RONS DETECTORS MINELAB

I am hoping Minelabs next VLF true gold detector has SMF features incorporated into it also. Minelab would also have to offer a more desirable smaller nugget coil that comes stock with the package to help keep it in the lower overall price range.

Yeah but then ML would have to charge $2000 for it. If they called it a Goldmonster Pro though the price could be lower than any other single frequency VLF gold detector on the market.

The stock 9 X 12" with factory settings of 15Khz. Park 2 mode could hear the .03 Gram but on the coil only and the .05 Gram could be heard off the coil. With further adjustments I could get a better response on both though.

My first impression was that this is a completely different detector from the previous 705 model and much more similar to the Equinox 700 pod configuration but without Multi-IQ. I have used the older X-Terra 705 with the 18.75Khz. Gold Pack coil and was curious to see how the new X-Terra Pro would perform on some smaller nuggets. I also liked that this detector had a manual ground balance and the Equinox 700/900 VDI numbers. So, the Equinox 6" coil was used for this testing using the 15Khz. Park 2 mode on both the X-Terra Pro and the Equinox using nugget sizes of .03 and .05 Gram. The X-Terra Pro and the Equinox could easily hit on both nuggets. As suspected the X-Terra Pro did have a decrease in target sensitivity when compared to the Equinox when I tried it in the Park 2 multi-frequency mode. Ground handling capabilities on both detectors were as usual for a VLF, no new breakthrough in this regard. I'll will have to admit I was surprised that this detector at it's price range could be used also for prospecting. I would like to hear any feedback if anyone else has used the X-Terra Pro for nugget hunting with any success. If this detector had a small coil and a selectable 18, 45, and 71Khz. frequency option I would call it a Goldmonster 2000. Yes, it would also be a waterproof fully submersible GM2000.

I also was thinking that the GPX-6000 and GPZ-7000 would always be separated out on performances since Minelab has controlled this market for so long. I hope they do not lose future sales on this past practice as now with the Axiom offering a 14" x 16" mono and DD coils it would seem the competition could change Minelab's previous thinking strategies, especially if it's about making the most profits. Hopefully they are forced into adding more options then what was previously offered to compete with the current competition, kind of like the X-Terra Pro release is attempting to do.

I was looking at the X-Terra Pro manual and saw it has a manual ground balance, nice feature. I was surprised they let me now I could order one now also.

I'm hoping the engineers can someday add a visual target ID for tone changes on PI and ZVT for better refining of what I'm hearing.

Yes, I'm hoping they shock me to, but it makes me also wonder what they have been designing since the 2015's ZED release, as this is a long time in the making. I can only hope it is a more refined 7000 that can actually add more depth performance on all nugget sizes, handle the worst ground effectively, and can have a huge variety of coil size options right from the release date, but If you already have X-coils this might not be it's best selling point. Any discrimination would still be beneficial for surface rubbish, shallow soils and bedrock areas, but I do not like the previous blanking type of PI discrimination, so maybe a different tone could be used or a visual target ID would be even more outstanding. I expect it to be a lot lighter with better ergonomics since they have been successful at doing this with other newer models. Any lightweight water resistance packaging would be beneficial for accident plunges while working near water. Being this is a Flagship detector for the most series prospectors I would hope it would have more user control options than the GPX-6000. For now I'm just glad Minelab is still taking the lead on this as I have confidence it will be worth the wait.

I am also hoping for better small gold discrimination on a PI detector, but as Steve has described in the below article this is a hard thing to accomplish. Even the GPX-6000, GPZ, SDC have all dropped discrimination from it's features probably due to the smaller disseminated gold capabilities it's after and the fact that these latest Minelab detectors are more of a true gold detector vs. a multipurpose gold and relic/coin detector such as the GPX-5000. Even though the Axiom has small gold capabilities and offers partial discrimination, it is also very limited at separating out two foot deep 3" nails. Please read the following note from the Garret Axiom owner's manual below: Note: Iron Check is a conservative function. To help ensure Axiom does not misidentify a good target as iron, the iron tone (buzz) will only activate on strong signals. Therefore, small/weak iron targets may not identify as iron. In addition, due to their large, flat surface area and relatively high conductivity, steel bottle caps will typically not identify as iron. Examples of iron targets that will produce the iron tone (buzz) are: a 3-inch nail to a depth of about 5 inches; and a ¾-inch boot nail to a depth of about 2 inches. In highly mineralized areas, Iron Check accuracy may be affected. And in the comparison chart from the GP-3000 located below nothing has really changed in this regard over a 20 plus years timeframe. Miracles can happen, so maybe in the future we will see some new breakthroughs in PI's discrimination capabilities, but so far just some more dig it all.

Oh No! I hate it when I do that!

Looks like Fisher was able to do some great iron discrimination with the Impulse AQ pulse induction detector on larger gold targets. Does anyone know if this ZTS technology is moving forward or if there was a problem with it's actual performance on in ground targets. I do like the presentation with the rings and nails together.

GPX 6000 for Goldmonster control type simplicity and Axiom for users wanting to adjust settings further for more challenging grounds. Axiom also for use in more surface iron infested grounds using DD discrimination. One year more warranty on 6000 though.

I really plan on getting the GPZ replacement, not sure how long it will be before it comes out though. I am primarily only hoping that they make coils that are comparable to the performance of the x-coils for it. Any other features than that would be only more reason to get it. Minelab usually incorporates all their newest technologies into multiple new detector releases, so I am optimistic that it will be a winner, especially over the previous 2015 ZED that was put into a bulky CTX housing.

X-Terra Pro is MAP price of $269.00, found out officially today.

Hopefully where you detect a VLF can handle the ground mineralization as hearing hot rocks all days is very discouraging to a young detectorist. If you are getting a VLF though the newer multi-freq. detectors can perform like your MXT and find smaller gold than the MXT. The March sale on the Equinox 600/800 also has the free 6" coil added to the package. Pricing as follows: Best Buy! Equinox 600 $599 corded headphones 2 coils & 3 year warranty. Note: Park 2 works on small sub grain gold .03 gram in it's multi-freq. mode. You give up about a quarter to half inch difference compared to the 800 in prospecting mode. Equinox 800 $899 wireless headphones 2 coils & 3 year warranty. Legend $499 no headphones one coil 2 year warranty. Legend Pro Pack $699 wireless headphones 2 coils including 6" 2 year warranty. Should be a good year in the Sierra's for you both, especially if the snows melt off quickly!