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Whites GMX Sport Vs The Legend In Prospecting Mode


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I decided to start another thread.  I have an opportunity to purchase a barely used GMX Sport with two coils (still has the original Noni batteries).  I also have the Legend.  I want to hunt for nuggets around in the streams here in Oregon.  What would be the advantages if any, of the GMX over the Legend?  Any other comments would be welcome.

Thanks!

Walt

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I was just doing a similar comparison.......Garrett Goldmaster 24K vs the Equinox and Legend.......which do I keep.

I decided to sell the GM24K.

Why?

I personally really like most things about the 24K/GMX as far as gold prospecting detectors. The three things I like the least are their weight.....24K=almost 4 lbs with a full tray of batteries and GMX=way over 4 lbs with batteries........and at least my 24k is much harder to ground balance in high iron mineralization than the Legend and Equinox. All three require frequent ground balance checks but it is harder for me to really tell if the 24K/GMX is really optimally ground balanced unless I leave it in tracking which I would prefer not to do. The last thing is the 24K/GMX will overload at setting 6 or 7 of 10 in some places I hunt (ground handling issues again) where the Equinox and Legend using Multi settings will just keep right on detecting at much higher sensitivity settings at the same locations.

I have had the opportunity to do air and in the ground testing between all three detectors...24K, Nox 800 and Legend. Currently the Legend's 10X5" coil is still not available so exactly the same coil size testing can't be done yet for me.

Comparing the GM24K with 10X6" versus the Equinox with 10X5" the GM24K has a very slight edge with similar sensitivity settings at 70%. I can't run my GM24K any higher due to overload where I have used it and tested it. We are talking in 1/4" differences or less on all of the targets I tested. If you can run a GM24K hotter, the difference might be up to 1/2". 

The Legend head to head with the Equinox using 6" coils are virtually identical in sensitivity and ground handling.

So, unlike the GMX, the Legend can be run in Multi or at 40 kHz (and others) which is very comparable to the GMX 48kHz.

I trust the Legend to be very waterproof. I also like its internal rechargeable battery, wireless audio and the vibration feature for water work and for the hearing impaired. The GMX is definitely waterproof from most accounts. It doesn't have those other features.

Finally, due to the Legend's SMF tech, it has much more accurate target IDs, it has a Ferro Check, Mineralization Meter and it has the ability to run different programs for more versatility. The 24K/GMX has two search modes which are excellent, a very good follow the black sand feature, iron probability feature and very nice audio in my opinion. Its displayed target IDs are much less accurate than the Legend's however.

If I didn't own a Legend or Equinox........my keeping the 24K would not even be a question. It's a great gold prospecting detector as single frequency gold prospecting detectors go. Throw in the ground handling and versatility of the Legend's SMF tech and great sensitivity to small low conductors........that decision went to the Legend.

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Thank you for that in-depth report, Jeff.  I always look forward to your opinions.

I think I should have been more specific in my topic: GMX vs Legend in Prospecting Mode (just changed it).  I had thought that with the XGB Ground Balance the GMX would have been the better machine.

Walt

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  • The title was changed to Whites GMX Sport Vs The Legend In Prospecting Mode

I have not seen that as far as the XGB ground balancing of the GMX exceeding the ground handling capabilities of the Legend (or Equinox) and their simultaneous multi frequency tech.  

All of the information I gave you above about air and in the ground testing was done in each detectors raw, as close to possible semi threshold based All Metal gold prospecting modes on sub gram gold nuggets. If I can only run the GM24K/GMX at no more than 70% at a site due to overloading but I can run the Legend (or Equinox 800) at 90%+ at the same site........the difference in sensitivity to small gold shown in the 70% sensitivity setting on both detectors above is minimal if not in favor of the Legend or Equinox.

Your ground conditions at your prospecting sites maybe totally favorable to the GMX so it can run hotter. Mine aren't.

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21 minutes ago, Jeff McClendon said:

Your ground conditions at your prospecting sites maybe totally favorable to the GMX so it can run hotter. Mine aren't.

Depending on where you're at in the state or which side of the cascades you're on:

volcanic and meta-sedimentary rocks, ophiolite, schist, sedimentary sand, mudstone, and shale.

Thanks!

Walt

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I went ahead and bought the unit.  It still has the original Noni AA batteries in it.  It came with the 8" Round Concentric and 4"x6" DD coils plus the "Sport" Waterproof headphones.

Although I really appreciate Jeff's comments and the time he took to answer my question, I still couldn't shake the fact that I've always heard (and touted) that a dedicated Gold Prospecting detector will outperform a Multi-Purpose machine, or it should, anyway.

I wish I could have heard from Steve as well.  I'm guessing he's traveling or unplugged at this time.

I honestly believe this will do what I need it to on our streams here in Oregon.  I really can't understand Garrett not using this platform instead of the Rainproof 24K.   Unless it was just quicker and easier to reproduce.  Other than the Nokta Gold Kruzer, there are no waterproof Higher Frequency Gold machines on the market unless from a company I'm not familiar with.  As a dealer in a state that has both a significant amount of rain and at least 10,000 waterways, the first question I'm asked is: "Is it Waterproof?". 

Walt

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I'm sure you'll like it, the 24k handles the hot rocks around here so much better than my Equinox does.

You were lucky to get the coils with it, I wanted to get that little 4x6" DD but its impossible now to find one.

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Never used a Legend, so no comment. I would say that dedicated VLF being better than multipurpose VLF for nugget detecting is not really accurate anymore. Old school thinking. As far as waterproof, since the vast majority of nugget hunters do not need anything more than a rainproof detector, and that's what Garrett made. You seem to think it is not. Almost nobody detects for nuggets fully submerged, so fully submersible is simply not a requirement.

As far as people falling down in creeks with detectors... don't do that. I lived and detected in Alaska almost all my life, much of it in pouring rain, and while crossing and working in streams. Nothing like beaver dam crossings. I think I dipped a detector once, but let's say twice in case I forget one. Dry the thing out, get back to business.

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Yep, I fell in a creek with my GM1000, dried it out and you'd never know 🙂

 

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14 minutes ago, phrunt said:

I'm sure you'll like it, the 24k handles the hot rocks around here so much better than my Equinox does.

You were lucky to get the coils with it, I wanted to get that little 4x6" DD but its impossible now to find one.

I have an extra.  Brand new but no cover.  I was thinking about going up to Centreville Electronics NW and picking one up.

Thanks!

Walt

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