Minelab Vanquish 540 Pro Pack Multi-Frequency Metal Detector (Open Box)

The Minelab Vanquish 540 Pro Pack is the two-coil, wireless-headphone version of the Vanquish 540, and at its current price it is one of the least expensive ways to get Minelab's Multi-IQ simultaneous multi-frequency detection. It suits coin, jewelry and relic hunters who want a light, collapsible detector that runs on AA batteries and handles parks, farm fields and wet beach sand without manual ground balancing.

Vanquish 540 Pro Pack or the newer Vanquish 560?

Decide about water first. The Vanquish 540's coils are waterproof to 3 ft (1 m), but the control box is only water resistant under its included rain cover, so this is a wading-and-rain detector, not a submersible one. If you plan to hunt in the surf or dunk the whole machine, the Minelab Vanquish 560 is IP68 rated to 16 ft, runs an internal lithium battery and uses Bluetooth LE Audio. If you would rather have two coils and wireless headphones in the box for less money, and the control box staying dry is not a problem, the 540 Pro Pack is the better value. Our Vanquish comparison guide puts all six models side by side.

How the Vanquish 540 works in the field

Multi-IQ transmits several frequencies at once, so the 540 never asks you to pick a frequency or ground balance. Its five detect modes (Coin, Relic, Jewelry, All Metal and a Custom mode that saves your own settings) each apply a frequency blend suited to that kind of target. Target ID runs from -9 for iron to 40 for high conductors such as silver, across 25 discrimination segments, so you can notch out pull tabs and foil individually. Our Vanquish 440 and 540 target ID guide shows where common US coins land on that scale.

Iron Bias switches between High (the default) and Low. Run High in nail-infested parks and old house sites; drop to Low when you suspect good targets are being masked beside iron. Ten sensitivity levels, five target tones, ten volume levels and a five-level depth indicator round out the controls, and the red LED backlight keeps the display readable at dawn and dusk.

Two coils are the reason to buy this pack. The V12 12 x 9 in Double-D coil covers ground quickly in open fields and on beaches; the V8 8 x 5 in Double-D coil separates targets in trashy tot lots and around old foundations. Both are waterproof and swap in seconds; the bigger coil buys depth and coverage, the smaller one buys separation.

Audio runs three ways: the built-in speaker, any wired 3.5 mm headphones, or the included ML 80 headphones over Bluetooth with aptX Low Latency so signals are not delayed. A customer's Daytona Beach finds with the Vanquish 540 show what the machine does in dry and damp sand.

What's in the box

Factory included items

• Minelab Vanquish 540 detector
• V12 12 x 9 in waterproof Double-D coil
• V8 8 x 5 in waterproof Double-D coil
• ML 80 wireless headphones
• Four AA NiMH rechargeable batteries
• Battery charger
• Rain cover
• 3-year limited manufacturer warranty

Minelab Vanquish 540 Pro Pack specifications

• Technology: Multi-IQ simultaneous multi-frequency
• Detect modes: Coin, Relic, Jewelry, All Metal, Custom
• Target ID: -9 to 40
• Discrimination segments: 25
• Iron Bias: High, Low
• Sensitivity: 10 levels
• Audio: 5 target tones, 10 volume levels, built-in speaker, 3.5 mm (1/8 in) jack, Bluetooth with aptX Low Latency
• Depth indicator: 5 levels
• Display: LCD with red LED backlight
• Coils: V12 12 x 9 in Double-D and V8 8 x 5 in Double-D, both waterproof to 3 ft (1 m)
• Control box: water resistant, rain cover included
• Length: 30 in (76 cm) collapsed, 57 in (145 cm) extended
• Weight: 2.9 lb (1.3 kg)
• Batteries: 4 x AA NiMH rechargeable, included with charger
• Warranty: 3 years