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Every XP DEUS II has the same detector electronics, the same programs and the same 5-year warranty; the detecting happens in the coil, whichever box it comes in. What you are choosing is three things: what you control the detector from (the RC remote, the WS6-ST headphone module, or both), which coil goes on the stem, and which headphones you listen through. For most people who hunt on dry land and dry sand, our pick is the DEUS II WS6-ST Master with the 11" coil. If you plan to dive, wade deep, or like to tune as you go on a big screen, start with the DEUS II RC kit instead. If you will never put the control unit in water and you are happy hunting by ear, the RC adds nothing you need. For gold prospecting, add the HF2 coil to whichever setup you choose. For caches and other large, deep targets, add the XTREM Hunter to an RC setup.
Answer the three questions below and we will point you to a setup. Further down, each choice is explained on its own, with the numbers that decide it.
Which DEUS II setup for how you hunt: the quick answer
| How you hunt | Our pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dry land and dry sand, set and swing | WS6-ST Master, 11" coil | The lightest way to run a DEUS II, with nothing in your hand; rainproof only |
| Dry land, tweaking settings on a big screen | RC + WS6-ST, 11" coil | Backlit RC screen, plus the option to leave the remote at home |
| Wading the surf or a river | RC kit + WSA-XL ST headphones | The RC is rated to 1 m with the gray cap (20 m with the red cap in the kit); the WSA-XL ST survives waves and splashes |
| Snorkeling or diving | RC kit + BH-01 headset | The RC (with its red cap), the BH-01 and the coil are rated to 20 m |
| Trashy parks and yards | Any setup with the 9" coil | The smallest round coil gets between targets in the trash |
| Gold prospecting | Add the HF2 coil | Runs up to about 90 kHz in multi-frequency, for small nuggets |
| Iron-heavy relic sites | The HF2 coil, or the 9" | XP built the HF2 for iron-polluted and mineralized ground |
| Deep caches, large relics | XTREM Hunter on an RC setup | XP rates it to 16 ft (5 m) on large targets |
What you choose when you buy a DEUS II: control unit, coil, headphones
XP builds the DEUS II as separate wireless parts: a coil that does all the detecting, a control unit that sets it up and shows targets, and headphones that play the sound. Each part pairs with the others by radio, so XP and dealers sell them in many combinations. That is why our XP DEUS II collection has dozens of listings for what is really one detector.
The coil decides how the detector behaves in the ground. The control unit decides how you adjust it. The headphones decide what you hear and how wet you can get. Decide first whether you need the water-rated RC, then pick the coil for your ground, then the headphones.
RC remote or WS6-ST Master: how to control a DEUS II
A DEUS II is run either from the RC, a hand-held remote that can ride on the stem or on your belt, or from the WS6-ST, a small screen module that clips onto the headphones. Whichever one runs the detector is called the master. With a WS6-ST Master setup there is no remote at all. Both run the same detector with the same 12 factory and 12 user programs.
| What changes | DEUS II RC | DEUS II WS6-ST Master |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | 8,192 pixels, backlit | 64x64 (4,096 pixels) |
| Water rating | IP68, 1 m (3 ft) with gray cap, 20 m (66 ft) with red cap | Rainproof only |
| Lightest full setup (9" coil) | From 1.8 lb (815 g), RC on belt | From 1.65 lb (750 g) |
| Audio out | Built-in speaker, any XP wireless headphones, BH-01 or wired headphones | Its own headphones; can also drive a WSA-ST, WSA-XL ST or wired headphones |
| Headphones in the box | None in the base RC kit; RC + WS6-ST version includes them | Yes, the WS6-ST is the headphones |
| Price band | The higher of the two | Lower; the less expensive way into a current stereo (ST) DEUS II |
Is the WS6-ST Master waterproof? No. The WS6-ST headphone module is rated rainproof only, so a WS6-ST Master setup is for land, dry sand and rain. Its coil is waterproof to 20 m, but the module on your head is not. For wading or diving you need the RC, which XP rates IP68 (sealed for submersion) to 1 m with its gray cap and 20 m with its red diving cap.
Choose the WS6-ST Master if you hunt on land and on the beach, settle on a program and swing, and want the lightest detector you can carry. XP itself calls it the lightest and most compact DEUS II configuration, and positions it for land and beach.
Choose the RC if you will put the control unit in water, want a big, backlit screen, or want a speaker for quick sessions without headphones. The RC is also the control unit the BH-01 dive headset plugs into.
Choose RC + WS6-ST if you want both options in one box. With the RC as master, the WS6-ST works as your headphones, and its own keys adjust only the volume. On a light day you can leave the remote at home and run the WS6-ST as master on its own; XP keeps the WS6-ST's programs separate from the RC's.
Here is what I tell people at our counter: most of them end up happiest with the WS6-ST Master. The detector feels like a coil on a stick. You hunt by ear and only look at the module when you want a number, and the money saved buys a pinpointer. The people who come back for an RC are the ones who want to see more on the screen while they work a site, and the ones who get in the water.
WS6 Master or WS6-ST Master: why the ST matters
The WS6-ST is the current, stereo version of the WS6 headphone module. Both can run a DEUS II as master and use the same coils, but only the WS6-ST gets XP's stereo audio features, and it charges by USB-C. Stereo is more than a nicer sound. Since XP's V4.0 software, a DEUS II with a stereo headset can run two detection channels at once, each with its own settings and its own place in the stereo sound. XP calls this stereo Multi-Processing, with Multi-Reactivity and Audio Morphing built on it, and says those features need a stereo headset: the WS6-ST, WSA-ST or WSA-XL ST. The older WS6 and WSA II headphones work with current software since XP's V4.1 update and gained some new audio options, but not the stereo features.
So the original WS6 Master costs less, uses the same coils and runs current software. What its own headphones miss is the stereo two-channel audio XP added in V4.0. Since V4.1, XP says the original WS6 can control the stereo WSA-ST and WSA-XL ST headphones with the same interface as the WS6-ST, so an original WS6 Master owner can get stereo audio later by adding one of those, once every unit is updated to the same software version. We would still steer most buyers to the WS6-ST Master, because stereo comes in the box. Buy the original WS6 Master when price decides it.
Which DEUS II coil to choose
For most hunters the 11" round FMF coil is the one DEUS II coil to start with. Choose the 9" for trashy sites, the 13x11" for big open ground, and the HF2 for gold prospecting, thin silver and iron-heavy ground.
All four DEUS II coils are wireless, carry their own rechargeable battery, are waterproof to 20 m (66 ft), and pair with any DEUS II control unit. Swapping coils means swapping the lower stem, the bottom section of the stem that carries the coil. The 9", 11" and 13x11" are FMF coils (Fast Multi Frequency, XP's name for transmitting several frequencies at once) running 4 to 45 kHz; the HF2 is an FMF coil that runs higher. Browse all DEUS II coils.
| Coil | Weight | Frequencies | We pick it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9" round FMF (22.5 cm) | 0.76 lb (345 g) | 4 to 45 kHz | Trashy parks, yards, between roots and rocks |
| 11" round FMF (28 cm) | 1.04 lb (470 g) | 4 to 45 kHz | Everything; the one coil to own if you own one |
| 13x11" elliptical FMF (34x28 cm) | 1.26 lb (570 g) | 4 to 45 kHz | Open fields, plowed farms, wide beaches |
| HF2 elliptical (9.5x5", 24x13 cm) | 0.77 lb (350 g) | Up to about 90 kHz multi, up to 120 kHz single | Small gold, thin silver, iron-choked relic ground |
HF2 frequencies are from XP's HF2 page and announcement; XP's RC and WS6 manuals list the HF2 multi-frequency top end as 88 or 89 kHz.
XP rates the round and 13x11" coils at 8 to 20 hours on a charge depending on program and frequency, and the HF2 at about 10 hours on its removable battery. If you hunt long days with the HF2, a spare battery is worth considering.
Start with the 11" unless you already know your ground. It is the coil we leave on most DEUS IIs, and it is light enough to swing all day. Add the 9" when your sites are trashy, the 13x11" when they are big and clean, and the HF2 when you prospect for gold or work iron-heavy sites where small gold, thin hammered silver and foil-thin targets hide. Our search coil selection guide explains coil size and shape in more depth.
Which DEUS II for gold prospecting
For gold prospecting, put the HF2 coil on whichever DEUS II setup fits the rest of your hunting. In our experience small nuggets respond best to higher frequencies, and the HF2 runs up to about 90 kHz in multi-frequency and up to 120 kHz in single frequency, against 4 to 45 kHz for the round and 13x11" coils. XP designed the HF2 for mineralized soil, iron-polluted ground and small targets; in our experience that is the kind of ground most gold comes out of.
For the control unit, the WS6-ST Master keeps weight down on long days in rough country. Choose the RC if you work creeks and wet benches where the control unit may get wet, since the RC is rated to 1 m with its gray cap. We sell the HF2 on its own to add to any DEUS II, and in a few RC setups. For other gold machines, see our Best Gold Metal Detectors guide.
XTREM Hunter: the DEUS II for large, deep targets
The XTREM Hunter is XP's two-box deep-seeking detector for the DEUS II. Two coils on a frame take the place of the standard coil, and XP rates it to 16 ft (5 m) on large targets. XP says it is highly insensitive to small surface targets, so it ignores nails, bottle caps and other small targets a standard coil finds. XP built it for large relics, buried tanks and metal pipes, and it is the tool we suggest for deep caches. It is not for coins, jewelry or gold nuggets.
It needs the RC remote. You pair the XTREM Hunter with the RC as a new coil, and the remote switches to the XTREM Hunter's own menus. XP's manual asks for remote software version 2.0 or higher. XP does not list the WS6-ST as a control unit for it, so a WS6-ST Master owner would need to add an RC. Switching back to a standard coil happens in the same pairing menu, and XP suggests a standard coil with the Relic program to confirm targets.
What to expect. XP gives 6.4 lb (2.9 kg) for the XTREM Hunter with the remote, more than 10 hours per charge, and says it withstands rain and bad weather. XP's manual says to always use headphones with it and lists the WS6, WSA II and WSA II XL; our DEUS II RC and XTREM Hunter setups pair it with the WSA-XL ST.
How to buy it. If you already own a DEUS II RC, the XTREM Hunter coil set (pictured above) adds it to your detector. If you are starting out, we sell DEUS II RC setups with a standard coil, WSA-XL ST headphones and the XTREM Hunter, so you have a standard DEUS II and a deep seeker in one setup. See everything in our XTREM Hunter collection.
Which DEUS II headphones to buy: WS6-ST, WSA-ST, WSA-XL ST or BH-01
The DEUS II has one headphone with controls (the WS6-ST) and three that only play sound. The audio-only headphones always need a master: the RC, or a WS6-ST or original WS6 in Master mode. Water ratings are where they differ most, and where most mistakes are made. Browse all DEUS II headphones.
| Headphones | Type | Water rating | Weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WS6-ST | Backphone (XP's name for its behind-the-head headphones) with screen and full menu; can run the detector | Rainproof | 0.18 lb (82 g) module | Land and beach; going light without a remote |
| WSA-ST | Compact, audio only | Rainproof | 0.16 lb (72 g) | RC owners who want light wireless audio |
| WSA-XL ST | Over-ear, audio only | Survives waves and splashes; not for use under water | 0.55 lb (250 g) | Surf, wind and noise; wading |
| BH-01 | Bone conduction, wired to the RC | IP68 to 20 m (66 ft) | 0.13 lb (60 g) | Snorkeling and diving |
The WS6-ST, WSA-ST and WSA-XL ST are all the stereo (ST) generation, so they get the stereo audio features XP added in V4.0. The WS6-ST and WSA-ST are rainproof, which means rain and splashes, not a dunk in the surf. If you wade where a wave can reach your head, the WSA-XL ST is the one built for it. For anything below the surface, the BH-01 on the RC is the only DEUS II audio XP rates for diving.
XP rates the WSA-ST and WSA-XL ST at about 15 hours, and the WS6-ST about the same when it is used as headphones under the RC; XP's manual lists a shorter figure when the WS6-ST runs as master. Plan on charging after every full day. The older WS6 is rated at 12 to 14 hours.
Which DEUS II setup for underwater detecting
The coil, the RC and the BH-01 are the three DEUS II parts XP rates to 20 m (66 ft). For underwater hunting that means the RC with its red diving cap fitted, the BH-01 plugged into the RC, and the aerial antenna, which XP says is needed when the coil is submerged. The base RC kit already ships with the red cap and the antenna. Swap the red cap back to the gray one on land; XP notes the red cap does not balance internal pressure out of the water.
If you add the XP MI-6 pinpointer, note that XP rates it water resistant to 6 m, less than the rest of the dive setup. Our DEUS II underwater gear guide lists what to pack for a dive with the DEUS II.
Already own an XP DEUS or ORX?
XP's Limited Edition Conversion Pack turns an original DEUS or an ORX into a DEUS II WS6 Master. It includes a DEUS II FMF coil with lower stem (9" or 11"), WS6 headphones, and a stem support, and it reuses the S-Telescopic stem you already own, which is not included. As our catalog lists it, the pack ships with the original WS6, not the WS6-ST, so it runs current DEUS II software with non-stereo headphones; adding a WSA-ST or WSA-XL ST headset brings stereo audio, as XP's V4.1 update lets the original WS6 control them. It is usually the least expensive route into a DEUS II for current XP owners. It comes with the 9" coil or the 11" coil. See our DEUS vs DEUS II comparison for what you gain.
Not sure you need a DEUS II? XP's ICON, ICONX and ORX
If a DEUS II is more detector than you need, or more than you want to spend, XP makes three lower-priced wireless detectors.
ICON and ICONX. XP's newest detectors, introduced in 2026, run FMF multi-frequency on 4 and 14 kHz, and the ICONX adds 28 kHz. XP rates both to 5 m (16 ft) with its optional BH-02 bone conduction headset; without it, the remote is rated to 1.5 m (5 ft). They come with an 11" FMF coil, and XP lists DEUS II coils (including the HF2), the ST headphones and the MI-6 pinpointer as compatible. Against a DEUS II you give up its wider frequency range (4 to 45 kHz on the round and 13x11" coils, against 4 and 14 kHz on the ICON and up to 28 kHz on the ICONX), the 20 m dive rating, and programs: the ICON has 3 factory and 3 user programs, the ICONX 6 and 6, the DEUS II 12 and 12. See our XP ICON and XP ICONX collections.
ORX. XP's older, simpler platform weighs about 750 g (1.65 lb) without its remote and has two gold and two coin programs, plus two user programs. It runs its own X35 and HF coils, not DEUS II coils, and out of the box it is not waterproof: XP says the coil needs its aerial kit and the control box a waterproof case before either goes under water. We point gold prospectors and coin hunters who stay on land and want to spend less toward it. See our XP ORX collection.
What our DEUS II packages add
Beyond XP's own setups, we sell packages that add gear to them: an XP pinpointer, a backpack, a second coil, or a set of WSA-ST or WSA-XL ST headphones paired with an RC kit. The DEUS II in a package is the same XP setup sold on its own; we only add gear around it. Pick the setup first, then decide whether a package adds things you would buy anyway.
Common DEUS II buying mistakes
Buying the RC kit and expecting headphones. The base DEUS II RC kit ships with the remote, coil, stem, antenna and caps, and no headphones. The RC's speaker works, but most people want headphones within a hunt or two.
Taking a WS6-ST Master diving. The WS6-ST is rainproof only. The coil is rated to 20 m; the headphone module is not.
Buying the biggest coil for depth. The 13x11" covers more ground per swing, but in a trashy park the 9" or 11" usually finds more, because it separates targets that the big coil hears as one.
Saving on older headphones without knowing what you give up. A WSA II or original WS6 works with current DEUS II software, but you only hear XP's stereo audio features through an ST headset: the WS6-ST, WSA-ST or WSA-XL ST. An original WS6 can control a WSA-ST or WSA-XL ST to get there.