GPZ 7000 vs GPX 5000 - Video by JP!

[rumblefish]

Of course, Steve. I wasn't disputing the all-in-oneness of the GPZ. Only pointing out, from what I saw and heard, that the GPX hasn't suddenly become awful overnight. But since I don't have one anyway, I'm not really worried!

[fredmason]

Happy Bithday a little late, Jonathan!

 

Your hat-cam was making me sea-sick...but it is always a thrill to vicariously dig a nugget down in Oz with you.

 

fred

[calgeologist]

This may be an incorrect assumption here so please correct me if im wrong.  The 12x15 elliptical acts like a 12 inch mono right? And the GPZ is running a 14 inch coil.  So there is a disparity of 2 inches there.  Maybe a 14 incho mono would pick it up louder on the GPX?  I need an expert to weigh in on this since this could be based on no actual fact.

 

Either way its great to finally see a head to head test!

[jasong]

Keep in mind that the 15x12 is specifically referenced in the Minelab 7k vs 5k performance graphs so I'm guessing that might be one reason why it was used. Anyone looking for evidence of claims on those widely circulated graphs now have a video to reference as well.

 

Agreed, great video.

 

Not an expert here, but my experience is that coils roughly scale in equivalence by area. The area of a 15x12" elliptical is roughly equal to the area of a 13.5" round. The DOD coil is 13x14 making it's total area almost exactly equivalent to a 15x12 if you do the math on it.

[wirelessguy]

What gets overlooked is that the GPZ is doing what the GPX can do with a bigger coil, or a smaller coil, or different timings, all at once with one setting and one coil. Yeah, I think the GPX in multiple passes with multiple coils and different settings can give a GPZ with a single setting and coil a run for the money in many cases. As long as you have time to hit the same ground multiple times. And even then, the GPZ will hit some gold a GPX just can't hit.

Any light bulbs?

 

 

BINGO!   I was thinking the exact same thing last night when I read this thread and the chart comparing GPZ and GPX 5000 having "same " performance and planned to pose in form of a Q this AM.  Steve insightfully answered my Q before I could write it!    As has been the case all over this excellent web site.

 

I am told by my USA dealer he should be able to ship my paid for GPZ 7000 early next week.  Can't wait! 

[Bearkat]

GPX in Fine Gold was the problem! Normal with high gain would have hit that sucker. Pretty big piece of gold. 

Good video none the less showing a real live test with the new GPZ 7000. 

[Bearkat]

Here is another video of the GPZ 7000 from one of my Youtube detector buds (Nenad) in Adelaide hills area:

 

[cobill]

There is a signal from the GPX - JP mentions it himself in the video. But it is extremely weak.

The problem with video of course is people see what they want to see. If the desire is to see proof the GPZ is better, that is what you see. If you are skeptical of the GPZ, you see a dozen reasons why the GPX could have done better. It is one big reason I am not very excited about doing video myself.

For instance if you want to go down the rabbit hole you can just go with the possibility that maybe all the GPX needed was a 16" mono. The GPZ has no coil options at this time. Or if the GPZ hits a small specimen, you can mention that the GPX may have hit it with a small coil. Or different timings.

What gets overlooked is that the GPZ is doing what the GPX can do with a bigger coil, or a smaller coil, or different timings, all at once with one setting and one coil. Yeah, I think the GPX in multiple passes with multiple coils and different settings can give a GPZ with a single setting and coil a run for the money in many cases. As long as you have time to hit the same ground multiple times. And even then, the GPZ will hit some gold a GPX just can't hit.

Any light bulbs?

For me pounding old patches is fine and dandy, but my personal use of the GPX is going to be for patch hunting and knowing that I have the best shot first time no matter what in a single pass of getting what is there. I am going to spend most of my time this summer detecting on ground that has hopefully never seen a coil, and it will see mine just once.

Honestly though, if you have a GPX 5000 and a bunch of coils and know which timings to use and a SDC 2300 and the time to apply it all in various combinations, then you are pretty well set, and no burning need to get a GPZ 7000.

Steve, great indepth thoughts about JPs video (Happy Birthday JP). I came to the same conclusion indirectly 2 weeks ago:

 

"Honestly though, if you have a GPX 5000 and a bunch of coils and know which timings to use and a SDC 2300 and the time to apply it all in various combinations, then you are pretty well set, and no burning need to get a GPZ 7000."

 

When I go out detecting I usually only have 1 - 3 days in a large area and don't have the time and knowledge it takes to apply all the timings in various combinations. So my decision was easy and JP answered my only open question....I sold the GPX with 11 coils and have ordered the GPZ!

 

Bill 

[Jonathan Porter]

Hi Steve, thanks for posting up the link to the video, also thanks everybody for the birthdays wishes it was a pretty busy day yesterday finalizing videos and trying to deal with the inflow of queries through email, FB messages, forum PMs and phone calls, basically speaking I was super busy working in an industry I really enjoy.

 

Steve thanks for keeping this forum clean, as always the grubs come out of the woodwork on the release of a new detector but this time it has seemed more intense and vicious, either that or I'm just over it, either way I'm content to just take a back seat for a while and wait for the genuine people to come to the fore again.

 

By way of background, the video was shot in a well pounded location that initially produced 7 ounces for me back in 1995 with the SD 2000, since that time I've had mixed results but others have been lucky in there from time to time, but overall multiple targets in the main zone have been rare.

 

I am extremely intimate with the location where the 7 gram nugget came from, I've been over that particular ground with every Minelab PI detector since 1995 and also every conceivable coil size and timing combination, it is one of my favourite test locations. A good operator with a 5K working extremely hard and at their peak levels will on occasion get their coil in the precise spot at the right time and score the odd deep piece, this is also very much dependent on interference from local power lines nearby and also an airport not far away.

 

The 15 x 12 Commander mono is the perfect comparo coil, and represents a pretty good size relative to the 14" SuperD coil on the GPZ, if you want to be picky then perhaps the 5K should have been used with a 15 x 12 DD Commander instead but then we would have had to use Normal timings against the GPZ's Difficult mode or maybe I should have shown the sheer grunt of the Normal soils mode of the GPZ and really blown your socks off!!! However in reality the ground is extremely variable in that location and requires the use of a Mono coil on the 5k and the use of Fine Gold or Enhance, and High Yield Difficult on the GPZ. Seeing how Fine and Enhance on the 5K have the same outright depth on large gold, I opted for Fine to cover the best signal response on the smaller gold, these modes are in line with what I would actually use on these detectors when chasing gold for real. 

 

In the general area of the 7 gram find I was popping nuggets out everywhere, almost like it was a virgin patch all over again, Ive been over this ground with the 5K using 18" and 20" monos, as well as 16" and 14" rounds, I have also worked this area with DD and mono coils in Normal timings with the GP series machines along with the SD machines, in a nutshell to pull so many gold targets out of such a familiar place sets my pulse racing.

 

I have never ever had such a smooth running detecting experience in this location, I can run Audio Smoothing off on the GPZ, this is like running the Stabilizer on 20 on the 5K!!!! I can also use the General/Normal mode here just like a GP using a DD coil but have the grunt of a Monoloop without excessive ground noise, but why would I put up with ground noises in hot sweaty weather when I can opt for a Smooth/Enhance/Fine Gold type mode in the form of High Yield or General /Difficult and obtain depths that on some occasions have blown an 18" and 20" monos on a 5K out of the water?!! 

 

There is so much to tell about this detector after the experiences I've had during testing, its nuances and performance go much deeper than just its "obvious out of the box simplicity".

 

Finally I want to create some distance between myself and peoples purchasing decisions on this detector, the GPZ 7000 is a high end professional instrument and is expensive, your reasons for buying should be based on your own personal choices not on my recommendations, once the dust settles I promise I'll be around to discuss the detectors merits and how to get the best out of the GPZ 7000 with ZVT.

 

JP

 

 

 

[fredmason]

Thanks, JP. I think when testing/comparing a new machine to another, going over familar ground is key. When only one or two pieces show that can mean the detectorist was a little more diligent. However when multiple targets are found that is certainly an indication, if not outright proof of a quantum advance in the technology.

 

Still, wanting is really the best reason to buy for most of us amatuers.

 

But, don't spend the rent money!!!

fred