Nokta Impact Pro Review - Is It The Metal Detector For You?

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The Impact metal detector was released to the market in 2017 before the official announcement of the merger between Nokta and Makro.

It came as a welcome addition to the industry because people were looking for something new, premium features, and something designed with professional use in mind. The Impact couldn’t have come at a better time.

When comparing the Impact Standard to the Impact Pro, the differences lie in the package contents not the metal detector.

Given the Impact Pro has more value with the insignificant price jump, it’s up for full review, and we’ll provide the details down below. Keep tuned.

Contents show

At a Glance…

✔️ Best Feature: Selectable Frequencies

❌ Worst Feature: Not Multi-Frequency

👌 Ideal For: Shallow Water, Gold, Coins, Relics, Jewelry, Beginners, Intermediates

Selectable Frequencies
12 Search Modes
Iron Volume
Package Contents
Weight to Balance Ratio

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Our Verdict: The Impact Pro package is aptly named as it will make an impact with pro hunters looking for more out of their metal detector. With its many high-end features, easy-to-use interface, and all the accessories thrown into the package, the impact it makes on your wallet will be quickly forgiven.

Who is the Nokta Impact Pro Best Suited to?

The Impact Pro has a long list of features that will be best put to use by intermediate and expert hobbyists. For the price and value, beginners may want to jump on the Impact, but it may take longer for them to learn the settings to take full advantage of detecting in multiple terrains for different types of targets.

There is also a Vibration feature built into the detector, so hard-of-hearing users will appreciate the buzz-buzz of positive signal detection. A backlight on the LCD screen will also improve visibility for detectors who want to go hunting in the dark. However, if you’re an underwater hunter, you may want to look to the Anfibio for submersion protection.

How Does the Nokta Impact Pro Perform?

The Nokta Impact metal detector is a high-performance unit. It’s a land-based model with multiple frequencies available for use in varying soil conditions when searching for specific types of metals. However, it’s a VLF (Very Low Frequency) metal detector that operates on a single frequency at a time. Even though you can select one of three different frequencies, only one can be used at any given time, not together or in combination.

With auto, manual, and tracking ground balance, you can move from changing soil conditions and balance for ground phase. Multiple detection modes will allow you to hone in on your target metal, and there’s even a trick we’ll reveal to improve detection speed without compromising depth detection. Stay tuned.

Features & Benefits

Selectable Frequencies

As mentioned, the Impact has three selectable frequencies: 5, 14, and 20 kHz. This allows you to choose the most appropriate frequency to improve success rates of finding your target metal. For example, 5 kHz is very low, but it’s great for finding high conductivity metals and large objects deep underground. 14 kHz is likely what many detectorists will use most of the time.

It’s right within the “teen zone” of what we consider the middle ground for finding all types of metals at any given depth. 20 kHz limits depth and is increasingly sensitive to low conductive metals like gold and nickel. However, it does increase sensitivity to soil conditions, so be sure to properly ground balance and use the right search modes to detect with this frequency in the right conditions.

12 Search Modes

That’s quite the long list of search modes available at your fingertips. You may find yourself using only one or two most of the time, but it’s still worth it to learn what each mode offers instead of customizing various profiles to specific targets. You have two static, two all metal, and eight discrimination modes to scroll through. There is Static and Static Delta modes that allow for non-motion detection.

There is General Search and General Search Delta modes that are comparable to All Metal modes on comparable metal detectors. Then, the eight discrimination modes are 2-Tone Disc., 3-Tone Disc., 4-Tone Disc., 99-Tone Disc., Conductive Ground (COG), Deep Mode, VLX1, and VLX2.

COG mode is designed for high-salt areas like wet sand and beaches. Deep mode is as it implies, deep detection mainly for relics. VLX1 and VLX2 are 3 and 4 tone modes for stable detection in high trash areas and quickly changing ground conditions.

Iron Volume

This is similar to Iron Audio features on comparable metal detectors. On the Impact, you can adjust the volume for iron signals by using F0-F5 settings where F0 completely silences audio for iron targets whilst the Target ID for iron targets will still show up on the screen. This is especially helpful when hunting in trashy areas or relic hunting.

A second way to use Iron Volume is through the N1-N5 settings. In this mode, you cannot eliminate sound for iron and trash objects, instead, you can minimize volume and still hear a low tone for these targets. So, while you may be tempted to notch discriminate for these targets, use the N settings to decrease the audio volume.

In this way, you’re not compromising on sensitivity or depth detection and slowing down the detector while you expect maximum search results on good objects. That’s our trick for the Impact!

Package Contents

There is a whole lot that’s included in the Impact Pro package. You will receive the system box, an extra lower shaft, stand, and a carrying bag. Small accessories include land-based headphones, protective covers, user manual and warranty certificate, and batteries with AC and car chargers. You’ll also get the USB charger and data cable to complete firmware updates. The Pro Package also includes two searchcoils: DD 11” x 7” and DD 7.5” x 4” with covers for each.

Weight to Balance Ratio

The Impact weighs 4 lbs fully assembled with searchcoil and batteries. That’s quite the poundage to tote around, especially if you have shoulder or arm injuries that cannot handle the weight and movement of swinging the coil around. However, multiple users are more than impressed with the balance of the Impact.

It’s so well-balanced that you can search for eight hours with this thing and you won’t experience any fatigue. You can also use it with a belt to affix it close to your side. You should note that the armrest may be wide, but if you’re hunting during the Winter months, that extra room is perfect for when you’re wearing jackets and coats.

Limitations

Not Multi-Frequency

You may see the Impact metal detector being advertised as a “Multi” frequency unit – it’s not. This can be quite deceiving for potential buyers as multi-frequency detectors allow use of more than one frequency at a time. However, the Impact is not capable of this feature. While it does allow for more multiple frequencies to be selected for operation, it can only analyze the signal using a single frequency.

Not Submersible

The Impact Pro comes with a searchcoil that is waterproof, so it can be used in shallow water. However, it’s not a fully waterproof metal detector, so it cannot be submerged and it’s vital that you keep the control unit as dry as possible. Check out the Nokta Anfibio if you want a submersible unit from the same brand.

Conclusion

The Impact Pro metal detector has a lot going for it, and it’s a worthwhile buy if you’re willing to do a little homework and discover how each and every one of the search modes can improve your detecting.

While the selectable frequencies is an excellent feature to have, you may find yourself using only one 90% of the time, but having two searchcoils in this package will definitely help to improve target detection in various conditions.

This is one of those models that is worthy of recommendation, and the Turkish company should be getting a lot more attention as more users realize how much is packed into their reasonably priced detectors.