The Nokta Makro Simplex Plus (Check it Here at Amazon) has gained a ton of popularity lately! It was very Hard for me to ignore that, so I’ve decided to put together this Post to review this beautiful machine …
… By the end of this article you will get a complete idea on what this metal detector is capable of!
If that sound good for you, then this one would probably be your next detecting partner!
Who should buy the Nokta Makro Simplex Plus?
Having a look at what this machine brings to table, it is crystal clear for me that whether you are a total beginner or an intermediate hobbyist this one should fit you really well!
I like the fact that it comes with a reasonable price (Check its Current Price Here at Amazon) which makes a good option if it is your first machine.
Also, in case you are actively looking for targets like relics, coins or proceeded gold then the Simplex is a good fit for sure.
It can operate on a significant depth and you can use it underwater no problem.
The interface is rich, ergonomic, intuitive and easy to use!
It has most of the features that you can find in most modern machines out there including some top-notch technological features that I will breakdown in this article.
Just keep in mind that in case you are an advanced practitioner who is in the treasure hunting and/or gold prospecting aspect, then this machine won’t be that much useful for you!
Nokta Simplex plus Key Features
1. Operating Frequency
The operating frequency is around 12 kHz. This is the frequency at which you can detect various types of metal objects and scout for the targets in different soil conditions and environments.
The frequency shift feature allows you to adjust the notch up and down with the interference of electromagnetic fields.
This freq is high enough to allow you even pick up targets that are relatively small!
2. Modes
There are four search modes that you can find in Simplex Plus:
- All-metal: No Discrimination at all, good if you want to dig up for everything and learn your machine or a new ground/territory that you’ve just stepped in.
- Field: This one is more adapted for clean grounds! It is highly effective if you are looking for coins and relics. You should expect a low tone for ferrous targets and a solid tone for potentially valuable non-ferrous objects.
- Park: Be setting this mode you literally tell your machine that you are dealing with a trashy ground, so it will be able to ignore ferrous objects most of the time. This one is particularly good for spendable coins and jewelry.
- Beach: By setting this mode you tell your machine to ground balance and adapt to the high mineral density you are about to search in so it won’t pick up false confusing signals.
3. Discrimination and Ground Balancing
This waterproof detector can be used up to 10 feet in the water. It comes with the automatic and manual ground balance settings that allow you to adjust to highly conductive grounds.
The notch discrimination will let you eliminate the unwanted signals that are produced when it detects the unwanted trash that is shown on the target ID scale.
You can reject or accept 20 different types of notch segments. However, you cannot use the notch discrimination in the all-metal mode.
4. Battery life
The battery of this model is made using the lithium polymer material. There is a USB charger that you get along with the detector when you buy.
With a single charge, you can use the detector for 12 hours continuously.
However, there are other features on the metal detectors that would make the battery die out soon, such as backlight, LED flashlight, and other functionalities.
There is a charging port on the control box of the detector. You can use this port to connect to the system for software upgrades.
The connection that you establish with the threaded charging port is trustworthy, and it is easy to screw on. You can also charge with the power bank and a small charging cord.
5. Depth
The machine can go down up to 10 inches underneath the ground and even more if you are dealing with a clean environment!
What makes the Simplex Plus to go that much deep is the mid-range frequency it operates in and also the search coil which is large enough to coven enough space while swinging it.
6. Target ID (VDI Chart)
The target ID of this model displays 2-digit numeric value ranging from 0 to 99!
That’s enough for you to pick differentiate between different targets you come across …
… Below a VDI Chart for this machine (This Chart is an approximate one, the values could change depending on the condition you are dealing with):
- Fake ring: 16 – 19
- Gold earring: 16 – 19, 24
- Gold chain: 17 – 18
- Gold ring: 21 – 22 (Learn how to find rings metal detecting)
- US Nickle: 24 – 25
- Sterling silver cross: 31 – 34
- Gold ring: 34 – 36
- Silver ring: 48 – 50
- US silver 3 cent: 54 – 56
- Musket ball: 59 – 61
- US Indian head cent: 59 – 64, 67 – 76
- 2 ringer bullet: 61
- 3 ringer bullet: 61 – 65
- US copper penny: 62 – 79
- Small brass button: 67 – 71
- US Wheat penny: 67 – 76
- US copper penny: 62 – 79
- US silver ½ dime: 67 – 69
- US 2 cent: 70 – 74
- US dime: 78 – 79
- USs silver dime: 82 – 85
- USA buckle: 90
- Seated half: 92
- Large cent: 92 – 93
- US silver half dollar: 95 – 97
- Silver pendant necklace: 96 – 97 (Check these tips to pick silver with a detector)
7. Coils
It comes with an 11-inch circular double-D coil that is constructed using high-quality material (as far as I know) and also comes with the coil guard.
You must install the coil and connect the coil cable to the backside of the coil. It covers a large depth.
Is it possible to update the machine’s Software?
Yes, it is possible to update the machine software through the computer. However, you do not have an app/interface where you can actually check the software version that was set up on the detector.
If the update is not done properly, you won’t be able to use the search coil, and there would be an exclamation mark that appears on the LCD screen.
You must be patient when you are upgrading the Software on the machine to avoid failures while hunting, especially in the water.
Accessories (Headphones and more…)
The best feature of this Nokta model is the built-in wireless modem that works with wireless headphones.
You get the waterproof 2.4 GHz headphones that you can plug into your ears without having to worry about the headphones getting wet when you are on the beach.
It is easier for you to control the volume of the headphones with the available detector volume settings. You can clearly listen to the tone produced when it finds a target on the headphones.
Even when you do not connect the headphones, you can still listen to the tones with the built-in speaker.
Warranty
It comes with a two-year warranty. I believe this detector is manufactured in Turkey.
Simplex Plus – Feedback on Different Ground Conditions …
1. Air Test
2. On the Beach
One of the search modes is the beach mode that allows you to use it in saltwater and in the places where the mineralization is quite high.
It will notch out the iron targets in the soil with ease. The beach mode is super easy and would be helpful to scout for higher range targets as per the testing of the user. It can help you find large silver and aluminum.
3. Saltwater
With the high-quality DD coil, superior quality built, telescopic shaft, iron audio, this high-end detector was tested in the saltwater beach.
It is delivered a decent performance. When compared to the other VLF detectors, the performance of this Simplex is simply superb and even better in few of the saltwater beaches
4. Underwater
Underwater, it produces some vibration when it detects the target, which is best for the person who has a hearing disability.
The design of the metal detector can withstand extreme conditions, i.e., scorching sunny days and tough weather.
When you are underwater, the backlight will allow a high visibility. The vibration feature is positive in this metal detector. The LED light on the control box would also make the search underwater a breeze.
Again, since it can go down up to 10 feet underwater, you can really dive with it if you want to.
5. Gold hunting in HIGHLY Mineralized Soil
To be honest, this model is not the best for Gold prospecting, for that you will need High-End Detectors to get the job done!
Ideas on the Makro Simplex Plus troubleshooting
The most common issues that are faced are the software update issues. Especially while installing the updates.
There are chances that you might now be able to install the update fully due to lack of patience.
To avoid that just follow the simplex user manual to execute the software upgrade process successfully.
The other common issue would be with the coil malfunctioning, this is quite rare, but could happen.
In this case, you must replace the coil.
Final Words
This was my modest take on the Makro Simplex Plus from Nokta (Check it Here at Amazon), hope this gave you a global idea on what this popular model brings to the table …
… Due to what I’ve seen and the positive feedback, I feel comfortable recommending this machine for most hobbyists, even beginners and/or total newbies!
If you are still not sure how to choose the right metal detector, then I highly invite you to check this helpful article!