Whites Spectrum XLT

XLT--Excellent detector well balanced easy to use.

Joel-Wpg. in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada -
I have used this detector since late summer of last year. At first I was wondering if this was a good choice. After checking the XLT Classroom forum I was able to pick up lots of tips on the operation of this machine. I'm able now to change the settings and get the best of the XLT. I mainly use the coin and jewelry program with different settings. (VCO -on), (Tone ID-on) for example. These two settings really help, other settings are secondary .
I think this is a great detector because of the many features if offers.
Another great feature is the battery, easy to change and as I have the Whites BHID can also interchange batteries with this machine.
Would highly recommend the XLT .

Jun 28, 2008

43 Yes
5 No

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Great Machine

Charles in Georgia, USA -
I have a White's Spectrum XLT, I am very pleased with this machine. I have owned my Spectrum since 1998 and since owning it hunted in all kinds of weather and terrain. It is consistant with its targets and accurate for the most part when it gives an ID. With my Spectrum I have found 2 seated 1/2 dollars 1846 and 1852 both in pristine condition. Of all the machines I own the spectrum is my 1st choice when I want to find the goods and do it comfortably. I also own a Garrett 2500, Minelab Sovereign, Whites Classic I, Fisher Aquanaut, and a Discovery (Bounty Hunter 3000). Again the spectrum is a great MD and perfect for the novice or the advanced Ther.

Jan 31, 2008

79 Yes
3 No

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Mine never let me down

Irving Maynard in Southern Va. -
I hunted with a Spectrum XLT for about 10 years, and loaded up on good targets. Due to health issues, I went to the lighter weight Tesoros(and I really like them). But, I miss the performance of the Spectrum.

Jan 26, 2008

30 Yes
4 No

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XLT AT THE BEACH

Bruce in Woodstock Ct USA -
I have had my xlt for 7 years now and i am very pleased still. I have found many items over the years,but i am impressed how the xlt functions at the beaches. I have found many silver coins common coins rings neckleces ear rings and yes lots of junk,but I set it to coins or the beach setting and put the vco on and hunt from the low tide up to the soft sand. Greatest finds at the beach was a ring with 4 diamonds and a safhire in the middle,a beautiful cladder ring,and a silver spoon on Napitree Point were once beautiful houses stood until the 38 hurricane wiped them away,so I love the xlt

Oct 06, 2007

35 Yes
3 No

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Raw power, intelligent, easy to learn

DC in UK -
After a day in the field with this machine, I'm impressed. Used XLTs are the #1 bargain, and better than machines twice the price. The SignaGraph target analysis is superb at identifying iron and trash but telling you when to dig. Sweeping the coil several times over a target builds up columns on the display, and you soon see if it's worth digging if there are only one or two adjacent tall columns or part columns. It works almost perfectly.

VCO pinpointing is excellent, although depth indication is not always too accurate (but I didn't expect it to be with the variety of target size I'm looking for). Not a problem at all. The bottom line is target analysis, and the XLT scores heavily in that area.

Well made 8AA battery compartment, and a well-balanced machine - I carry mine on my shoulder on the stem S-curve, and it stays there without me hardly touching it.

Very sensitive to extremely small targets - I was amazed. This is critically important in the UK where our ancient coins are tiny.

Lots of settings to play with, so lots of reading is required. Look at everyone's programs and comments on the web, and find out what works for you. The XLT is a powerful user-friendly machine. With a little experience you'll discover how to unleash its power and intelligence. Not really a beach machine.

I've used a number of different detectors in my time, but this is honestly the best. I'll be looking to buy a second one in case they get scarce in the future. For the experienced user, the XLT is a must-have.

Much easier to learn than an Explorer.

Jul 27, 2007

61 Yes
0 No

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First Detector, Like it with one issue

Chris in Toledo, OH -
I bought a Spectrum XLT used (1998 model) that had all new guts in it. It works great, hits coins awesome and the responses are consistent and its easy to use. My only issue is with the backlight - when it is on, the detector becomes unstable, unless I ratchet the AC sensitivity down in the 53 range to get it to stop. I took it in to have it looked at, and no problem was found - in fact 2 brand new XLT-e detectors exhibited exactly the same behavior.

Curiously, my friend bought his own XLT after seeing mine (an older model, but with the old guts) - and it does not do this. I wonder if there is something different about the new XLT circuitry.

No matter, I do not hunt in the dark anyway. Maybe someone else has seen this issue?

Jun 29, 2007

16 Yes
3 No

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TRASH!!!!!!

Bryan in lockport ny -
I think the XLT is trash I had it for about a year now and it always gave me problems it never has a solid repeatable tone and when it does I usally I recover junk I'm getting sick of this detector every time I go out I never find any thing AND TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT IM DOING!!! I've been detecting for ten years now I went to an old park last week with the XLT with my father and my friend and they found about 40 coins total and all I found was two zinc pennys so I made up my mind I'm going 2 buy a garrett GTI 1500 will see how that works out.

Jun 12, 2007

23 Yes
102 No

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Good machine, EASIER to learn than some

Wade in Middle Tennessee -
I've had my XLT for about two years. I'm not a serious detector nut, but I have spent some time swinging this thing. I've found the factory programs adequate and have only tweaked them a bit, and I don't dig a lot of trash unless I'm looking for gold rings and therefore have to look at a lot of pull tabs.

The NEWS is this: Recently I met another fellow who is really into detecting for coins and relics. He has an Explorer II. He has been using that machine as long as I have been using mine. He has probably has more time on the machine. BUT we've gone hunting together twice and I found about ten times more targets than he did.

I'm not saying that the XLT is a better machine than the II, but I'll say that it MUST be easier to learn. He brought me his books to so I can help him learn his machine...thanks minelab 8^]

Recap, I likes the XLT and would recommend it highly.

Mar 10, 2007

48 Yes
2 No

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White's XLT has performance

Tom Woods in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania -
I used the White's Spectrum for 15 years. It still works very well. In April 2006, I bought the XLT. What a great machine. It's much lighter than the old one and hits coins and jewelry a lot deeper. It's all in the performance and White's has performance

Jul 19, 2006

49 Yes
1 No

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Excellent detector!

Shannon Matteson in Port St. Lucie, FL USA -
I have had my White's Spectrum XLT since 1998. I bought it as a second to my Minelab Sovereign. Hunt Sovereign at the beach, hunt XLT everywhere else. Use what works for the situation, right?

Well the Sovereign was a superb machine, but mine got "disappeared" shortly after I bought the XLT when I loaned it to a friend's fiance, and then they split up before I could get back in touch and both disappeared in the process. But the Spectrum I had wanted since I was in High School in 1992, and I have never regretted buying it.

It's got almost everything you could want. The only down sides I can see are:

- It's definitely not made for wet sand hunting in highly mineralized areas, such as the beach.

- It's not the deepest detector I ever had. The Sovereign took it to town on that point.

These two reasons are why I give it 4 stars, instead of five.

That said, I don't know about you, but I dig things at 11" and more using this detector, and quite frankly, that's about all the depth I have patience for. And speaking of digging, if you know how to properly use a handkerchief, a screwdriver, a steak knife and a trowel, you'll never see lawn scars or detectable holes again.

Setting this machine up was very easy for me because I like having complete control of the settings and I did my homework. Not really much homework to do, actually... if you want a turn-on-and-go machine, or you want to customize it down to the eye-teeth, this machine can do both.

If you want to switch modes, it does require that you stop and fiddle. But if you just de-notch everything in Discriminate mode, you can see what the VDI is, and decide whether to dig or not. You see everything, and no mode switching. How hard is that?

I absolutely love being able to "train" this machine, too. I can tell it specifically what to ignore, or I can tell it specifically what to accept.

This is a detector you absolutely can't outgrow unless you are a demon for depth - or you need a beach hunter more than anything else. I do miss my Sovereign, but I'm very happy with my XLT until it pays for the next machine, which will probably be a Minelab - but I would be unhappy if I didn't have my XLT, too.

May 10, 2006

51 Yes
3 No

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