The ultimate entry level metal detector
The Minelab Vanquish 560 Pro – Just another Skill School Review.
Are you looking for a good entry level metal detector?
Firstly there are cheap machines and there are beginners machines, and here is the difference.
A cheap metal detector is, in most cases a cheap toy, once the new user has experienced the lack of reliable Iron rejection, ear-piercing audio and overall lack of performance, they will most likely never want to go metal detecting again.
Don’t go cheap – Be prepared to make an investment!
A true beginners machine must have good performance and reliable backing from a reputable manufacturer. A machine such as the Minelab Vanquish 560 is a great companion to accompany you on your metal detecting journey.
My test machine came from Crawfords metal detectors.
A clean interface
The Minelab Vanquish 560 has a simple-to-understand interface, with all the necessary features at your fingertips.
My first hunt
On my first hunt with the Vanquish 560, I went out having not read the manual or watched any tuition videos.
Just to see if I could work this machine out without any investigation.
Easy to understand straight out of the box
As soon as you switch on the Vanquish 560 it runs an automatic noise cancel, then opens up the detect screen.
There are 4 factory programs to choose from.
Park – Field – Beach – Custom User.
Wet grass can be a problem for some metal detectors
I chose the Park program and started to sweep the V12X search coil, the machine was stable, even in the wet grass, which is a sign of excellent coil construction. I set the sensitivity at 8, 10 is the maximum.
My only other adjustment was to switch on the Horseshoe (bottom left) This activated a low tone for Iron.
It wasn’t long before the non-ferrous items started to pop out of the ground at impressive depths, all with clean unmistakable signals.
I was starting to bond with this machine !
Weight and ergonomics
The Vanquish 560 felt good to swing, the chunky handle and arm strap made the mechanics all work together, even with the 12″ search coil.
Audio choices
This is where I feel the Vanquish 560 a little lacking as it has a fixed 5 tone audio, personally I feel it should have some kind of audio choices, or even the option to add tone breaks.
These added features would have really put the Vanquish in my 10/10 hall of fame.
Perhaps a future update will add some more surprises.
Sweet tones
Having said that the audio tones has a sweet sound, something I could listen to all day without getting mentally tired.
Some metal detectors have a harsh audio tone and I think this is where Minelab really take it to the next level.
If you are new to metal detecting, buying with confidence really takes the stress out of your purchasing experience, we have all been there!
Vanquish 560 pro pack
My test model was the pro pack, it came with 2 search coils
A V12X and a V8X, which is a smaller elliptical style coil, perfect for searching tight area’s.
Battery location
As you can see on the left, the Minelab Vanquish 560 has a large re-chargeable battery, also pictured is a flashlight, charging cradle and headphone seal.
It may also be worth noting, this detector is submergible up to 5m (16ft)
Also supplied was a set of ML60 wireless earbuds.
Minelab Vanquish – My first impressions
Out in the field it soon became clear that the Vanquish 560 was doing all the heavy lifting, leaving me to enjoy my detecting without pressing buttons.
This metal detector would be an excellent choice for those wanting to get into the hobby without entering a minefield of marketing and bullshittery.
The 560 has a great build quality and can find large and small targets with ease, all backed by the mighty Minelab reputation.
Download the Minelab Vanquish 560 instruction manual from the Official Minelab website:
You can see my first day with the Vanquish 560 in the video below.
