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Dumping Minelab GPX 6000 For Garrett Axiom?


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Steve - Thanks for the well balanced review of the GPX6000 and the Axiom.  I have been looking at the 6000 for quite a while but have never pulled the trigger because of a number of things.  One is the cost, another was related to coil choices (which has since been mitigated by Coiltek and others), and finally the quality control problems experienced by users.  All of this kind of left me sitting on the sidelines, mulling things over.  Tonight I just found out about the Axiom and it appears to be a reasonable alternative to the 6000.  The cost is a little easier to justify and the performance may turn out to be acceptably comparable to the 6000.  Time will tell but i will be researching the Axiom more.  I'm like you in that i am getting near the end of my detecting days but i have always wanted a really good dedicated gold detector.  Thanks to all at detector prospector forum!

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On 8/23/2022 at 11:18 AM, Jennifer said:

Like when was the last time any of us used the GPS on the 7000, I’ll go first….. NEVER!

 

I had NO IDEA the 7000 has Ground Penetrating Sonar.   No wonder it's so expensive.  Where have I been? 😏

On a more serious note, I value the opinions and perspectives Steve shares here on his forum, and not just those that are detecting related, but life perspectives as well.

The last several years, as the world around us changes, my detecting interests have also changed. Detecting old homes, parks, and schools have evolved to shallow water jewelry hunting and ghost towns. The last couple years I've dabbled with my 800 out looking for gold nuggets. I've had a great time. It's opened up a whole new avenue of learning and adventure. As for the Axiom, I'm glad there is a PI option out there that is more affordable, light weight and has great performance. If all goes well, the Axiom will be my first PI for gold prospecting. 

A big thanks to Steve for his equipment reviews, field reports / journals and no nonsense feedback. He sets a tone and education level on his forum unequalled elsewhere.

 

Rich - 

 

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G'day Steve.

Re the axiom. In your opinion, is the axiom superior in regards to EMI than the 6k?

I had an experience yesterday where I went to clean up a patch, and the EMI turned my 6k into a piece of junk.

It does not matter how sensitive or how small the gold is that a 6k can detect, when the whole machine becomes unusable due to conditions. I did not have my dd coil handy, so can't say Wether that would have helped or not, but with the 11" mono coil, I could not even hear my 1 gram test piece through the spikes. As a comparison, I used my GPZ all other times on the patch with no issues. My mate was using the 6K though and often complained of EMI spikes when I only had the occasional one with the Z.

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On 8/23/2022 at 10:18 AM, Jennifer said:

Like when was the last time any of us used the GPS on the 7000, I’ll go first….. NEVER!

 

Ah, being into GIS- I used it. I would upload all the claim corners in an area I went prospecting on it so I could check where they were with the GPS in the field. But my phone Topo Map app is so much better, so I quit using the GPZ’s navigation.

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1 hour ago, TE Gold said:

Re the axiom. In your opinion, is the axiom superior in regards to EMI than the 6k?

Yes, hands down no comparison, Axiom slays the 6000 when it comes to EMI. The Axiom is good enough in that regard I’ll be playing around with it coin detecting in urban environments.

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3 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Yes, hands down no comparison, Axiom slays the 6000 when it comes to EMI. The Axiom is good enough in that regard I’ll be playing around with it coin detecting in urban environments.

Thanks Steve. I will give the 6k 1 more chance and will use the dd as well. Might film it.

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Good write-up Steve. I am very happy with my 6000, I never thought, no, I know you well enough that you were not promoting one over the other. Good luck to all no matter which detector you chose.

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Well, I’m on my sixth 11” coil.

Two had connection failures and three went very noisy.
And no, I’m not a coil basher. Got my 6000 May 2021 and still have not worn out a skid plate.
Minelab have been great with replacing the coils but still disappointing.
Currently using a Nugget Finder 12 x 7 test/development coil and it kills the standard coil.
Good friends here in Cue bought a new 6000 11 days ago and just had to drive 8 hours each way to the Minelab dealer to get it replaced.
Overall, while the 6000 is an excellent detector and has doubled my gold find’s compared to the 7000, quality of the machine is, in my experience, poor.
Manufacturing and quality control in Malaysia maybe not the best idea for anything other than profit margin.

So, a couple of months ago I got to play with a developmental Axiom for two hours. Loved it.
Would I sell my 6000 and buy one?
Unlikely.
Will I buy one? Probably.
Different tools have different uses and, at least for me, there are time’s when an Axiom will out perform a 6000 and vice versa.
Getting gold is the game and the Axiom, in my limited use experience, appeared to be much better than the 6000 on wet/damp and hot ground using mono coils.
I also like the fact that I can have a small double D coil, something not yet available for the 6000, if conditions are really bad.
Because I am severely retarded and now make my living from prospecting, good gold areas are usually more than an hour and commonly 2 hours drive away so I need to arrive there knowing that no matter the conditions I have everything available to maximise my chances of finding gold. Therefore an Axiom and several coils will definitely find it’s way into my truck.

Steve, thank you for your post. 
Being 55 myself I must admit to being tempted to go with just an Axiom and selling the 6000, particularly after using one.
And your input to Garrett certainly weighed on my mind.
But, here in WA, both machines have their place.

You mentioned coming to Australia?
It would be a distinct honour to meet and maybe share some patches with you, if you don’t already have a full schedule.
Unfortunately my knowledge on how this forum works is limited but I would assume you have the ability to either message or email me if this holds any interest for you.

 

 

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Great write-up on explaining your position on the whole issue Steve.

Really enjoyed the read, and I wish you happy hunting as you continue testing the Axiom, especially in Australia. What a fantastic opportunity! (Australia is still on the bucket list for me, not only for detecting, but for scuba on the Great Barrier Reef as well.)

All the best,

Lanny

 

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