GPX6000 Vs SDC2300 Sensitivity Test.

[Teemore]

OK, being allowed to travel a bit further (locked down in metro Melb) I finally managed to get to some scrub to do a quick comparison.

Poking the bear a bit here and have to say I was not impressed.

Buried 2 different sized bits of shot till they were no longer heard with the SDC.

Sadly the 6000 couldn't pick them up either

Tried manual low/higher settings, Auto and Auto+ in both soil settings types.

Only positive was that a target picked up with the SDC while checking to see that the ground was clear was a lot crisper, sharper when checked with the 6000 (was a shotty pellet).

I'm back to my original assertion, based on people commenting on how much shot the 6000 was picking up, that they were detecting areas that hadn't had a "serious" going over with the SDC. I know from my experience that the 4500/5000's with bigger coils would miss those (I always found shot/small gold when I went back over those areas with the SDC). So it's main strength may just be that it WILL pick up deeper targets that the SDC couldn't ping and save the effort of going over the ground with a second detector for the deeper targets.

Guess the end of lockdown will be interesting to see what happens in the goldfields.

 

[Still No Idea.]

Sounds like a good comparison Teemore but you didn't say how deep you buried the shot?
That would help for anyone considering the 8k, a big step for most of us.

Give us another test concentrating on depth please. :/

 

[Goldtalk Leonora]

Hi Teemore, Lisa has spent around 150 hours with the 6 so far (in wa and on quiet granite country) and the 6 is leaving the sdc behind in it's wake. I mean...chalk and cheese....mind you..it should...it's twice the price!!! It seems a bit twitchy on EMI and a bit more jumpy than the SDC on hot rocks....but if you like chasing small gold and you have the budget it's not even close to being a contest.
Just my thoughts.
Tony

 

[Davent]

Mate, I don't know about your test.
I recently went back over one of my patches,(that was very good to me and my mate Glen)
I used a zed with NF 12"
Glenn used his SDC.
Phil (Moneybox ) used his gpx6000
I could get no more targets, Glenn could get no more targets and Phil found about 5 very small bits with his 6000.
It proved to me without a doubt that the 6000 is the most sensitive PI machine around.
Glen now has a 6000 as well as his sdc.
For the record, there was no rubbish at all on this patch, only targets were gold.

 

[Still No Idea.]

Hi Davent, but again how deep were Phils bits? Just curious. :8

 

[Jaros]

Does that really matter - it's the work /experience you put into that gives the payout or smile.

 

[Still No Idea.]

I think it does matter Jaros because my 5000 detected a 0.1 at 4 inches.
Spending $8000 is a big step for anyone but you're right experience certainly counts. :Y:

 

[RM Outback]

I think it does matter Jaros because my 5000 detected a 0.1 at 4 inches.
Spending $8000 is a big step for anyone but you're right experience certainly counts. :Y:

Experience/accessory equipment, ground type dry/wet/mineralisation, time of day/temperature, battery change level will all affect depth of retrievable targets.

Depth comparison isn't always going to be the same as such for a multitude of reasons should not be the determining factor when choosing or comparing machine types imo.

Don't get me wrong I like hearing of targets retrieved at depth, we all do :beer:

 

[Still No Idea.]

They are specifically designed to detect gold, bird shot is a totally different kettle of fish.
I would believe Phil Moneybox if he said he got a 0.1 at 12 inches but some of the claims have me wondering, maybe some people should take a tape measure with them.
I'm a bit of a sceptic knowing pulse induction is what it is. Of course i could be wrong. Don't want to make the wrong choice. I'll keep the 5000 also. :|

 

[Goldtalk Leonora]

I think it does matter Jaros because my 5000 detected a 0.1 at 4 inches.
Spending $8000 is a big step for anyone but you're right experience certainly counts. :Y:

This is only..'my gut feeling'....but the 6000 is getting targets that the 5000 won't touch....as did the SDC. But is the kind of gold your chasing?

 

[Teemore]

Sounds like a good comparison Teemore but you didn't say how deep you buried the shot?
That would help for anyone considering the 8k, a big step for most of us.
Give us another test concentrating on depth please. :/

I indicated in my original post that it was buried deep enough till no longer able to be pinged by the SDC, there were actually 2 different sized pieces, one was down around 4" the other 6" (may have been that bit bigger so needed to be deeper) ... important thing was I kept going deeper till they could no longer be heard by the SDC ..... and as mentioned the 6000 didn't pick them up either.

I own and have to date found gold (single or multiple pieces) every trip with the 6000 (so it is currently my "go to" detector (keeping the older GPX but the SDC will be sold).

I would guess there are 3 or 4 bits that the SDC probably wouldn't have picked up, out of a current total of around 35-40 bits (post covid lockdown), finding gold is not an issue finding BIGGER gold is the challenge.

I suggest this testing method for ANY detector .... regardless of size (or whether it's gold/lead/whatever) ..... bury your test piece till your current settings NO LONGER PICK IT UP ..... then tweak your settings and see whether a changed setting picks up your target.

I currently check most targets with the 6000 with the complete range of setting, lowest manual/mid/highest settings, Auto/Auto+ all both with and without threshold to see how each setting reacts to that target ... it's all about getting a complete handle on what your detector is trying to tell you.

Cheers T

Latest couple of pieces .....

 

[aussiefarmer]

I have to agree , measured depth has no relevance, its the fact both machines lost sight of it at similar depths.
There's endless variants that can change the ping depth on any given day,
two machines , same operator , same time of day and same target is a good test to me.
The extra mile for me would be 10+ targets of all shapes and sizes and density, plus putting oddities above targets like flat rocks , bark and natural hard packed clay (instead of loose fill).

I also go through all modes on my 7000 before digging the newly found target , which can be interesting when it's a light ping or not pinging from all swing directions. What that has done is give me confidence that the modes I don't normally use will find targets and occasionally they will give a brighter sound.

 

[Davent]

Hi Davent, but again how deep were Phils bits? Just curious. :8

Deeper than what the zed or sdc could pick up those tiny bits, otherwise I would have had them in my kitty!
I had been over it many times with my zed , on every angle. I got some some really nice stuff from there, including a 7 grammar that I was not even sure was a target, dug it on a hunch, it was actually just a break in the threshold, not a signal as such, and it was deep. Also dug a .1 at good depth, that Glen didn't, couldn't pick up with his sdc, he was actually a bit dirty that he couldn't pick it up until I had removed an inch or so of overburden.
Phil stuff was not deep at all, but , neither Glen nor I picked them up on the 4 or 5 trips before hand. And we worked that very small area very very well.

 

[Solid Luck]

Don't know.
I've pinged shot at well under 4 inches and my hearing is not the best.

 

[user 22230]

Agree also on depth at times is not relevant. I've had gold at 2 inches that the SDC screamed over that a Z could not even see :awful: From my novice experience and information from those knowing much more than i on the subject, a machine finding a target that another doesn't can simply be that the coil timing on a particular machine is simply more suitable to the current target. So for me the first part of the job is to confirm there is gold in the area, from then on the more tools I can have in the tool box to do the job the better the results obtained :money: The geography of the area I'm in pretty much dictates what machine I'll be swinging at the time ickshovel:

 

[HarryHoudini]

Mate, I don't know about your test.
I recently went back over one of my patches,(that was very good to me and my mate Glen)
I used a zed with NF 12"
Glenn used his SDC.
Phil (Moneybox ) used his gpx6000
I could get no more targets, Glenn could get no more targets and Phil found about 5 very small bits with his 6000.
It proved to me without a doubt that the 6000 is the most sensitive PI machine around.
Glen now has a 6000 as well as his sdc.
For the record, there was no rubbish at all on this patch, only targets were gold.

I think Phil could find gold with a crooked stick
But more to the point I have found the 6000 to be like an SDC steroids, I have an area I have been over with an SDC, 4500 with 12 evo and the 7K and still the 6000 surprises me in what it finds. The other reason for me to move to the 6000 is post heart attack I found I could not dig really deep holes hence the choice. cheers

 

[Still No Idea.]

Hi Davent, but again how deep were Phils bits? Just curious. :8

Deeper than what the zed or sdc could pick up those tiny bits, otherwise I would have had them in my kitty!
I had been over it many times with my zed , on every angle. I got some some really nice stuff from there, including a 7 grammar that I was not even sure was a target, dug it on a hunch, it was actually just a break in the threshold, not a signal as such, and it was deep. Also dug a .1 at good depth, that Glen didn't, couldn't pick up with his sdc, he was actually a bit dirty that he couldn't pick it up until I had removed an inch or so of overburden.
Phil stuff was not deep at all, but , neither Glen nor I picked them up on the 4 or 5 trips before hand. And we worked that very small area very very well.

There's a lesson there with your 7 grammer; Dig any variation in the threshold, it doesn't have to beep.
From what i've read here the timings on the 6000 are directed more at size rather than depth.

Its not my topic but thank you all. :Y: :Y:

 

[Goldtarget]

Those pics are beautiful Teemore, interesting that the 6000 obviously had no trouble on that prickly specimen style gold, I have seen first hand how the GPX would barely put out a peep next to the coil but would boom on the SDC.

I like these discussions, plenty of good operators whos opinion I would trust getting results from the 6000, great stuff. Its easy to forget what this place is for sometimes but nice to see a few blokes still out there and reporting back, so thanks gents.

 

[Teemore]

Those pics are beautiful Teemore, interesting that the 6000 obviously had no trouble on that prickly specimen style gold, I have seen first hand how the GPX would barely put out a peep next to the coil but would boom on the SDC.

I like these discussions, plenty of good operators whos opinion I would trust getting results from the 6000, great stuff. Its easy to forget what this place is for sometimes but nice to see a few blokes still out there and reporting back, so thanks gents.

Thanks OldGT, yep that prickly piece is lightweight but lovely to look at.

The original aim of the post was not to pass judgement on any detector, simply to report on an infield test on my first outing with the 6000, it was an accurate and true representation of that test. We've done similar testing where my mate with his SDC and I (6000) would locate targets and then, with them still in the ground, test out the other detector over them, in that instance the SDC & 6000 both ID'd each target.

And yes you're correct there should be more sharing of knowledge on quirks and tips that we all pick up over time, I loved my SDC, it's paid for itself no problems, I now put my trust in the 6000 (and learning more each outing) but still retain my old GPX 4800.

There are a lot of posts from members that can be I can trust and accept, it's how I learnt from my days panning/sluicing to early xTerra days and finally to the more serious detectors.

Cheers and good luck, T.

 

[Bjay]

Ill just wait while the 6000 brigade pick up all the lead shot. Then Ill clean the place with my old 5000.