The XP Deus metal detector is one of the most advanced and customizable machines on the market, popular among hobbyists and professionals alike. One of its standout features is its discrimination settings, which allow users to fine-tune what types of metals and signals they want to detect or ignore. Understanding how XP Deus discrimination settings work is essential for improving performance, reducing junk targets, and focusing on valuable finds. Whether you’re coin shooting, relic hunting, or beach detecting, mastering these settings can dramatically improve your detecting success.
Understanding Discrimination on the XP Deus
Discrimination in metal detecting refers to the detector’s ability to differentiate between different types of metals based on their conductivity. This allows the user to ignore or discriminate certain signals, such as iron or foil, while still detecting coins, jewelry, or relics. On the XP Deus, this process is highly customizable, giving users greater control over their detecting experience.
The XP Deus offers both traditional discrimination and more nuanced methods like notch discrimination and audio discrimination. With its digital interface and multi-frequency technology, you can tailor your setup to match the ground conditions, target types, and personal preferences.
Basic Discrimination Setting
The most straightforward way to use discrimination on the XP Deus is through the basic discrimination setting. This setting ranges from 0 to 99, and the higher the value, the more types of metals the detector will ignore.
- Discrimination 0: All metals are detected, including iron and small trash items.
- Discrimination 6-10: Light iron rejection while keeping good target audio.
- Discrimination 10-30: Filters out more iron and low-conductivity trash like foil or tiny bits of metal.
- Discrimination 30+: Used to focus on high-conductivity items like silver coins, but may miss some relics or small gold items.
Many experienced users recommend staying within the 6 to 10 range to maintain good audio information and avoid missing deeper or masked targets.
Full Tones vs. Discrimination
The XP Deus allows users to run in Full Tones mode, where each metal conductivity range has its own tone. In this case, many users prefer to run discrimination at 0 or very low, relying on the audio to determine whether a target is worth digging.
This audio-based approach means the detector is still hearing all targets, but the user filters them out by sound rather than having the machine silence them completely. It’s a more advanced technique but can lead to better results in iron-rich or trashy areas.
Advantages of Low Discrimination
Keeping discrimination low has several benefits:
- Retains more target information through audio.
- Improves performance in mineralized or iron-heavy soils.
- Reduces the chances of missing desirable targets that may read close to trash items on the conductivity scale.
Notch Discrimination
Notch discrimination is another powerful feature on the XP Deus. It allows users to notch out specific segments of the conductivity scale. This means instead of using a blanket discrimination level, you can selectively ignore certain conductivity values perfect for avoiding common trash like pull tabs while still picking up gold rings.
How to Use Notch Discrimination
To set up notch discrimination:
- Navigate to the Discrimination menu.
- Select Notch and define the conductivity range you want to exclude (e.g., 60 to 70 for pull tabs).
- Save the setting as part of your program.
This targeted discrimination technique is highly effective for beach hunters and coin shooters who encounter the same types of junk repeatedly.
Iron Volume and Iron Discrimination
In addition to basic discrimination, the XP Deus features iron volume control, allowing you to hear iron but at a reduced volume. This helps detect masked good targets that may be hiding under iron trash. Rather than fully silencing iron, you lower its volume, so you stay aware of the site’s iron content while still being able to focus on higher-value items.
Recommended Iron Settings
- Iron Volume: Set to 1 or 2 for low background noise but useful feedback.
- Iron Discrimination: Between 6 and 10 to balance between rejecting iron and preserving target depth and clarity.
In iron-infested areas like old homesteads or farm fields, these settings allow you to stay informed without being overwhelmed by constant noise.
Creating a Custom Program
One of the greatest strengths of the XP Deus is the ability to create and save custom programs. You can adjust discrimination, tones, reactivity, sensitivity, and other settings to suit your style or location. Here’s an example of a discrimination-focused setup for a coin hunting scenario:
Sample Custom Discrimination Program
- Frequency: 11 kHz
- Discrimination: 6
- Notch: 6070 (pull tab range)
- Iron Volume: 1
- Audio Response: 3
- Tones: Full Tones
- Reactivity: 2
- Silencer: 1
This setup helps reduce unwanted targets while keeping enough audio information to evaluate each signal confidently. You can tweak this program based on ground conditions and your personal preferences.
Tips for Using Discrimination Effectively
Here are some practical tips to make the most of your XP Deus discrimination settings:
- Test Your Settings: Bury sample targets in your backyard to test how your current discrimination levels affect detection.
- Adjust Based on Terrain: High-trash areas may require more discrimination, while open fields may benefit from minimal settings.
- Don’t Over-Filter: Too much discrimination can cause you to miss valuable targets. When in doubt, dig it out.
- Use Audio Cues: Rely on tone breaks and signal quality along with discrimination to make informed decisions.
When to Change Discrimination Settings
Adjust your XP Deus discrimination settings based on your environment and goals. Here’s a quick guide:
- Urban Parks: Use moderate discrimination and notch out common trash.
- Beach Hunting: Lower discrimination to pick up smaller jewelry; notch pull tabs if necessary.
- Relic Hunting: Keep discrimination low or off to find iron-based relics and deep targets.
- High Iron Areas: Use iron volume and a low discrimination level to identify masked good targets.
XP Deus Discrimination
The XP Deus offers a powerful suite of discrimination tools that can dramatically improve your detecting success when used correctly. From basic discrimination levels to fine-tuned notch settings and iron volume control, these features help you focus on valuable targets and reduce wasted time on junk. Whether you’re detecting on the beach, in a field, or in an iron-filled cellar hole, understanding and customizing your XP Deus discrimination settings will give you the edge you need. With practice and experimentation, you’ll unlock the full potential of this incredible metal detecting machine.