Michael Eakers Answers Your Questions: Behind the Scenes with XP Metal Detectors’ Community Manager

I’m delighted to interview Michael Eakers, UK-based Community Manager and Brand Ambassador for XP Metal Detectors. Many detectorists know Michael through his XP metal detecting tutorial videos, where he shares tips on mastering XP products and advanced metal detecting techniques.

Michael, who has been metal detecting for 17 years, once recovered a hoard of 96 Roman Silver coins in England using his XP Deus 2. As a leading figure in the global XP detecting community, he’s known for hosting live Q&A sessions, helping users troubleshoot settings, and guiding both beginners and seasoned relic hunters through the finer points of XP’s powerful technology.

In this interview, we present a collection of reader-submitted questions, with Michael’s detailed answers covering everything from XP product insights to advanced detecting strategies.

See my questions and Michael’s answers below.

XP Detectors

What are the most misunderstood technical features of XP machines that users often underutilized or misconfigured?

I think one of the most misunderstood features about XP machines is probably the machines themselves. It is easy to think that the Deus 2 (for example) is just another Multi Frequency Metal Detector but the reality is, it offers a lot more for users than what you might see on the surface. One point that appears often is that people are not confident in changing some of the parameters to suit their terrain and therefore, they feel like they are not getting the most from their time using it. In this instance, I like to show them that there is already a program for most types of ground and that it can be a turn on and go machine that produces amazing results by simply selecting one of our carefully designed factory programs available at the touch of a button.

When you understand the difference between a factory program that is ‘frequency subtractive’ and one that is ‘frequency addition’ (see the manual) it really can be a game changer when it comes to coming home with a bag full of the ‘goodies’ or not.

I guess the point I’m trying to make is that although it is considered a high-end professional Metal Detector, it is also easy to use for anyone of any age or skill level and just because we use acronyms like ‘FMF’ and ‘HF2’ doesn’t make it any more complicated than other products available on the market today.

What are the best practices for battery management and maximizing the longevity of XP equipment—including detectors, headphones, and pinpointers?

Our batteries are no different to any other battery used in mobile technology today and should be treated the exact same way. The best practise with any modern battery is to simply use it. They don’t like to be stored for long periods of time without being re energised as this can damage the cells inside the battery and reduces its life span. It’s kind of like you sitting in a chair for 4 weeks without moving then being expected to get up and mow the lawn! If you get up from the chair every other hour in that 4-week period… mowing the lawn will be a whole lot more achievable!

Best practise is to use it regularly however; in the event you know its not going to be used for a while you can do this – Charge the battery to 50–80% to store it. If the manual says 3 hours for full charge and there is still one bar left on the device, charge it for an hour so it is roughly in the middle of full capacity. If you leave it for several months or more without using it, you can turn it on and let it run to empty then re charge again to 50-80%. The result of this means the battery is happy because its being used and YOU will be happy because your product will always be waiting for you when you want to use it. We have some customers who are stull using a battery after 14 years with the Deus 1 and this is likely because they use the above method to ensure its health.

XP has done an excellent job supporting older machines in its lineup. However, the sealed, non-replaceable batteries in the coils naturally have a limited lifespan. The new HF2 coil addresses this by placing the battery in the stem, which not only improves weight distribution but also allows for easy battery replacement. Are there any plans to incorporate this design into future coils across the XP range?

We are very proud with the design of our new high powered battery placement but this is not something totally new as we also used a similar design in the original range of High Frequency coils for the Deus 1 and ORX. It is essential to note that if you use a brand of coil that has a cable, it is usually this part that fails first or, it is the encapsulated electronics (both of which are irreparable and usually covered by a very short warranty period). Our coils, remote casing, and the headphones of the DEUS 2 are all covered by a 5-year warranty, and since they are wireless, they are not at risk of having their cable break and fail. But (and most importantly) – everything with an XP machine is 100% repairable! The electronic housing is easily accessible because it is not encapsulated in resin and the same goes for the battery compartment too! This means the lifespan is virtually unlimited unless it is subjected to an extreme accident.

I’d also like to mention the design of our remote control: Our competitors increasingly provide sealed, non-dismantlable control boxes, which leads to very high after-sales service costs after the short warranty period has expired because you need to replace the whole device rather than just the parts that have failed. With the DEUS 1 and 2 (which comes with a 5-year warranty covering both parts and labour) everything is detachable and reparable and this is why we received the ‘Long-Time’ certification label.

We always want to push the boundaries of what is possible – not only in using exclusive and patented technology but also at the first design stage. This ensures it gives the user the best experience and advantages possible. If people like what we do and the feedback is good it then gets implemented into future designs. Everything is considered and done for a reason, listening to our customers is a key part of our ethos and I am confident this particular battery design will be a great success just like it was on the original High Frequency coils.

If aftermarket companies are successfully producing upgrades that clearly perform well in the market, why doesn’t XP offer similar solutions—such as an improved head unit attachment system or carbon fiber lower shafts to reduce weight and increase rigidity?

We all like to have something different and unique and regardless of what we manufacture, I believe people will continue to do this as its simply just part of owning a product which you use regularly and adore. Rather than make our own we are more interested in perfecting every element of our products at the design stage for instance – the RC / stem mount has now changed and was implemented sometime ago. It was a very small change and will not be noticeable to many however, reports of the RC falling off have dropped considerably since making the minor modification. This is the same with the carbon fiber elements, we have gone from strong durable fiber glass plastic to a lighter and more rigid carbon fibre filament and now, with the HF2 coil, you get a full carbon fiber lower stem which can be used with all models across our range and beyond. Who knows where it will go in the future!

Take note though because – carbon fiber may be lighter and more rigid but, it has to be used in the right places to maintain a consistent product which people can rely on not only for strength and longevity but, for hassle free and effective Metal Detection. As with most things – to make something stronger or lighter there will always a compromise on something else and for us, it is about finding the best route to ‘improvement city’ not necessarily the fastest.

Deus II

When comparing the Deus II and the Manticore, particularly in terms of frequency output and receiving power, are these limitations always imposed by the FAA, or are there ways around them? Both detectors appear to operate with similar power output—so what, if anything, sets XP apart in this regard?

Recently we have just pushed the boundaries of what is possible with our brand-new detection coil – ‘HF2’. While this is not the only thing that sets us apart from the rest, it is something that truly makes us unique in a highly competitive modern market. Using the Deus 2 or WS6 master, you can search sites using frequencies up to 120kHz (which really is a world first!). In multifrequency you can use up to 90Khz, giving you the benefit of being able to go back to sites which have already been hunted and unmask targets that previously could not be found because no technology existed to let you hear them with such precision and clarity. Very recently I returned to a site where I had found some silver coins and used the HF2 coil running a maximum frequency of 89kHz. In the first 20 minutes I found a fragment of a silver coin waiting patiently for me close to the surface. When I checked this fragment with standard lower frequencies, it soon became obvious why I may have missed it during my previous searches. Imagine having access to the latest innovations in technology without having to buy a brand-new Metal Detector every time. We make this possible for our users with products like the HF2 coil whereas, other brands might only offer the purchase of a completely new machine resulting in a much greater expense.

For deep relic hunting using the Deus II, what combination of frequency range, reactivity, audio response, and discrimination settings would you recommend?

I get asked this question allot and I totally understand why! It is not an easy question to answer because the ground you’re searching in plays a huge role in determining how changing each of those parameters might help you gain more depth on the day. Here are two scenarios I would use to gain maximum ground penetration but be warned… You might be digging very deep holes so a quality shovel will be essential!

In normal to very lightly mineralised ground – Use program 6 ‘Deep HC’ (Deep High Conductor) and raise the ‘audio response’ to 5 or 6. Swing slowly and close to the ground, dig everything with a consistent high tone. If your ground is mineralised and you have been unable to get depth from the site before because of it or, you have previously searched with other machines and want a little more extra punch then use Program 9 Relic. Relic is a very unique program that uses frequency subtraction technology meaning that it will account for difficult ground conditions without compromising in depth or overall system performance. Be sure to ground balance your machine over a particularly hot patch of ground while using this program for best results. Relic is an ideal program if you are confident there are things to be found at that site and really want to open up the ground to metal items and be sure you are not to missing anything. Both of these programs are easily selectable by simply turning on the machine, selecting the desired program and you’re ready to go!

What are the best practices for using Deus II audio filters, like notch or discrimination, without sacrificing target identification in trashy environments?

For best results in trashy areas you might want to consider having Notch turned off, Audio filter on 0 and the discrimination set to a normal pre set level (like in factory programs) because this will give you two benefits – first, you allow the Deus 2 to give you the full audio spectrum of targets which will allow YOU to be the judge of what to dig or not to dig. Secondly, if the ground is very trashy but you want to be a bit more selective as to what is a genuinely a good target or not, you can use the ‘Silencer’ option instead to help you deal with the constant chatter from the ground or potential false signals. In my opinion, it is always best to hear everything the ground has to offer rather than try to restrict what you hear because this way you minimise the risk of missing targets that could be being masked or, digging unwanted signals because you only hear a small part of the audio signature and therefor, are misled into thinking it is a good target when its not. I guess the moto here is ‘’hear more, dig less!’’.

I do understand that in some extremely trashy areas like parks for instance, hearing everything can sometimes be overwhelming so here you could use a factory program like ‘Park’ which has been specially created to account for certain items like aluminium bottle tops and ring pulls. You could consider raising the discrimination level higher depending on what type of target ID’s you want to dig BUT this always comes with a compromise because – if you only shoot for coins in the 60 plus target ID range, you will inevitably miss the small gold jewellery which comes in at a similar number to foil. Everything is always a compromise in Metal Detection and there is never one program that will work for everyone in every situation. Everyone has a different approach to what is acceptable to hear and what is not but for me, assigning a tone to each type of metal instead of simply discriminating or notching them out means I always leave the door slightly open to discoveries that are waiting to be found.

By turning discriminatory settings down on the Deus II, does this not only allow more signals to come through, but also reduce the processing load on the software—potentially resulting in greater signal strength to the ground?

I can confidently confirm that with our range of Metal Detectors, these particular parameters will not affect depth or target separation. We have designed our products to process all settings such as these simultaneously and its computing power is far greater than the power required from filters such as Discrimination or Silencer even if they are all being utilised at the same time.

Discrimination (for instance) is a tone break so it only categorises certain targets based on their conductivity level and target ID (T.I.D). Think of it like this – When the detector gets a response from a signal with a T.I.D above the set Discrimination level, you will hear a high tone telling you to dig it. When you go over a signal which has a T.I.D below the set Discrimination level, you will hear a low tone so you know not to dig it, it really is as simple as that! It is a common misconception that these parameters can greatly affect target separation and depth. With XP machines you can 100% adjust either one of those parameters without there being a compromise in system performance and confidently go out searching knowing the changes you make genuinely work to your advantage. The only slight caveat to this will be mineralised soil as here discrimination can play a deciding role in ground penetration however, this is the same with most brands and high levels of mineralisation will inevitably result in a loss of depth in one form or another.

Are there significant differences in signal handling when operating the Deus II fully wirelessly vs using a wired coil or headphone setup?

Yes! There is one major difference between signal handling when using the XP Deus 2 over a wired alternative… No wires! Sounds simple right? The last Metal Detector we produced that had a wired link between the coil and control box was the Goldmaxx Power and that was released over 20 years ago back in 2004. We now offer our users market leading signal processing power with our unique patented wireless link technology which is 10 x faster than other widely used alternatives like Bluetooth for instance.  Another benefit is, you can collapse the stem for easy transport or change a search coil in seconds! So, if you hit a patch of ground that is noisier with iron or trash and want to swap to a smaller coil to help you separate targets, YOU will have the advantage as others might not want to do this given the time and effort it takes to perform this task.

When we attend events, we encourage everyone to try our machines over different targets to demonstrate just how quick and effective it is at pin pointing a targets precise location, its general size and also its depth. One more important feature to mention is ‘power efficiency!’. Managing the power is much more efficient and with less loss when there are no cables, this results in a lighter battery but the same power output meaning – more time detecting (battery charge) and minimising the effects of fatigue caused by overall product weight.

Last summer while demonstrating this feature at a rally, I personally assisted in the sale of 3 FULL Deus 2 machines over at our distributors counter opposite the XP stand. For the record – these people already owned another brand of detector but were so impressed by the demonstration they made their purchase straight after. It is a common fact our machines are the lightest on the market but until you actually experience this and its capabilities, you never truly know what you could be missing out on.

Can you elaborate on how the Deus II manages ground balance—specifically the differences between manual, tracking, and pumping modes—and when each is most effective?

The key to understanding ground balance on the Deus 2 is relatively simple but hopefully these general guidelines will help you understand it in practical terms –

First, you need to understand the difference between a ‘frequency addition’ program and a ‘frequency subtraction’ program. Each of these types of programs are designed for use in certain types of ground and may mean that ground balancing is not always the first option to consider when wanting stability or ground penetration. If your ‘mineralisation strength bar’ is telling you there is high levels of mineralisation, this is a good indication that ground balancing might be a good option. In case your readers didn’t know (I’m sure they do!) …this information is vital and is the difference between coming home with something that rewrites the history books or not.

If your Ground Mineralisation strength Bar is high, this means there is a higher level of magnetic ground (ferrite) and might mean you have to account for this and ground balance your machine. By pumping the coil slowly above the ground, you allow your detector to take a ‘ferrite average’ reading which it will then use to adjust the ground Level, mitigating the effect of that ground ID in your search field.

However, if you notice the ground bar move up and down constantly along with the ground ID number changing too, this might be a good time to use the ‘tracking’ ground balance option. This is where the Deus 2 will take constant averages from the ground and adjust it on the fly without you having to worry about it. This option is not recommended for normal searching and like most things, must only be used as and when you need them. The ‘Ground Stabiliser’ setting at level 1 could also play a major role when ground balancing multifrequency programs and, will also be something you might want to consider changing before ground balancing takes place IF you want to open up the ground and gain a bit more depth.

For taller detectorists, the Deus II shaft is too short, and its excessive flexibility can lead to premature wear of the locking mechanisms. Are there any upgrades or alternative shaft options offered by XP to address this issue?

We do currently offer an extended stem option for our range of coils and this can easily be purchased either at the point of sale or, as an accessory later down the line. We always want to try and reduce the overall weight of our products and make them as light as possible for everyone to use but still have a product people can feel comfortable using irrespective of their height. With that being said, I have noticed that although some users are indeed tall, not many of them actually need the longer stem option and I will try to explain why… A friend of mine is over 6 feet tall; he uses the Deus 2 with the standard-length stem. Does he have it extended all the way out? Nope! He has it set to the 2.5 marker point and is able to detect comfortably and easily without issue. Unfortunately, I see too many people metal detecting with the wrong stem setup and this can be easily solved by following this simple yet effective tip –

Stand with your feet together and take a step forward then stop. Now take your Deus 2 (with the lower stem locking mechanism undone) and put it in front of you so that the coil is flat on the ground and your arm is straight (feet must stay in position). Now reach down with your other arm and lock the mechanism in that exact position. This will ensure the stem is at the correct length regardless of your height and I bet you will be surprised at how different it is to your normal position. Once you have finished reading this, go and try it for yourself. 

If there were one thing you could communicate to detectorists using the Deus II to help improve their understanding of the machine we haven’t discussed above, what would it be?

I can communicate this in 3 easy words – Read. The. Manual. The manual has everything in it that you would ever want to know about the Deus 2 and all of its features and menus. Yep! it is long and yep! there is going to be things in there which you already know BUT, it’s the things you don’t know that add to the weight of the things you already know which makes the effort of reading it from front to back worthwhile doing. The Deus 2 is absolutely a turn on and go machine and you will be able to go and find amazing things with it straight from the box however, there is also expert settings which can be changed to adapt and fine tune your machine to your ground but will require you to ask yourself the questions – why am I changing this and what do I want to achieve by doing it? Well, you already have the answer to all of those questions and more…Inside the manual!

Deus II with HF2 Coil

What setting would you recommend to find Gold Chain in wet black sand, with the Deus II using the HF2 Coil?

I will be totally honest with everyone here… I am not a big beach hunter. That said, I will be able to offer my opinion based on what I know about the Deus 2 which I hope will help people in understanding the basics of how to handle low conductive targets in salty black sand environments.

For black lightly magnetic sand beaches, I would suggest to use a program specifically designed for this like the beach program. You will want to make sure ‘Magnetic Ground’ is set to ‘accept’ if the conditions will allow it. Be careful not to lower ‘Salt Sensitivity’ too much because small low conductors like gold chains for instance can fall into this range. Adjust ‘Salt Sensitivity’ enough that its stable on wet sand but then bring it back a few notches to be sure you are not missing any small low conductors. High frequency is your friend here, use a frequency max of 90kHz and if your Ground ID is abnormal then ground balance your machine by pumping it. At this stage, confirm the machine is stable running it over the black sand and if not, consider changing the sensitivity down slightly as a final tweak to ensure maximum stability.

If the black sand is relatively dry but is conductive (gives constant target ID) then I would use another ‘Frequency Subtraction’ program like’ Relic’ or General for instance. Ground balance on the conductive sand until the response from the sand begins to disappear. Consider using ‘IAR’ discrimination (Relic program) to eliminate some ferrous items. Here is a last-minute top tip for you all – If you ground balance with a Frequency Max of 88kHz (for instance) and you then change the Frequency max down to say 53kHz, you will then need to ‘pump’ ground balance again to account for the change of frequencies. The machine will then remember the ground balance value for you meaning, if you want to change the frequencies back – the setting will already be there.

The Deus II paired with the HF2 coil and snap-on battery raises some concerns about long-term durability in water especially in salt water. Could this design pose potential reliability issues during underwater use?

Our new battery design is no problem in saltwater. We have meticulously put this through rigorous testing procedures to ensure its longevity in extreme environments such as this. We do recommend not swapping the battery in this kind of environment but this is not because of potential damage, it is to ensure no dirt of debris comes into contact with the battery terminals which could cause an issue with contact. From July 2025, we now offer users who use the HF2 coil or bone conducting headphones (BH-01) the option to use some silicone lubricant which ensures the connection always remains clean. It is recommended to apply it to the bone conduction headphone male and female connections and, to the battery connector of the HF2 only when using these two products in coastal conditions or underwater. The battery is designed to last for 10 hours of normal use so it is very unlikely someone will want to swap the battery for a fully charged one during a single hunting session. To flip this around slightly, let’s say there is an unlikely instance where the battery does become faulty from salty water or submerged use, I would rather replace a small easily removable battery then the expense of an entire new coil. What’s more – You could buy multiple batteries and just pop another one in meaning; you are never without your Metal Detector regardless of any unexpected eventualities.

Closing Thoughts
This interview with Michael Eakers has offered valuable insight into both the engineering and field use of XP Metal Detectors, especially the highly regarded Deus II and the innovative HF2 coil. From addressing battery longevity and ground balance modes to unpacking the finer details of frequency response and detector customization, Michael’s answers reflect the depth of knowledge and passion that has made him a trusted figure in the metal detecting community. Whether you’re a seasoned relic hunter or new to XP’s ecosystem, the tips and perspectives shared here can help you unlock greater performance and precision on your next hunt. A big thank you to Michael and to all the readers who submitted questions—your curiosity helps drive the future of the hobby forward.