XP ICON Fast Multi-Frequency Metal Detector with WSA-XL ST Headphones and 11 inch FMF Coil

Our XP ICON bundle puts the ICON with the 11 inch FMF coil together with XP WSA-XL ST wireless stereo headphones. The ICON suits beginners and intermediate detectorists searching parks, fields, beaches and older properties. The WSA-XL ST connects to the ICON remote over XP's own wireless link, and XP rates it rainproof, IP68 compliant to 1 meter deep. The ICON runs FMF or a single 4 or 14 kHz frequency on the 11 inch FMF coil, and XP gives its weight as about 735 g (1.62 lb) with that coil.

What is in the box with this XP ICON bundle

XP's standard contents for the ICON with 11 inch FMF coil (XP part ICON-28FMFRC)

• ICON remote control (ICON-RC) with 3 factory programs and 3 user slots
• XP ICON 11 inch (28 cm) FMF coil (D28FMFIC) with coil cover and carbon lower stem
• Blue S-Telescopic Lite stem (D044LITE-B)
• 3-output charging cable
• Rechargeable lithium batteries in the remote and the coil
• Wrist holder for the remote control, worn on the wrist or arm
• Quick start guide

This XP ICON bundle also includes

• XP WSA-XL ST wireless stereo headphones

What the add-ons in this XP ICON bundle do

XP WSA-XL ST wireless stereo headphones: full-size wireless headphones that XP's ICON manual lists for the ICON, connected to the remote over XP's own wireless link. XP gives them a weight of 250 g, a 4-band equalizer and a USB-C charge of about 4 hours, and covers them for 5 years, with 2 years on the lithium battery. See our metal detector headphones.

About the XP ICON

What we like about the XP ICON is that it brings XP's FMF simultaneous multi-frequency technology into a simpler detector, while keeping XP's lightweight wireless design and compatibility with much of the DEUS II ecosystem. It suits beginners and intermediate detectorists searching parks, fields, beaches and older properties.

FMF processes several frequencies at the same time. Picture someone buying a first serious detector to search local parks and occasionally visit the ocean: we would start with one of the factory programs and learn the target tones before adjusting Reactivity or discrimination. FMF does not identify every target correctly or guarantee greater depth.

XP ICON programs and key settings

• Programs: 3 factory programs and 3 user programs. Pick a suitable factory program and start detecting, then save preferred settings in the user slots as experience grows; for many locations the factory settings are already a good starting point.
• Single frequencies, 4 and 14 kHz: selectable in addition to FMF. XP's manual suggests a single frequency when interference compromises the multi-frequency range, or when you want to focus on a particular target category.
• Reactivity, 5 levels (1 to 5): XP's term for how quickly the detector responds to nearby targets; we would learn it after Ground Grab and sensitivity. XP's manual explains the trade-off: the greatest detection depth comes with low Reactivity on clean ground, while on mineralized ground medium or high levels find more targets and detect deeper. Near iron, a low level lets the iron signal last longer and can completely hide a ring beside it; a high level separates the ring from the iron. On beaches with variable salinity XP suggests Reactivity 3 or 4.
• Discrimination and iron: a 28-segment multi-notch with audio and visual rejection, 1 point resolution in the ferrous zone, bottle-cap rejection, an automatic silencer, an all-metal mode and 11 iron volume levels. XP's manual notes that targets rejected by discrimination show no Target ID, and that a setting of 40 rejects lower targets such as aluminum foil.
• Audio: PWM and SQUARE audio with stereo morphing, 3 audio settings with XP's standard audio curve, Pitch, 2, 3 and 5 tones or Full Tones. No audio setting identifies coins or jewelry by itself; we would learn the target tones on a factory program before changing audio settings.
• Ground balance and sensitivity: Grab, Manual or Tracking ground balance and 25 sensitivity levels. After a factory program, Ground Grab and sensitivity are the first settings we would learn. XP's manual prefers Grab: Tracking suits ground whose mineralization is fairly uniform and changes slowly, and does not suit ground mineralized by old human settlements.

Where the XP ICON works well, and where it does not

Parks, fields, beaches and older properties all suit the ICON. Target ID is not a guarantee: a gold ring can read like aluminum trash and a deep coin can give an inconsistent reading. Iron masking remains a challenge on old home sites. Wet salt sand is conductive, and the ICON's FMF technology is designed to support detecting there, though saltwater and mineralized black sand can still affect stability. XP's manual warns that on black sand deep targets may be masked because their values are close to the soil's, and its remedy for interference near power lines, fences or radio relays is a frequency scan, a single frequency or lower sensitivity. See our beach metal detectors. If you want more factory programs, additional Reactivity settings and greater frequency flexibility, we would recommend the XP ICONX; for maximum customization, the XP DEUS II.

Wading and underwater use with the XP ICON

XP rates the ICON remote to 1.5 meters (5 feet) for a maximum of 30 minutes with its original cap. For use deeper than that, XP requires its BH-02 bone conduction headphones with their waterproof connector, and with them XP rates the system IP68 to 5 meters (16 feet). XP's coil page rates the 11 inch FMF coil waterproof to 16 feet (5 meters), and XP's manual recommends avoiding heavy rain and extreme weather. XP rates the WSA-XL ST headphones rainproof, IP68 compliant to 1 meter deep, and not designed for diving, so we would keep them above the water line too. Wireless headphones should never be assumed suitable for underwater use. See our waterproof metal detectors.

XP ICON wireless design, weight and battery

The remote, the coil and XP's wireless headphones talk over XP's own digital protocol in the 2.40 to 2.48 GHz band, with 36 automatic channels and a latency XP gives as about 4 ms, so there is no coil cable on the stem. XP gives the ICON's weight as about 735 g (1.62 lb) with the 11 inch coil, and the S-Telescopic Lite stem folds to 58 cm (22.8 inches) and extends to 130 cm (51.2 inches). Low weight is about comfort over a long day, not detection depth. The remote (365 mAh) and the coil (700 mAh) each carry a rechargeable lithium polymer battery, and XP gives about 11 hours for the remote, the headphones and the coil and about 4 hours to charge, with an operating range of 0 to 40 °C (32 to 104 °F). The sunlight-readable LCD has an adjustable, low-consumption backlight, and XP's Go Terrain app records finds and tracks routes with your phone's GPS. XP's MI-6 pinpointer also connects wirelessly to the ICON. XP makes the ICON in France, and it carries the Longtime label.

One mistake to avoid with the XP ICON

The mistake we warn about is assuming the ICON is simply a single-frequency beginner detector. It uses XP's FMF simultaneous multi-frequency technology, with 4 and 14 kHz single frequencies available in addition to FMF.

XP ICON specifications

XP covers the ICON detector for 5 years, parts and labor, once you register it with XP; batteries, chargers and connectors carry 2 years.

For our full XP ICON guide, settings advice and comparisons, see the XP ICON collection.