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BMaxx

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  1. I did contact Garrett on this but let me preface their answer with why I asked in the first place.

    My intent was to find out if a person could use the detector with the booster pack alone (similar to a whites detector) because i am pretty sure that AA's are going to be around for a while - not so sure about a potentially special battery used in the Axiom.

    Garrett says the following:

    It will work from the external battery with a failed/dead internal battery, but not with the internal battery removed.  In addition, disabling and removing the internal battery would void the warranty.

    Based on this answer, I'm wondering if the user can even replace the internal battery during the warranty period, should the need arise.

    Anyway, i hope this tidbit helps others.

  2. Hi ALL

     

    Just wondering if anyone can tell me the following:

    If the main battery were to fail in the Axiom, could the booster pack be used to bypass the dead/defective main battery?

    In other words, could the Axiom be used exclusively on the battery pack?

     

    Pls and thanks!

  3. Steve - Thanks for the well balanced review of the GPX6000 and the Axiom.  I have been looking at the 6000 for quite a while but have never pulled the trigger because of a number of things.  One is the cost, another was related to coil choices (which has since been mitigated by Coiltek and others), and finally the quality control problems experienced by users.  All of this kind of left me sitting on the sidelines, mulling things over.  Tonight I just found out about the Axiom and it appears to be a reasonable alternative to the 6000.  The cost is a little easier to justify and the performance may turn out to be acceptably comparable to the 6000.  Time will tell but i will be researching the Axiom more.  I'm like you in that i am getting near the end of my detecting days but i have always wanted a really good dedicated gold detector.  Thanks to all at detector prospector forum!

    • Like 4
    • Thanks 1
  4. Neighbour and I were discussing Coiltek coils today for our Nox 800s and from what I am gathering from this thread is that coiltek coils are not much different than the minelab coils.  The 10x5 Coiltek may be a decent choice for working crevices/bushes but the other two coiltek offerings seem to be too heavy with no clear cut inherent advantages over minelab and user opinions on this forum seem to confirm this as well.

    We may get the 10x5s but I'm not in any hurry to do so now.  Funny thing is that I thought Coiltek were somehow superior so I came here to get a reality check.

    Thanks to all on the forum for this info. 

     

  5. OK - went out yesterday and hit a park close to home.  What a DIFFERENCE!  Targets all over and I used Park2 on 40 kHz and in all metal mode.  Came back with a pocketful of change and a big smile on my face.

    Now i am starting to see why the 800 for a lot of folks, is their go-to machine.

    Happy hunting all.

     

  6. I tried from 3" above to almost touching the coins.

     

    Coins were placed singly (as in by themselves), and then in a row 12" apart.

    Now that I think about it, all metal mode was off in Park 1 and 2.    Ultimately these coins are basically worthless to me because I am hunting for silver, copper & possibly gold coins.  I think I now understand that steel basically qualifies as ferrous and therefore detectors are not really liking it.  Conversely, I could then detect in all metal mode and if i get a consistent signal at a low range, it might be one of these steel coins.  Will test on some to see if this is the case or if you get that scratchy iron sound and it is still a coin - it's going to make discrimination real fun.

    • Like 1
  7. Can anyone weigh-in on the following?

    I am new to the Equinox 800 and am learning the machine.  So far, finding silver and/or copper type coins does not appear to be a problem.  Generally, I get a response that clearly tells me that it is a good coin target.

    However, on the newer Canadian coins that are made of steel, the detector simply does not find them well at all.  We have set up rows of these newer Canadian coins on top of the soil and the detector hardly even "sees" them.  Numbers are all over the place and basically meaningless.  Even pinpointing is difficult.

    Clad US coins are easy to find because of the copper content.

    So i am hoping that folks with a better handle on this machine can pass on along a little wisdom on this topic.  And maybe someone can even shed a little light on what the meaningfulness of the numbers are on the Equinox display.  (So far, I rely almost exclusively on audio signal).

     

    Thanks all.

     

    PS - the sign-a-graph and vdi numbers on my Whites DFX actually meant something and were very helpful for targeting decisions.

  8. Wow.  Not good to hear how Minelab may be turning their back on experienced users in this field.  Definitely right that this unit (GPX6000) as well as the other top end units are only as good as the person using it.  There is the fact that "you can swing this thing all day, but if you do not know where to find the gold - all you will end up with is a sore arm".

    Minelab makes serious quality detectors but I think they are going after the wrong market this time and they may still end up with a black eye as a result.

    Combined with that, there may be a hell of a lot of used GPX 6000's for sale in the next 6 to 12 months. 

    • Like 4
  9. I think I phrased this incorrectly. 

    AA batteries are a standard form and format and they've been around for a very long time.  All of the detectors that i currently own use them and I'm not concerned that the AA design format is going to disappear (or be discontinued) anytime soon.

    So looking at the Minelab, and in particular the GPX 6000, I see what looks like a "proprietary type" battery pack.  So my concern is from an long-term perspective and applies to all of their models that do not use AA batteries. 

    Will a battery from a 3020 fit on a 4500, or will a battery from a 5000 fit on a 7000?  If the answer is no, then this suggests to me that designs are different between Minelab's non-AA battery models and the GPX 6000 likely fits in this class. 

    So from a long-term perspective is it a possibility that Minelab may decide to discontinue production of particular battery packs?

    Or can folks gut them and rebuild them themselves.  Just wondering.

  10. After reading many comments on this forum and others, i have to chip in on how I am perceiving the marketing thrust of Minelab on the 6000. I have subscribed to Winelab to get their updates on their products and what they do etc. I believe it is reasonable to make the assumption that Minelab does have superior design and technology. For me, this is also re-enforced by the old adage - "You get what you pay for". I think everyone can relate to this.

    Now to get to the point - how Minelab is "introducing" this new detector, the GPX 6000. For months, I have been getting emails that contain nothing more than junk information. Initially, I thought the first one I got was just a teaser, something to pique my interest and fair enough. But since then, with all of the subsequent ones being the same, it aroused old memories of similar ad programs from my past. And I can tell you these memories turn me off. I learned to be wary of this type of advertising because it generally meant that there was no substance to whatever product they were trying to sell - just string people along.

    So my advice to Minelab? Your advertising is missing the mark in my opinion and from reading between the lines on many other forums and posts, I think others are noting this too.

    I think it is pretty well understood and accepted that they have an excellent product. Price alone dictates that only more sophisticated (and better financed) users will be the actual market. So why come out with an ad campaign with tactics designed to appeal to un-sophisticated detectorists.

    I hope Minelab reads this post and it spurs them to rethink their marketing strategy for their higher end products. The GPX 6000 is not a beginner machine - it is for advanced users. That is who your target market is. And these folks are certainly knowledgeable enough to quickly ascertain that the current Minelab marketing information is being counter-productive.

    I'll finish with this. Minelab - if you can't provide something more substantive in your marketing effort for this unit, I'd rather not receive your emails. Probably just going to delete them going forward and maybe unsubscribe. This forum will have to be my "marketing" information.

    • Like 6
  11.  Hi All

    Am new to the forum and have been detecting for 35+yrs.  I am posting here to get opinions from experienced detectorists regarding the Minelab GPX 6000.  I currently do not have a dedicated gold detector and am considering picking this one up before I have to "hang 'em up" so to speak.  I do have a reasonably good knowledge of PI as I have a Whites Surfmaster and have been quite happy with it over the years.

    I know that right now there really is no hard information out there yet on this machine but I do have a couple of questions:

    1. I notice from comments that this unit may not be software upgradeable.  (as in no port for hookup to computer).  Is this an issue/warning to those of you experienced with minelab?  Does this pose any limitations?

    2. I'm in Alberta, Canada so i believe that this unit will lend itself well to the mountainous areas here.  Can folks on the forum pls confirm? 

     

    I am contemplating to visiting Dawson City YK again and having a go at the tailings piles too.  (And yes, I will be bringing my VLF's along).  I just want to have a VERY good dedicated gold detector in my arsenal.

    Comments are very welcome!

    • Like 3
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