Minelab Vanquish 440 or 540 ?

[ojokul]

Hello everybody,

Complete novice here who just wants to seek some general opinion... [drumroll please]
Is the Minelab Vanquish 540 worth the extra £100 to spend from the 440? I'm asking mostly about functionality (depth, sensitivity to small targets) rather then bells and whistles (like the back-lit screen and bluetooth connectivity). Because £100 seems like quite a big step if the only change is some extra accessories!


On a side note, I also wanted to ask whether the 440 is capable, in your experience, of picking up slightly deeper, smallish targets? I would really love to find anything properly old- anything medieval or Roman would be a dream come true!

Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy question, any advice would be hugely appreciated by a beginner like me!

ojoukl

[MrKeen92]

440 is perfectly capable and if it's just functionality you're looking at then that's fine, 540 just gives you Bluetooth etc as you've mentioned.

[KevinB]

The 340 is a fantastic little detector.....
Whether you buy the 440 or 540 you will be delighted with the performance. If you are going to use it regularly go for the 540. Good luck.....

[ojokul]

Thanks all for the replies! I am leaning towards the 440....

Just wanted to ask: Do you reckon the 440 (and 540 for that matter!) are capable of detecting smaller, deeper (older) targets? I would love to find something properly old, like a Roman coin...

Anyway thanks for the advice!

[MrKeen92]

Thanks all for the replies! I am leaning towards the 440....

Just wanted to ask: Do you reckon the 440 (and 540 for that matter!) are capable of detecting smaller, deeper (older) targets? I would love to find something properly old, like a Roman coin...

Anyway thanks for the advice!

Absolutely. Though if you're concerned otherwise, the 2nd hand market may be the way to go? Use that same budget for a higher end machine

[Sven@1970]

For Roman coins they are fantastic metal detectors, the 540 has an additional feature, the possibility of a low iron bias that is useful in contexts with a lot of ferrous trash together with the jewelry mode, but certainly if you are in the right permission and you do not go too fast, you find a lot of things even with the 440.
Compared to a single frequency metal detector, it's a great start.
If you do a discounted price comparison, the 540 is currently not as economically convenient as the Minelab Elite.

[KevinB]

You will be absolutely fine with either. I used a 340 extensively and it performed superbly. The detector I have now was four times the price and to be honest I don`t know if it gets me more bits. Lovely detector better quality but my finds rate has certainly not changed that much. Remember if you don`t walk over it "it ain`t going to happen"!.........

[MrKeen92]

For Roman coins they are fantastic metal detectors, the 540 has an additional feature, the possibility of a low iron bias that is useful in contexts with a lot of ferrous trash together with the jewelry mode, but certainly if you are in the right permission and you do not go too fast, you find a lot of things even with the 440.
Compared to a single frequency metal detector, it's a great start.
If you do a discounted price comparison, the 540 is currently not as economically convenient as the Minelab Elite.

Didn't even think about suggesting the xterra elite. I've heards from users of vanquish to the elite that the elite is better. I'm not sure how user friendly it is personally but I know the vanquish is a very switch on and go machine so great for beginners.

[Sven@1970]

Yes, for a beginner the Vanquish is great, the Elite is undoubtedly more complex, it was just a price/performance comparison.
Definitely in mild terrain, a Roman coin at 15 inches of depth is detected well with the Vanquish and the V12 coil.

[ojokul]

Thank you all for the replies, super informative!

[ojokul]

Yes, for a beginner the Vanquish is great, the Elite is undoubtedly more complex, it was just a price/performance comparison.
Definitely in mild terrain, a Roman coin at 15 inches of depth is detected well with the Vanquish and the V12 coil.

At risk of asking too many questions, do you reckon the V10 coil the 440 comes with would work for deep(ish) targets too? Thanks!

[KevinB]

At risk of asking too many questions, do you reckon the V10 coil the 440 comes with would work for deep(ish) targets too? Thanks!

Got any Ibuprofen around there???.......

The V10 will be absolutely perfect. Lighter than the V12 so less nose heavy and will give you excellent results overall. You will get the deeper targets, no problem.

Don`t worry you are not going down the wrong path.

There is only one way to learn any detector and that is to use it constantly.

Good luck and happy hunting........

[Sven@1970]

At risk of asking too many questions, do you reckon the V10 coil the 440 comes with would work for deep(ish) targets too? Thanks!

It is a coil very close to the V12 in performance, more suitable in areas with a lot of trash, woodland, having less coverage forces you to search more slowly, which is not necessarily a disadvantage to start with.

[ojokul]

Thanks all for your replies. Invaluable for a beginner like me!
The 440's on its way...

[KevinB]

Thanks all for your replies. Invaluable for a beginner like me!
The 440's on its way...

You will not look back, cracking bit of kit.................