The XP ORX metal detector was recently introduced by the French company XP, sparking a surge of inquiries among enthusiasts curious about its capabilities and features.

Extreme performance for locating natural Gold and coins

One notable feature of the XP ORX is its lightweight design, highlighted by the S-shaped telescopic bar that weighs 70 grams less than the original XP Deus bar.

The newly introduced WSA Wireless Headphones utilize the established wireless sound transmission technology developed by XP.

These headphones are user-friendly, featuring just two buttons: “+” and “-“. Users can easily adjust the volume and connect the headphones to the metal detector. Similar to the WS4 Deus headphones, the entire module can be pulled out, allowing for the connection of a special adapter to use personal headphones. This is particularly useful in inclement weather, preventing potential damage to the WSA headphones in the rain. The headphones automatically turn off when the ORX metal detector is powered down.

It’s important to note that WSA headphones are not compatible with XP Deus; however, Deus WS4/5 headphones can be used with the ORX.

HF coils + optional X35

The ORX comes only with white high-frequency coils from XP – 9″ HF or Ellipse. The 9″ coil has a choice of frequencies from 14 kHz to 50 kHz and the 9.5×5″ ellipse from 14 kHz to 80 kHz! Both coils offer 3 base frequencies with an additional 7 possible frequency shifts.

Also, the XP ORX metal detector can work with X35 coils, which have 5 base frequencies – from 3.7 kHz to 27.7 kHz, but these coils, when connected to XP ORX, will not have an additional BOOST setting at 3.7 – 4 kHz.

Why ORX?

The XP Company set itself the task of creating a hybrid detector that would combine the simplicity of work, but with efficiency at the level of the Deus.

The XP ORX comes equipped with its own distinctive menu and factory pre-installed search programs, which can be modified by pressing the # (hashtag) button located in the upper right corner.

 

The factory programs include:

1. Gold
2. Fine Gold

Menu settings encompass:

– Sensitivity (0-99)

– Frequency (13.7 kHz to 81 kHz or 58 kHz, depending on the coil)

– Recovery Rate (4 levels)

– Iron Discrimination (IAR – Iron Audio Response, 0-5)

– Iron volume with pitch sound on/off

– Threshold tone (0-20)

These initial two programs, visible when scrolling through the menus, closely resemble the Gold Field program on the XP Deus, with minor adjustments such as the tone of iron. It is essential to establish the correct ground balance when operating in these programs.

The question arises: Why does the XP ORX include a program specifically designed for gold detection? The gold detecting market is currently expanding, constituting a significant portion of the overall metal detector market. XP aimed to enter this market by creating a metal detector capable of competing with other single-frequency gold detectors. The XP ORX boasts key features such as high-frequency coils (HF) and wireless technologies.

Given that individuals often embark on multi-day trips to gold-rich locations, the compact and small design of the XP ORX provides distinct advantages when compared to other detectors. Despite the association of these programs with gold detection, they can be easily tailored for coin and relic hunting, offering additional dynamics and depth to the XP ORX detector.

Programs 3 and 4 Coin Fast/Coin Deep

Settings in the menu:

Discrimination 0 -99

Sensitivity 0 -99

Frequency (optional, depending on the coil)

Iron Volume On / Off

Recovery rate from 1 to 3

The Coin Fast program is very similar to the program in the XP Deus metal detector, it uses 3 tones and, quite likely, it will be the most popular program for this metal detector. Coin Deep uses a slightly different target filtering mode and a slow recovery rate, which helps to better detect deep targets in places not littered with metal debris.

User programs 5 and 6

In the XP ORX , there are also free slots for saving user programs based on factory programs from 1 to 4. Unfortunately, names of user programs cannot be assigned.

Options menu XP ORX

Possible settings:

Configuration – speaker – backlight – contrast – Go Terrain – Update – Language

Programs – save/delete

Coils – Coil Selection

Headphones — Connect to WSA headphones

Pinpointer – connect the MI6 – delete – search mode

Language settings

An additional feature and difference of the ORX from the XP Deus metal detector is the presence of 15 languages that can be selected in the “Configuration” menu.

VDI level and interface

This is a completely new concept, which is expressed in the appearance of a new window when the metal detector detects a target. Now the VDI numbers are shown in a new window, and under the numbers, you can now see the Iron Probability scale.

Ground balance

Changing the value of the ground balance is now controlled manually by pressing the plus and minus buttons. You can also automatically adjust the ground balance, you only need to quickly press the pinpoint button once while the coil is close to the ground, you do not need to hold the pinpoint button, you just need to make one short press.

How to properly adjust the ground balance, you ask? Well, you need to go to a clean place and shake the coil several times above the ground to get the value of the soil on the screen (shown in the right square on the metal detector panel), then, as the coil comes close to the ground, you must press the pinpoint button once. If everything has been done correctly, then the value of the ground balance will be set correctly to the value in the right square.

Ground Balance – the value you set

Ground Measure – the value calculated by the detector

In the same way as with the Deus – if the response from the soil is insufficient, then the balance of the ground will be shown at level 88 or the symbol – -. In this case, it is better to use the value of GB at level 88, this is the best indicator for neutral ground in most places of detecting.

Salt soil mode

Press and hold the Hashtag button (#) for 3 seconds to enter this mode – it is best suited for mineralized soils and some beaches. When this mode is enabled, the word SALT will be written in the lower right corner of the control panel.

Pinpoint mode

When using the program to search for coins, the pinpoint mode is activated by pressing and holding the pinpoint button for 3 seconds.

MI-6 pinpointer

The MI-6 has a wireless connection to the ORX just as it does to the Deus. When the MI-6 is connected to the device, an additional menu will appear on the screen that allows you to change the sound and sensitivity settings of the pinpointer.

In the Field:

Upon holding the XP ORX , its lightweight design is immediately apparent. The new bar, 70 grams lighter than the Deus bar, offers a remarkable combination of reduced weight without compromising strength.

I initially tested the XP ORX with the Coin Deep program, but my chosen location was cluttered with various metal debris, prompting a switch to the Coin Fast program.

Coin Fast significantly improved performance without sacrificing anything. The program features a three-tone sound, with one tone designated for iron. The option to toggle the volume of iron sounds proved handy if the noises became bothersome.

 

Target identification was straightforward – a cross-check of the signal sufficed. The pinpoint button allowed for depth and size determination. It’s noteworthy that in coin search modes, the pinpoint button serves two functions: a single press establishes ground balance, while a three-second hold activates pinpoint mode.

New VDI Indicators Window:

The updated VDI indicators window proved highly convenient. Larger numbers enhance object comprehension, and beneath them, a probability scale for iron aids in avoiding unnecessary digging.

Iron Probability Scale:

While particularly beneficial in gold search modes, the iron probability scale is also suitable for coin search modes. The low iron tone aids in better defining iron targets.

First Impressions:

After a full day of detecting, I pondered whether the XP ORX  was better suited for gold or coin and antiquity hunting. However, a distinctive mid-tone with a stable VDI indicator caught my attention. Unearthing a beautiful silver Medieval coin affirmed the ORX’s excellence in detecting silver coins.