Review — Performance & Use

The Vanquish 340 is Minelab’s entry into “turn‑on‑and‑go” detecting, and it’s squarely aimed at UK beginners who want a machine that behaves on real ground—pasture, plough, parks—without a day lost in menus. The big trick here is Multi‑IQ: the detector runs multiple frequencies at once and fuses the response. In practice, that means steadier IDs across mixed soils and fewer false positives as you cross into patches of iron or the odd mineralised seam. UK testers and dealers have hammered this point for years now: even at the budget end, the Multi‑IQ platform behaves more predictably than many single‑frequency rivals when you bounce from pasture to plough or hop a hedge into a stubbly field. citeturn1search1turn1search0turn7view0

In the field, the 340’s V10 (10×7″) Double‑D coil is a sensible default for typical UK permissions. On old pasture it threads between coke and modern trash with decent separation; on newly turned ground it’s big enough to cover rows without feeling nose‑heavy. Several UK users on the forums describe it as “a cracking machine” for first permissions and learning tones—simple to run but not dumbed down. Tone language is deliberately limited to three tones and three volume steps, which forces you to learn the audio rather than rely on an on‑screen essay. If you prefer more shaping and finer control, that’s what the 440/540 are for; the 340 is unapologetically simple and it’s better because of it. citeturn0search12turn7view0

Sensitivity is coarse by design—four steps—so you’re not micro‑trimming around EMI; you’re choosing a stable level and getting on with it. Discrimination gives five segments rather than a granular notch grid. Again, the point is rhythm: pick Coin, Jewellery, or All‑Metal and sweep. On pasture, running Coin with a touch less sensitivity can tidy the chirps from deep iron; on plough, All‑Metal plus careful ear‑training keeps you honest about the iffy mid‑tones that can be buckles or small copper‑alloys. These behaviours line up with UK dealer guidance and magazine tests of the Vanquish range, which consistently position the 340 as the “no‑nonsense” model that still benefits from the same Multi‑IQ signal processing as its bigger siblings. citeturn7view0turn0search4

Beach chat always comes up. You won’t find a dedicated Beach mode on the 340, and the control box isn’t waterproof, so common sense applies around surf lines. But the coil is submersible and, crucially, Multi‑IQ tames wet salt better than typical budget single‑frequency sets. UK videos and posts show it running acceptably on damp sand once you lower sensitivity and listen for repeatability; if you want plug‑and‑play stability on black sand or continuous wading, you’re shopping in a different bracket. For occasional seaside sessions on firm, wet flats, the 340 gets the job done. citeturn0search6turn3search14turn6view0

Depth is always context‑dependent, but the UK anecdotes are fairly consistent: modern coins at modest depths on parks; Georgian/Victorian bits and the odd small hammered coming up from typical pasture depths when the site is quiet enough to let the mid‑tones through. Coil options help here—the platform accepts the V8 and V12 coils if you later want tighter separation or extra sweep coverage—though the stock V10 is the best all‑rounder for learning sites. Forum chatter also notes that the Vanquish platform punches above its price when soils are mild; in iron‑rich patches you’re leaning on audio discipline rather than fancy filters. citeturn7view0turn3search4turn3search10

Ergonomically, Minelab kept it light (about 1.2 kg) and collapsible with a snap‑lock shaft. That matters when you’re zig‑zagging a ploughed field for several hours or hop‑scotching sheep lines on pasture—the difference between “I’ll do one more grid” and “I’m done.” The control face is as clean as it looks in photos: power, volume, sensitivity, mode. What you don’t get is a pinpoint button, custom notching, or backlight. Those are deliberate omissions that keep the price and complexity down. UK dealers make the same trade‑off pitch: if you need manual ground balance, iron bias control, or a pinpoint mode, buy up the range; if you want a reliable first detector that won’t gaslight you with twitchy IDs, this is the one. citeturn6view0turn2search0

Power is simple: four AA cells. With good alkalines or NiMHs you’ll cover a typical UK day on pasture without drama; the battery icon is honest enough to keep you from dying at the far hedge. Some UK shops sell third‑party rechargeable packs that swap into the battery bay; those are handy but not mandatory. Keep spare AAs in the finds bag and you’re sorted. citeturn8search0turn8search8

So where does the 340 sit for UK use? As a first machine for permissions‑building, club digs, and weekend pasture hunts, it’s a sweet spot: uncomplicated, repeatable, and more salt‑sane than most rivals at the money. On mineralised plough you’ll still get chatter at higher sensitivities and you will dig iron until your ears and spade are calibrated. But that’s the apprenticeship. The Vanquish 340’s value is that it accelerates the learning curve without flattering your technique. Learn it well and you’ll know exactly why (and whether) to move up the range. citeturn1search0turn0search14