How good are our fancy new metal detectors?

[user 4485]

Have to disagree on this, the 17 regularly does not pick up deeper nuggets found by the 11 ran them side by side for weeks on all settings, and over hundreds of nuggets.
Whats the use of a bigger coil that you expect to punch deeper and find it doesn't?
Also suffers from falsing badly, may be usable in mild soil but terrible in WA.
The NF and Coiltek coils also are no better than the stock especially the Coiltek (worst of the three) but an argument could be made that they are more reliable, we are now on number 5&6 of the ML 11s.

You must just be unlucky with coils?
No issues with the stock coils, 17x13, Coiltek 6" or NF 12x8 - all run well in ground up to & including high mineralisation. Also found hundreds of nuggets with the 6000

 

[Aries]

You must just be unlucky with coils?
No issues with the stock coils, 17x13, Coiltek 6" or NF 12x8 - all run well in ground up to & including high mineralisation. Also found hundreds of nuggets with the 600

Last 3 weeks detecting,

776 nuggets for only 6 ounces,
3 weeks, 2 x 6000s,
One running stock 11 inch ML (because other was sent away for replacement) other running 17x13 ML , Coiltek 14x9 or NF 12x7.
Stock ML 11 out performed other 3 by a big margin.

 

[user 4485]

Last 3 weeks detecting,
View attachment 11620View attachment 11622
776 nuggets for only 6 ounces,
3 weeks, 2 x 6000s,
One running stock 11 inch ML (because other was sent away for replacement) other running 17x13 ML , Coiltek 14x9 or NF 12x7.
Stock ML 11 out performed other 3 by a big margin.

Good to see you've covered the cost of the coils anyway - just

 

[Moneybox]

A typical annual trip swinging the GPX4500.



Compare that to 800 pieces found on the first annual trip away with the GPX6000.



I think she likes it more when she gets her hands on my GPX4500 gold

 

[Aries]

The ML coils have been replaced on warranty , i would sell both the Coiltek and NF coils if the Minelab coils lasted longer.

 

[Aries]

@ Moneybox , How many 11 inch coils have you been through?

 

[user 4485]

The ML coils have been replaced on warranty , i would sell both the Coiltek and NF coils if the Minelab coils lasted longer.

The 11" is a great coil but the reported failures aren't good at all.
Rumours that Minelab are putting the price of the 6000 & 7000 up soon leave a bitter taste.
Minelab News:
GPX6000 now $7999, after Jan 1 2024 $8999
GPZ7000 now $9799 after Jan 1 2024 $10499

 

[Aries]

I would imagine that the cost of all the replacement coils has contributed to the price rise.
Both our machines are fine but have been sent back for the speaker recall which improved them greatly.
Have had both for over two years and they have paid for themselves many times overbuy whole experience soured by unreliability of coils, we always take spare coils and other detectors with us due to this.

 

[Moneybox]

@ Moneybox , How many 11 inch coils have you been through?

The first GPX6000 11" coil failed in the first annual trip away. Minelab replaced it sending the replacement to Dave in Darwin where we picked it up in time to find our first NT gold. Thanks Dave .

The second one failed before we got home but the GPX6000 had other issues so I sent it back. Minelab replaced the whole head and upper shaft along with the 11" coil. Last year my brother's GPX6000 coil failed on our annual trip north so The Prospector's Pick sent him a new coil within a week. Mine third 11" coil failed while he was waiting for the new one to turn up. Unfortunately The Prospector's Pick didn't have a second one so I had to wait for mine to be tested but the 14" DD failed while I was waiting for the 11" coil to come. Minelab sent me an entirly new GPX6000 and said to send the old one back when the new one arrived. It left me in a difficult position because I had to return a good coil to make the returned package complete but that's what I did.

I now have a new GPX6000 that runs much quieter and finds gold where the previous one couldn't. I also have a new spare 11" coil that I've tried and both are performing well so far. The only problem I've been having is recharging the batteries. I don't know if I've swapped the chargers at some point but I guess I'll sort that out.

 

[lkyphl]

This year in W.A. there were 5/6/7 of us camped in the Pilbara for a couple of months or so, four blokes running 6000s, one a 23, one using a 7, and I was using a 5 and a 45 with multiple NF and Coiltek flat wound coils and an SP01.
Literally every day for weeks the 23 and 6000 users were returning with 3/4/5g per day, admittedly all small stuff, with the 7 operator doing at least as well, but the 5/45 detected perhaps a gram a day from the same ground.
In the end I bit the bullet, rendered my three detectors and at least a dozen coils redundant, ordered a 6 from Kal and collected it from the local P.O.
It lasted four days before refusing to start ; I got it back from Minelab and the Kal retailer just in time to return home.
I considered these daily finds over a fair period an excellent comparison of what older and new technologies are capable of.
Thr largest nugget found was a 58 grammer (6000 at three inches), a 24 (6000), and a 16.7 (old technology ).
I'll certainly keep the 45/14 Elite as a backup to the 6,

Phil

 

[Gary coutts]

HI

This year in W.A. there were 5/6/7 of us camped in the Pilbara for a couple of months or so, four blokes running 6000s, one a 23, one using a 7, and I was using a 5 and a 45 with multiple NF and Coiltek flat wound coils and an SP01.
Literally every day for weeks the 23 and 6000 users were returning with 3/4/5g per day, admittedly all small stuff, with the 7 operator doing at least as well, but the 5/45 detected perhaps a gram a day from the same ground.
In the end I bit the bullet, rendered my three detectors and at least a dozen coils redundant, ordered a 6 from Kal and collected it from the local P.O.
It lasted four days before refusing to start ; I got it back from Minelab and the Kal retailer just in time to return home.
I considered these daily finds over a fair period an excellent comparison of what older and new technologies are capable of.
Thr largest nugget found was a 58 grammer (6000 at three inches), a 24 (6000), and a 16.7 (old technology ).
I'll certainly keep the 45/14 Elite as a backup to the 6,

Phil

Bud
Do you go out of karratha prospecting.
I o ly have a gm 1000 found nothing
Gary

 

[Moneybox]

HI

Bud
Do you go out of karratha prospecting.
I o ly have a gm 1000 found nothing
Gary

Gary, Try the Nickol River salt flats. It has always produced small gold and it's just out of town.

 

[Hamsy]

Don't know if it helps but I have both.
I use 6000 80% of time and 4500 about 20%
But if i had to go to one detector it would DEFINITELY be the 4500.

My reasoning is,
Picks up the larger deeper nuggets that the 6 misses.
Increased coverage ( the 17 inch coil on the 6000 is a dog).
Even though I use it less I get more weight from the 4500 in return.
Definitely more reliable.
Better coil selection.

There are times the 6000 is unbeatable especially on shallow patches of tiny gold and it is a dream to carry.
But just about everyone I know since getting a 6000 has an increased nugget count but a reduced total weight of gold found.

Same here, mate with a 6 detecting with me and a modded 4500 in same areas for same time took home just over 5 grams and 22 nuggets, I found 8.5 grams and 8 nuggets. One of mine was 3.9 grams which threw the average out a hell of a lot.

 

[glenno11]

Have to disagree on this, the 17 regularly does not pick up deeper nuggets found by the 11 ran them side by side for weeks on all settings, and over hundreds of nuggets.
Whats the use of a bigger coil that you expect to punch deeper and find it doesn't?
Also suffers from falsing badly, may be usable in mild soil but terrible in WA.
The NF and Coiltek coils also are no better than the stock especially the Coiltek (worst of the three) but an argument could be made that they are more reliable, we are now on number 5&6 of the ML 11s.

I have used 3 coils with the 6000 and found the 14x9 Coiltek to be the best by far .I can run this coil near flat out and found over 100 nuggets to the size of .03 and it has found nuggets missed by the 11" coil and at depth ,I do have the 17" but not used it as yet ,Will wait for a large after market coil and not going to the smaller coils so at this stage will stick with the 14x9 I will put a video out later cheers Glenno

 

[Northeast]

GPX6000 now $7999, after Jan 1 2024 $8999
GPZ7000 now $9799 after Jan 1 2024 $10499

In no way am I suggesting I don't believe what you are saying, but jeez it would be hard to believe Minelab would have the audacity to hike prices like that. Especially the GPZ and its 'old tech'.

If it ends up being the case it is a shot in the foot for Minelab and a leg-up for Garret and the Axiom.

Or is it just the old marketing thing, put the price way up and then have endless 'specials' bringing the price back to where it was already

 

[Greg_wilson]

what this shows me is that 100 different people all running the same coils will have 150 different experiences and 200 different opinions.
Different machines, different technique, different ground conditions, different weather conditions and different days.
Obviously what works for one may not work for you and visa versa.

 

[user 4485]

In no way am I suggesting I don't believe what you are saying, but jeez it would be hard to believe Minelab would have the audacity to hike prices like that. Especially the GPZ and its 'old tech'.

If it ends up being the case it is a shot in the foot for Minelab and a leg-up for Garret and the Axiom.

Or is it just the old marketing thing, put the price way up and then have endless 'specials' bringing the price back to where it was already

Some dealers have sent out announcements about the price rise.
Not sure of Minelab's reasoning or sales logic? Not sure if it will boost the Axiom either? I honestly thought it would make bigger inroads by now than it has.

 

[Northeast]

I honestly thought it would make bigger inroads by now than it has.

Me too. It is an interesting business case where past poorer machines and brand loyalty seemingly continue to have a very real impact on sales.

Everybody is waiting for lots of Australian information on the Axiom - good or bad - and it just isn't coming.

 

[Dean Mortimer]

Me too. It is an interesting business case where past poorer machines and brand loyalty seemingly continue to have a very real impact on sales.

Everybody is waiting for lots of Australian information on the Axiom - good or bad - and it just isn't coming.

I was going to get an Axiom, I may still get one. I didn't get one at the time because the cost of a replacement skid plate for the smaller 11x7 coil.

 

[Moneybox]

I was going to get an Axiom, I may still get one. I didn't get one at the time because the cost of a replacement skid plate for the smaller 11x7 coil.

Some people say they never wear them out so in that case it might not be that important.



On the other hand if you tend to run out of skid plates before getting home I guess you might have to measure the cost