ULHUND GC-1071 Value Metal Detecting From China

This is the second of two metal detectors supplied to us by SAKOBS, the first being the GC-1078, although this one goes under a different brand name.

The ULUND GC-1071 is described in its Amazon listing as “ULHUND Upgraded Metal Detector for Adults – Professional, Higher Accuracy, and Sensitivity, 9 Gold Detector with Bigger LCD Display, Advanced DSP Chip, 10″ Coil Metal Detector with 12” Detection Depth.”

I think perhaps the marketing department has been working overtime. ‘Professional,’ ‘Gold Detector,’ and ’12” Detection Depth’ are things I would not associate with the GC-1071. That is not to say it is a bad detector, because it most certainly is not. But describe something as it is, and buyers will not be disappointed by unrealistic expectations.

So, that being said, let’s take a look at what this machine is actually good at. But first, the specs and build quality.

Specifications

Operating Frequency: 6.5 kHz.
Sensitivity: 9 levels.
Audio Discrimination: 3 Tone (Preset).
Pinpoint Mode: Yes.
Headphones Jack: Yes, 3.5mm.
Backlight: Yes.
Visual Target ID Numbers: Yes.
Volume Level: Yes, 10 levels.
Discrimination: Yes 5 levels.
Notch: Yes 4 types.
Length: 97cm to 121cm.
Power: 2 x 9-volt batteries. (supplied).
User manual supplied: Yes.

Build Quality:

The control box is made of plastic and is not waterproof, but that is expected at this price point. It attaches to the metal stem via two thumb screws. It feels solid enough. There is a large LCD screen that is permanently backlit. It would have been preferable to be able to turn the backlight off, as having it on all the time is a drain on the batteries.

The screen displays target categories, ID numbers, depth, as well as battery level and menu functions. It is uncluttered and very easy to read.

Controls are minimal: a small power button, two large buttons (one for the menu, one for the plus/minus), and a central pinpoint button.

The 3.5mm headphone socket is mounted at the rear of the control box.

The stem is made of aluminum in the upper part and plastic in the lower part, utilizing the hole and spring clip design. It is adjustable between 97 cm and 121 cm. Two cam-locks keep everything steady. The arm cup section slots into the top end of the shaft and is held by another spring clip. There is no cam-lock for this section and as a result, there is a slight wobble when swinging the machine.

A 10″ waterproof coil is provided, and it attaches to the control box via a 5-pin Din-type plug. There is nothing to lock this plug in place, but there is no reason to believe it would become loose during use.

In use:

We tested the GC-1071 on the beach and inland with mixed results. It performs well for its price point, though. And it is very easy to use. The notch/discrimination features work well.

Iron, foil, and ring pulls can be discriminated out, but the machine prevents you from discriminating out higher conductors such as silver. Given that this machine is aimed at people new to the hobby, this is probably a good thing.

The notch function allows you to just take out individual target segments. But here again, it prevents you from notching out higher conductors and also iron.

The notch and discrimination features are very easy to use.

The Beach:

The ULHUND GC-1071 worked quite well on the beach. It was able to detect a modern £1 coin at 10 inches. Quite impressive for a machine at this price point. However, performance did drop for other targets. The results are as follows:

20p: 4 inches.
Modern 50p: 6 inches
Modern 2p: 6 inches
Modern 1p: 5 inches.
9ct gold ring: 8 inches.
Thin 18 ct gold ring: 6 inches.
925 silver ring: 8 inches.

All respectable results for an entry-level machine.

On the wet sand, we had to reduce the sensitivity to less than 50%, but it was still a little erratic. As a result, only finds close to the surface were giving good two-way responses. It was usable but definitely not ideal.

Inland:

Again the ULHUND GC-1071 performed within expectations.

Small Roman Bronze Coin: 4 inches.
Victoria Penny: 6 inches.
1928 Sixpence: 4 inches.
1951 Shilling: 4 inches.
Modern 50p: 5 inches.
Large 9ct gold ring: 6 inches.
Thin 18 ct gold ring: 5 inches.
Large 925 silver ring: 5 inches.

Detection depths were slightly lower than on the beach, but this is probably due to the harder-packed earth inland.

All these results for both beach and inland were obtained with sensitivity set to maximum and nothing discriminated out.

The recovery speed (the ability of the detector to quickly respond to multiple targets in close proximity) is reasonable, and I would say it’s better than other detectors we have tested at this price point.

Conclusions:

Setting aside the company’s rather ambitious description of the ULHUND GC-1071, it proved to be a very good entry-level machine. Detection depths are reasonable, and performance on both land and beach is above average for this type of machine. It is very easy to use, with minimal controls to confuse those new to the hobby. At the same time, it boasts features usually associated with higher-priced machines.

The inclusion of a backlight for the display, a notch discrimination filter, and a volume level control adds value to the overall package. If you then factor in the carry bag, wired headphones, and digging tool that comes with the GC-1071, it makes for an attractive proposition for anyone looking for a brand-new machine on a budget.

Pricing and Availability:

The ULUND GC-1071 is only available through Amazon USA. However, you can order from the UK/EU. Unfortunately, there appear to be import duties to pay. Add to this the delivery charge and it comes out to $236.48/£193.22/€221.58. There is, at the time of writing, a $59 discount voucher on offer, which brings the total to $177.48/£145.01/€166.30.