Quest Introduces SIMULTIQ S-Series Metal Detectors

Quest has been showcasing the latest prototype of their new S-Series line of metal detectors at Detectival ’24. These machines use the SIMULTIQ simultaneous multi-frequency technology, which seems to be a derivative of HYPERQ™ found in the Quest V60 and V80.

The most noticeable difference from the V60/V80 is in the design of the control box. The S-Series is now more in line with the appearance of other Quest machines, such as the Q35—which is no bad thing. It has to be said, the V60/V80 control box design was not Quest’s finest moment!

Obviously, there isn’t much detail yet about the S-Series machines, as they are still in the prototype stage. However, what we do know is that, unlike the V60/V80, some of these new machines will feature three multi-frequency modes. There will also be selectable frequencies ranging from 5 kHz to 40 kHz.

The handle and shaft appear to follow the same design as the V60/V80, but the battery has now been relocated into the handle to improve balance. The standard 12” coil has been updated with additional shielding, which likely addresses the reported EMI issues with the V60/V80. It was suspected to be a shielding problem, as several firmware updates seemingly failed to resolve the issue. It’s important to note that not all V60/V80 users experience EMI problems, as they are highly location-dependent. All machines, even the Deus II, are susceptible to EMI to some extent.

The S50 shown here also features a 2D display in the lower portion of the screen, which is very similar to the Minelab Manticore.

Pricing and Availability

As mentioned, the Quest SIMULTIQ is a prototype, but we understand that prices will start at $299.00 for the base model. There will also be a Pro version that includes all three SMF modes, while the basic model may be limited to a single SMF mode.

As for availability, there has been no confirmation, but given that the machine is still in the prototype stage, a Summer 2025 launch would not seem implausible.