Minelab Sovereign XS-2a Pro
Price: $500
Avg. Score: 
5
Based on 12 reviews
5Based on 12 reviews
Avg. Durability:
5.00
Avg. Ease of use:
4.00
Good detector
February 05, 2021
Had mine since 2001 and I am 33 years old. Machine still works perfectly
after 1000s of uses and I ran it over with my truck. Broke the shaft but
fixed that with bolts broke the lower rod in half and made a new one out of
wood. Snapped the coil wire so made an extension to hipmount.
Detector was hidden snug up against my tire while I was using a f2 fisher to fast hunt a field. Wondered why my truck wouldn't go and thought brakes were broken! My truck bounced like I had just went off a curb and I thought damn no more detector.
Fixed in one day and got a platypus coil 2 hunt with and finding silver dimes at 45' 11in deep. Cut off my pant leg 2 make a hipmount bag years ago and can swing for 4 hrs. Without a break.
This is 1 of the best machines made 4 relics n coins and wont let u down. When I was 13 I thought it was broken from all the nulling sound so I threw it 40ft in the air into a tree and left it in the rain 4 a week till dad got it down. Still have the same xs2apro. 5 stars
Max Depth: 14 inches on US quarter
Overall Rating
Durability
Ease of Use
Would you recommend this to a new user?
Yes, absolutely!
Bobo from
Sinkhole rain WA
21
Relic master
May 24, 2019
I have owned my Minelab XS-2A for about 10 years. I am basically a straight
up relic hunter, spending very little time hunting beaches or parks. I have
used many different detectors from several different top of the line
manufacturers, and I must say that the XS-2A has become my go to machine
for all locations and conditions.
The digital readout is slightly different and takes a little getting used to but once it is dialed in and you get used to the digital readings for different types of metals, the XS-2A with the standard 10" coil is truely an awesome relic hunting machine. Most of the locations that I hunt are lower than average in trash content, but even in more trashy areas, with the digital indicator, it is fairly easy to distinguish between trash and relics, and saves a lot of normally wasted time.
Make no mistake, this machine is built like a tank. I have mine set up with the control module directly under the arm cuff, and the drawback is that it is quite heavy. In order to offset this issue, I use a tote bag strap to reduce the weight to almost nothing. I hook one end to my belt on the left hip, across my back, over my right collar, and hook the other end to the machine at the top of the foam handle. Perfect balance, and no weight. Makes this machine breeze to use all day long.
Everyone has stories of their best find... Mine is not so spectacular based on item found, but is truly a testament to the power and precision of this detector. Hunting a confederate camp in north Suffolk VA, in farm field soil conditions, I was able to locate a very small flat bronze kepi button that was no more than 3/8 of an inch in diameter and 1/32nd of an inch thick, at an astonishing depth of 1 foot. My XS-2A has never lied to me or failed me, and has found hundreds and hundreds of civil war artifacts as well as 19th century coins.
When I hunt an area, I never feel that I have missed something that is capable of being found. The XS-2A will definitely be my hands down first choice for the foreseeable future. Two thumbs up!
Max Depth: 14 inches on US quarter
Overall Rating
Durability
Ease of Use
Would you recommend this to a new user?
Yes, absolutely!
Dave from
Chesapeake, VA
41
Minelab sov xs2
March 21, 2017
Made like a sherman tank, brilliant depth, tons of accessories, and still a
wide choice of coils as all sovereigns can share coils, amazing on
wet/black sand great on pasture a true legend.
Max Depth: 13 inches on US quarter
Overall Rating
Durability
Ease of Use
Would you recommend this to a new user?
Yes, absolutely!
Jake from
Scotland
100
Still the best on the beach
November 03, 2012
The older Xs machines are better constructed than there modern
counterparts, and they perform as well if not better, if by some miracle
you can source the original Coinsearch coil which are much lighter than
latter coils, you then have a brilliant combination. Because these machines are getting on a bit the original battery pack may be not take a full charge.
You can obtain a battery pack and charger which is superior to the original, these machines are good beach and inland machines simple to use, now have almost a cult following, you wont be disappointed!
Overall Rating
Peter Abbott from
United Kingdom
197
(A Real Metal Detector)by Minelab
January 03, 2012
I got the Metal Detecting itch again after being away from it for about 15
years. I was in a pawnshop and met a nice gentleman who had a Garret GTI
2500 that he was making a loan on. After chit chatting with him he offered
to sell me his for $1000. Me being a ex pawnbroker of 22 years got on my
laptop and started investigating and found they were just over $950 on
ebay. Checking Craigslist I found one north of Dallas for $500. And I
bought it.Well I had to get my girlfriend one so I found a Garret 250 ace at a pawnshop locally for $250 and I liked it better than the GTI 2500. It reminded me of my old Tesoro Silver Sabre. It was just a little better with all the different modes at your finger tips and a little more on depth.
I still wasn't quite satisfied. With all the information at with the World Wide Web I began my search for me a real pacifier. I new from all he forums that I read that Minelab Sovereign with a meter was in the stars.
On Ebay I chose a Minelab Sovreign XS 2aPro. I picked it up December 29,2011 from the post office.
I had read the instructions online and watched the beginners video on youtube.
On the way home from the Post Office I spotted a 1930's style home with someone in the back yard so I stopped and ask permission to detect their front yard and they said yes. I set the detector at the beginners setup positions that are pre-marked for you. I found quite a few coins but nothing real old, a Texas shaped rabies tag from who knows when and a few pull tabs.
Used it the next day at a school and found my first silver dime since I retuned. I used it everyday and today I graduated. I don't need any discrimination anymore. I have paid attention. When this unit hits something it wants me to dig it screams a higher pitch scream than aluminum.
When this unit says 520 to 525 there is something copper clad or silver down there. You better dig till its not there anymore. It can have a tab right next to it saying 479 1/4 inch in another direction but you dig and get the silver. It may be 12 inches or more down but its there. And if it quits giving you a signal and you haven't found it on top you dig some more because you turned it on edge and its still there. It has not lied to me yet.
Take your time in trashy areas. As I said before you can move it ever so slightly and get a different target. Mount the brain on your hip. I took a nylon tool pouch and took a wood burner and made a whole in the bottom for the coax to run into for the brain. I can swing it for 3 hours without a break.
Depth is great, a shovel head and a 1/2 is as deep as I have dug and got a target. Needs a little time to recover so take your time. I have the 10" coil which I understand is a little tougher to get acquainted to but I did not have any problem. I think I am going to settle on this one. Prices on these are $300 to $400 and I paid closer to the higher for mine with shipping. I can't see going below 5 STARS
Overall Rating
Curtis Schoen from
Austin Texas
316
Best ever
February 20, 2011
Have used many detectors modern and old, the best out the lot is the
minelab sovereign. Wouldn't trade it for anything.
Overall Rating
Dean from
London
306
MINELAB SOVEREIGN XS2A PRO A GREAT MACHINE
June 20, 2009
I have been a Tesoro man for years but purchased a new Minelab musketeer
advantage pro low frequency machine that has produced great results for me,
this got me wondering about Minelabs bbs multi frequency system so I
purchased a mint sovereign xs2a pro with the digital ID meter.On my fist trip out with this machine I thought what the hell is going on with all the nulling noises and holes that were so deep that I thought the machine was playing games with me, but it was not.
This machine is easy to use after a couple of trips out, with the best depth I have ever come across in the past, it is true that a multi frequency bbs machine sees alot more stuff in the ground and the finds just keep on coming, I recently went over a field that I have done to death with other Tesoros machines and counted the signals and holes I dug, I was amazed that the sovereign found 17 copper coins, six buckles, 1 Roman coin and two watch key winders, these were the finds that was instantly identified with a further 121 other pieces of metal that were not easy to ID and also no iron was dug at all with the discrim set at nil.
There is no doubt about it that Minelab bbs system works and works very well indeed and as far as I am aware is the only company with this system in place.
Also the sovereign ranges are heavy, but I have set mine up on a straight shaft and hip mounted the box in the Minelab accessory pouch, also I purchased two more v clips and fixed them to a short piece of cut stem so that the meter is clipped on the control box, all you swing around is the coil and stem and this can be done all day long.
My over all verdict on this machine is that it is deep, sensitive, well built and does not lie and most of all finds loads of finds in iron infested ground, this is a machine you will not want to get rid of well done again Minelab.
There is no doubt about it that Minelab know how to build good quality machines with bbs and fbs multi frequency this is where Minelab leave the rest behind, why search in one frequency when you can search with many all at once.
Overall Rating
ANDY TAYLOR from
KENT UNITED KINGDOM
946
There Is None Better
February 12, 2008
I have been using my Sovereign For around 10 years for saltwater beach
detecting; It has never failed in any way.In all the years that this detector has been on the market there is still nothing that can outperform it in stability, depth of penetration and accuracy of discrimination on saltwater beaches, some may match it but none can beat it.
If anybody out there knows of a detector that is better in all aspects than the Sovereign as a beach machine, please tell me what it is?
Rgds,
Sandgroper
Overall Rating
Sandgroper from
Australia
769
Minelab Sovereign XS
August 02, 2007
The Minelab Sovereign is an outstanding metal detector.This unit is hard to
use at first, but once a user understands how to use the Sovereign they'll
be hooked.I use a straight shaft for balance,a 180 meter,and a Sunray probe
on mine.With these add ons its probably one of the most pleasant units to
use.If you're a serious park hunter the Sovereign is the only way to go.My
suggestion start out with the 800 coil to learn this detector,and then move
up to the 10 inch coil.
Overall Rating
Ron from Michigan from
Oxford MI
656
Sovereign XS-2a PRO
July 13, 2005
good detector, founds heap of coins with one......grab one today if you see
one!!!!
Overall Rating
Arthur Dingbat from
USA
3911