue (the Deus spoils you!) I would use it in preference to the Minelabs. There's nothing wrong with Minelabs but they have gained a large slice of the market due to their
advertising budget. More people use them and thus more stuff turns up by those machines.

The other good thing about the V3 is the aftersales service of Whites is probably the best of all the metal detecting comapnies out there. They are simply excellent.

The other piece of advice is to use the forums such as Rogers Relics where there are some very proficient V3
users who will sort you out. I've forgotten a lot about the V3 as I sold it on. The warranty is transferable.

[Dylan]

I've tried to register with Rogers Relics forum loads of times but never get an e-mail back with a password/log-in.  However, there's an excellent forum dedicated to the V3 and V3i - see http://www.findmall.com/list.php?66.  It's an American site so there's lots of stuff that's not relevant to us in the UK but I learned a lot from there.  As rjm mentioned, the factory settings are very hot but my dealer changed them to too quiet so you have to get the settings right for UK soil and your own sites in particular.  I've actually customised the little icons so they tell me exactly what the signal might be (I'm sure that if I learned al the VDI numbers they would tell me as well but anything to make like easier!).

My dealer has been fantastic.  I had a problem getting the wireless headphones to connect when I first bought the machine and he just swapped over the control unit for a new one.  I had another problem recently where one of the cells in the sealed battery unit packed up (it comes supplied with a sealed unit and a spare 'normal battery' unit) and again he just swapped the battery pack over.  I couldn't ask for better service.

[rjm]

If you get good service name the dealer. If you don't PM us all !!! 

[Dylan]

Dealer is 'Leisure Promotions' of Newbury in Berkshire.  (They didn't pay me to say that they provided a good service :-)

[rjm]

The owner, Mick Turrell, is a very nice chap.

He will have given you a program to get you started, one that's stable etc., as he does with all machines
he sells to users who need a little assistance.

He has organised some good rallies over the years where hoards and good finds have been made.

Oddly enough, it's one of the nearer detecting shops to South Wales!!!

[Dusty]

Thanks for the info gents - he's just bought one on the strength of this post 

A cool £1050.00 his old fella's gonna be SO happy lol!!!!!!

[rjm]

Keep us posted on how you get on.

If the V3 was lighter it'd definitely be second on my list of the best machines. 

[jondav]

I had the V3 and it's a very good, capable machine, and value for money around £1K (new)

The factory settings are set hot and, if anything need to be tuned down for stability. The machine can seem
daunting to learn but when you do get your head around things and set it up right it's can be a VERY deep
machine.

I intended to use it as a back up to the Deus but, after using the Deus I realised that I could no longer cope
with the weight and setting it up and constantly checking the settings was no longer my cup of tea. Also, the
headphones often just cut out and I had to carry piles of batteries to sort it out. I found out that using
rechargeables doesn't put out the 1.5v that the headphones constantly need.

Another thing was the Ground tracking was going up and down like it was out of control and any settings
made no difference to how it operated.

Those were the downsides. On the positive, it was superb in three frequencies and was great at getting
all sorts as those frequencies were aimed at specific metals. The Signagraph was good at sorting out
good/bad targets which saved a bit of digging.

There is nothing you cannot alter on this machine. Sounds, recovery speed, screen colours, etc etc. so
you can get it exactly as you like.

I would like to have seen an "Automatic" program where the machine set the GB and others settings automatically
so you didn't have the fiddling about.

It's certainly a good alternative to the Minelab multi-frequency machines. The Whites V3 simultaneously sends three signals out and sinultaneously analyses the three returned signals. This is different to the Minelabs which make it sound like they do! The Minelabs work out the best frequency for the ground conditions which isn't necessarily the best signal for the type of thing you are hunting for. Minelabs advertising makes a very clever play on the fact they are multi-frequency. They are....and so is the Deus, but they operate is different ways! The 28 frequencies of the Minelabs aren't all used at once!!!!

If you are technically minded then the V3 is the machine for you. It can be any machine you want it to be and the fact it actually uses 3 signals at ONCE, ALL THE TIME, is market first. Personally, I believe if you have it set right it has the beating of the Minelab, but the secret is getting the settings right! It will take some time to learn but so will a Minelab.

I now just use the Deus but if the weight of the V3 wasn't an issue (the Deus spoils you!) I would use it in preference to the Minelabs. There's nothing wrong with Minelabs but they have gained a large slice of the market due to their
advertising budget. More people use them and thus more stuff turns up by those machines.

The other good thing about the V3 is the aftersales service of Whites is probably the best of all the metal detecting comapnies out there. They are simply excellent.

The other piece of advice is to use the forums such as Rogers Relics where there are some very proficient V3
users who will sort you out. I've forgotten a lot about the V3 as I sold it on. The warranty is transferable.

ref the quote that the minelabs dont use all 28 frequencies at once ,my understanding is they do,depending on the channel selected,the actual 28 frequncies  will differ, for example if channel 5 is selected a certain set of search freqencies will be used ,while if channel 6 is selected, a different permutation of 28 frequncies will be selected, while two of the search freqencies, are fixed and used for all channels,these are 1.5khz and 100khz,while all the other 26 freqencies will differ as per channel selected, incidentally, if i,ve read the book correctly,the lower channels have a bias towards lower freqencies,while the higher ones are biased towards the higher ones,phew? I hope thats clear,it took me a while to get my head around that one

[rjm]

You've got me a little confused there but that's not difficult!

If I understand what you've written correctly then it seems to contradict itself. The point I was making is that
the Minelab does not send out 28 frequencies all the time and analsye the returning 28 frequencies.

It does send out a selected band of frequencies and uses the strongest returned signal. This is why Minelab
multi-frequency are very good in mineralised ground.

The Whites V3 is the ONLY machine on the market that SIMULTANEOUSLY send out three signals and
SIMULTANEOUSLY processes the three returned signals.

In other words, Minelab multi-frequencies do not simultaneoulsy send out 28 frequencies and simultaneously process the returning 28 frequencies. Yes, they do use 28 frequencies but only certain are chosen (channels) and then the strongest
returned one used.

There is a big difference. In my opinion Minelab are very cunning with their advertising with regard to 28 frequencies used (they don't openly explain how and it's only by searching out the information elsewhere that you realise)  and very secretive of the processors they use. Ask them direct and they are very evasive. For example, they won't confirm if the same processor is used in their Safari as the E T.  Yes, the software is different.

The Deus uses 4 frequencies................but not simultaneously! Only Whites offer this method.

[jondav]

Many thanks for your reply RJM,you may well be right on this,I,ll log on to the minelab forum,and put it to them,I hope I get a straight answer.I will say though that I have tried several Whites machines on the beach ,including wet sand,and all of them dont seem at all stable,the explorer however does stay amazingly quiet until a target is found,possibly the new Whites model has eliminated this drawback,I dont know.Of course its "horses for courses" as they say ,and not all detectors work in all different types of terrain

[rjm]

Many thanks for your reply RJM,you may well be right on this,I,ll log on to the minelab forum,and put it to them,I hope I get a straight answer.I will say though that I have tried several Whites machines on the beach ,including wet sand,and all of them dont seem at all stable,the explorer however does stay amazingly quiet until a target is found,possibly the new Whites model has eliminated this drawback,I dont know.Of course its "horses for courses" as they say ,and not all detectors work in all different types of terrain

Detecting on wet or black sand is all to do with Ground Balance. The Whites machines have a system but in reality
the Minelabs are probably the best. Oddly enough, many Minelab owners reckon the BBS is better than FBS
on the wet sand (18 freqs rather than 28).

The Whites V3 constantly ground balances but I never used it on the beach to make any comment.

The Deus works well with a big advantage that the control box can be put in a waterproof I-pod bag so there's
nothing to damage by water or sand. Later this year, with the coil mod, it will work fully submersed.