The CS440XD is a superb general purpose metal detector for the beginner with professional aspirations. An excellent introduction to the detecting hobby at a budget price.
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The CS440XD presents a different take on the way the machine seperates good targets from bad. Just like the Bill Wyman Signature Detector it's a great choice for beginners in the hobby. I really like the construction qualities of these junior units in the C.Scope range. They are so light in weight yet have a robust feel that you just don't get with other budget priced metal detectors.
I chose Margate beach in mid-winter to put the CS440XD through its paces. It's amazing how much stuff these holiday beaches can produce even after other detectorists have been over them. The reasons why are very simple when you think about it. First of all, most detectorists search in a really haphazard way. They walk too quickly and they actually miss more ground than they cover. On the beach you are seeking tiny coins and jewellery in an area measured in square miles. Relatively speaking, it's more demanding than the proverbial needle in a haystack. To narrow down the odds of finding valuables you have to search slowly and methodically covering every square inch of sand. To do an average beach properly would take years. Yet I hear detectorists say things like 'they've done a beach in a Saturday morning!' Secondly, the waves are constantly sifting the sand just like a prospector panning for gold. The result is that heavier metal objects get moved around and deposited in spots that are changing all the time. The sweep speed of the CS440XD is completely non-critical, ideal for careful, intelligent searching.
The little 9 volt battery fits neatly in a compartment at the back of the control box. Switch on, set the tuning and discrimination level and off I go. I aim to divide the search area into square boxes, search one way and then cover the area again at rightangles, Push-button retune irons out most of the ground interference problems. The CS440XD was great on the beach. After 2 hours searching and with the aid of a clever sand scoop I had recovered 3 metal toys, one fizzy drink can (which I think had been buried on purpose to annoy me), and a handful of loose change.
Next, I tried a bit of woodland off the Pilgrim's Way in Kent. There's a tremendous history and an intriguing atmosphere to this ancient road, but sadly it's never produced much in the way of finds, for me anyway. Still I came up with 2 finds, a broken section of a strap end which looked really interesting and an ornate hinge which might have come off some sort of trunk or a carriage door. It's fascinating to conjecture how things came to be lost.
VERDICT
My test of the CS440XD proved it to be the sort of beginners' machine with performance to satisfy any enthusiast. The CS440XD works well on the beach. It would be great for the kids to keep them entertained on a beach holiday. It's also good for more serious inland use. Overall, the CS440XD is a superb general purpose detector for the beginner with professional aspirations.