XP Deus 1 - Preset Programs
- Holly
- Aug 27
- 5 min read
Here’s what the UK detecting crowd actually says when you strip out the hype and listen to the field notes, the forum war stories, and the “I dug this right next to a nail” bragging rights. Short version: there isn’t a single “best” XP Deus 1 preset for Britain’s pasture and plough.
There are a couple of workhorse presets that keep coming up—then a few situational picks you swap in when the ground, the iron, or your ears demand it. The Deus is a toolbox; stop looking for a magic spanner.
First, what are we choosing from? On Deus v5, factory programs include Basic 1, GM Power, Deus Fast, Pitch, G-Maxx, Deep, Wet Beach, Dry Beach, Hot, and Gold Field. If you’re brand new, Basic 1 is literally the “start here” default for general use. It’s stable and deliberately conservative. xpmetaldetectors.com
The Two UK Crowd-Pleasers
Deus Fast (#3) is the most recommended “just get hunting” preset on UK inland sites. It’s quick through iron and feels intuitive on mixed ground—exactly what you meet on Roman-through-Victorian pasture and scruffy arable. You’ll see people asking “Basic 1, GMP or Deus Fast?” and the replies lean Fast for trashy land because it separates well and gives clean, repeatable audio on decent targets. The trade-off is that depth can be a touch less than the slower programs. Metal Detecting Forumwarrelics.eu
Hot (#9) is the cult favourite—especially among hammered-hunters. It’s basically a “hear almost everything” version built on the Fast platform with punchier audio (often run in Full Tones) and minimal discrimination. UK users consistently praise Hot for unmasking non-ferrous targets in iron; multiple reports describe a good coin signal living right next to a cut nail that Hot still teases out. The price you pay is mental load: it’s noisier and takes time to learn. If you can handle the chatter, it’s brilliant on busy, ancient ground. xpmetaldetectors.comDetectorProspector.com+1
The situational picks that still matter
GM Power (GoldMaxx Power, #2) has fans on pasture. It gives crisp, confident hits on coin-sized targets and has long roots in the UK scene. Detecting veterans who toggled between the old GoldMaxx and the Deus often still use the GM Power profile on laid-back pasture days—clear, simple tones, less fatigue, and enough depth if you’re not in carpet-iron. TreasureNet.comMetal Detecting Forum
Deep (#6) is your “cleaner field, push a bit more depth” option. It’s slower and more prone to falsing if the iron density spikes, so keep your sweep disciplined and your expectations realistic. Plenty of users cross-check Deep against Fast/Hot on borderline whispers; if Deep keeps chirping iron, trust your ears and move on. DetectorProspector.com
Basic 1 (#1) still has a job: EMI days, fatigue days, or when you’re new and don’t want to over-cook your first permissions. Even seasoned users tell newcomers to start on pre-programmed settings, learn the audio language, then begin tweaking. You can make excellent finds before touching a single “Expert” submenu. xpmetaldetectors.comMetal Detecting Forum
Frequencies, coils, and tiny silver reality
Program choice is only half the story; frequency and reactivity finish the job. UK hammered hunters often step up in frequency on suspect medieval ground because small silvers light up better higher up the dial. With HF/X35 coils, people report that 30 kHz+ wakes up cut halves and small Roman, though you’ll accept a bit more chirp and, sometimes, less punch on big deep copper. Swap down to ~8–12 kHz if you’re chasing thicker Georgian and Victorian coins on quieter land. None of this is dogma; it’s pattern-matching from lots of outings. DetectorProspector.com
What people actually report—sentiment in plain English
Fast: “Easy, clear, covers ground, doesn’t melt down in iron.” It’s the go-to preset when you don’t know the site yet. Pros: great separation, predictable audio. Cons: not the deepest kid in the class. Metal Detecting Forumwarrelics.eu
Hot: “Noisy but surgical.” Users like the way good targets “jump out” even with nails in the hole. Pros: unmasking champ, especially with the XY screen. Cons: audio fatigue for beginners; requires discipline not to chase every burp. Metal Detecting Forum+1
GM Power: “Pasture pal.” Crisp response and less brain-burn on long days. Pros: confidence on coin-sized conductors. Cons: not ideal for dense iron or micro-targets without tweaks. TreasureNet.comMetal Detecting Forum
Deep: “When the field is quiet and you suspect there’s more.” Pros: extra reach when conditions allow. Cons: can false on iron; slower hunt tempo; not for every site. DetectorProspector.com
Basic 1: “Safe mode.” Pros: stable, good for learning and EMI days. Cons: leaves performance on the table once you’re fluent. xpmetaldetectors.com
Overall sentiment from UK forums is pragmatic: start simple, then earn your noise. Several experienced voices tell new Deus users to run factory presets first, get comfortable, and only then begin trimming discrimination, nudging audio response, or changing tones. Over-tweaking early is a great way to miss good targets because you don’t yet know what “normal” sounds like. Metal Detecting Forum
Common Pitfalls (and how the community avoids them)
Chasing depth in iron soup. Deep sounds romantic; in British pasture full of ancient nails and coke, it can be a mirage. People who push Deep into busy ground complain about falsing; they pivot back to Fast/Hot and pick through. That surgical separation is how hammered coins actually come up. DetectorProspector.com
Fear of Full Tones. Hot (and Fast when set that way) can feel like a symphony tuning up. The trick the UK crowd repeats is learning to “let the iron play under you” and only investigate the consistent, higher-toned slices that repeat from two directions. Your brain adapts faster than you think. Metal Detecting Forum
Wrong frequency for the day’s targets. If you’re hunting early silver slivers, aim higher; if you’re targeting bigger, deeper milled coins on quieter land, try mid-to-lower. People who consciously change this find more of what they’re actually after. DetectorProspector.com
A Brutally Honest Recommendation
If you want a single UK-centric starting point that isn’t silly: run Deus Fast to map the site, then switch to Hot to interrogate the promising, iron-busy patches. On mellow pasture, try a few rows with GM Power and compare your audio sanity and your pouch. Keep Deep in your pocket for clean ground or specific whispers you want to cross-check. Document what you dig under each preset for a few hunts—your own data will beat any forum thread.
A detector is a conversation with the ground. The Deus 1’s presets give you distinct dialects; UK hunters tend to speak Fast first, then get fluent in Hot. When your ears level up, you’ll start hearing the stories coins tell as they try to hide under nails. That’s when the Deus goes from “tool” to “time machine.”
Sources & further reading: Factory programs list and Basic 1 guidance (XP manual v5); UK forum threads on default choices and Hot program usage; UK/US field notes on Hot pulling non-ferrous next to nails; pasture opinions on GM Power; community advice to start with presets; HF/X35 coil frequency anecdotes for small silver.
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