Nokta Simplex Ultra vs Simplex Lite Compared
The short answer: same engine, different trim. The Simplex Lite and the Simplex Ultra run the identical 15 kHz VLF platform: both fully submersible to 16 ft / 5 m, both with the 99-point Target ID scale, both at a light 2.6 lb / 1.2 kg. The Ultra adds Bluetooth wireless audio, a fully carbon fiber shaft, two extra search modes, a set of pro-level adjustments the Lite does not have, and a bigger stock coil. The Lite is the cleanest budget entry into a real waterproof detector; the Ultra is the one you will not outgrow as fast.
Side by side
| Simplex Lite | Simplex Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Search modes | 4: Field, Park, Beach, All Metal | 6: adds 4-Tone and 99-Tone |
| Wireless audio | None: wired only, 6.3 mm adapter included | Bluetooth with aptX Low Latency support |
| Shaft | Standard | Fully carbon fiber |
| Pro adjustments | Not available | Coin/Relic ID Scale, Target ID Depth, Recovery Speed, Tone Break, Tone Frequency, Tone Volume |
| Coil in the box | SX24 9.5x6 in / 24x15 cm Double-D | SX28 11 in / 28 cm Double-D |
| Shared by both | 15 kHz VLF engine, IP68 fully submersible to 16 ft / 5 m, Target ID 00-99, 30 sensitivity levels, notch filter, pinpoint, frequency shift, vibration, LED flashlight and backlit display, 2.6 lb / 1.2 kg, roughly 12-hour USB-charged battery, SX-series coil family, 3-year Nokta warranty | |
Which one do you need?
Choose the Simplex Lite when the budget is the boss and you want a genuine waterproof detector, not a toy. It hunts the same ground with the same engine and the same ID scale, and its smaller SX24 coil is actually an advantage in trashy parks. You give up wireless audio and the fine-tuning menu, which many first-year detectorists never touch anyway.
Choose the Simplex Ultra when you want the machine to keep up as you learn. The 4-Tone and 99-Tone modes teach your ear faster, Recovery Speed and the tone adjustments matter the day you start hunting iron-heavy sites, Bluetooth cuts the cable, and the carbon shaft is the nicest build in the class. The gap in price is small compared to the gap in headroom.
One honest note for gold hunters: both are general-purpose 15 kHz machines. They find jewelry and can hit nuggets, but neither has a dedicated gold mode; for real prospecting, look at Nokta's gold line.
Building out either machine? See everything that fits the Simplex Ultra and Lite, including the SX-series coils that interchange between them.
Still deciding?
Call us at 256-284-2247 and tell us where you hunt. We carry both and this choice is a two-minute conversation about your budget and your ground. The story is more important than the artifact.