2 MORE New Minelab Metal Detectors? Replacements For CTX 3030 and Excalibur II

The Manticore came out in 2022 and retails for 1600 dollars. The CTX 3030 is still Minelab's Flagship metal detector but came out in 2011. The Excalibur 2 came out in 2008. Both the Excalibur II and the CTX 3030 use antiquated technologies (FBS 2 and BBS) compared to the newer Multi IQ technology. I am guessing that

Tools I Use & Important Links

Or just book our Florida house (Cape Coral) on AirBnb or Vrbo

Chapters:

Hi, my name is Merrill Kazanjian. New York City is an amazing place to go metal detecting. We have lots of parks, colonial history and great beaches for beach detecting. I have gone to all five boroughs of New York City To Metal Detect and beyond. I also currently own 19 metal detectors. I want to have the best and I want to help you choose the best as well. Below I will showcase some of the playlists on this channel:

By Metal Detector:
Minelab Soveriegn: (Coming Soon)

I have a playlist of metal detecting videos to teach metal detecting. The videos in the playlist below are specifically made to teach the skills and mindset to becoming a great metal detectorist.

I am a treasure hunter. So in addition to metal detecting, I go mudlarking at sites in New York City. Think of mudlarking as metal detecting without a metal detector.

Playlist By New York City Borough:
Long Island:

Cleaning Metal Detecting/Mudlarking Finds:

Other Playlists:

[MD-NWWI]

This is possibly true. The funny thing was, I had my wife on board for me to get the ctx30 30. Then the deus 2 came out. I told my wife hey this new machine that is coming out is $1000 cheaper, less than half the weight, and is new technology. So for me it was hands down go with the deus 2.

I'm glad I did! I love this thing. It had found me many bucket listers including 2 Morgan solver dollars!

[onlygazza]

I have 900 and have had loads of minelabs from the gt onwards but I still prefer using the ctx3030 on the beach, nothing will touch it, you swing slower but it’s built like a tank and that is good, the 900 feels like a toy stick! Don’t diss the Ctx until you’ve used it fir a long time 🤷‍♂️

[brotherskeepers]

Just picked up the new X Terra Pro for my wife, fantastic value, and such a good detector for the money. Worth taking a look for your top picks, definitely blows our old AT Pro out of the water

[waynearmstrong]

Ive used the CTX for quite a few years now, and im very good at being a slow learner, so im still being educated, im mid 60's, and the only time it starts to feel heavy is when its all swing and no dig, and any upper back problems may start to show signs of strain, otherwise no problem, I cant compare it to other more modern detector's, as I haven't used any. The GPS, I love, and use all the time, hunts finds and trails, and being able to retrace your steps has saved many detecting implements that i have left behind from being lost, myself included! If there was an update to a new version of the CTX and I could afford it, thats where I would go! Cheers Mate!

[mrbrent]

You’re very methodical in your analysis. But I think you are correct, Minelab needs a new flagship detector around $2500. Of course a faster processor, lighter design and gps will be the selling points. You have to give people who can afford it a reason to choose that over a Manticore, 900 or XP Deus 2.

[DigDougmetaldetecting]

The CTX 3030 has had its day. It is now old technology but there still isn’t anything on the market that can match it.
Sure it’s not as fast as the equinox but it is fast enough and you can check fast in the menu but even that isn’t as fast as the equinox.
The CTX separation is great dual target identification Even the target trace is so much better on the CTX then on the new manticore.
I’ve been using the CTX3030 ever since it came out there is a huge learning curve with it but once you learn to navigate it’s not so bad.
If I’m going to a place with a lot of iron I will use my CTX over my equinox every time and for the beach you can’t get a better detector for the beach. Yes its heavy but very well balanced. Then again I’m a big guy and I just don’t feel the weight. That might be different for others.
In ground that is highly mineralized or particularly with a lot of iron. I will take that CTX. Targets I’ve gotten with my equinox that sounded great looked great then turned out to be a bottle cap. I would go over that same target and know right away it’s a bottle cap. The down side is I may miss some good targets because I think it’s a bad target.
In iron you can’t mistake it. The ctx tells you it’s iron. Yes from time to time I get fooled because the ctx said it’s a good target and there is a bottle cap or a bolt or nail but most of the time I get it right.
As far as value goes. If you want the very best detector you can get the CTX 3030 is the best even if there are others faster. Is it worth the money? No the manticore is plenty close enough to the CTX to be a way more valuable detector. The CTX is for those where money is no problem but there are still other detectors with much more value to the money like the manticore and the new 900 equinox

[paulcoenen]

Just want to say this guys reviews are very good and he knows what he is talking about.
I have a ctx3030 I bought a few years ago and I had a blast with it pulling all the silver out of the ground that other detectors missed.
Heavy? yes. Complicated? A bit but you don't have to know everything to use it.. Deep ? Oh yes. Fun? 😄👍

[arickswayne]

Good sir, it all boils down to the 3030/Etrac FeCo function of the machine. I live close to the Minnesota iron range. It’s like detecting on a frying pan. I can tweak the heck out of the machine settings and still find the goodies. As for the UTube search ratings, there’s not a lot of recent videos because we’re too busy finding stuff.😅. You are the best. Please keep up the omphaloskepsis for us. Your opinions are shaping the future.

[adventuresinmichiganwlisa]

Thanks for sharing. I went to Cabela's yesterday, and the carry minelab. No more Garrett, bounty hunter, ? Xteras all over the shelf$ 269.00

[AdventuresWithEdHuffman]

Great video Merrill and I agree with you! I think we will see an announcement for a CTX 4040 and Excalibur II...eventually...hopefully! The Gold market is where the money is at (mainly Africa/Australia/Etc..) and I think it depends on what we see from other manufacturers. Minelab has pretty much secured that spot with the GPZ and GPX series for now however with the release of the Garrett Axiom (which is neck and neck with the GPX 6000) and rumors that Fisher and Nokta are working on high end Gold machines as well im curious if Minelab will try to focus more on the Gold market to secure their spot as the go to machine for Gold Prospecting. Also ... it really depends on what Codan wants to do as well. A lot of us and me included would love to see a CTX 4040 and updated Excalibur II however we will see if Minelab goes with what the customers want or where the money is at!

[NewLevelAuto]

Love seeing people use the way back! I submit pages all the time. Very worthwhile

[grassholesmetaldetecting]

The new machines are great and I’m guilty of buying one myself it’s a deus 2 this time around but honestly they are not much better than the previous versions and I’m getting tired of the hype!! They keep asking us to shell out money and promise way better performance it’s just not the case! If your on good ground any machine is going to get you the majority of the finds!

[olivi]

I could see that GPS maybe being helpful in historical sites, old fairground sites, ...
Just seeing the pattern of finds, that would be useful....

[jimmymalone]

Great job Merrill' I agree with you.I enjoyed your video. Thank you for sharing with us.

[bells]

Your Go-Find who cares toys r us had me rolling!! Then you showed the arm you would have swinging the 3030. Always enjoy your videos.

[MetalDiggr]

I love my CTX but it was time to go. 4 months into the Manticore, it's better at everything but GPS. I miss the gps and app.

[Yeastypete]

Real men swing a CTX 3030. Also it can display 2 targets (using Target Trace) and, as far as I know, is the only detector with a color screen.

[carljohnson]

As always you provide excellent information, one of the best (if not the best) YouTube channels on detecting available

[JoeInMemphis]

I have a 10 year old CTX I love it but it is horribly S.L.O.W. I bought a deus2 and have not turned the CTX on since, the one feature I absolutely miss is the GPS. I have strapped a Garmin to the deus2 and I’m having to manually enter the coordinates of the finds into the exchange software. If they come out with a replacement that has GPS, and is compatible with the exchange software, I will buy it in a heartbeat.

[jell-oputin]

Thanks Merrill for all you do ! Go Joe ! Cobra!