Minelab information

New Product Review Minelab Explorer SE


There’s nothing better for a new detector model owner than to have a crowd of onlookers gather around to ogle your new purchase and ask about its performance and abilities while admiring its sleek appearance and asking for “a quick burn” around the field to try it out.

To achieve such a crowd-pulling feat these days requires either a prestige badge or an eye-catching appeal. This year’s crowd-puller has both and appears to be the new all black Minelab Explorer SE.

Such was the interest recently in this new model at a one-day event it had to be handed around on a ten minute loan basis as so many wanted to take a closer look.

The entire build of the new detector is made up entirely of all black plastics, which accentuate the striking sharp lines. This is truly a high-tech and high-spec machine and one which will continue to dominate in the “serious detecting” arena.




Improvements & Features

“3rd generation” Software features include:


New “logical” Menu format, to make browsing easier with one hand.
Learn and Edit screens now accessed through the Menu, for easy toggling between Smartfind and Digital.
New pinpoint audio –VCO type rising pitch sound with improved volume on deeper targets.
New Iron Mask scale – now displays Ferrous range from AM (all-metal),0 – 31 for simple implementation.
Fast turn on, quieter/faster turn off.
NEW Pitch Hold audio response mode, similar to the BBS series of detectors.
Faster loading of User settings.
More powerful Factory Preset settings.
Stabilized Threshold in high-trash environments.
New easy-to read fonts, and larger target ID’s in Digital mode.
New updated detection results on FER and COND in Pin Point mode.
Improved behavior of the Depth indicator during detection and pin- pointing.


Hardware changes include:


New colour, style and appearance.
New thinner, lighter coil with better balance (weight reduction 60grms).
New front keypad decal.
Current consumption reduced by approximately 8%, increasing operating time by 1 – 2 hrs.


Focus on New features


Most of the software changes are listed above but we will talk more about them in detail. One of the major changes is in the Digital display - the target icons which were displayed in the previous Explorer models such as coins, rings and pull tabs have been removed from the Explorer SE. Instead, the entire pixel space is given over to larger ID numbers for Ferrous and Conductivity to enable easy viewing of the numeric values assigned to every detected target.

Another change is the new RESPONSE sounds. Normal response remains the same and no changes to it have occurred. Audio 1 and Audio 2 have not changed but instead have been re-named as Long and Smooth respectively. The big change is that Audio 3 has been replaced by the entirely new Pitch Hold option which is an exciting new innovative audio choice for Explorer SE users, as lot of information can be gleaned from it which will be described in greater detail below.

The various Response options allows you to select the way targets sound upon detection. These are described below. Each Response sound may work better in different scenarios and you will quickly develop your own personal preferences.

Normal - when the target signal drops the audio blanks, giving a crisp end to the target response. Normal allows the greatest differentiation between the ground and a target, but has the potential to miss small targets in areas littered with objects producing a target response.


Long – long audio lasts until the end of detection, and there is no blanking at the end of the target response. Long allows less differentiation between the ground and a target, but has the capability of more depth in non-trashy sites.


Smooth – as opposed to the sudden change in audio response in Normal and Long, Smooth offers a more gradual change/rise in audio response from ground to target detection.


Pitch Hold – is identical to the normal response during detection however, after blanking, the threshold tone will change to the same pitch of the target signal. The pitch of the threshold is then held until a new detection is made.


The detector changes the pitch of an audio signal depending on the conductivity of the target: i.e. a highly conductive target produces a high-pitched tone, while a less conductive target produces a lower-pitched tone. After the target signal is heard, the threshold “hum,” returns in a pitch similar to the pitch of the signal. Unlike the audio on the BBS series of detectors, such as the Sovereign and Excalibur, the Pitch Hold mode will not change the tone of the threshold when a target is rejected. Instead, after the rejection “null” the threshold returns to the pitch of the last detected target. The advantages of Pitch Hold should become apparent in ground that is considered fairly clean, and also works very smoothly over salt wet sand.



The Iron Mask feature is an overall ferrous discrimination control, which can be adjusted to reject a large amount of ferrous targets at one time. An increased level of Iron Mask will reject more ferrous targets while a reduced level will accept more ferrous targets – ideal for relic hunting.

Some improved Iron Mask functions have been implemented:

The new Iron mask has values in 0 - 31 range to match the range of Ferrous numbers.
The Iron mask screen has been modified to show “FER” inside the slider and to show “AM” when the All Metal is enabled.


In Figure 1 the new numbered Iron mask is seen while the old system is shown directly beneath it.

< Simplified Iron Mask co-ordinates, with full ferrous discrimination capability 31 - 0

Use this option if a certain trash item is dug repeatedly. For example, if Fer 23 is heavily present on a site set Iron Mask to 23 to ignore that item.

Figure 1

All Metal - is the term used to describe a clear discrimination pattern – that is accepting ALL targets whether ferrous or non-ferrous. To select All Metal press the shift button next to the AM icon to reduce Iron Mask and clear the discrimination pattern. Bear in mind that A.M. might be “noisy” on certain soils that might have high levels of mineralization in them.

Gain – the Factory preset has been changed to 8, a higher setting from which it used to be set at in both former Explorer models (used to be 5). This might become noticeable right away as certain signals might be more pronounced with better, faster, louder and sharper signals when compared to an older Explorer ll model. Gain actually controls the amplification of target responses in respect to the strength of the original signal. The theory is, with a high setting ( even weak target responses will initially be, easier to hear which could equate to more finds, especially small low-conductive ones at the end of a day’s detecting or increased deeper finds from sites considered to be “worked out”. On a modern site such as a concert field looking for recent losses one could use a lower Gain setting coupled with a Low sensitivity setting to deliberately look for surface/shallow finds as one would not require the extra sensitivity to search for losses from a day or so ago.


Sensitivity – following along from an increased Factory Gain setting there is also a noticeable increase to the Factory preset Sensitivity level – this is now set to 22 – an increase of six sensitivity increments from a lower sixteen. As a result of these two changes of (i) an increased sensitivity and (ii) gain setting it will appear the Explorer SE is more powerful on turn-on compared to the older models. These Settings have been increased at the factory and those settings were always present and adjustable. There might be a trade-off from using higher settings and this could result in unwanted noise and more ground signals. If this occurs simply lower the settings via the Main Menu. However, bear in mind that, Semi-Auto Sensitivity can be a good friend and will continuously monitor the environmental conditions and will automatically adjust the detector’s sensitivity as close as possible to the last manually specified level of sensitivity – especially useful in those often difficult sites with ever-changing ground conditions. Manual Sensitivity on the other hand would be better suited to a trashy site or, where a very slow sweep is required or on a beach.

Depth Indication – is improved over that of Explorer ll and now updates visible information at the end of each detection and, updates in the new and improved Pinpoint Mode also.

The clear portion of the depth indicator represents the approximate distance of a target below the coil based on a single coin from 0 to 30cms. Try to think of the clear area as the amount of soil you will have to remove to get down to the target.


Digital Fer Cond – as per the depth indicator, Fer and Cond now display and update information on screen while in the Pinpoint Mode. Previously, this was not possible and is one of the most significant changes to the Explorer SE software.

The four numbers in the Digital screen display both the ferrous and conductive properties as perceived by the Explorer SE in magnetic response for ferrous and conductive response for non-ferrous.

Fer displays the ferrous resemblance of targets from 0 – 31, while Cond shows the non-ferrous conductivity properties of targets from 0 – 31. So a display of Fer 07 Cond 25 would indicate Fer 07 as being of a low ferrous nature (non iron probability) and Cond 25 would show a high conductivity (copper/brass/silver) and the target might produce a U.K. copper ½d. Displays of Fer 04 Cond 28 could indicate a U.S. dime while Fer 08 Cond 10 might indicate a gold coin.


Threshold – has been changed to a Factory Preset setting of 16. The Threshold has been improved so that finer adjustments may be made to it, especially at the lower end so that one can set it to a very low yet still audible level, whereas on previous models it may have been too quiet or may have gone silent. A silent or non-existent threshold is not recommended as a small depth loss can actually occur as one may not hear a very small target, nor should it be too loud so that one could not distinguish a false noise from a target response. The threshold will need to be reset when connecting and disconnecting headphones (their use is recommended for privacy, extending battery life, and to avoid missing faint signals).


A familiar feel



When one picks up the new Explorer SE one can instantly feel that familiar solid grip but with the new lighter coil that feel is so much better, and is very noticeable when sweeping the detector in a location that has several objects to be avoided such as under piers, around playgrounds etc. – it handles very well. The balance of the detector has been noticeably improved, and it feels better “in the hand” while also easier to just skim across the surface of the ground.

Performance – in the lab


During development of the new “SE” many hundreds of hours were spent with the new unit putting it through countless bench tests, in order to guarantee the full and authentic accuracy of target information to ensure the new SE was consistent with known performance parameters. Together with the added functional and performance related improvements, more subtle improvements were also incorporated into the SE such as the featuring of new and larger fonts designed to give a greater amount of pixel space to reproducing much larger numeric displays on the Digital screen. Explorer SE is now much easier to read even fully extended away from the body. Numeric consistency for all target values has been carried over to Explorer SE whilst maintaining the usual degree of perfect audio clarity of all appropriate conductive responses on hundreds of targets.

With the added improvements and more powerful Factory Preset settings, the Explorer SE will sound sharper and crisper on targets, straight out of the box!



Performance – in the field

Serious devotees of the Explorer detectors use them for absolute and extreme depth and the sheer amount of information it provides on targets both audibly and visually via the various detection screens. In this regard, Explorer SE does not disappoint! It continues that tradition of sheer usability everywhere, and does so with a level of electronic stability that has to be experienced to be appreciated. On wet salt-water beaches, farmland, forests, parks and river foreshore areas it excelled with such ease that it became almost second nature to use whilst providing critical information to the senses. The stability and reliability of the information provided proved foolproof and above all else, highly accurate. All the electronic functions worked in tandem, seamlessly providing reliable, dependable audio-visual information – there was no second-guessing – it did what has been expected of such a high-caliber machine for years – providing an unsurpassed detecting experience and was pleasurable in doing so – as trustworthy as an old friend. With the new microprocessor especially designed for the new SE, it is now faster as well and this is obvious even on start-up.



Tips & Tricks with the SE



As with any metal detector it takes time to get to know it really well. Explorer SE allows one to do this really quickly and it provides a wealth of information with just a few button pushes to glean extra information for some signals that you may not be quite sure about.

Ø Pitch Hold - The Pitch Hold mode, when combined with the updating of ID's in Pin-point is a powerful tool, and a great aid in isolating a good from a bad target. An advantage noted during the testing of the new SE was that Pitch Hold just suddenly “grabs onto” targets which were audibly quick, unmistakable and instantaneous signals.

Ø Digital Screen – should you have a signal you are undecided about, simply engage Digital and hit Pinpoint – pass over the unknown target a few times and it should reveal it’s identity very quickly by displaying four numbers e.g Fer 31 Cond 31 (large ferrous) and in the new detector a depth estimation as well all via the new VCO Pinpoint mode.



Conclusion


Certainly the Explorer SE is a lot of metal detector in a fantastically built package and everyone is catered for from absolute beginners, to very experienced users who will customize it to obtain exacting results. Minelab’s product development team is proud of their ability to take a great product and make it better, smarter and faster.




©Minelab Electronics – July 2006

[JoAnne]

Hey Boobie - thanks for the information. This machine sounds great. Unfortunately the price is going to keep many who detect as a "hobby" from buying one - me included.

[coldfeet]

why dont they do a detector that dont hit our pockets so much.it will be the same this time as last, a big rush to get hold of the new Minelab Explorer SE and with in months there be up for sale,i think companys need to ask the detectorists what why realy want ,not to tell us what we need and what there giving us.a lot of the setting on detector now are just for show once there set there set .why not just make them turn on and go .it will make the cost a lot lower .dave

Well said dave.

[JohnWPA]

Nice article there Boobie.....did you type all that!

Kellyco has 50 machines now in stock....

John

Heck no John.
I found it on another website.

[John's Detectors]

Thanks Boobie for posting the info on the new Explorer SE and this is the world's most powerful FBS detector to be had today ! When you purchase the Explorer SE you simply have it all. Experienced or novice detectorists will benefit from the Minelab's ever forward moving technology. Some may be turned off by the pricing but you will be very pleased when you start finding those deeper targets that you are looking for. Ok God Bless everyone here on Treasure Quest and this is John at John's Detectors wishing you all much success on your next quest for treasure.

John
John's Detectors
Best Little Detector Shop in Texas !

[Morris]

Hello.. I am thinking of purchasing an SE Explorer here in Brittian..I am not sure however if this machine is toooo good..I am used to traditional knobs and switches..I know it does not always mean anything ,but I fell better..Am I being foolish? Is this the SE reliable..Computers make me nervous..Anyone out there know what I mean..?? I am considering buying the Sov Gt instead..I search I alot of Roman and Celtic sites..What would you suggest??? Thanks, Morris

[John's Detectors]

Originally Posted by Morris

Hello.. I am thinking of purchasing an SE Explorer here in Brittian..I am not sure however if this machine is toooo good..I am used to traditional knobs and switches..I know it does not always mean anything ,but I fell better..Am I being foolish? Is this the SE reliable..Computers make me nervous..Anyone out there know what I mean..?? I am considering buying the Sov Gt instead..I search I alot of Roman and Celtic sites..What would you suggest??? Thanks, Morris

Hi Morris, While the GT is a great analog machine with knobs included it would be nice if you could make the transition to a digital machine like the Explorer SE or if you just really don't think you can handle it then you might look at the Quattro which has a much simpler format in the menu. I Like the Quattro a lot also and price wise it is a little easier to afford and worth the money. But I think if you could master the new Explorer SE you won't look back. Believe me I used to like turning knobs and still don't mind it but I always come back to the Quattro or SE. I have been a ham radio op. for 24 years and I love knob twisting. I will tell you one of the nicest little changes to the new Explorer is the slim line coil and pitch hold that allows the threshold tone to change pitch also that will help in finding deep targets. It is really a cool machine! So don't let the digital stuff scare you and I know you can handle it Morris. If I can help you with a new Explorer SE or even a Quattro just drop a line. Thanks for the inquiry Morris and God Bless and I hope you will take the leap!

John Tomlinson,CET
John's Detectors
Blackwell,Tx.
Best Little Detector Shop in Texas!

[Larry(IN)]

The SE is one of the Best detectors on the market and probably can be labeled "the Best". You get what you pay for and that includes performance!