Minelab Safari – review of a professional metal detector for a beginner (photos+, tips)

Hello, comrades!

Our comrade FW purchased a Minelab Safari and shared his review and experience of this interesting and not the most common metal detector in the field. Thanks to him for the review and let’s give the floor:

What kind of metal detector is Minelab Safari?

Well, I finally got my hands on a professional-level device with a hefty price of 700 euros and the so-called 2009 model range. By the way, remember what gadgets were available at that time and how perfect they were? At one time there was a rather competitive and serious device. What kind of experience did I have with devices before Safari? Before that, I actively used ICQ 250 with a Nel Sharpshooter and Fisher F44 reel, these devices are very easy to operate, a la turn it on and start searching, and since I’m a lazy person and don’t like all sorts complex settings with menus and submenus, I appreciate simple and clear interfaces. Read the blog hobby-detecting.ru

The device kit was quite simple, the device itself was in a box and even without a cover. Well, okay, I’ll overpay less for various accessories and things.

UPD. As a result — I bought the case from a friend, after all, the metal detector is not waterproof and you need to take care of expensive equipment.

What I liked?

Having turned on the device, I was very pleasantly surprised that the menu was so simple that from the first minutes everything became clear to a person more or less versed in metal detectors. The menu is intuitive and does not have any “hidden” modes or settings. It’s easy to figure out, but I would still recommend reading the instructions before use – all questions about setting up and using the device will immediately disappear.

Digging through last year’s grass. Read the blog Hobby-Detecting.ru

The simplicity, high quality of the device, but quite a decent weight, because there are only 8 AA batteries in it, by the way, make you take the device more seriously, even despite the simple menu. What captivated me in Safarik at the initial stage? This is the FBS technology promised by Minelab, which allows the metal detector to operate simultaneously at 28 frequencies – from 1.5 to 100 kHz, and this should allow (in theory) to equally detect large objects at maximum depth (due to low frequencies – 3 kHz and the like) and colored small things (due to the high frequency spectrum – 20 kHz and more). Since the Safari was cheaper than the E-Trac, my choice fell on it. In addition, 28 frequencies at the same time should better recognize targets and I was interested in checking if this is so.

Without reading the manual, I moved into the sandbox of my residential area. The device immediately spoke to me in its full polyphony, but it was intuitively clear that these were all garbage signals. Suddenly, amid all this gurgling, a clear high-pitched signal is heard, I dug: a walking coin, ran for another half hour and a round piece of non-ferrous metal came out. For the entire time there are two digs and two goals, and please note — no foil or other debris.

Still, I was overcome by doubts that a device of this level cannot be so simple and, probably, there are some hidden functions, but after reading the manual I didn’t find anything interesting for myself — everything was intuitively clear without him. I got the impression that either the device is too smart, or I still don’t really understand what it is signaling to me.

Of course I wanted to quickly test it in real field conditions. In the fields there was the same result, my comrades with Deus were digging all sorts of rubbish, and I was walking and listening to the shimmering polyphony in my headphones, suddenly I heard a clear signal and a copper peasant ring came out. I dug a couple more times in that dig and it was copper plates. In just 4 hours I made three digs, but everything was spot on and note — no foil or wire, like comrades with Deus.

What I didn’t like?

I found this kind of cop a little boring, since you have to move the device very slowly and even then, having heard a high signal, you will have to return the coil one step or even a couple of steps back, and if the place is very littered and several objects get under the coil, then the device will be delayed and slowly processes received signals — This is due to the slow processor and the large amount of information coming to it; after all, simultaneous scanning takes place at 26 frequencies at once, and when this signal reaches my ears, I have already passed the place where the object was.

Output

With long, slow wiring, your hand gets tired very quickly and you start to freeze, since you dig very little. The device is very interesting and smart, for thoughtful searching and for knocking out good places that have already been found. It is quite suitable for those who do not like to dig a lot, but only want to dig up clear colored targets.

The secret of a cop with a Minelab Safari metal detector

To get the maximum result on the cop, it is better not to drive Safarik quickly across the field, but to find the wiring speed that will give a minimum of missed signals. It’s better to move slower but collect more finds. Important point — in this way there will be fewer gaps, but again, for reconnaissance it is always better to have an additional budget device, analog or digital, but one with which you can quickly run through the field, find the main places where coins accumulate (coins on the field never lie evenly, but are concentrated more in places), and then knock out such places (mentally make squares 5 by 5 meters, for example) using Safari.

The depth of the device is reduced (it’s not an E-Trac, but it’s also cheaper), and therefore it’s better to replace the standard coil with another one from a third-party manufacturer. An increase of 20%-30% is guaranteed.

What is your experience with Safari? Have something to share? Write to us by email, the address is below, in the footer of the site. And we have collected all reviews on metal detectors and search equipment here. You don’t know where to start digging? We collect Tips for diggers, there is clearly something necessary and new for you, oh young padawan!