A cheap detector can often be a false economy! We recommend you start with a good quality branded detector in the medium price range! Not 'top of the range', with all the latest gadgets, this could put you off before you start. It would be better to buy a good 'mid range' detector second hand rather than a cheap new one.

Is ground balance just a novelty?

Definitely not, most of the ground beneath your feet contains mineral deposits and the detector reads these, ground balance acts like a discriminator and with a simple turn control allows you to tune out the background signal of the earth. This gives you sharper signals and consequently greater detection depth.

If a discriminator gets rid of junk, shouldn't I turn it on full?

This is the last thing you want to do, set it too high and you will lose small coins and rings. Just use enough discrimination to get rid of small bits of silver paper and nails. The exception being if you are on area with so many bad signals that you cannot find anything worthwhile at all. In that case use just as much discrimination as you have to but no more.

Do I really need earphones?

Although detectors work without them, you will never make the best finds unless you use earphones!
The deepest and smallest finds give only faint signals, using earphones helps you to hear them and improves both the quality and quantity of your finds. Even with modern motion detectors, once you have gained experience you will notice how different targets change the sound your detector makes, by using earphones you get to know what are the really worthwhile signals from their sound.

Do you have to move quickly with a motion detector?

Not at all, just as long as the detector is gently moving it will signal on the smallest metal items. In fact it is important to move slowly, keep the detector head as close to the ground as possible and listen closely for those faint signals.