XP ORX Metal Detector with 9.5" Elliptical High Frequency Waterproof Coil

The XP ORX with the HF elliptical coil is a lightweight wireless metal detector for natural gold prospecting and coin hunting, built in France by XP. XP sells it as the ORX-ELLHFRC pack, and with this 24 x 13 cm (9.5 x 5 inch) coil the ORX reaches 80 kHz, the top of its range, with 21 frequencies from 13 kHz up, one selected frequency at a time. It has four factory programs (Gold, Fine Gold, Coin Fast and Coin Deep) plus two user programs, and XP advertises the ORX from 750 g (1.65 lb) with the remote control carried off the stem. The search coil is waterproof to 6 meters (20 feet); the remote control is not waterproof. XP covers the remote and coil for 5 years.

Who the XP ORX with the HF elliptical coil is for

What we like about the XP ORX is that it is lightweight, wireless and considerably simpler to operate than the original XP DEUS. We particularly like its Gold and Coin programs and its compatibility with XP's high-frequency coils. We recommend it to prospectors searching for small natural gold, and to detectorists who want a lightweight machine for coins and relics without complicated menus.

We would not describe the ORX as a simplified XP DEUS II. The two use fundamentally different frequency technologies: the ORX operates at one selected frequency at a time, while the DEUS II offers simultaneous multi-frequency operation. For someone regularly searching saltwater beaches or wanting simultaneous multi-frequency operation, we recommend the XP DEUS II or the XP ICONX instead. See our gold detectors for the wider choice.

How the search coil sets the XP ORX's frequencies

The frequencies the XP ORX offers depend on which coil is fitted. The HF elliptical coil in this package gives 21 frequencies from 13 to 80 kHz, grouped around three main channels, so it is the only ORX coil that reaches the very top of the range, and a frequency shift moves the selected frequency slightly to avoid interference. XP's 9 inch HF coil gives 21 frequencies from 13 to 59 kHz. The X35 coils cover lower and intermediate frequencies, 35 of them from 3.7 to 27.7 kHz. Coil choice matters considerably: a common mistake is assuming every ORX coil supports the same operating frequencies, when the frequencies you can select depend on the coil fitted.

Why higher frequencies can help with small gold

Imagine a rocky creek bed holding small gold nuggets and scattered iron fragments. We would use a suitable Gold program, ground balance carefully and investigate faint, repeatable signals around exposed bedrock. Higher operating frequencies can improve sensitivity to certain small, low-conductivity targets, which is where the ORX's HF coils come in, though ground mineralization, target orientation and depth still matter.

High-frequency operation can also be more sensitive to difficult ground: over highly mineralized soil, a high-frequency setting may produce more ground response than you expect, and adjusting ground balance, sensitivity or frequency may improve stability. XP's manual adds that iron, hot rocks and other mineralized debris generally reduce soil penetration, and that deep gold nuggets in mineralized ground can give a signal similar to iron, which is why XP advises less discrimination there. The ORX is also not equivalent to a specialized pulse induction gold detector in severe mineralization.

The Gold and Fine Gold programs

The XP ORX has two factory Gold programs as starting points for prospecting. XP describes Gold as the program for low to average mineralization, with good sensitivity to medium and large gold, and Fine Gold as the program for heavy mineralization, with good sensitivity to small and medium gold. Both add IAR (Iron Amplitude Rejection) discrimination, adjustable from 0 to 5, on top of the 99-level discrimination.

Along with ground balance, sensitivity and frequency selection, the differences between the Gold and Coin programs are the settings we would learn first. Ground balance is manual from 60 to 90, or automatic by a quick grab while pumping the coil about 15 cm (6 inches) over the ground. XP's manual puts the most commonly used sensitivity levels at 50 to 80; higher levels can reach deeper targets but may make the ORX unstable, and with too much interference you lower the sensitivity or shift the operating frequency slightly.

Weight and the wireless design

One of the XP ORX's strongest practical advantages is its weight. XP advertises configurations starting around 750 g (about 1.65 lb) with the remote control carried separately. Actual weight depends on the coil and configuration, and the HF elliptical coil in this package is the lightest ORX coil at 330 g. The S-Telescopic Lite stem weighs 390 g (13.8 oz) and collapses for travel.

The coil, the remote control and compatible XP headphones talk over XP's own digital wireless link, so there is no coil cable, and the remote can ride on the stem or be carried separately. It is not Bluetooth. The coil and remote each have their own rechargeable lithium battery: XP rates the HF elliptical coil at 13 to 20 hours depending on frequency and power, and the remote at 19 hours, and each charges in about 3 hours from a certified USB charger or a computer. Wireless headphones need charging too.

Water and the XP ORX

The HF elliptical coil is waterproof to 6 meters (20 feet), but XP's manual states plainly that the ORX remote control is not waterproof. Along a creek or freshwater shoreline you can use the detector while keeping the remote dry; XP sells a silicone case to protect the remote from rain. A submerged coil also needs XP's aerial antenna. For fully waterproof models, see our waterproof metal detectors.

HF elliptical coil or 9 inch HF coil

Both HF coils are on XP's compatibility list for the ORX. Each coil mounts on its own lower stem, and changing coils means changing the lower stem and pairing the coil to the remote by its serial number. The elliptical coil in this package is the one that takes the ORX to 80 kHz, and at 330 g it is also the lightest ORX coil. For more search coils, see our metal detector coils.

What is in the box with this XP ORX pack

XP's standard contents for the ORX with 9.5 x 5 inch HF coil (XP part ORX-ELLHFRC)

• XP ORX remote control with backlit LCD display
• XP HF elliptical search coil, 24 x 13 cm (9.5 x 5 inches)
• S-Telescopic Lite stem
• Built-in rechargeable lithium batteries in the coil and remote
• USB charging cable with one mini-B plug
• USB connection cable with three mini-B plugs

XP ORX with HF elliptical coil specifications

XP covers the ORX remote control and search coil for 5 years, parts and labor; batteries carry 2 years.

Our view: choose the XP ORX for lightweight, relatively straightforward detecting, especially when small-gold sensitivity is important. For more on choosing a gold machine, see our gold detector guide. Serious Detecting is an authorized XP dealer, and every ORX configuration, coil and accessory is in our XP ORX collection.