Posted by Monte
on 10/30/2009, 5:04 am, in reply to "White's Spectra V3"
24.21.38.127
White's Spectra V3 can be impressive. Yes, it certainly offers more in the way of combined Audio and Visual information than any other detector on the market. Period.
For some hobbyists, it might serve well as their one-and-only detector.
For some, it will be (is) over-featured and leaves them confused and at a loss of what to do with it and various adjustment options.
Most metal detecting hobbyists are just that .... "Hobbyists."
Some of us fall into a category, as you can well appreciate, labeled "Detectorists." The ones who will dedicate ample time to learn and master a detector, experiment with search coils to determine what works best for their needs, and realize that, in the end, greatest pleasure and success will come tho those who blend patience, detector and coil selection, knowledge, and time afield to achieve top results.
This fellow diabetic-plagued detectorist knows what you refer to regarding eyesight issues. And age isn't our friend, either, and a poorly balanced and/or heavy detector can certainly take its toll on us in a matter of hours, not days or weeks.
I bought a new-release Vision before they were "officially" introduced in Texas. I generally liked it, but it had glitches. Only a few. I replaced it with the 1.1 version which took care of the wireless headphone problems I had.
Eventually, due to the variety of sites I enjoy hunting and particular model characteristics I like, I trimmed my main-use battery to an XLT with my three custom programs, and an MXT.
Always favoring smaller coils, I really liked the 7¼" coil size on the Teknetics models, and like to work with coils in the 6"-7" size range most of the time. Those of concentric design, too.
I keep a 5.3 (6½" diameter) BullsEye mounted on my XLT w/950 on a spare rod, and the 5.3 Eclipse as my main-use coil on the MXT with the 950 mounted on a spare lower rod, as well as a 12".
For now, the Spectra V3 I work with is a "community-use" unit a few of use invested in to share. With it, I like the 5.3 Eclipse and 950 for my types of sites and hunting needs.
With these coils the balance/feel is excellent. The wireless headphones are quite good! With my XLT and MXT I use my Killer B Wasp or SunRay Pro Gold (same basic headphone), but enjoy working this the V3 & wireless, especially in the brushy old lumber ghost towns and other tangly sites.
I feel the Spectra V3 is just slightly more top-heavy compared to the other two, and due to the excellent zooOOM function, I can more easily make proper adjustments. The back-light is also nice, better than the XLT & DFX models.
I think it would be great if you got your hands on one and spent some time with it. I'd enjoy reading YOUR opinions about a Spectra V3 experience compared with most people because I know you'd likely dedicate the time/patience to review what you had in your hands.
Sorry, it got long, didn't it? 
It's certainly worth give a try. Especially (opinion) with the 5.3 Eclipse coil.
Monte
Responses: