A detector makes history

When XP launched the DEUS in 2010, it was a real turning point: the first fully wireless metal detector with integrated digital electronics directly in the search coil, a wireless headphone as a second control unit and an S telescopic shaft that allowed assembly and dismantling in five seconds. The market has caught up since then, but the DEUS has consistently defended its lead through updates: V4, V5, V6 – each version brought new programs, improved signal processing and more depth of settings. Today, well over a decade after its launch, the DEUS I is still actively on sale and is regularly preferred to the newer DEUS II by experienced detectorists for pure land use on familiar ground.

The decisive reason: the DEUS I community is huge. Expert programs tested for years, frequency recommendations for every type of ground and well-documented settings recipes for every scenario – that is a wealth of knowledge that a new detector only builds up over years. Anyone starting with the DEUS I benefits immediately from this community of experience.

What's in the complete set

This set has been deliberately put together to be complete: with detector, wireless headphones and networked pinpointer, nothing is missing for a full search outing from day one. If you already own a DEUS I, you can also buy the MI‑6 separately – it integrates seamlessly by radio.

Technical data

The X35 coil – why 35 frequencies make a difference

The heart of the set is the X35 search coil. Unlike simpler detectors that work with one or a few fixed frequencies, the DEUS I in the X35 version offers 35 selectable single frequencies in five frequency bands. On paper that sounds like marketing – but in practice the difference really does matter.

The special feature lies in the operating principle of the X35 coil: it digitises and analyses the signals directly in the coil before they are transmitted wirelessly to the remote control. This makes the transmission chain shorter and faster than with wired systems and is the main reason for the well-known high response speed of the DEUS.

Programs – ready to use immediately, endlessly customisable

The DEUS offers 10 preset factory programs that reproduce the range of functions of almost all earlier XP detectors. From beginner to expert: you can switch on the DEUS, choose a suitable program and get going immediately. At the same time, the expert menus offer every conceivable parameter for manual adjustment – reaction time, TX transmit power, audio response, iron volume, tracking behaviour and much more.

In addition, 8 of your own programs can be saved and called up at any time. Over the years, the DEUS community has published dozens of elaborate expert programs – for fields, woodland, trashy meadows, beaches and more. That is a practical advantage that newer detectors still have to build up.

The MI‑6 pinpointer – a system component, not an accessory

Many detectorists buy a cheap pinpointer as an extra and accept that the two devices occasionally interfere with each other. With the MI‑6 in the DEUS system, things are different: detector and pinpointer are networked directly via the XP radio protocol and use Digital Shielding – an anti-interference mechanism that coordinates both devices and rules out false signals caused by mutual interference.

What else the MI‑6 can do when connected to the DEUS:

When the MI‑6 is switched on, the RC display automatically changes to a graphic intensity display with depth estimate – as a visual aid for pinpointing. The volume and tone character of the MI‑6 are set via the RC remote control in 50 levels instead of just 3 fixed levels in stand-alone mode. The audio signal runs directly through the connected WSA headphones – there is no need to hold a second audio device to your ear.

DEUS I vs. DEUS II – when is which worth it?

The honest answer is: it depends on where you use it. Anyone considering this set should know the comparison.

In the detecting community, whether the DEUS II is superior to the DEUS I in practice for pure land use is still an open topic of discussion. Many experienced users see the advantages of FMF® multi-frequency above all in salt water and on heavily mineralised ground – on normal fields and woodland, the differences remain manageable in practice, while the price gap is considerable.

Ergonomics & handling

At under 900 g total weight, the DEUS I is still among the lightest professional detectors on the market. Many people find the S telescopic shaft ergonomically ideal – the slightly curved shaft guides the coil naturally when sweeping and allows relaxed work that is easy on the arms and back, even over several hours. Assembly and dismantling literally take 5 seconds; when collapsed, the shaft fits into any backpack.

The WSA wireless headphones have a neckband and rest lightly on the ears – without complete isolation. This means that ambient sounds remain audible and conversations are possible without taking them off. The headphone electronics can be removed from the band – handy if they get dirty or if you want to clip the electronics directly to the shaft. If, on the other hand, you prefer complete noise isolation, choose the WS5.

Strengths & limitations

Market classification

The DEUS I X35 competes in an interesting price category: above classic entry-level detectors such as the Minelab Vanquish or Nokta Legend, but well below the DEUS II or Minelab Manticore. This makes it an attractive way into the top class for detectorists looking for a mature professional system without paying for features they do not need.

Rating in detail

Conclusion

There are devices that become outdated – and devices that mature. The XP DEUS I belongs to the second category. What began in 2010 as a technological bombshell is today the best-documented VLF system you can buy, the one most thoroughly optimised in practice. Not because it is the newest technology – but because it has been refined for years under real field conditions by a large, committed community.

This complete set with the X35 28 coil, WSA headphones and networked MI‑6 pinpointer is the most complete configuration the DEUS I can offer. The MI‑6 is not an optional extra, but real added value: system integration with Digital Shielding, depth indication and loss alarm takes the digging experience to a level that stand-alone pinpointers simply cannot reach.

Anyone who specialises in land searching – coins, relics, historical sites – will be excellently equipped with this set. Anyone who mainly searches on saltwater beaches or underwater should choose the DEUS II. For everyone else: the DEUS I X35 is still an exceptionally good detector – and in this complete configuration one of the smartest investments in the professional segment.