Nokta Makro Pi Metal Detector Release Update

[HardPack]

Any new or old updates or rumors stirrings of a suspected or pending “Nokta Makro Pulse Induction Metal Detector” release in the near future?  There are definitely several gaps between the out of production White TDI plus the still in production Garrett ATX, ML SDC 2300 and Garrett Axiom for a mid range PI detector. 

[Steve Herschbach]

As of last March they were in the initial stage of collecting ideas for what such a detector might eventually include. In other words still at the drawing board stage. Given what you may or may not know about how long it takes to get a detector from drawing board to production, you can draw your own conclusions from that. Hopefully by next year would be my guess, and frankly that would be in record time. It usually takes 3 - 5 years to get fully new detector designs to market but Nokta does have a record of moving quicker than other companies in that regard.

The ATX is not out of production and you probably meant just the TDI in that regard, but wanted to clarify that for the readers. Right now the options and price spread for a new with warranty ground balancing pulse induction (GBPI) detector are:

GPZ 7000 $8599 7.2 lbs - Top dog for big gold nuggets, excellent on smaller gold (better with different coils)

GPX 6000 $5999 4.5 lbs - Better than stock GPZ 7000 on smaller gold, not as deep on 1/4 ounce and larger.

Axiom $3995 4.2 lbs - 90% plus of the GPX 6000 nugget performance for 2/3 the price. Close, but not quite a match for the 6000 on nuggets, but far better than it for beach and relic use. Has crude PI Iron Disc, better EMI handling, ability to tune out hot rocks 6000 and 7000 can't, better salt handling (wider ground balance range in general), better manufacturer supplied coil options.

Minelab GPX 5000 $3999 6 lbs with battery on harness - Oldest design here, still being sold, but left out of recent Minelab promo sheets and probably to be discontinued soon. Cheap Chinese copies that really work are gutting the sales in Africa.

SDC 2300 $3399 5.3 lbs - Excellent easy to use vacuum cleaner for smaller gold, not half bad on larger stuff, limited by hardwired 8" coil. Fold up design really neat but in use it's a clunky machine. Waterproof but way to buoyant and of questionable waterproof integrity for true underwater use.

Garrett ATX $2379 7.0 lbs - Less expensive, but heavy, and least powerful of listed models. Fully submersible, more practical beach detector than buoyant SDC. Accessory coils each come with a rod assembly, redundant and expensive.

That's the current lineup with my notes on the landscape as it is at this time, and what Nokta has to go up against. The obvious target would be the $1999 - $2999 price range, where the Garrett ATX is the only contender. Anything just as good or better but addressing the physical design issues in the ATX would be a winner.

I suppose we should mention that Fisher might eventually get the Impulse Gold to market, and could do so before Nokta. The design they have for it could easily target the $1999 - $2999 price range and be a winner also. My faith in Fisher getting anything done has really taken a hit, but they can’t be counted out. And finally, Minelab could pull a fast one. A stripped down GPX 5000 circuit stuffed in a CTX 3030 box could target that price range, undercut Garrett, and head off both Fisher and Nokta. Don’t think Minelab will let any challenges go unaddressed, but that’s the great thing about completion, is it not? 

[HardPack]

40 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

It usually takes 3 - 5 years to get fully new detector designs to market but Nokta does have a record of moving quicker than other companies in that regard.

Let us keep NM and their engineers motivated and competitive for those of us interested in a mid range pulse induction detector for relic, beach and gold prospecting.