Interesting Comparison Video - ATX vs TDI vs G2/GBP vs Gold Bug ii

[Ben78]

Came across this whilst searching for info re using the Gold Bug Pro on gold (i've just bought one). Its a decent test methodology, although not 100% thorough. For all those looking to drop the big ones on Garretts latest and greatest I still think Whites' offering and a significantly lower price has plenty of merit - especially when you start putting made-for-minelab coils onto it.

Anyway, I'll just put it here for anyone looking into any of these machines.

[video=480,360]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrR1XBDutCQ[/video]

 

[Guest]

Hi Ben went to Maryborough today to test the G2 with a nel 5"
Coil. You can hear the minerals in the ground.

Hot rocks dont have a target id.

Unlike the G2's competitor and for some reason
Is popular on this forum i tested in the same spot the G2
Does not detect ironstone.

To be honest though just about over it.

Time to invest in a 4500.

Good news is the 2nd hand pi market prices i think
Are about to plummet due to people buying the atx
Instead of spending $3500 on a 2nd hand machine.

Just my thoughts.

Joe

 

[Sw1fty]

What about the new minelab due soon?
Similar to the Garrett ATX i.e. fold away, but unknown abilities yet
Don't buy anything yet...

 

[Guest]

Yes time will tell.

Joe

 

[Sw1fty]

I think the ATX will win this battle, after watching comparisons already available, the ATX shines just my humble opinion.
Like you said Wolfau, time will tell...

 

[Guest]

In the end it don't matter.

Things Are changing.

If i was to build a pi gold detector i would
Build and sell it in module form.

This way people can build there detector how they want
Instead of the one price one detector method.

Now garrett seems to have refinded their pulse technology re atx and
for minelab to be introducing a competing Product says something about the ATX.

Now Garrett needs to commence improving the atx by 30% asap for
A 2015/2016 release. This will get people talking.

Like i said it don't matter because someone needs to loose out here.

Minelab will still build superior gold detectors with suited prices.

The atx or sdc will be there at $3300-$4000 cheaper if
You have a usa contact for the atx.

Then you have the used pi market.

So just maybe if the atx succeeds at meeting the needs of
Its intended market you could see the used pi market drop a
Further $500 in july 14.

 

[Ben78]

In the test video I feel the ATX was trumped by the Whites - the ATX had to be at max gain to hear the nuggets and the TDI did it at half gain. The TDI had a warble about it but I'd say he didn't take the time to tune it properly - additionally you get it a lot more stable running a near silent threshold and the conductor switch on Low (it wasn't as you could hear the high side of the audio coming through) TDI is available on the used market frequently in the $1500 range - you are getting a lot of power for your dollar in that.

As for the Gold Bug/G2, I used to have one but on sold it in favour of a more coin oriented machine, now I find myself wanting a gold oriented machine to pair up with my 5000. I don't see the GB being a primary gold machine, I see it as a ability to hunt places where I just can't get the 5000's coil to the ground, whether that be through EMI, trash or waterproofness of the coil.

 

[Ben78]

Unlike the G2's competitor and for some reason
Is popular on this forum i tested in the same spot the G2
Does not detect ironstone.

Competitor = AT Gold?

Does "does not detect ironstone" mean that it will detect a nugget sitting underneath the piece of ironstone it didn't detect?

 

[Guest]

In the goldfields the threshold on the G2 was not smooth.

It jumped around but the ground was highly

Mineralised. Its a cool machine. Watch the ground change and

You can nanually change the gb to match.

There was ironstone on the ground

But when ground balanced the g2 seemed not to

React to them otherwise you would hear iron stone

Chirps everywhere. But grab a piece of iron stone

And put it under the coil and the g2 goes off.

A nugget under the iron stone (.15 gm) was hard to

Detect.

Won't be buying anymore vlfs for the goldfields.

The ground in many cases has been hammered by

A pi then add the highly mineralised soil then ask

Yourself what chance do you have?

I used the g2 in some cases in discriminate mode just

To quieten it up.

Not giving up on the G2. Its awesome at unmasking iron

You can hear the iron when detecting. The stock coil is no good imo.

Its a screw cap magnet. I am going to test 2 nel coils for it.

Hope it helps

 

[Guest]

This is impressive..

I hired out a 4500 and owned an sd2200.

The 4500 is amazing and super quiet.

[video=480,360]http://youtu.be/uz4UtBz0wXU[/video]

 

[BrisJoe]

What about the new minelab due soon?
Similar to the Garrett ATX i.e. fold away, but unknown abilities yet
Don't buy anything yet...

Only a couple more days to wait for the full release of info on the SDC from ML, 31 Jan was the date set

 

[Guest]

In the test video I feel the ATX was trumped by the Whites - the ATX had to be at max gain to hear the nuggets and the TDI did it at half gain. The TDI had a warble about it but I'd say he didn't take the time to tune it properly - additionally you get it a lot more stable running a near silent threshold and the conductor switch on Low (it wasn't as you could hear the high side of the audio coming through) TDI is available on the used market frequently in the $1500 range - you are getting a lot of power for your dollar in that.

I just seen this. The tdi does not have a super smooth threshold.

I hired one out and used it for a few hours.

One of the guys At Dunolly also confirmed this.

What the G2 has is unreal iron masking

 

[Ben78]

I just seen this. The tdi does not have a super smooth threshold.

I hired one out and used it for a few hours.

The TDI can be quietened down to near the smooth threshold of a 5000, you just have to spend the time to sit down and twiddle the knob to find the best frequency. I owned one before I got the 5000.

 

[Guest]

I just seen this. The tdi does not have a super smooth threshold.

I hired one out and used it for a few hours.

The TDI can be quietened down to near the smooth threshold of a 5000, you just have to spend the time to sit down and twiddle the knob to find the best frequency. I owned one before I got the 5000.

For me the threshold on the Tdi was not smooth as 4500.

Not knocking the machine as i was willing to buy one.

You would be surprised who else agreed with me but no

Need to discuss.

The 4500 really impressed me. Last pi i owned was a 2200.

 

[orgone500]

Hey Ben78. I've seen your goldbug posts on another MD forum. Have you bought another one? (you had sold it on the older post) I'm currently looking at a G2 to use on the Orara gold fields so I'm keen to know if you think its worth the hastle or if you think the ground is too hot.

 

[WalnLiz]

I just seen this. The tdi does not have a super smooth threshold.

I hired one out and used it for a few hours.

The TDI can be quietened down to near the smooth threshold of a 5000, you just have to spend the time to sit down and twiddle the knob to find the best frequency. I owned one before I got the 5000.

For me the threshold on the Tdi was not smooth as 4500.

Not knocking the machine as i was willing to buy one.

You would be surprised who else agreed with me but no

Need to discuss.

The 4500 really impressed me. Last pi i owned was a 2200.

Can't compare the TDI with a 4500 which is as good as a 5000. For around $1300 second hand for a TDI, and $4000 for a 4500, the price is a pretty good indicator of what you get for your money. Let me tell you though...in the right hands a TDI should not be underestimated, and for a PI machine it punches well above its class.

Cheers Wal.

 

[joe]

I have done some testing today with the ATX in a very hot ground (iron mine) put together a 12 min vid which takes for ever over sat. to upload. 0.6g 4 inches, 0.39g in 3 inches and 0.21g in one inch.My phone died couple of times due to heat, but managed to get some footage.

 

[Guest]

I just seen this. The tdi does not have a super smooth threshold.

I hired one out and used it for a few hours.

The TDI can be quietened down to near the smooth threshold of a 5000, you just have to spend the time to sit down and twiddle the knob to find the best frequency. I owned one before I got the 5000.

For me the threshold on the Tdi was not smooth as 4500.

Not knocking the machine as i was willing to buy one.

You would be surprised who else agreed with me but no

Need to discuss.

The 4500 really impressed me. Last pi i owned was a 2200.

Can't compare the TDI with a 4500 which is as good as a 5000. For around $1300 second hand for a TDI, and $4000 for a 4500, the price is a pretty good indicator of what you get for your money. Let me tell you though...in the right hands a TDI should not be underestimated, and for a PI machine it punches well above its class.

Cheers Wal.

If i am buying a machine i don't follow the hype i make a

Comparison. With the hype around the ATX and 4500/5000

The sales on the gp3500 has slowed down.

I just purchased a gp 3500 with 3 coils for $1800 and will he modded by

Ismael. I think this will do nicely for hobby prospecting. A product does

Not dictate price buyers and demands do. Demands come from

All types of mediums. If a competitor introduced a machine tomm

And was 40% better than whats currently on the market the prices

On all other machines would drop due to the demand dropping.

 

[Guest]

Hey Ben78. I've seen your goldbug posts on another MD forum. Have you bought another one? (you had sold it on the older post) I'm currently looking at a G2 to use on the Orara gold fields so I'm keen to know if you think its worth the hastle or if you think the ground is too hot.

The G2 is a good machine i own one. It handles the mineralisation but not

As good as a pi. Ironstone seems not to effect it a lot. I used another

Vlf and it chirped at iron stone.

It is awesome at unmasking in high iron trashed areas.

 

[Guest]

$1800 for a GP3500 + 3 coils is a great buy! Have seen them still fetching between $2500 & $3000 even if demand is down so that's a good pick up.
Don't know what Ismael charges for mods now but they used to be $275 for the GP series which is a lot cheaper than some modders & he has a good rep so should be a good thing for under $2500.
One thing I would do, & I'm just thinking out loud here, is send it into Minelab before getting it modded. For about $200 they will make sure the alignments ok & upgrade to the latest specs available for the model. That way you would at least know the Minelab end of the detector is ok before modding. Once it's done they won't touch it although there are a few people about that can fix some issues with them, and Ismael could too, but if you blow something like the MCU nobody except Minelab can repair it as they don't have the codes to reprogram.
Ismaels blog on it:
http://www.minelabmods.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=135&Itemid=1