Whites GMX Sport, a waterproof 24k..

[karelian65]

Another courier and the postman, a busy day. Everything arrived today. Ordered a copy of the 'Advanced Nuggetshooting with the Goldmaster 24k' by James A. Mccolluch which arrived today also. Coil covers and spare battery holder, plus a White's logo cap, again all arrived today. Probably all on the same cargo aircraft?. A good sign and a bit of a blessing. A real moral booster of a day.. lots of toys.. Even got a compact light fishing rod/real combo which should work well in the creek I will be targeting with the GMX. Dry in summer with a few water holes full of trout.. Very much looking forward to getting out to do some prospecting.

 

[karelian65]

Being a waterproof machine the built in speaker is not very loud, the headphone socket is not at the back. In the water I'll use the supplied waterproof headphones happily.
Most of the time will be spent out of water on dry land, so it will be either a Nokia MD11 speaker connected via the adapter cable or the Garrett Z link wirlesss system. I have done a test run and the spaghetti is terrible. Thoughts of pliers and soldering irons came to mind but a solution has been found. Quest MX Sport adapter cable using micro usb should be compatible with the Z link transmitter which also uses micro usb.. Back to waiting for the postman, worth it to just use one cable.

This machine is hitting hard on my micro test nuggets and my one grain ingot, super hot on small gold.

No EMI issues or instability when run flat out, so far so good. Haven't had it for a full day yet, need to get more time using it before even thinking about any real judgements or testing.

All the best.

 

[karelian65]

I'll throw a comparison in later, weather permitting. Simple test on 1 grain gold ingot, half gram gold coin and a half Sovereign. Same size 6 concentric or mono coils on the Tdi Pro, Tdi Sl, XL Pro, MXT and the new GMX. Quick air test video for entertainment value only. Coming soon..

 

[karelian65]

No video is possible at the moment given the wind and weather in general. But I have done a quick preliminary test run. When things improve I'll set up the DSLR and audio for a video.
I used headphones for this air test because the GMX speaker really isn't the best, headphones are a must. The other machines all have much louder speakers. Tests were conducted with the 1 grain ingot, half gram gold coin and half sovereign gold coin. So all targets were gold.

Gain was at maximum, ground balance off or locked etc. Tdi Pro gain was at 5, everyone is home so EMI is off the scales high..

Tdi Pro 1 grain ingot 11cm, half gram gold coin 25cm, half Sovereign gold coin 35cm.

XL PRO 1 grain ingot 11cm, half gram gold coin 21cm, half Sovereign gold coin 32cm.

MXT 1 grain ingot 15cm, half gram gold coin 29cm, half Sovereign gold coin 34cm.

GMX 1 grain ingot 17cm, half gram gold coin 25cm, half Sovereign gold coin 32cm.

The MXT hits hard and loud with the Eclipse 5.3 concentric, it really stands out with targets at half a gram and up. It clearly is better than a GMX at targets over the half gram. A superb machine and a great all rounder.
The GMX owns everything under half a gram, a consistent and reliable hitter on the smaller targets. The MXT is good but the GMX clearly outperforms it on the smaller gold.
A bit of crystaline gold was picked up by the GMX very clearly at 15cm while the TDI SL had difficulty at 4cm.. The MXT managed 12cm on the same bit but not as clear as the GMX. Air tests are not a reliable indicator or what happens in mineralized ground.. But that GMX looks real good on the very small bits and I'm looking forward to giving it a good run out in the goldfields. All the best.

 

[davetheaviator]

Hi all Im looking at upgrading my XTerra 705 and was thinking about getting a whites for gold prospecting any advice would be appreciated. Thanks Dave

 

[karelian65]

The only White's machine of interest to me for gold prospecting is the Goldmaster 24k, with the 6 concentric coil option, since they are still available online.
With the White's company going out of business you would do well to look at other brands. If you like a multi purpose or do all style machine the Equinox with the smaller 6 inch coil is very capable. Full warranty and support and Minelab will be around for some time.. For gold only, small gold in particular in a VLF style then for me it would be between the Minelab Goldmonster and White's 24k. If you want a multipurpose machine then there is a strong case to be make for the Minelab Equinox. Waterproof, coil selection is ok, lots of accessories and full warranty repair service etc. A big step up from the Xterra 705. All the best.

 

[karelian65]

The GMX Sport will spend most of its life out of the water, so a wireless headphone system makes sense. My original plan was to use my existing Garrett Z link but the purchase of a Quest adapter for the GMX pushed me towards the Quest Pro wireless headphones. They are in my personal opinion more comfortable and a better fit for me.
The quality is good, great audio and no lag. With the one cable from the machine into the transmitter the system is a tidy fit. I'll use the Quest pro headphones on the GMX as well as my other machines. Highly recommended, great audio and keeps outside noises out. Again very comfortable and excellent quality.

There is a screen protector/cover in the mail, new neoprene arm cuff cover plus a Doc's detecting cover over that, for a tight and comfortable cuff fit. The machine feels a bit more personal now, seems to work better that way.. Very much looking forward to escaping Melbourne for a good prospecting trip. Loots of planning and preparation since I have the time.. All the best.

 

[karelian65]

The use of the Quest headphones and the Garrett Z link system on my metal detectors will add a lot of convenience, allowing me to enjoy my older machines for some time to come.
The GMX package included a set of White's factory headphones. Decent quality and sound but without volume control. A set of Grey Ghost Amphibians was purchased and the quality and performance are simply superb. There is a marginal but real increase in depth, comfort is very good and they are a big step up. I can be confident that I can extract every bit of depth from this machine. The audio is loud and clear, the volume control is most welcome. These headphones complete the package.

All the best.

 

[Ridge Runner]

As a long time Whites supporter and user I think it would be foolish to invest in any of Whites products, I would never sell my MXT All Pro but I would never buy any of their machines after they went bust because there is only one bloke in the US who is servicing them,

 

[karelian65]

If anyone asks me to recommend a machine, I would point them to Minelab, Goldmonster or Equinox. Full warranty repair and service etc.. So why did I buy a GMX?
It does have unique capabilities, a waterproof 24k, came with the 6 inch concentric and that 6x4DD, both must haves in my experience.. It will serve as a crevicing detector, in wet and wild rivers and creeks. In some areas I need to pack it in a backpack etc. An alternative would be the Minelab SDC 2300... for a lot more dollars..

Yes I took a gamble with repairs, parts etc. I have used White's machines since the early eighties, never had to take one in for repair.. not once. So there is a risk, but in my personal experience a very low one. We roll the dice and take our chances. It is my last White's machines and it would be fair to say Minelab will get my dollars in the future..
I have no need to feel foolish at this point, but we will see what the future holds.

All the best.

 

[Ridge Runner]

If anyone asks me to recommend a machine, I would point them to Minelab, Goldmonster or Equinox. Full warranty repair and service etc.. So why did I buy a GMX?
It does have unique capabilities, a waterproof 24k, came with the 6 inch concentric and that 6x4DD, both must haves in my experience.. It will serve as a crevicing detector, in wet and wild rivers and creeks. In some areas I need to pack it in a backpack etc. An alternative would be the Minelab SDC 2300... for a lot more dollars..

Yes I took a gamble with repairs, parts etc. I have used White's machines since the early eighties, never had to take one in for repair.. not once. So there is a risk, but in my personal experience a very low one. We roll the dice and take our chances. It is my last White's machines and it would be fair to say Minelab will get my dollars in the future..
I have no need to feel foolish at this point, but we will see what the future holds.

All the best.

I have bought a lot of whites machines over the years and when they BS'd and lied to me over other things etc and over the MX Sport fiasco I washed my hands with them, I am sorry the Brand has gone but I have no sympathy for those who were in charge, It is the workers I feel sorry for,

How does the GM 24K fare compared to the Goldmonster ?? I know the 24K has that power mode that helps it in hotter ground compared to the older GMT,

I gave away my GMT Brand New unused with all the Coils I had for it after the bs I had with those in charge at whites HQ.

 

[karelian65]

With the arrival of cordura covers from the UK, my GMX is fully setup. Perhaps a bit of modification for better fit etc Basic setup for 90% of use with either headphones or external speaker. Good protection from the sun and the odd scratch etc. Living in Melbourne I am now very close to a weekend escape into the goldfields. Lots of research and maps printed out, itching to go.

Probably start in Eastern Victoria and then move back into the Golden Triangle.. Lots of time to research locations and to set the GMX up the way I like.
All the best.

 

[karelian65]

Eastern Victoria location is being logged, a wasted trip. I'll have better access and a better view of the ground after they have finished. It is what it is...

Moved on to Moliagul and Dunolly, finishing in Maryborough. GMX will drive you mad running high sensitivity in hot ground. just like all VLF machines. No surprises there, five worked well for smooth operation and surprisingly good ability to manage hot rocks and varied ground conditions. First impression was good. I'll make no judgements as I have a long way to go before that... Need to experiment and play with the machine and run a few tests etc. Actually an enjoyable VLF machine on the goldfields, backed off a bit on gain so it didn't drive me nuts... The smooth threshold is solid, it really helps in hot ground.

I'll have more to say after I've clocked up a hundred or so hours of field use. First impression is it handles hot ground well, fantastic solid threshold, not noisy as you would expect a VLF, manages hot rocks well. More to come.

 

[Finkle]

Enjoyed reading the thread hope it finds some gold for you.now whites is closed I can't seem to find any of their detectors for sale anywhere.surely there has to be some left over stock somewhere???