Calmark

Between the Deus 2 and Legend/Equinox, the latter are better "all-around" detectors due to the D2 lacking in the prospecting arena. For somebody who does prospecting with a vlf for any considerable amount of time, the Legend would be the one to have. I decided to keep my D2 for coin shooting and jewelry only. I won't likely ever take it out nugget hunting again and stick to my PI machines. Not that it can't find nuggets, but that's an area I've also found it to be a bit weak. If I ever did need a more sensitive vlf for prospecting, the Legend would be a consideration for sure. I think you've made a good choice to keep the Legend and sell the D2. Perhaps in the future if XP improves small target sensitivity on the D2 and adds a smaller coil, the D2 will equal the other MF detectors out there on small gold. Then it might be worth trying out a D2 again. I patiently await those XP updates, but if they don't come, I'll still be happy while looking for coins and jewelry with mine for now.

Jeff, I'd keep both the Legend and Deus 2 and use them in areas they have positives over the other and not in areas they have shortcomings. For example, take the Legend nugget hunting or for micro jewelry hunting since its clearly hotter on smaller targets. A smaller coil(s) for the Legend just accentuates this even further. Its somewhat of a bummer the D2 isn't likely to get a smaller coil anytime soon... If the Deus 2 handles EMI better like mine does over my Equinox 800, use it in more urban settings where that gives an edge. I use my Deus 2 more also because it has nicer ergonomics, even over a Micronox set up with carbon fiber telescopic rod and 10x5 Coiltek coil. Your Legend has an 11in coil too, so if you want depth, then the Legend is the one to grab. All that said, I just very recently sold my Equinox to a friend of mine to search for an old home site somewhere on his property. I kept the D2 since its better on EMI when I coin and jewelry hunt. ID# accuracy is nice, but looking for jewelry, I just dig things that sounds good or are in the range jewelry or coins are likely to be found. My soil is extremely mineralized like yours and I typically get .5-1in less depth than you report. Any of the multi-frequency machines out there seem to have ID that is good enough for good identification up to 4-5 inches at least. I know its tempting to cash out the D2 in my mind and use a Legend or Nox since they all have capabilities that are very close to each other. I'd probably buy a Legend if I were to get another MF machine. It has a lot of great qualities and recent additions in the newest software have made it very competitive to the others.

NV-OR-ID-CAL-AU has posted a table with weights of all the new NF and Coiltek offerings. I took a picture of the post with my phone on July 1st. I couldn't find it in a search of this website and I think he changed his user name my explain why. The Coiltek 14x9 is supposed to be 900g and the 10x5 575g. Stock Minelab 11in is 707g. My 10x5 is 578g on the scale.

I've too have thought the added ability of the GPX 6000 to sense smaller and deeper nuggets than past GPX machines was accomplished by added sensitivity on the newest model. The price to pay has been added noise, be it from extra emi sensitivity, coil orientation-induced noise, etc. I too have found small nuggets deeper in areas covered by my previous PI machines. Despite its drawbacks, the GPX6000 does well on small nuggets. These new aftermarket coils will help tame down the machine's noisiness, based on what info is out there so far. My 10x5 Coiltek looks very well made. I hope to give it a test soon and see if its quieter and more stable.

Nice job finding that mercury dime. I always love finding those and find the design of them to be just beautiful. Your digger its doing great in that hard ground. Nice design on those.

My Coiltek 10x5 Goldhawk coil arrived today. I just got it installed on my ML GPX6000. Its very light weight and even more compact now. I weighed the coil on my digital scale before I taped the coil cover on. It weighed 578 grams. A bit over the advertised weight, but on the machine itself, it feels quite light and nimble. I need to go visit some bedrock with this combo soon!

I think my Coiltek 10x5 is on its way to me now. I hope to try it out sometime this next week. I'll try to give a report on it and let you all know what I think.

It could be a nice opportunity for somebody in the USA to buy an Axiom and then fly to Australia with it for a 2-3 week prospecting trip. Come home (hopefully) with a little gold, and with less baggage on the return plane trip if the Axiom found a new home down under.

If we have a choice of both detector packages in the USA, I anticipate some trading opportunities for people to get the coils they prefer from other members of this site. Its likely we only get 1 package offered to start, so we will see what we get. I hope you can get your 11DD relatively quickly.

Thanks Steve for the additional coil information. These coils sound like they will work great. Easy overall to use and pinpoint with, but with some learning curve over what people are used to perhaps. Still, it sounds like there is a high skill-ceiling on these type of coil design and plenty to interpret which gives additional target info. Gives room for people to really grow into them with time and experience.

I wondered if these coils were flat wound or something to increase sensitivity to nuggets. It looks like its due to that fairly unique coil winding configuration instead. Almost like a concentric coil. Past flat wound coils I've have had been a bit less sensitive at the edges than a traditional coil, but deeper-seeking in the middle. Looks like the Garret coils will have nice sensitivity in the middle too. How is sensitivity on the outside of the coils? That flat-nosed design has given me hope all along of high sensitivity at the tip for sensing targets near rocks or for pinpointing. Having two hot areas would be great, but just knowing there is one in the middle makes for good news!

I've sort of come to the conclusion that Garrett probably knows what they are doing for coils and detector packages destined for the USA. I bet the 13x11DD, 11x7 mono and wireless headphones will be what we get. To me it makes sense. 13x11DD for the relic hunters, and for those hitting the sand on the beaches above the water line. And the 11x7 mono for the West coast nugget hunters where more often than not conditions are cramped, steep, rocky or brushy, so the smaller coil is a good tool for those areas. Great patch cleanup coil too I'd be willing to bet. And I think with that juicy-looking 13x11 mono coil out there, Garrett is likely to make a lot of later, extra sales in coils for those who want a bigger mono for the same areas. I won't mind an 11x7 mono as a daily coil at all. My biggest nugget ever detecting (1.2oz.) was with my ML 4500 and 12x8evo coil. I have pretty much gone with that combo since.

I'd prefer the 11x7 mono and 11x7DD to start and get the larger sizes later. But, that doesn't seem to be an option. I'd only likely use a DD for nugget hunting in high trash, and the smaller the DD coil in high trash, the better. An 11x7DD would be a bit more versatile in any coin-shooting scenarios too since it would help separate coins from among the junk. Not something I'd do often, but more as a potential clean-up in some places I've hit hard with my vlf machines. Or just get the 13x11 mono to start since its a great all-arounder.....

Very smart of Garrett to take their extremely popular AT "Carrot" pinpointer to another level where its also able to be used wirelessly with other detectors. Clearly, that can only help Garrett sales of their Z-lynk systems if/when people start to adopt the wireless pinpointer. Shows a vision of offering some "newer" tech toward future sales with this strategy.

I have found it a bit confusing why there are two packages that are so similar too. Its been tough to figure out the ideal package I'd want to buy because of that. There is around a $125 retail difference between wireless (MS-3) and the wired headphones (MS-2) price. It seemed a bit odd to me there would be that much of a difference in coil prices between the two listed packages to warrant selling a corded heaphone (MS-2) package for the same price. It makes sense each package is destined for a separate market. Just one choice will make "choosing" easier in a sense.

Tony, I figured you and many in Australia would be interested in the 16x14 size of coils. You have a lot of flat, open territory to cover and a long history of large-sized nuggets being found at depth. I think the 16x14 coils will work for a lot of you seeking large nuggets until something larger is possibly resleased in the future. For most people the 13x11 mono should be a good compromise size for most uses. I think the 11x7 will be very good at searching those brushy and rocky areas and do a decent job searching tight bedrock too. I think my plan will be to get both the 13x11 mono and 11x7 monos eventually and have one DD coil for those situations where discrimination or emi-reduction is needed.

I have a Garret Axiom on pre-order from one of our resident "favorite dealers" and look forward to when it arrives. Here are the packages offered as we know for now, info from the Garret website: 1142720 Axiom Metal Detector with 13"x11" DD Coil, 11"x7" Mono Coil and MS-3 Headphones 1142765 Axiom Metal Detector with 13"x11" Mono Coil, 11"x7" DD Coil and MS-2 Headphones I selected the Axiom package with the MS-3 headphones, 13x11DD and 11x7 mono coils. I figure where I hunt, lack of a headphone cord to tangle up on brush made this package the most attractive, but I feel like the other package offered with the MS-2 wired headphones would also be a nice coil selection to start. Such a hard decision... These initial coil offerings are a big selling point for me. I'm a big fan of elliptical shaped coils for their benefits for reaching into tighter spaces, while also maintaining decent coverage for the relative size. I also like how responses can be sharper than round coils too. These are fairly round for people who enjoy the benefits offered by round coils. 11x7 and 13x11 and also the 16x14 are fairly unique coil sizes are a great blend of the popular round and elliptical coils offered by other manufacturers. While they might not make all people happy, I think these sizes will make most people quite satisfied they have a very useable and flexible-sized coil attached. The Axiom definitely seems to be one of those "do-it-all" type of PI machines. Maybe not best at certain things, but a high-performing all-arounder in many areas, and that includes the coils! I like what I see so far and can't wait for mine to arrive to give it a go. Garrett Axiom Quick Facts, Owner's Manual, Etc.

I really like the form factor of the Axiom, and that definitely extends to the coils. I look forward to using mine when it arrives!

I wonder if the current Garrett Axiom coils are regular wound or if they have flat wound wiring. Mention was of some unique configuration for the DD coil. That's all we know so far.

Gerry, congrats on that killer nugget. I was impressed with the audio letting you know to dig it up. An exciting time for sure.

A well done video intro on the Axiom. Thank you for your vision, persistence and extremely hard work on getting the Axiom created for all of us prospectors and treasure hunters. It ticks a LOT of boxes for specs and I think people are going to be happy with it. Very promising looking from just the first peeks!

I read weight is 4.2lbs with the 11x7in coil. Not bad at all! https://garrett.com/sport/axiom

I think this machine will be quite popular. The light weight and user friendliness alone will appeal to many. I bet there will be some serious nugget sensing ability as well.

I would definitely recommend wearing a harness and bungy when running this coil. It sounds like you are prepared in your thinking. I found 3 nuggets in one red-colored extremely mineralized patch of dirt at good depth with this coil. My dad went over it previously with his GPX5000 and 14x9 Nugget Stalker coil and me with my SDC. The 15DD Detech got some deeper nuggets at 8 inches we'd missed. Later, my brother and I pulled some other nuggets out of this spot with his GPZ7000 and my GPX6000, though it was when the ground was bone dry and the least noisy. In nearby areas that were less hot, I tried the sharp timing for a short while and it also ran quite smoothly like sensitive extra and normal timings. I do think in super hot soil, this coil can likely beat out a mono coil where the added ground noise can drown out nugget signals. The trade-off is weight and a mono coil out-performing it in milder soil. I have not tried this coil in really wet soil, but I suspect it would handle the added ground noise well, even running in the more powerful timings on the GPX. Use those powerful timings like normal or sensitive extra in bad soil and make this coil shine.

Here is a reply I gave about the Detech Ultra Spiral 15DD to another forum member a while back. The summary is its a great coil with nice sensitivity and depth that can be run in normal timing in highly mineralized ground...but its HEAVY.