Review — Performance & Use

The Simplex Ultra is the most capable model in Nokta’s ‘New Generation’ Simplex trio and, in UK terms, it hits a very particular sweet spot: proper waterproofing to 5 m, a fully carbon fibre shaft that actually feels rigid on long swings, and controls that strike a balance between turn‑on‑and‑go and enough tweakability to grow with you. On the official spec sheet you get Field, Park, 4‑Tone, 99‑Tone, Beach and All Metal modes, a 01–99 target ID, vibration, full lighting, and simple frequency shift. That is the bones of it. What matters to most of us is how it behaves on UK permissions—pasture, plough and that painfully common ‘busy’ old ground.

Pasture first. With the stock SX28 (11 in) coil, Field mode gives the most confident audio on non‑ferrous while still letting iron grunt through if you keep iron volume audible rather than muted. Several long‑running MDF threads discuss taming the Simplex family’s ‘chattiness’, and the recipe translates well to the Ultra: don’t be afraid to drop sensitivity a couple of notches if the site is sparky, ground balance with a clean pump, and use the frequency shift when you pick up fencing buzz or another detectorist nearby. Set tone break so that very low conductors don’t smear into mid‑tones, then sweep low and deliberate. On quiet pasture the 99‑Tone option can be rewarding—there’s more nuance on deep whispers—yet for many ears 4‑Tone is calmer and faster to read, especially in wind. The shaft is genuinely rigid for a budget unit, and the 1.2 kg balance means you can lengthen the rod for wide arcs without aching shoulders by lunchtime.

Ploughed and turned ground asks for a different compromise. The SBS (swing‑bounce‑settle) problem on clods can provoke falses on any single‑frequency machine. Here the Ultra’s snappy recovery speed and simple gain staging help: drop sensitivity until falsing calms, keep recovery brisk with 4‑Tone, and consider the smaller SX24 coil if trash is dense. Community posts point out that the Simplex platform will still ping shallow iron with attractive numbers; the Ultra’s notch and tone‑break let you be pragmatic without completely blinding yourself to borderline artefacts. On mid‑conductive hammered and small buckles the ID will wander—again, single‑frequency physics—but repeatable tones plus a stable 2‑way response are the tells. When the ground dries out after a few weeks of sun, re‑ground‑balance and expect more ‘sparks’ around hot rocks; frequency shift cures much of it.

The build is a real step up from older budget sticks. The fully carbon fibre rod doesn’t twist under coil torque, the arm cup is sturdier than most at this price, and the retract‑to‑63 cm travel length actually fits diagonally in small car boots and rucksacks. The control box lighting and keypad backlight are practical on winter afternoons, and the haptic buzz is surprisingly useful when wind drowns out audio. Wireless audio support is via Bluetooth aptX Low Latency, so if you buy a ‘WHP’ bundle from a UK dealer you’ll be up and running without laggy third‑party cans; if you don’t, the 3.5 mm adapter and cabled phones work fine.

Beach performance is where many UK buyers get nervous. The Ultra is a single‑frequency 15 kHz machine. On our salt‑rich wet sand that means you will not get the same quiet ride as a modern simultaneous multi‑frequency unit. However, multiple UK videos show it can be set up to work respectably in the shallows: use Beach mode, perform a careful ground balance on the wet line, keep sensitivity conservative and listen for consistent, repeatable hits rather than chasing every chirp. For dry sand and damp slopes it is perfectly serviceable. If your detecting diet is mostly wet salt beaches, the value equation tilts toward a multi‑frequency detector; if you’re an inland detectorist who occasionally fancies a tide window, the Ultra will do the job with a bit of patience.

Where the Ultra earns loyalty on UK farmland is its combination of stability, ergonomics and price. MDF contributors consistently praise the feel and build for the money, and that tracks with UK dealers who keep recommending it as a first ‘serious’ detector that you won’t outgrow in a season. The modes are sensibly named and the menu is flat enough that you’re never more than a couple of clicks away from a useful control. Unlike some rivals, the numerical ID scale is clean and the iron off control is quick to toggle when you want to sanity‑check a spitty mid‑tone. The coil ecosystem is also a plus: SX24 for iron‑infested patches, SX28 as the all‑rounder, and SX35 if you work big, reasonably clean pasture. Swap coils and it still balances well.

Limitations? They’re honest ones. On certain iron‑littered pasture the Ultra will still tempt you into nail heads until your ear is tuned; 99‑Tone takes time to master; IDs on tiny, deep hammered will float. None of this is surprising at 15 kHz and this price bracket. What matters is that it remains predictable once you learn its tells. If you want a waterproof, hard‑wearing detector with sensible ergonomics that behaves on pasture and plough, and you’re content to treat wet sand as an occasional side quest, the Simplex Ultra is very easy to recommend as a UK daily driver.