Description
Salt water is where most detectors fall apart. Wet sand and surf read like one giant target to a single-frequency machine, and even Minelab's own waterproof detectors rated to 16 ft (5 m) are wading and surf tools, not dive tools. The Minelab Excalibur II is the one Minelab built for the bottom: BBS multi-frequency that transmits 17 frequencies at once for stable audio in salt and black sand, a pressure-tested housing rated to 200 ft (60 m), a hardwired 10 in (25 cm) Double-D coil, hardwired Koss waterproof headphones, and no screen to flood. It is the only detector in Minelab's current range rated beyond 16 ft (5 m).
Why This Model
BBS (Broad Band Spectrum) is the reason the Excalibur II still holds its place. Instead of one frequency, it transmits 17 at once, from 1.5 kHz to 25.5 kHz in 1.5 kHz steps, and reads the whole spread together. Minelab's manual puts the benefit plainly: that wide response range is what lets the machine keep working in high mineralisation and trash, on land, on the beach and underwater. Ground balance is automatic and there is no manual ground balance control at all, so the routine in the water is set the threshold, pick a mode, and hunt.
The engineering that matters at depth is the part most dealers skip. The NiMH battery pod is pressure-tested to the same 200 ft (60 m) as the detector and charges without being opened or removed from the shaft: unplug the pod cable, connect the adaptor plug, charge. The coil and the headphones are hardwired into the control housing, so there are no external coil or headphone connectors to seal. The Sensitivity dial carries a printed SUB AQUA band that marks the manual range Minelab recommends underwater, on wet sand and in black sand. And the discriminator keeps talking even about targets you rejected: after a rejected target blanks the threshold, the hum returns at a low pitch for iron and a higher pitch for a non-ferrous target you dialed out.
Against its Minelab siblings the decision is about water, not features. The Equinox 900 and the CTX 3030 both give you a screen and numeric target ID, the CTX adds GPS, and both are rated for wading: 16 ft (5 m) for the Equinox 900, 10 ft (3 m) for the CTX 3030. The Excalibur II gives up the screen and gains 200 ft (60 m). If you will be on scuba, or working a surf trough with the control housing under water for hours, it is the only Minelab that fits the job.
Other dealers open with "the world's best underwater detector" and then disagree with each other about the basics: one lists the battery at up to 12 hours, another at 20 to 25, one calls it a beginner machine, one counts "Pinpoint" as a third search mode. Minelab's manual says 14 to 19 hours per charge and shows one two-position switch, Discriminate or Pinpoint/All Metals, and Minelab's own site lists the machine under advanced users and underwater treasure hunters. Those are the figures on this page.
Technical Specs and Benefits
| Spec (Minelab manual and usa.minelab.com) | What It Does in the Field |
|---|---|
| BBS multi-frequency: 17 frequencies transmitted simultaneously, 1.5 to 25.5 kHz in 1.5 kHz steps | Stable audio in wet salt sand, black sand and surf where a single-frequency machine falses. Minelab lists RCB alongside BBS as the machine's second key technology. |
| Waterproof to 200 ft (60 m), IP68 | Scuba, wreck and reef sites, and surf hunting with the control housing under water. The battery pod is pressure-tested to the same depth. |
| Two modes on one switch: Discriminate, or Pinpoint/All Metals | Disc rejects iron at setting 1 and progressively higher-conductivity junk as you turn it up. Pinpoint/All Metals sounds on everything with a much shorter response that narrows the target, so there is no separate pinpoint button to find with gloves on. |
| Variable discrimination with Minelab's own dial recipes | About 4 keeps fine white-gold rings (you will dig some foil); about 13 rejects old bottle caps while keeping brass buttons and copper coins; pull-tabs fall between 11 and 15 because their alloys vary. |
| Automatic ground balance, no manual control | Dry sand to wet sand to water with nothing to adjust; Minelab's wording is that the machine always operates at maximum performance without manual ground balancing. |
| Sensitivity: Auto, or Manual 1 to 10 with a printed SUB AQUA band | Run Manual as high as it goes without false signals; the SUB AQUA band marks the recommended range underwater, on wet sand and in black sand. Auto is for high or variable mineralisation. |
| Threshold and Volume on separate controls; Threshold is also the power switch | Set the threshold low but audible so deep and small targets can nudge it. Volume scales target signals only, and Minelab warns that a large shallow target can be extremely loud, so protect your ears. |
| Multi-tone analogue audio, no display | Pitch rises with target conductivity in Disc mode: ferrous at the low end, a US quarter at the high end, pull-tabs, rings and some coins in between. Identification is by ear. |
| Hardwired 10 in (25 cm) round Double-D slimline coil with fluorescent skidplate | No coil connector to flood and no coil swaps; the fluorescent skidplate and bodywork keep the coil visible in poor water visibility. |
| Hardwired Koss 8-ohm waterproof headphones | Audio straight to your ears at depth. The diaphragm vent holes allow ear equalization and need rinsing clear after salt water. |
| Two lower shafts in the box: long for land and beach, short for diving | Standard shaft 45 to 48 in (114 to 122 cm); dive shaft 32 to 36 in (82 to 91 cm) for coil control around wreck structure. |
| 10-cell NiMH battery pod, 1000 mAh, 14 to 19 hours per charge | Charges in place through the adaptor plug from the supplied universal mains charger (110 V to 240 V). First charge 4 to 5 hours; charge indoors at 32 to 86 F (0 to 30 C). |
| Audio low-battery alarm | The threshold gradually rises to a loud continuous signal as the pack runs down, so the warning reaches you through the headphones with no display to check. |
| 5.1 lb (2.3 kg) with the 10 in (25 cm) coil and battery | Heavier than Minelab's wading machines. The optional hip mount kit moves the control housing and battery to your belt for long land and beach sessions. |
| Operating 32 to 113 F (0 to 45 C); storage -4 to 104 F (-20 to 40 C) | Never leave it in direct sunlight, since heat can damage the coil. Rinse with fresh water after every use, shafts and battery pack disconnected. |
Excalibur II vs Equinox 900 vs CTX 3030: Which One Do You Need?
All three are Minelab multi-frequency machines that work on saltwater beaches. They differ in depth rating, display and weight.
| Feature | Excalibur II | Equinox 900 | CTX 3030 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterproof rating | 200 ft (60 m) | 16 ft (5 m) | 10 ft (3 m) |
| Multi-frequency engine | BBS, 17 frequencies at once | Multi-IQ | FBS 2 |
| Display and target ID | None; audio pitch only | LCD, 119-segment target ID | Full-color LCD, Fe/Co target ID, GPS |
| Coil | Hardwired 10 in (25 cm) DD | EQX11 11 in (28 cm) + EQX06 6 in (15 cm), both included, swappable | 11 in (28 cm) DD, swappable |
| Headphones | Hardwired Koss waterproof | ML 85 wireless included | KOSS UR30 wired (not waterproof) |
| Weight | 5.1 lb (2.3 kg) | 2.8 lb (1.27 kg) | 5.2 lb (2.36 kg) |
| Best fit | Scuba, wreck and reef sites; surf hunting with the housing submerged | All-terrain: parks, fields, beach, gold; wading | Land and beach with GPS FindPoint logging; wading |
Choose the Excalibur II when the hunt is under water, not beside it. The Minelab Equinox 900 is the all-terrain pick with a screen, two coils and wireless audio. The Minelab CTX 3030 is the land and beach machine for the detectorist who wants GPS logging and the Fe/Co display. Everything that fits this machine is on our What Fits the Minelab Excalibur II page.
Who It's For
The Excalibur II belongs with the diver who hunts wrecks, reefs and swimming-beach drop-offs on scuba, the surf hunter who works the trough with the control housing under water, and the black-sand beach hunter who wants an analogue multi-frequency machine with nothing to flood. Minelab lists it for advanced users and underwater treasure hunters, and the learning curve is the audio: there is no number to read, so you learn the pitch of a quarter, a ring and a rusted bottle cap by digging them.
Honest limits: no display, no target ID number, no depth gauge, no iron bias, no noise cancel, no backlight, no vibration and no wireless audio. The coil and headphones are hardwired, so there are no coil swaps and no headphone swaps, and Minelab states that disconnecting the coil cable voids the warranty. It is a motion detector: a stationary coil gives no response, and fast sweeps cost discrimination accuracy and depth. There is no gold prospecting mode and no firmware to update, ever; it is an analogue machine. The optional alkaline battery pack is water resistant, not waterproof, and is for land and shallow wading only. For a screen, wireless audio and 2.8 lb (1.27 kg) in the hand, the Equinox 900 is the Minelab to buy; for depth on scuba, nothing else Minelab makes goes here.
What Comes Standard in the Factory Box
- Excalibur II control housing with hardwired 10 in (25 cm) round Double-D slimline coil and skidplate
- Hardwired Koss 8-ohm waterproof headphones
- Upper shaft, long lower shaft (land and beach) and short lower shaft (diving)
- Armrest, 4 rubber washers, 2 wingnuts, 2 nylon bolts
- NiMH battery pod (10 cells, 1000 mAh) with universal mains charger, charger adaptor plug and cap
- Finds bag (US-market box)
- Instruction manual and warranty card
- 1-year Minelab warranty on the control box and coil
Minelab's manual is free to download: Minelab Excalibur II instruction manual (PDF). The discrimination recipes, the charging procedure and the after-dive care routine are all in it.
Genuine Minelab Excalibur accessories we carry: the NiMH battery pod (3011-0217) as a spare, the alkaline battery pod (3011-0213) for land and shallow wading, the car charger (3011-0210) and the universal spare charger (3011-0439).
Exclusive History Seekers bonus: free with every Minelab Excalibur II
Buy your Minelab Excalibur II from History Seekers and receive a free 1-year subscription to American Digger Magazine, the definitive print resource for relic hunters, coin shooters, and serious diggers. Real finds, real research, and real history delivered directly to your door. This bonus is available exclusively through HistorySeekers.net.
Notice: the free subscription offer applies strictly to listed prices. It cannot be combined with other discount codes or promotions. If a coupon or promotional discount is used at checkout, the free magazine subscription is excluded.
Minelab 15% Military Discount
Minelab offers a 15% military discount on Minelab detectors (accessories excluded), and the Excalibur II qualifies. Contact us directly at 256-284-2247 for details and to order with the discount. Not combinable with other promotions or discounts.
See it in the field
History Seekers hunts run on YouTube and Facebook, where over 1.1 million followers watch us dig relics, coins, and gold across the Southeast and beyond. We rotate machines depending on the site and the ground conditions, and every find you see was made with gear we sell and use ourselves.
One more thing worth knowing about who you are buying from. History Seekers is a small American business, not a big box retailer where nobody on staff has ever swung a detector, and not a warehouse that just moves boxes. Everyone here detects, from the top down: gold, relics, coins, jewelry, even float copper. Years of field experience before hire is not a coincidence, it is a requirement. The person who answers your questions may be the same one who packs your order and drives it to the UPS drop-off, and every purchase keeps everyday Americans working.
Frequently Asked Questions
How deep can the Minelab Excalibur II go?
Minelab rates the Excalibur II to 200 ft (60 m) with IP68 waterproofing, and the NiMH battery pod is pressure-tested to the same depth. The coil and the Koss headphones are hardwired and waterproof, so the whole machine goes down with you. The short dive shaft brings it to 32 to 36 in (82 to 91 cm) for coil control around wreck structure.
Is the Excalibur II a pulse induction detector?
No. It is a BBS (Broad Band Spectrum) multi-frequency machine that transmits 17 frequencies simultaneously, from 1.5 kHz to 25.5 kHz in 1.5 kHz steps, and reads them together. That is what keeps its threshold stable in salt water and black sand while still giving you a variable discrimination dial against iron and a multi-tone audio response that rises in pitch with target conductivity.
Does the Excalibur II have a screen or target ID numbers?
No. There is no display, no target ID number and no depth gauge; the machine is audio-only. In Discriminate mode the pitch rises with target conductivity, so ferrous targets sit at the low end, high-conductivity coins like a US quarter at the high end, and pull-tabs, rings and some coins in between. After a rejected target blanks the threshold, the hum returns low for iron and higher for a non-ferrous target you dialed out, so you can read even what you rejected.
Excalibur II vs Equinox 900 vs CTX 3030: which one do I need?
Choose by water depth. The Excalibur II is rated to 200 ft (60 m) and is the only current Minelab detector rated beyond 16 ft (5 m); it has no screen and a hardwired coil and headphones. The Equinox 900 is rated to 16 ft (5 m), weighs 2.8 lb (1.27 kg), has a screen with numeric target ID, ships with two swappable coils and wireless headphones, and covers parks, fields, beach and gold. The CTX 3030 is rated to 10 ft (3 m) and adds GPS FindPoint logging and a full-color Fe/Co display for land and beach work. For scuba, wreck and reef sites, or hours in the surf with the control housing submerged, the Excalibur II; for everything else, the Equinox 900 or the CTX 3030.
How long does the battery last, and how do you charge it?
The 10-cell, 1000 mAh NiMH pod runs 14 to 19 hours per charge. It charges in place: unplug the pod cable, connect the charger adaptor plug, and plug the supplied universal mains charger into the wall. The first charge takes 4 to 5 hours. Charge indoors at 32 to 86 F (0 to 30 C), and top the pack up every 3 to 6 months in storage. As the pack runs down, the threshold gradually rises to a loud continuous tone; that is the low-battery warning.
Can the Excalibur II find gold?
Gold jewelry, yes: rings and chains in the surf and around swimming beaches are what this machine is bought for, and Minelab's own discrimination guidance is to run the dial at about 4 to keep fine white-gold rings, accepting some foil. It has no gold prospecting mode; the two settings are Discriminate and Pinpoint/All Metals, so it is not a nugget machine. For goldfield nuggets, Minelab's answer is a dedicated gold detector such as the GPX 6000.
Does the Excalibur II qualify for a military discount?
Yes. Minelab offers a 15% military discount on Minelab detectors (accessories excluded). Contact us directly at 256-284-2247 for details and to order with the discount. It cannot be combined with other promotions or discounts.
Is History Seekers an authorized Minelab dealer?
Yes. History Seekers Metal Detectors is an authorized Minelab dealer; every Excalibur II we sell is new, sourced through Minelab's authorized US distributor, and carries the full 1-year Minelab warranty.
History Seekers Metal Detectors is an authorized Minelab dealer; every Excalibur II we sell is new, sourced through Minelab's authorized US distributor, and carries the full 1-year Minelab warranty. Your questions get answered by detectorists who run these machines on real permissions. We will help you set your first threshold, pick the shaft for the day's water and get you digging rings instead of bottle caps. Because at History Seekers, the story is more important than the artifact.
See everything that fits your machine:What Fits the Minelab Excalibur II