Minelab Explorer II
Price: $1200
Avg. Score: 
4.33
Based on 97 reviews
4.33Based on 97 reviews
Avg. Durability:
4.40
Avg. Ease of use:
4.00
Extreeme Explorer
May 03, 2006
Lets start with some facts.With a minelab explorer in your hand... it's actually, for the first time ever, everything is like the manual says.
I found several VERY nice coins on EXACT spots where I've been searching many MANY times before with my other detectors, including a lot of dirhems and trading silver ( 1000 A.C )
I've heard often that it's hard to be familar with the settings... but it's not more sience, than it's deciffered in a couple of hours.
Im the main administrator of the largest detecting community in Denmark ( Denmarks Detectorforum http://www.detekt.dk )... but not before I got hold of the Explorer II, I felt that I'd served all the credit from my fellow members.
I still dont... I owe it all to my minelab Explorer.
Overall Rating
Christian Kau from
Denmark
304
Early Days
May 01, 2006
Recently got myself the Explorer 2 after a lot of thought and just have to
say i am very impressed with it as i am finding this machine to be the
deepest seeking metal detector i have ever used in over 30years of metal
detecting it does exactly what it says on the tin.Make no bones about it
though you will find it a little hard to understand at first (only had mine
a couple of months)but am making some finds at depths of over 10inches
these being mostly last years coin losses on the top half of my local beach
and all missed by other searchers using less superior units.You will find
it a little heavy and noisy in some programmes but using it in the basic
factory setting is easy enough with a few minor adjustments to the
threshold tone and sensitivity.I have also found the tips and programmes
from other users posted on the relevant websites useful too.To sum up i
would say to you read your manual dont be put off by strange audio noises
you will hear when swinging this machine and give it a few weeks of
practice have fun and good luck. Overall Rating
Dave Walsh from
North Wales UK.
132
Very Good Depth
April 17, 2006
When I first got my Explorer II, I did not recognize how deep it could go.
I read the reviews and noted how some owners dislike the machine but there
were those who got good depth on their machines. I ran Iorn mask and placed the sensitivity as high as it will go until all noise was gone(sensitivity 28). I buried a quarter(coin) size object in 15 inches of sand. I then passed the coil over it and was very happy that the Explorer II pick up the target easily. I tried using all metal and the signal is much stronger. I feel very sure about my Explorer II when I'm treasure hunting and because of this I have lot more fun.
Overall Rating
Bert from
Hawaii
152
Patience is a virtue
March 25, 2006
You will get what you call false readings, what you need to do is after a
while sought out the right noises, its hard to explain because you have to
learn , by makeing a test ground on your lawn or what ever , put down a
silver coin , or a gold ring. Pound coins ect, when your out in a field
if you dig cap end of a shot gun cartridge up, use that in your test area,
you will soon learn the different sounds, even bullet cases, in the end you
your self will be the best discriminator.
good luck
Overall Rating
Peter from
Sussex uk
173
Me and my Minelab
March 13, 2006
Well since i found on my first trip a gold gilted roman ring i have found
that my friend who i go out with does not pick up the signals i do an
example is i got a strong signal and asked my friend to check where i was
pointing to, he said he thought it was nothing. But he was wrong, it
wasn't a valuable find but a small brass button, so i think that says it
all and it was deep the tiny babies thimble ring i found was at about ten
inches. Ok so the minelab can chatter alot but you get real depth. But it
is a machine for someone who has the patience to learn what it is telling
you a bit like learning a new language. I have just bought the the sun ray
probe so that i can get even deeper, dont forget the minelab has 28 signals
going into the ground so it will tell you lots of information
Overall Rating
Patrick from
London
222
Explorer ll takes time.
February 22, 2006
First off...I have tried most detectors. Even when I start liking another
detector, I go out with the Explorer again... and it amazes me again. In
my opinion, this is probably the best overall detector made for FINDING
items in the ground at depth. When I first got/used the Exp. ll, I was
ready to wrap it around a tree. The thing was constant noise!!! Now, I'd
hate to be without it. I had a lot of encouragement from friends to give
it time. Boy were they right! Rather than bore you with my stories, I
want to give some prospective Exp. owners a few opinions and
pointers...If you are impatient and/or just a casual coin hunter, don't bother. There are a lot of light, short learning curve, detectors that will do well. Click the back arrow and look at something else.
Now, those of you still here, here goes...
The Exp. machine is superior to others in most conditions. Minerals don't seem to affect it. Get the probe. It helps locate targets in a deep hole.
Know that when you get the Exp, it will take time...it has a steep learning curve and by that let me say the learning curve doesn't mean alot to learn. It means it takes a good while for your brain to process and understand what you are hearing in the ground and know a good signal when you hear it.
Next, You HAVE TO HUNT SLOW!!! I can't say this enough. Slow means slower. Alot of the noise people complain about hearing is just all of the junk in the ground and going over it too fast. The slower you go, the more separated the sounds are, and easier to pick out.
The Exp. is very versitale, but not complicated. Once you get it set the way you want to hunt, it is pretty much a "turn on and go" machine. It is great in the ground or on the beach.
Again, if you are just wanting the 4-5" coins, most all machines will do that. If you are wanting to find coins the other detectors can't reach, the Exp. is for you. Just yesterday, I found a ring and two wheaties at about 7-8" (highly mineralized) in an old park in a small area that has been POUNDED FOR YEARS!!! I went slower than slow and was rewarded for doing that.
The Exp. is heavy. I recommend shortening the rods and hunt closer to your feet. In other words, don't extend the detector out in front of you. Or get a bungie strap to help hold it. Make sure you have NO metal in your shoes!
Once learned, this detector will increase your finds and go for the old stuff. It will, and has to, take time to learn it. There are no short cuts. Your brain has to have time hearing the machine's sounds to reprogram itself in to knowing how to, and when to, recognize a signal and what it means. That WILL NOT happen over night.
For those of you that want the best...this is what it takes. If you quit too soon, that's OK...it is just more for us other Explorer owners. The forums have a wealth of info and many users to help anyone. The only reason I scored it at four stars is because it is a little heavy. Good luck to you and Happy Hunting!
Chris
Overall Rating
Chris in MO from
Mid Missouri
843
Explorer II
February 19, 2006
The ExplorerII is a very good machine and recovers coins other detectors
passed by. Most of the time you can tell what you are going to dig up!
The smart find box will position it self on the screen in a certain place depending what type of metal that is buried, if it is a silver coin the box will land in the upper right corner of the screen, then to make sure it is silver, you push the detect button to go to the digtal screen, sweep over your coin if you get a reading of 00 ferous and 29 cond, you will dig up a quater, half dollar or silver dollar, [when i found this web site] i was looking for a place to disuss my Explorer2 with there is still a lot to learn.
Happy hunting.
Overall Rating
Max Wood from
HADLOCK WA. U.S.A.
121
What am i doing wrong
January 23, 2006
Please if anyone can help i would appreciate help with settings as i went
out the other day and all i got was chatter and faulse signals, dont get me
wrong i love the machine i found a roman ring in hertfordshire but i dug
forty holes to find it as the rest were mostly faulse signals i guess or to
deep, tell me what am i doing wrong borgpanodrac@aol.com is my e mail all i
want to do is dig deep but without all the chatter all the time, rating is
difficult but 4 as i know it is the best but i need the info to make it 5
Overall Rating
Patrick from
London
138
A serious machine for serious detectorists!
January 11, 2006
I was prepared to buy a DFX this spring but ran across a great deal on an
Exp II and since a friend of mine had one and loved it I went ahead and got
it. I was using a Whites IDX Pro and really liked it but wanted to step up
to something more serious. The first couple times I took the Explorer out I
was completely lost and confused. It was making so many noises with every
sweep of the coil that I could not tell what was in the ground. I was
seriously considering selling it or trading it for something else. After
reading the manual a couple times and getting some more practice with the
machine I am beginning to realize why this detector is bragged about so
much. If you are looking to just go out and "have some fun " finding clad
coins a couple inches in the ground go get a $100 detector at a discount
store and have all the fun you want. If your idea of fun is finding the
good coins and things those other guys are walking right over then you want
an Explorer!
Overall Rating
K. Isaac from
Midwest, USA
201
Explorer, The Standard That All Detectors Are Judged By
January 08, 2006
It seems that all coin detectors are compared to the Explorer and I have
done this many times in the past. I had an XS several years back and I made
many outstanding finds with that detector, but I sold it and have tried
many detectors since. Last summer I bought a new Ex 11 and immediately had success. In three months, I found over 150 silver coins and close to 500 wheats. Also, many older nickles and IH's. Many of the coins were found 10 inches plus deep, with a silver half at 14 inches. I have no doubt that a big silver is capable of being dug at 18 inches. I bought a Sunray 8 inch coil and I can wade through the trashiest spots around my neck of the woods and find old coins. I guess I will have to eat my words and now say the Explorer is the gold standard. I now move the CZ3D to second place.
Overall Rating
R.L. Johnson from
NE Ohio
151