Garrett ATX vs Minelab GPX5000

[BrisJoe]

Ok so after having a lengthy conv3ersation to the guys at Brisbane Gold (Miners Den Partner) they have shown me the light of ML over the new garret ATX.

What is the best gold specific ML PI that would suit me for around NQ soils, and still be enough investment to last me for quite a few years of frolliking aorund the desert searching for a cure for my fever?

They recomended anything abover a 3000 as it won't be too old already.

So what is bets..3000/3500/4000/4500/Extreme/All out for a 5000?

I plan to use it every 2nd week for 4-5 days straight on ym week off around Clermont GPA's

Price isn't really a cponcern, but if possibly I would like to avoid having the lengthy sit down discussion with the missus about spending 6k on a new 5000

 

[trashmagnet]

hi
the 4500 is the best out of the machines between the 3000 to the 4500 (extreme comes before the 3000)

with the 4500 you have enhance/smooth and normal timings.
with the 4000 you have smooth and normal timings.
with the 3500 you only have normal timing
with the 3000 you only have normal timing.

not sure about your experience, but to use a mono coil in normal timings takes a fair bit of experience to work out what all the noise's are.
with the 4500 you have more of options to suit the ground and gold type your chasing.
regards trashmagnet

 

[Redfin]

Ok so after having a lengthy conv3ersation to the guys at Brisbane Gold (Miners Den Partner) they have shown me the light of ML over the new garret ATX.

I wasn't aware they are in possession of an ATX and have tested it, would be interested in their results.
Or were they being salesmen.
8)

 

[BrisJoe]

They were being ML salesmen with field experience in other Garrett models as well as most of the ML detectors.
They explained (and also the many reviews of the ATX on my US forums where nobody has found gold with the ATX, only coins and treasures) that the Garrett is aimed at the mid market for a mid priced detector, compared to the ML which aims at the upper level as a gold specific detector, rather then a coin hunter tweaked for gold as well.
But I guess we will have to wait until someone does a head to head comparrison between the ATX and 5000.

Also ML may be bringing out a new detector this year at the annual ML dealer conference, but is not known if it will be a mid level contender with the ATX or something so incredibly awsome it will be priced above the 5000. Time will tell, well at least another month and a half.

Back on topic...

And the difference between the 4500 and 5000? What about the 4800?

The only experience I have with detectors is kmart specials lol so am looking at buying right the first time and having a detector that will last me at least 5+ years of regular use.

 

[WalnLiz]

Not a lot of difference between the 4500 and the 5000 in the right hands. The 4800 is best left where it is. Either 4500 or 5000 is the way to go, and both will serve you extremely well if you're serious about gold.

Cheers Wal.

 

[Redfin]

If price is not an option go for the 5000.
I / we went through the same thought process.
Worth the extras for the resale value, training, warranty etc.
and you have the latest machine, the rest is up to you.

 

[Heatho]

The 4800 is only a fraction cheaper than a 5000, I had all the same thoughts running through my head also and went with the 5000 for the same reasons Redfin mentioned.

Totally agree with Wal also.

 

[Zakman]

Hi guys I know its early days but when we find some data from a reliable source with regards a fair comparison I would like to know.

The utube test so far are very commercially orientated from obvious sponsors from Garret but it does look a pretty good peace of kit.

I feel the depth of its detection look to be limiting compared to the GPX but is appears much easier to operate and transport.

I certainly do agree that the GPX is an amazing detector but i feel that Mine lab could do well in learning sales 101; volume profit and expansion potential will far out weight overcharging sales volume.

Looking forward to your posts .

Thanks Zakman

 

[Pete_The_Prospector]

Today I spoke with a Minelab salesman who owns and operates his own shop. He has been a friend for many years and he is a very good operator. He owns and uses a GPX5000 and is very good at what he does. This shows with his constant finds. He was invited to a test session by Garrett. They handed him a GPX5000 and asked him to set it up. On a nugget the size of a thumb, the ATX out done the GPX. He was shocked, I was shocked, the Garrett salesman just smiled. I use and own both brands so I'm not biased. He has ordered 5 for his shop. All are already sold. He will be buying one for himself, so will I be.

 

[HeadsUp]

I think it needs more comprehensive testing than just one nugget in one kind of ground

The ATX might be better OR it may turn out that one detector performs better under some situations while the other does better in different ground or circumstances

Side by side tests in different ground , different depths , different sized nuggies will show what's what

 

[mozzie1957]

I agree that this needs more than 1 nugget. And 'the size of a thumb'? It's the littlies that help pay your fuel costs.
I do like the appearance of the ATX, the fact that it's waterproof to 3 metres, and the idea of having the controls all under your thumb. And, even though I have a love affair with my 5K the thought of a potential rival detector on the market, at a couple of thousand less, is not a bad idea. Minelab's been the duck's guts for a long time but us Aussie consumers have certainly paid for the privilege. If the ATX proves a worthy rival it'll shake Minelab a fair bit and maybe then we'll see machines marketed at a more realistic price. I could never get my head around why we Aussies have always had to pay much more, for the same machine, than the Americans. Could understand, somewhat, if the 5K was an import, but it's not.
Wouldn't mind adding the ATX to the arsenal, but I'll wait for more in-depth reviews, from the blokes in the field.

 

[pauly250]

I seen one today and held it ,i thought it was heavy ,and the people testing it in the field werent happy at all,they believe it is still daylight between the 5000 and the ATX ,i will leave it up to them to publish their oppinion as they will do.

My oppinion is that i only go on thoughts of experienced detector users that have a genuine input, i will not be influenced by salesman stories,shop owners.Will shop owners risk their buying power for some brands to try and push another product ????

I really hope people wait for genuine input before buying.

 

[pauly250]

Today I spoke with a Minelab salesman who owns and operates his own shop. He has been a friend for many years and he is a very good operator. He owns and uses a GPX5000 and is very good at what he does. This shows with his constant finds. He was invited to a test session by Garrett. They handed him a GPX5000 and asked him to set it up. On a nugget the size of a thumb, the ATX out done the GPX. He was shocked, I was shocked, the Garrett salesman just smiled. I use and own both brands so I'm not biased. He has ordered 5 for his shop. All are already sold. He will be buying one for himself, so will I be.

The thing that worries me if i had read this correctly ,is that they handed him a 5000 of theirs to set ,he wasnt using his own 5000 .

It could be harmful to business if the ATX doesnt turn out to be as BETTER ,as it sounds like a 100% promise they will be,very risky move to push a product that has virtually zero genuine input.

I can see many forum debates on all fosicking forums in the near future.

 

[trashmagnet]

the atx would only have to beet or match to 5k if it was the same price, since it's not it just has to work pretty good in it's own right.
the atx is designed to be a mid level machine not a top of the range beater, it's designed to do a lot of different stuff not just hunt gold.
from what I have seen so far it will suit somebody that does a lot of different styles of detecting not just gold.
normally a detector that is designed to a lot of differant things will not be as good as a detector designed to do one thing
so I think comparing an atx to a 5k is unfair to the atx,
if garret brought out a detector designed for gold detecting only and had a $5500 price tag then it would have to match a 5k but they have not.
apples and oranges I reckon.
regards

 

[pauly250]

the atx would only have to beet or match to 5k if it was the same price, since it's not it just has to work pretty good in it's own right.
the atx is designed to be a mid level machine not a top of the range beater, it's designed to do a lot of different stuff not just hunt gold.
from what I have seen so far it will suit somebody that does a lot of different styles of detecting not just gold.
normally a detector that is designed to a lot of differant things will not be as good as a detector designed to do one thing
so I think comparing an atx to a 5k is unfair to the atx,
if garret brought out a detector designed for gold detecting only and had a $5500 price tag then it would have to match a 5k but they have not.
apples and oranges I reckon.
regards

Good reply and i agree

The problem is as above we have a GARRET SALESMAN already comparing the two and he is prepared to say it WILL and DOES outdo the 5000.

To be fair to themselves i think they should leave minelab out of it and just advertise their product that it was intended to be used for.

The 5000 is about $6200 these days

 

[Zakman]

This are all great points thanks guys.
Garret advertised that the ATX was tested in WA which
the advertising utube does indicate but it's just quick screen shoots.
I would have thought that Garret would have highlight finding deep fine gold if they actually found any.
GPx is renown for its deepth on fine gold and that's what we all need more deepth on fine gold if the ATX doesn't have the deepth at least to equal the GPX 5000 I would be surprised.

All the information and instructional on utube are with "motion on" mode everyone says that the motion off setting is for advanced users and will give more deepth so hopefully as soon as we get some advanced users information, the truth will be known.

If Garret's performance was as good or better then they would have used this in the promotion by simply showing deep discoverys.

So I have my doubts that the ATX has the deepth but it does appear they have the ground balance and tracking pretty well set.

Only time will tell.

Thanks for the chat guys.
Regards Zakman

 

[Marked]

The thing that worries me if i had read this correctly ,is that they handed him a 5000 of theirs to set ,he wasnt using his own 5000 .

That was something that stood out to me as well - but I have cynical tendencies....

 

[kleinman98]

A true deep seeking test would be great. I definitely want to know.

 

[Heatho]

I want to see how well it ground balances and rejects EMI with a Monoloop coil, I think it might be running in a cancel type mode with the DD coil in the tests. GPX 5000 with a DD in cancel mode is extremely quiet and will GB perfectly in severe EMI where a mono could never be run, though loses significant depth in cancel mode.

Dunno why everyone thinks the GPX is a gold only machine, I'd say it's the best junk detector ever made that also happens to excell at finding gold. Only place you can't run it is under water. 1 diamond ring or a rare coin could easilly pay for the machine.

Garret say their DD is a new coil design so maybe it's a DD that detects in the centre of the coil in a phase cancelling type mode? That would account for it being so quiet.

Where are the coil covers? Are there any?

Could you run it in suburbia or near power lines with a monoloop? I doubt it, but if it does that would be impressive.

Not bagging it, I'm interested.

 

[trashmagnet]

All the information and instructional on utube are with "motion on" mode everyone says that the motion off setting is for advanced users and will give more deepth so hopefully as soon as we get some advanced users information, the truth will be known.

Thanks for the chat guys.
Regards Zakman

hi zakman I think you will find the motion off setting is for pinpointing, it will give a bit extra depth but you can't detect in that mode cause it will scream when you wave it around. the x-terra's and other machines already have that setting.

hi pauly. the $5500 I quoted was just for an example to point out the atx is much cheaper. although I would push them for a better deal than $6200. I got mine the day they were released for $6300 for customer loyalty as I upgrade everytime a new modal comes out,
regards trashy