CTX - HIT or MISS

[Boozer]

I used the E-Trac for a number of years with great success, had to sell it due to 'tennis elbow' brought on by landscaping my back garden. Following the landscaping I found I couldn't swing the E-trac without pain.

Bought a Deus that I enjoyed using and finds rate didn't drop if i'm honest.

CTX came out and after a quick field test from a fellow detectorist on a Central Searchers dig decided to move back to Minelab.

My positives for the CTX are...

Balance - I can swing the 5lb monster all day without any tennis elbow issues! in fact I would claim it feels lighter than the deus over a full days detecting.

I've got my E-trac back with extras.

My Negatives for the CTX are... (apart from the usual - price!!!)

No support for the machine from the MLO forum admin senior members! IHG has posted programs - fair enough, TH has defected to the Bliss forum, Neil SnL has died i think. Gary did a runner! If you look at the launch of the E-trac I think the mods believed in the new machine :-(

6" accessory coil is too small - an 8" coil would be perfect (ask deus users)

Negatives (from using) include as previous posts - losing signals in the spoil after initially digging a good signal!

For me the CTX is a HIT

Is it a HIT or MISS for you?

Boozer

[Iron Mask]

Glad it is a hit for you. I hope that when I can have one some day that it will be a hit. During my 14 day trip to the UK for Bedford, WW and Corfe I didn't even try one as I didn't want to know how good it is. I held them many times and that was enough.
By the time I can afford one I am sure it will be a 3nd or 3rd production revision with some bugs sussed out.
Find anything interesting with it Boozer?

[Steve_T]

Glad you’re doing well with the Ctx Boozer. Don’t own one as yet
But seen some really nice pieces found with them the balance seems to be the big bonus as many thought the weight would be a problem. Well have to save some penny’s and like Scott wait for the next instalment whenever that maybe.

[mal]

Well pleased with mine and the GPS is great. Different beastie to the ETrac especially on the beach.

Using it at the moment plotting Roman finds on my only Roman field. When plotted shows finds in straight line down old trackway.

HIT

[ferrousphil]

Hi,
My first post on this forum - newbie! I had my CTX out for its first run today, found the balance very good. I used the coin harvest mode from " Gary's Detecting", worked well for me -Edward II(?) penny. I enjoyed using the machine, the GPS is a great tool. I used the GPS to mark out path lines across the field before venturing out, the 3030 then took me to the waypoints and directed me along the path - fantastic! It's definitely a HIT for me, although I too have had the disappearing signal once out of the hole, using pinpoint helped me relocate.

[swarfy]

not a bullseye but a definate inner ring ,needs some of the issues sorted out though losing signals being the main one and a bit of input from minelab would be nice ,when I had the Etrac there was lots of comments from minelab staff it seems we no longer warrant a look-in or any helpfull advice

[ARGONAUTE]

HIT!

[chriscolle]

Haven't nearly had enough hours on the CTX, but it definately is a HIT for me.

It found a silver earstud in the wet salt sand with a banging signal and the 11" coil, thought it was a coin!
That find really showed what potential this unit has.

[Boozer]

Find anything interesting with it Boozer?

Intresting finds so far - An Edward 3rd half groat and a Henry 3rd voided long cross penny! Both in fantastic condition! Thaxted

[gazzaj]

Hit. Love the 6inch coil for all metal in amongst the very heavy iron.
I havent bothered with exchange or gps as i run a mac.
Love the way it handles any type of field with ease..

[Nuke em]

Cant say i have problems with mine when looking for a target in the hole , if it disapears then i dig more or use the probe. I have seen other top end machines lose targets the same way.
Think the next CTX will be a very long way off , maybe 3 years and the cost will be much higher and that depends on if they think its been a success or not, i think Minelab would be better off building a version with similar stem to CTX without the extras the CTX has but waterproof and lower the price. What about a single high freq version or something like the Terra that can change coils with ET screen and tones.

On the whole the CTX for me is alright but the cost in this country is too high and will take a time to get back.

[shep]

Hit for me, the amount i've found while still learning the machine is awesome, just need to put the hours in now!! Not even touched some of the features yet...

[dave9]

Miss, too expensive and too many issue's that keep popping up.Some may have had some some good find's but isnt that what is suppose to do.At 2k i would be not be too happy with the issue's that keep popping up .Wonder how many have had warranty issue's .Good luck,Dave

[shep]

Miss, too expensive and too many issue's that keep popping up.Some may have had some some good find's but isnt that what is suppose to do.At 2k i would be not be too happy with the issue's that keep popping up .Wonder how many have had warranty issue's .Good luck,Dave

I might be wrong but it sounds like you don't have one and are making the decision based on others comments, always dangerous to do that...

[dave9]

I might be wrong but it sounds like you don't have one and are making the decision based on others comments, always dangerous to do that...

Sorry Shep,i don't understand,Just an opinion based on people who do own one.Unfortunately people are swayed one way or another by other people's comment's,rightly or wrongly.

[Goldhunter]

Sorry Shep,i don't understand,Just an opinion based on people who do own one.Unfortunately people are swayed one way or another by other people's comment's,rightly or wrongly.

That's right Dave, we don't all have to agree. What's wrong with someone not having the same opinion as someone else? It's interesting to read all the posts and opinions on here.

[shep]

No need to be sorry, I just think it's important to state which views are based on actual use and experience and which are just someones opinion based on what they have heard.

Personally I wouldnt rate hit or miss on a machine i haven't owned but maybe maybe that's just me!
I would encourage anyone to give their opinion at any time as that's what forums are for but they have to be put into context! The comment made by dave9 is a valid one and if I didn't have one then I might hold the same views..

[ironhearted_gog]

Yeah things are hectic in MLO admin land. We are working on an instructional DVD, which I wanted to be out by September. Delays in receiving "everything needed", pushed back production into a second TV project.... which will be completed at the end of this month.

The net result is a lack of time for me.... Neil hasn't died, he's living in his bongo waiting for a flat. This means he's having problems maintaining a reliable internet connection.

Things should be back to normal in the new year.

[Dave-A]

It's a hit for me. Still need way more time on it but for me metal detecting is all about enjoying the hobby and enjoying my hard earned leisure time.
I'm enjoying the CTX more everytime I use it so I'm happy. The $2499.00 Canadian that it costs here was a small price to pay for a great machine that makes my time away from work fun, enjoyable and relaxing. At first I wasn't too excited about having to learn a new machine but coming from the SE Pro it was easy to get started. Getting started = easy, getting proficient = fun but time consumming.

Dave

[Nuke em]

Yeah things are hectic in MLO admin land. We are working on an instructional DVD, which I wanted to be out by September. Delays in receiving "everything needed", pushed back production into a second TV project.... which will be completed at the end of this month.

The net result is a lack of time for me.... Neil hasn't died, he's living in his bongo waiting for a flat. This means he's having problems maintaining a reliable internet connection.

Things should be back to normal in the new year.

I heard that about Neil yesterday but did not want to be the first to say it. Thought he was hitched up ? hope he gets sorted before the crap weather.

[Boozer]

Think the next CTX will be a very long way off , maybe 3 years and the cost will be much higher and that depends on if they think its been a success or not

I thought the Idea of the CTX was to have software upgrades either free to fix bugs or chargeable for improved performance!

The rumour mill has already started that a CTX2 is on the way if you listen to some peeps

[Davidhod]

I think it's a hit. But it will sell quite slowly for a while, mainly because of the price. It will be my next machine, I just don't know when

[Ants]

I think it a hit but I was out with leisure pro yesterday and it was Heavy thick stubble, the problem was you couldn't push the coil though at slow speed as it would stop dead an not push it over so you had to hit it with a bit of speed, the Deus users were going fast and some made up to 10 roman, inadequate none.

[Nuke em]

I thought the Idea of the CTX was to have software upgrades either free to fix bugs or chargeable for improved performance!

The rumour mill has already started that a CTX2 is on the way if you listen to some peeps

Dont think there will be a CTX 2 for a long time , more likely that there might be a watered down version for people not wanting the extra's it has above the ET to replace the ET. Also a replacement for the Terra's must be soon i think aswell ?

My idea for a ideal machine is a CTX type stem , waterproof , ET screen and tones , numbers , single high freq with Terra coil freq options and a 11 x 10 in coil . That would sort all the machines replacements .
Wont be a CTX 2 though , it will only cost more and Minelab have enough to get on with with the CTX 1 i think.

Also if there was anything that was going wrong with the CTX i think Minelab would have upgrades out covering them or will , they can only know about these fault if any when people phone and tell them unless they look on here ? Des does sometimes though.

[TheGeorgiaCanuck]

I'd say a home run for me, not just a hit. I found more silver in one month with it than I ever found in 3-4 months with the AT-Pro/Fisher CZ-3D. Went over areas I've done before and pulled silver after silver with nails, trash, iron, etc in the same holes. Clean signals with the CTX and using different profiles helps find the stuff you might miss in another profile in trash.