Jeff McClendon

Definitely do the factor reset. If that doesn't help, then the places you are hunting have some low frequency EMI in the iron/small foil range. If you have that problem again, see what the numbers are and reject them unless they are the same ferrous numbers that you need to detect your Canadian coins. If you can just accept one or two numbers in the iron range and still get enough of a response for those coins you are good. I have heard this low frequency EMI coming from buried electrical wires for sprinkler systems, electric cattle fences and those wireless systems that keep pets in a confined area. For certain there are other EMI sources too.

That was a great video from Nic. And thanks Novic for clarifying timings vs ground type settings as they relate to the GM2000 and the GPX 6000. I am still not convinced that there is something extraordinary happening in the GM2K other than it has a wider frequency spread variant of similar Multi IQ technology that is in the Vanquish, X-Terra Elite, Equinox and Manticore. Multi IQ tech will definitely make the GM2K handle bad ground much better than the GM1K or any single frequency VLF gold prospecting detector. Like I said earlier, I ran the gold modes on the 800, 900 and Manticore compared to the GM1000 and all other single frequency gold prospecting detectors I could get my hands on except the Gold Bug 2 and those Multi IQ detectors ran more stable and with much less reaction to hot rocks and hot ground while being able to run at moderate to high sensitivity compared to the single frequency ones which would all overload and had to be dumbed way down just to operate. Adding Multi IQ with frequencies up to 75 khz, three ground types versus the two ground type settings on the GM1000 (iron reject and deep), target ID, a live threshold tone and discrimination audio..........tell me if I am missing something else here.

Timings or Ground Types on the GM2K are Benign, Normal and Difficult similar to the Ground Types on the GPX 6000-Normal and Difficult. Most sites I hunted with the 6000 I was running Difficult and some places Difficult and had to use the DD coil

So, running the Manticore in Goldfield Multi is too noisy to hunt with unless you lower sensitivity due to ground noise. The only times that the Equinox 800, 900 and Manticore running their gold programs using Multi can’t handle moderate to high magnetite here and ground noise takes over is when I use automatic ground tracking ground balance or when the magnetite concentrations are full of magnetite that is bigger sized . As long as I ground balance often I can run sensitivity between 22 and 26 which will hit most sub 0.1 gram nuggets easily. It’s not silent search at those levels due to hot rocks but it works for me. GM1K was a nightmare at some of the sites I hunt. Ground tracking could not keep up and pumping ground balance would take 30 seconds or more after each target even on models with the Quick Track function. Adding Multi IQ to the Goldmonster 2000 should really make a big difference here along with the higher multi frequencies. I really trust Minelab’s Multi IQ technology. It’s the best thing that ever happened to VLF detecting at least for me. What I don’t trust are Minelab’s preset timings/ground types.

Not meaning to ask a dumb question, I just have zero idea about your dirt conditions. Why do you have to lower the Manticore down below being capable of picking up pieces below 0.1 grams. What behavior is the Manticore doing that makes that necessary?

So for me, the elephant in the room is GM2k versus Manticore both for ground handling and for hitting sub 0.1 to 0.01 gram gold which is mostly all that is left in many of the places I hunt. My issue is hunting in moderate to high levels of USA magnetite from microscopic to golf ball sized. Manticore settings and manual ground balancing can be adjusted to handle the microscopic to shotgun pellet sized magnetite. Anything larger can be dealt with using a boot scrape or magnet. The preset timings on the GPX 6000 did not handle the same magnetite well at all unless I switched to the 14" DD coil but that made hitting smaller gold even harder. So, can I trust that Minelab made the timings on the GM2k to work a lot better on moderate to high levels of USA magnetite than their timings for the GPX 6000 or do I have to gamble $2000 US in order to find out?

I agree with Chase as far as Pitch 2 being overwhelming to the ears at iron infested sites. Turning down iron volume will help some for strictly iron responses. It is better suited in my opinion for sites with more sparse target density and for smaller targets in general.

Not running single frequency. I have no issues with negative numbers/red numbers. I expect to see them and hear their iron responses on these micro low conductor targets due to their conductivity and the high magnetite content of the soil here.

I know some people have used the Manticore’s gold prospecting mode for other types of hunting besides gold prospecting. I have spent a ton of time using that mode for actual gold prospecting and at least for me, the Prospecting audio theme is not going to be my first choice for micro jewelry hunting. The same goes for using the Goldfield mode on Deus 2. I am glad that there are other choices for micro jewelry hunting on both detectors. Somebody else will need to do that comparison.

That is a good question and I have felt from experience that I knew the answer. But to make sure I did a little test. It's posted in the comparison topic on this forum.

I've been wanting to know the answer to which is more sensitive to micro jewelry using similar programs setup with similar settings. I have not had a chance to do this in the field. I used Deus 2 HF2 coil, Sensitive program, Pitch 2 High Square Audio, Disc 10, Sensitivity 93, Max Frequency 53 kHz, Reactivity 2, Silencer 0, Bottle Caps 0, No Notch, Audio Response 4, Iron Volume 7. I used Manticore M8 coil, All Terrain Low Conductors, Depth Tones, Preset Disc pattern which leaves target IDs 0 to 10 wide open and I used the horseshoe button engaged, Sensitivity 22, Recovery Speed 5. I put a couple of inches of dirt that fills up all of the Deus 2 magnetite mineralization meter that is from my backyard in the bottom of a 13" gold pan and put 3" of wood chips on top of it. This mimics the bark tot lots that I hunt with the HF2 coil. I put all targets under the wood chips and on top of the dirt, so roughly 3" depth. Here is a photo of the wood chips and dirt with a gold chain in the gold pan. Here is a chart of the results showing the targets, their size/weight, depth of detection and target IDs The chart does not show it but no doubt about it, Deus 2 with HF2 coil using Pitch 2 tones and the Sensitive program was more effective than Manticore with M8 coil using Depth tones in All Terrain Low Conductors. The HF2 absolutely nailed the gold chains and the M8 coil struggled on those targets and a few others. XP's Pitch 2 is really strong for this type of detecting. I tried other Manticore settings and All Terrain modes. The Manticore results were worse using those other modes. I did not try the gold prospecting mode on either detector. Both audio themes, Pitch 2 and Depth tones have VCO 2 tone audio. The 3" depth is not necessarily the max depth on some of these targets. Another inch or two is possible with both detectors. I just used an arbitrary 3" floor for this test. The smaller chain, titanium ball point pen tip, 10K earring post and 10K earring back were already iffy or not detectable at 3". At least for these type of targets and hunting, the 53 to 88 kHz max frequencies that are available for Deus 2's FMF programs along with the new Pitch 2 are just better. So, for micro jewelry hunting on land or fresh water, I am sticking with Deus 2 and the HF2 coil and Pitch 2.

Gold Finder 2000, Gold Racer and Gold Kruzer (after current stock is sold) have all been discontinued. It makes total sense for Nokta to add their simultaneous multi frequency technology to their new gold prospecting specific detector that will also have wireless audio and also be fully waterproof. I hope to get one when they are released. I always liked the high single frequency Gold Racer and Gold Kruzer but they would overload too easily on some of the dirt around here which is something that my Legend using its gold prospecting mode in Multi has no issues with.

It may have been overpriced to you, but its original price was right in line with the other Deus 2 coils. I ordered mine in late April and it was shipped before the tariffs happened. It has found me three times over its "over priced" amount in micro gold jewelry melt value since I started using it. I guess I got my "over priced" money's worth.

The XP HF2 coil got caught up in the 50% steel, aluminum and copper tariff imposed on some European Union products. So it wasn't hit with just the 15% standard EU tariff imposed by the USA back in June of 2025 because it had some copper content. XP worked hard to negotiate that tariff down to 15% and recently succeeded in doing that for USA buyers. Otherwise, USA buyers that had preordered at the original $399 price would have had to pay an extra $200 just to import the coil. XP couldn't absorb that cost and didn't want to charge USA buyers that extra amount either so they fought to get the tariff lowered. So, XP will eat 5% of the 15% and USA buyers will pay the other 10% for the coil which is why the price for the coil is now 10% higher than the pre order price in late April and May. Go ahead and keep blaming XP for a poor product roll out if that makes people feel better.......

The Gold Kruzer will probably work on the dry salt sand with lowered gain/ sensitivity.