Description
Most simultaneous multi-frequency detectors make you pay twice to get there: once for the technology and again for a wireless headset you may never wear. The XP ICON in this no-headphones configuration is the other path. You get XP's full FMF (Fast Multi Frequency) engine, the 11 in (28 cm) ICON28 search coil and the S-Telescopic Lite stem, with audio through the remote's built-in speaker, and you decide later whether your XP headphones are the light WSA ST, the over-ear WSA XL ST, or the BH-02 bone-conduction headset for the water. Made in France, wireless between coil and remote, and the lightest way into XP's multi-frequency ecosystem.
At a glance: ICON, no headphones
- What this is: XP part ICON-28FMFRC, the base ICON package: ICON remote control, ICON28 11 in (28 cm) FMF search coil, S-Telescopic Lite stem, charging cable. No headphones; audio plays from the remote's speaker until you add XP wireless headphones.
- ICON vs ICON X: both are FMF simultaneous multi-frequency with the same 11 in (28 cm) coil, 25 sensitivity levels and the same 16 ft (5 m) rating. The ICON X adds a 28 kHz single frequency (the ICON has 4 and 14 kHz), 6 factory plus 6 user programs instead of 3 plus 3, 7 reactivity levels instead of 5, 0.5-point ferrous target ID steps instead of 1-point, three more audio types with an enhanced response curve, and a carbon middle stem. If you want to turn on, pick a program and hunt, the ICON is the one; if you tune reactivity and audio curves by site, the ICON X is.
- Which package: this one if you hunt by speaker or already own XP ST headphones; the ICON with WSA ST headphones if you want wireless audio in the box.
Why the ICON without headphones
The argument for this package is simple: the detector is identical to the one in the headphone package. Same remote, same coil, same stem, same programs, same wireless link between coil and remote. The only thing you leave on the table is the WSA ST headset, and that is exactly the point for three kinds of buyers. Speaker hunters who want to hear the dog, the traffic and the person walking up behind them. Current XP owners who already own XP ST headphones. And water hunters who know the WSA ST is rainproof but not submersible, so the headset they actually want is the BH-02 bone-conduction unit, which no ICON package includes anyway.
Other dealers list this configuration as the "RC package" or the "no headphones option" and let the price do the talking. What they leave out is what the speaker-only ICON still gives you from XP's bigger machines: the FMF engine that scans several frequencies at once so target ID holds steady in mineralized dirt and wet salt sand, the ~4 ms wireless protocol with 36 automatic channels, the Multi-Notch with 28 segments and a dedicated bottle-cap filter, Ground PRO mode on the beach programs that opens the normally masked ground zone, and a Go Terrain app connection that maps your routes and finds by phone GPS. None of that is cut from the base package.
Honest trade-off: the ICON remote cannot run the speaker and wired headphones at the same time, and the standard remote cap is rated for 5 ft (1.5 m) for 30 minutes. The full 16 ft (5 m) rating only applies with the BH-02 headset and its waveguide fitted, because the headset's waterproof connector replaces the cap. We would rather you know that before you wade in than after.
Technical specs and what they do in the field
| Spec (XP ICON manual and xpmetaldetectors.com) | What it does for you |
|---|---|
| FMF simultaneous multi-frequency, 4 to 40 kHz across programs, with automatic and manual frequency shift | Stable target ID in red clay, black sand and wet salt where a single-frequency machine chatters; shift the frequency when another detector or a power line interferes. |
| Single frequencies: 4 kHz and 14 kHz | Drop to a single frequency for a quieter machine on specific targets; the 28 kHz option is ICON X only. |
| 3 factory programs plus 3 user slots | Power on, choose a program, hunt; save one custom version of each factory program. Factory programs reset to stock at every power-on, so experiments cost nothing. |
| 25 sensitivity levels, 5 reactivity levels (1 to 5) | Turn reactivity up in iron-heavy homesites to separate a coin from a nail, down in clean fields for depth. |
| Target ID conductivity scale -6.4 to 99, discrimination -6 to 99, ferrous resolution 1 point | Read the target before you dig; the negative zone is silent by default so iron stays quiet. |
| Multi-Notch with 28 segments and a ferrous bottle-cap filter | Notch out pull tabs and the two segments (about 10 and 60 to 70) where ferrous bottle caps print, without losing the rest of the scale. |
| Tones: Pitch, 2, 3, 5 and Full Tones; PWM and SQUARE audio with Stereo Audio Morphing; 3 audio types | Hear depth as texture, not just volume: Audio Morphing overlays a second sound only on shallow targets. |
| Ground balance: Grab, Tracking, Standard and Pro modes | Pump to grab, let Tracking follow changing ground, or open Pro mode on the beach programs to hear black sand, ferrite and deep masked targets. |
| Non-motion Pinpoint with audio and visual locating | Center the target and re-tune without leaving the mode. |
| IP68. Standard remote cap: 5 ft (1.5 m) for 30 minutes. With BH-02 headset and waveguide: 16 ft (5 m) | Wet sand and wading out of the box; real underwater hunting once the BH-02 is fitted. Keypad locks with a 12-second hold for diving. |
| XP wireless digital protocol, about 4 ms latency, 36 automatic channels | No cable between coil and remote; the audio arrives as the coil passes the target, not after. |
| Sunlight-readable LCD, backlight 0 to 20 | Readable at noon on the beach; a low setting saves the battery at dusk. |
| LiPo batteries: remote 365 mAh, coil 700 mAh; about 11 hours each; about 3 hours to charge | A full day on a charge. One supplied 3-output cable charges coil, remote and headphones together from any certified 5 V / 1 A USB supply. |
| Weight about 735 g (1.6 lb) fully equipped with the 11 in (28 cm) coil, without the remote on the stem (XP figure) | Light enough for all-day swings; the remote sits in a detachable V-shaped stem holder. |
| S-Telescopic Lite stem, 22.8 in (58 cm) folded to 51.2 in (130 cm) extended | Fits a backpack folded; extends for a tall hunter. |
| Operating and charging temperature 0 to 40 C (32 to 104 F) | Charge it indoors in winter. |
| Go Terrain app and MI-6 pinpointer connection; lost-gear finder | GPS maps of routes and finds from your phone; a paired MI-6 or headphones can be made to ring and flash from the remote within 25 m, even switched off. |
| Software updates by USB-C through updater.xpmetaldetectors.com | XP publishes an ICON updater for the remote and headphones; no ICON version log is published (checked October 2026). |
Audio you add later: which XP headphones pair with the ICON
The ICON remote has XP's wireless transmitter built in, so headphones pair without any extra receiver. XP lists three current options for the ICON. The XP WSA ST is the light on-ear headset that comes in the ICON headphone package, rainproof and the same unit sold for the Deus II. The XP WSA XL ST is the over-ear set for cold mornings and noisy beaches. The XP BH-02 bone-conduction headset is the only ICON audio rated for submersion; it plugs into the remote in place of the cap and is what unlocks the 16 ft (5 m) rating. The older non-ST XP headphones are discontinued and are not the right match for the ICON, and the Deus II's BH-01 is a Deus II part, not an ICON part. Everything XP lists as ICON-compatible, including the Deus II FMF search coils, is on our What fits the XP ICON and ICON X page.
Who it's for
The ICON without headphones suits the first-detector buyer who wants multi-frequency without a menu tree, the park and field hunter who prefers the speaker, the XP owner adding a lighter second machine to the kit, and the beach hunter who plans to buy the BH-02 instead of a headset that cannot go under. It is a beginner to intermediate machine by design: XP built the ICON interface so you power on, choose a program and hunt, with the core settings still adjustable when you are ready.
Honest limits: there is no dedicated gold-prospecting program; the ICON hunts gold jewelry on the normal ID scale, and nugget hunting is not its brief. The base ICON lacks the ICON X's 28 kHz single frequency, reactivity levels 0 and 6, the enhanced audio curve and 0.5-point ferrous resolution. You get three user slots, one per factory program. Only SQUARE audio runs with the BH-02. And XP does not publish which three of its six platform programs the base ICON carries, so we do not name them here; the manual lists all six and the ICON's own display tells you which you have.
What comes in the factory box
- XP ICON remote control (ICON-RC) with built-in speaker
- ICON28 11 in (28 cm) FMF search coil (D28FMFIC) with coil cover and lower stem
- S-Telescopic Lite stem (D044LITE-B)
- 3-output USB charging cable for coil, remote and headphones (no mains adapter; any certified 5 V / 1 A USB supply)
- Documentation; 5-year XP warranty, registered at updater.xpmetaldetectors.com
Headphones are not included in this package. The full manual is free from XP: XP ICON and ICON X user manual (PDF).
ICON or ICON X, with or without headphones: which one do you need?
XP sells the ICON range in four packages. All four share the FMF engine, the 11 in (28 cm) coil, the stem and the 16 ft (5 m) rating with the BH-02.
| Feature | ICON, no headphones | ICON + WSA ST | ICON X, no headphones | ICON X + WSA ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wireless headphones included | No (speaker) | Yes, WSA ST | No (speaker) | Yes, WSA ST |
| Single frequencies | 4 and 14 kHz | 4 and 14 kHz | 4, 14 and 28 kHz | 4, 14 and 28 kHz |
| Programs (factory + user) | 3 + 3 | 3 + 3 | 6 + 6 | 6 + 6 |
| Reactivity levels | 5 (1 to 5) | 5 (1 to 5) | 7 (0 to 6) | 7 (0 to 6) |
| Ferrous target ID resolution | 1 point | 1 point | 0.5 point | 0.5 point |
| Audio types | 3 | 3 | 6, with enhanced curve | 6, with enhanced curve |
| Middle stem | Composite | Composite | Carbon | Carbon |
| Best fit | Speaker hunters, XP owners with ST headphones, BH-02 water hunters | Turn-key wireless audio in the box | Tuners who want 28 kHz and finer control, own audio | Finer control with wireless audio in the box |
One wall worth stating plainly: the ICON is an FMF machine. XP's X35 and HF coils belong to the original Deus and the ORX and never fit the ICON. The Deus II FMF coils do.
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
Can I run the XP ICON without headphones?
Yes. The ICON remote has a built-in speaker and the package is complete without headphones: remote, 11 in (28 cm) FMF search coil, stem and charging cable. The remote selects its audio output automatically, so when you later pair XP wireless headphones or plug in the BH-02 the sound moves to them.
Which XP headphones pair with the ICON, and can I add them later?
Yes, at any time. The ICON remote has XP's wireless transmitter built in, so the WSA ST and WSA XL ST wireless stereo headphones pair without an extra receiver, and the BH-02 bone-conduction headset plugs into the remote for underwater audio. XP's older non-ST headphones are discontinued and the Deus II BH-01 is not an ICON part.
Is the XP ICON waterproof, and how deep can I take it?
The remote and coil are IP68. With the standard cap on the remote, XP rates it to 5 ft (1.5 m) for up to 30 minutes, which covers wet sand and wading. The full 16 ft (5 m) rating applies only with the BH-02 bone-conduction headset and its waveguide fitted, because the headset's waterproof connector replaces the cap. The WSA ST and WSA XL ST headphones are rainproof, not submersible.
ICON or ICON X: which one do I need?
Both are FMF simultaneous multi-frequency detectors with the same 11 in (28 cm) coil and the same depth rating. The ICON X adds a 28 kHz single frequency, 6 factory and 6 user programs instead of 3 and 3, 7 reactivity levels instead of 5, 0.5-point ferrous target ID steps instead of 1-point, an enhanced audio curve and a carbon middle stem. Choose the ICON if you want to power on, pick a program and hunt parks, fields and beaches; choose the ICON X if you tune reactivity and audio by site or want the 28 kHz option for small, low-conductive targets.
Can the XP ICON find gold?
Gold rings and jewelry, yes: small gold jewelry has its own zone low on the ICON's target ID scale, and FMF reaches 40 kHz. The ICON has no dedicated gold-prospecting program, so natural nuggets in hot ground are outside its brief. Treat it as a coin, jewelry and relic detector.
Do Deus II search coils fit the ICON?
Yes. XP's manual lists the Deus II FMF search coils (9 in / 22.5 cm, 11 in / 28 cm, 13x11 in / 34x28 cm and the HF2 elliptical) as ICON-compatible, and a new coil pairs automatically the first time you put it on charge. XP's X35 and HF coils are original Deus and ORX coils and never fit the ICON.
How long does the battery last, and how do I charge it?
About 11 hours each for the remote and the coil, depending on audio output, and about 3 hours to charge. The supplied 3-output cable charges coil, remote and headphones at the same time from any certified 5 V / 1 A USB supply; no mains adapter is included. The remote battery is user-replaceable through a screw-off cover; the coil battery has no user procedure, so that is dealer service.
What warranty does the ICON carry, and is History Seekers an authorized XP dealer?
History Seekers Metal Detectors is an authorized XP dealer; every ICON we sell is new, sourced through XP's authorized US distributor, and carries the full 5-year XP warranty. XP asks you to register the detector at updater.xpmetaldetectors.com to activate the full coverage, and the same account delivers software updates.
History Seekers Metal Detectors is an authorized XP dealer; every ICON we sell is new, sourced through XP's authorized US distributor, and carries the full 5-year XP warranty. We price match: contact us with the competitor's current listing so we can verify it. Your setup questions get answered by detectorists who run XP machines on real permissions, from the first program choice to the day you add a second coil. Because at History Seekers, the story is more important than the artifact.
See everything that fits your machine:What Fits the XP ICON and ICON X