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The thing that just perked up my ears about the E-Trac was no chip, and sure enough because of this you can buy the full Nel range of coils for it, and even Detech have their 13" Ultimate, one of my favourite coils ever. I'm annoyed now, I could have had an E-trac a few months ago for $368 USD, it had some damage to its coil cable with electrical tape over the splitting, but I could have fixed that, and I'd buy aftermarket coils anyway. I didn't even blink at it thinking I had the far superior CTX and the aftermarket coils I wasn't aware of either. Damn it.

Having the 6000 so automated may turn out to be a smart decision for them, it sold like hot cakes being the new kid on the block with high small gold sensitivity and now they can release a GPX 7000 in the future with all the configuration options back again and market it like it's for professional prospectors. The 6000 is very big box no dealer friendly though, that's a very good point Jason, I find these days detectors like the CTX, Equinox and Manticore are just as difficult to learn as the earlier GPX series, have plenty of options and configuration changes to enhance or reduce performance should you get it wrong. The GPZ is certainly no harder to understand all its settings than an Equinox, probably easier. They're dumbing down the gold detectors while making the general-purpose VLF's harder to use and understand, maybe they think the gold detector demographic would benefit from easier to use detectors 🙂 The reality is they were designed around the African gold rush, these people don't care about settings, they want to get out there and get the gold quick, it's not a hobby, it's an income that puts food on the table, and a table there in the first place. That's why the 6000 and GM1000 were easy to use, not a big box store plan.

Thanks for the link Steve. So per Minelab the Smart Coils and the advanced electronics in the CTX (what ever that may be) allow for more "advanced signal analysis for more accurate detection" I think "Accurate detection" are the key words there...If Minelab could make a faster and more accurate at depth CTX replacement I would put myself on that wait list...certainly the manticore is fast and deep enough it just lacks the accuracy of the CTX... Since I've never used a E-trac I'm wondering how the depth and Accuracy of that machine was compared to the CTX seems they were both operating in the same frequency range. strick

It is not impossible that competition has broken the back of Minelabs ability to charge ever higher prices. $10,000 GPZ and $2500 CTX, maybe those days are gone. Or are they? Gold prospectors in particular would probably line up to spend $12,000 for a detector that proveably goes just one inch deeper than a GPZ on sizeable gold, especially if you toss in ferrous discrimination. What will it take to get people to drop $2500 into a new coin detector now, given where we are with the Deus 2 and Manticore in particular? I'm a little more doubtful there, but there is a contingent of people that like owning stuff just because others can't afford it or refuse to spend money on it, so you never know. CTX 4040 with Multi-IQ FBS 3 would probably sell based purely on the number of people who constantly bring up wanting a replacement. If for no other reason that it is new and we do like our new stuff.

Thanks Ron, I read that thread in its entirety, So the Elite is a very old coil, and not an Elite as we now know it today, an Extra Lite coil, E-Lite. Not Elite as in modern spiral coil, and the DD Pro Elite suits the GP/SD series not ideal for the GPX really showing its age. So why on earth is a dealer selling them new this far in the future? Super old stock obviously. They should be declaring their designed purpose and detector compatibility and pointing out they're not a modern elite series coil. It's coil cables probably half broken down by now like some of the older Coiltek coils did.

I just think it's odd a top of the line detector would get coils discontinued for it, the only reason would be they're no longer selling. Checking local dealer stock and you can't even buy a CTX anymore without a special order although they have it on sale, you save an entire buck! I know nothing about the E-trac, never used one and know nothing of the debates around it, but it's always the same rodeo, the Manticore comes out the Nox owners are trying to justify the purchase and decide if its different enough to need it, the GPX 6000 came out and the GPZ and prior GPX owners are trying to justify needing it or not and comparing it to their machines, now I'm seeing modded old GPX's that appear equal to the 6000 on small gold and prickly gold so who knows, it just goes to show how close the older models really are to the newer models sometimes and like Steve did with the Etrac / CTX there with the key technologies lookup there was no real new key technologies there on the GPX's in relation to performance either. I just like the CTX works so ever well for me in my soils, as I've never used the older models I don't miss things about them, I'm probably one of the few that likes its in the GPZ housing so I can share my batteries and charger. I don't find it an awkward or heavy design; I find it nice on my arm. I like its tougher build to mow through longer grass. If the new CTX comes out and they've gone to Multi-IQ with it, they may as well call it some other name, not a CTX as without FBS (version number here) it's not a CTX. I want a new version of a CTX, and I want it's brilliant target ID's not the multi-IQ target ID's that have gone backwards between the Equinox and the Manticore. Price slots are a bit of a strange one now as the Manticore in NZ is the price of the CTX anyway, very close to it, so here at least the Manticore has already taken the CTX slot. If they go any higher priced than the Manticore they're getting up into PI territory which already the CTX is about twice the price of an Algoforce. A lot of people no longer care about the CTX, it didn't suit their soil or targets or weight requirements I suppose, and that's why it's dying a slow death, not encouraging to bring out a new model for a detector that's fading away. The Nox got the Manticore as the Nox was still riding high.

As much as I'd like to see one too, it's probably not coming. Certainly not from Minelab and there hasn't been any indication Coiltek is going to jump in and supply Manticore coils and with the M9 wedged in there, there is little incentive for a 3rd party to invest in something that is so close to the M8 and the M9. The M9 has apparently been in the works since the beginning as it showed up on an official Minelab accessory parts listing several months ago as discovered by @Gerry in Idaho in this thread. Nothing else showed up on that list that hasn't already been announced by ML now, so I think ML is done with providing any more Manticore accessory coils. It's actually surprising they had as many as 4 coils on the drawing board. I just wish they'd make it off the drawing board and into manufacture on the day the detector itself is released.

NOT IN THE JOURNAL : One of my mining partners has been testing the southern area of the faultline. Tests were done along the side of the fault just south of the old kettle area the 1936 crew worked by running water line up there. That kettle is a big pot hole in the top of the fault . The tests were taken using multiple bucket samples processed through a portable 12 Volt recirculating highbanker and the cons were run through my Gold Magic spiral wheel. Sample depths were 1 to 3 feet. Bedrock and upheaval are quite scattered in this area. So the tests were very good averaging around $90/yard. We have an approval to build a road in there in order to get a trommel set up. We are still waiting for the final plan approval for that location as well as several others 2000 feet to the east (the Upper Dig Site in the journal). Be fore warned gold, we are coming for you.

Seems like the upper end C/T detectors are getting more complicated and the last 2 gold detector releases were almost all automated. The GM-1000 automatic settings made since as it’s an entry level detector, but the GPX-6000 still makes me think they went to far on the automation side being an upper end detector.

Wonder if the "easy expert" design and marketing thing with the 6000 was in part intended as a move away from detectors which they thought might require dealer training if they are trying to move into big box stores instead. It would be unfortunate if newer high level detectors stayed as pared down and opaque as the 6000 in an attempt to make detectors as big-box friendly as possible. They really need versatility at the upper end models.

I think I would have a hard time switching from my M15 to this coil for water hunting. Don't want to give up that coverage, and it doesn't bother me to swing the 15. Gonna stick with the big boy.

I think if you want to see what a CTX replacement will look like you only have to look at what was left on the table after the manticore came out. GPS, pinpoint target trace, exchange etc. Maybe we’ll get a mineralization meter as well. It seems like performance wise we’ve hit a brick wall, so it will be all about peripheral features.

I agree. In marketing terms it's all about price slots, and Manticore replaced E-TRAC in it's position in the Minelab lineup. Minelab tends to bounce back and forth between coin detectors and nugget detectors in the upgrade cycle, so next up is probably a new GPZ replacement next year. A CTX replacement could come in the same time frame or slightly after. This would give Minelab two brand new top-of-the-line flagship detectors, one for coin and relic, one for gold nuggets. Both CTX (2012) and GPZ (2015) are very long in the tooth at this point in time.

I sold my CTX not because I wanted to, but because I had to. I made an investment that took longer to pan out than expected. I thought it was a great machine, and if I find the right deal on a newer model I might buy one again. It’s interesting even to me though that my first instinct in getting back in the game was to go for a Manticore and not a CTX-3030. I still think a replacement could be on the way in the next few years. I have nothing other than my gut to tell me that, but it seemed like the Manticore clearly took the E-trac’s spot in the lineup, and hope is still alive for another top of the line.

That is really interesting, Steve. Never heard about that before.

From a technical perspective if you go to https://www.minelab.com/usa/knowledge-base/key-technologies# and read the difference between the E-TRAC FBS and CTX FBS 2 you will see that the only thing the CTX added was the chip in the coil.

Creepy, lantern lights, disappearing people at night, screams... Not sure I'd stick around a place like that. Sounds like a Steven King story.

I followed the instructions to the tee. Logged off (waited 10 to 15 min.) and logged back in. It was fine for a while and then it came back and reared it's ugly head again. What gives???

I have the 10-5. Bought it second hand...nice little coil...not really that deep from what I remember haven't used it in a long time. I am curious why you would think that Minelab is not working on a CTX 4040 just because Coiltek is phasing out their 3030 coils? is it Minelabs habit of introducing a new detector prior to announcing the phase out of its replacement? Bill I have never used a Etrac in my life but based on my personal experience My CTX would kick its butt easily 🙂 strick

I clipped the following from Rob’s link: The new DD PRO Elite series are for the sd/gp range only at this point in time. keep tuned for more new coil releases.. peter (coiltek)" In other words the Elite series are not being recommended by Coiltek for the GPX at this time. Whereas the Goldstalker is a good GPX coil.

https://forums.robsdetectors.com/topic/4981-coiltek-dd-pro-elite-vs-plain-dd-pro/ Here’s a link on the subject.

congrats!!

I'm not seeing anything that makes me think that is platinum. Best bet if you still think it is would be to seek an assay. Good luck.

Hey Pfrunt, it sounds like you are a long time CTX 3030 owner so I have a question for you. Do you feel that after many hours and years on the detector that it is in fact an upgrade from the Etrac? The reason I ask is that personally I went head to head with my Etrac against some very good CTX 3030 users and we could never see that the CTX 3030 would beat the Etrac. Tie yes, beat no. For me, I never liked the CTX because of its weight and the fact that Minelab for unknown reasons eliminated the sweet high silver tone that we all loved on the Etrac. Years ago there was a huge debate on another forum about whether the CTX 3030 was just an Etrac in a new shell with bells and whistles added. It got really nasty and as I recall it finally just petered out. To anyone reading this post, please do not start a dumbass flaming debate. I don't use my Etrac anymore but I do dust it and give it a hug every once in a while. My reason for this post is to get Pfrunt's take on the two machines. Anyone else who wishes to comment based on experience please do. But if you are just blowing hot air about lab-based theories you might have do us all a favor and keep them to yourself. Bill

I found something that looks just like yours, i think it's tumbled quartz.