A Few Nuggets For The GPX 6000 And GPZ 7000

[Gold Catcher]

Well said, Norvic. It is the small scraps at depth where the 6k is unbeatable. Bigger stuff the GPZ will hear close to equally well (IMHO). In very low EMI conditions with the 6k close to max it will find gold that others have missed, at least up to the 10 inch mark or so.  However, when you need to dial back significantly due to EMI or when mounting the 14DD then the GPZ will come pretty close in performance when run hot (at least with my NF coil), also for the smaller stuff. But then it also has the added depth advantage. If the EMI is bad and you still run the 6k full bore I think you run the risk of missing gold. In those conditions the threshold can get so erratic that it will be difficult to recognize a clear target response. I am used to unstable thresholds and have a pretty high tolerance, but at some point something has to give (IMO). Overall, I remain committed to the 6k as my first to go detector. It is hard to imagine that ML would come up with something better in the future, as I believe the 6k is close to perfection. But haven't they always??

[Gold Catcher]

16 hours ago, Norvic said:

detect in a remote area where EMI has only been a problem when one particular small plane flies over, actually I`m getting a wee paranoid about him and think he`s only up there when I`m out there.?

Damned, I got caught....?

[afreakofnature]

1 hour ago, Gold Catcher said:

 It is hard to imagine that ML would come up with something better in the future, as I believe the 6k is close to perfection. But haven't they always??

The GPZ8500!  You know its coming, the tech is over 7 years old!  Or the GPX6800 with stable threshold using GeoSense 2.0 ?. Noticed that I adjusted the numbers to correlate with price ? 

[Steve Herschbach]

19 hours ago, Norvic said:

Not very often I agree totally with JP but I do on this one, I believe the Z even with the 10" X coil doesn`t hold a candle to the 6K/11"Mono on those small scraps.

And three sets of eyeballs here in the U.S. have a more nuanced view on the subject based on our testing of said detectors and coils. It certainly was not a slam dunk. What I saw leads me to be cautious in telling a properly outfitted GPZ owner they need to ditch their Z for a 6000. Which is funny because I had to hold my own against the masses when advising that most U.S. operators overall are better off with a 6000. Seems that was not a very popular view at the time, but now it’s flipped the other way, and defense of GPZ is less popular? Hard to know which way the wind blows sometimes. But it’s a fine line when discussing the smallest gold, and which puts the most gold in your pouch by the end of the year, the smallest bits, or maybe something a bit more substantial. EMI also is not a factor to discount and ignore, but to factor in as to what machine might make the best choice for people. Especially one they already own and have a lot invested in. Buying new without owning either is another matter. All I know is people on their own ground running machines on their own gold can make their own choices and calls as to what works best for them, and deserve to have their choices respected, whether I agree absolutely or not. The 6000 is hands down the best machine for me on my ground and my gold, and better yet on my arm, but that’s just me. Others may come to different conclusions on their ground and gold, and I’m fine with that. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or whatever else floats your boat. 

[phrunt]

I must say I'm in a very fortunate position with my mild ground conditions that when the going gets tough and I want the find the smallest bits of gold I can fire up my Garrett 24k, Gold Monster or Equinox 800, or even dust off my antique Gold Bug 2 and really show what finding small gold is, gold these mighty Minelabs have no hope of finding at all.  I understand in a lot of locations people can't use these detectors so effectively due to mineralisation but I can, and Aureous has proven he has been able to use his 24k in locations in Australia where others dismiss VLF's as not viable and he's done exceptionally well with his on small gold also by getting gold the high end Minelabs completely miss.

Unfortunately using them on ground like at this particular location they're like a machine gun going off all over the place on every swing with all of the pellets, the GPX 6000 and 7000 are not doing this, why? because they're missing a lot of the pellets, and a lot of the tiniest gold to go with it.

Next time I'm there I'll take my 24k and show just how many pellets are in the area, I'll basically just be able to turn on the camera, turn on the detector and swing the coil over the ground for a couple of swings to demonstrate what I'm talking about,  a large number of these pellets are being missed by both the high end Minelabs.  The thing that makes the VLF's not viable at this location is they're too sensitive to small targets.

[Norvic]

Aye, the Z vs PI vs VLF debate was muddied even more with the 6K (not negatively but delightfully positive) and I suspect it will be so even more as more coil options come for the 6K. Gold size is a top deciding factor I suspect for most as although multiozers are nice the sub grammers are the bread and butter for enthusiasts and I suspect Pros alike. Either way I am as I`ve stated before keeping my Z/X combos.

My age, expectations, back yard and level of experience has me at a point for the first time where I do not have a clear cut one main gold detector (always with a VLF on standby) even though my main deciding factor of this has not changed, it simply has to pay its way. It is a very fortunate place we all are at regardless of our individual circumstances having such a quality of choices. Does anyone want a super modded hardly used ergonomic SDC.........?

[Jonathan Porter]

Steve, that’s the beauty of this forum, it allows for polarised views and also provides the opportunity for people to become enlightened and then change their POV, me very much included. ? 

As an example I’ve this past season taken on board your comments about running your machine flat out, something I have always discounted as nigh on crazy, because of that walleyed view I was missing a vital piece of information that you’d provided with your insane settings suggestions....... do you know what that is/was? Volume!! ?

I totally missed that you run your volume low. Well what a turn around that has been for some of my approaches to certain aspects of my detecting when the conditions allow for it, of course I’ve tweaked the concept to suit my particular tastes but the whole thing has coalesced out of your personal approach to detecting and willingness to share your ideas, so thanks mate. ? 

JP

 

[oneguy]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Porter said:

 

As an example I’ve this past season taken on board your comments about running your machine flat out, something I have always discounted as nigh on crazy, because of that walleyed view I was missing a vital piece of information that you’d provided with your insane settings suggestions....... do you know what that is/was? Volume!! ?

I totally missed that you run your volume low. Well what a turn around that has been for some of my approaches to certain aspects of my detecting when the conditions allow for it, of course I’ve tweaked the concept to suit my particular tastes but the whole thing has coalesced out of your personal approach to detecting and willingness to share your ideas, so thanks mate. ? 

JP

 

Hope I get this right(?)  You run hot but turn volume down way low and I assume that helps keep chatter down but allows targets to stand out better?  Interesting....

PS... I'm thinking 6000, not gpz

Thanks guys

[phrunt]

7 minutes ago, oneguy said:

Hope I get this right(?)  You run hot but turn volume down way low and I assume that helps keep chatter down but allows targets to stand out better?  Interesting....

PS... I'm thinking 6000, not gpz

Thanks guys

I certainly do but that's with the GPZ, and that's where the benefits of things like the Steelphase SP01 help, the GPZ volume I have set is at 3 out of 20, and I have the Steelphase maxed out on it's volume to my speakers, I find it makes the detector more stable with the small targets standing out more, without the audio booster then I have to go the other way and turn up the GPZ volume.  It's a pain in the butt having to wear a harness just to use the SP01/Speakers and I'd rather just use the WM12 and no harness but the benefits I find are worth it, I don't always do it though as a harness is uncomfortable and annoying ?  I found similar results with my older GPX.

Steve explains his settings here again for the GPZ  https://www.minelab.com/treasure-talk/steve-s-insanely-hot-gpz-7000-settings

How that translates to the GPX 6000 I don't know but I'd like to, I haven't really heard of people bothering so much with audio boosting on the GPX so maybe just turning the volume down and relying on the headphones and the volume they can produce and amplify which you virtually have to wear anyway does the same?   Hopefully someone who knows comments.