Garrett Axiom Vs Minelab 6000

[GR Guy]

Was in Kalgoorlie last week - 6000 flowing out of one store and at the peak of gold season the Garrett shop closed. Both are the same price in Oz and there would be at least 100 to 1  - 6000 to Axiom sold here. A large number of people make a living on gold here so I’d say if the performance was close we would see more Axioms here and there aren’t. 

[Gold Catcher]

It is totally ok to have different viewpoints on this topic. I enjoy the 6000 for what it is, and its automation does not bother me that much for what I use the detector for. I would like to know though how much of that "bad" automation really remains in manual mode, and whether it is the Geosense itself that does these "opaque" adjustments, or whether it is the Auto feature that does most of it when switched on. Either way, the 6k remains a fun, lightweight and ultrasensitive detector that does the job of finding small gold in shallow to medium depth ground better than any other detector I have ever used. Would I wish it had more options, like manual GB or volume adjustment (ala GPZ), of course. But then I also have the GPZ which I use equally often and that has all that, so I can choose which detector to use for what suits me best for the day. I remain of the opinion that the 17 inch retains much of the sensitivity of the 11 inch (perhaps 70-80%?), with roughly the same depth focus which is very unusual for this coil size. So, IMHO the focus of this coil is ground coverage but not so much depth. I remember JP (where is he?) reporting the same when he tested it. But I do realize that we all have different experiences with it, depending perhaps also on settings used, ground conditions and gold type. I am actually not often using the 17 inch as I prefer the smaller NF 12 x 7 as my to-go coil for areas where I use the 6000 the most. For bigger open ground I mostly use the GPZ anyhow. Back on topic though, the Axiom does appear to handle hot ground better, albeit some loss in sensitivity compared to the gpx. At least this is what I hear fairly often firsthand. To what extend this would be a game changer will depend on the individual user, but without a doubt the Axiom is the best non-ML detector out there with its own strengths and with features the 6000 clearly does not have, making it the more versatile of the two. Disclaimer, I don't own the Axiom, but this is the feedback I hear from operators who are using both.

GC

[afreakofnature]

We all know that Steve has run both detectors extensively. I would go with the advice that he gave.  I have not read Lunk‘s article yet, sorry amigo ? , but whatever he has to say, I would go with that as well.

[phrunt]

9 hours ago, Gold Catcher said:

I remain of the opinion that the 17 inch retains much of the sensitivity of the 11 inch (perhaps 70-80%?), with roughly the same depth focus which is very unusual for this coil size. So, IMHO the focus of this coil is ground coverage but not so much depth.

I guess what could explain what you're seeing is if with the 17' coil being larger they didn't need to do the semi spiral windings and were able to lay them out completely flat now as a full spiral coil not in layers on top of each other like the 11".  This would likely give the sensitivity increase that you're experiencing that allows it to somewhat keep up with the 11" coil.

I've run a lot of coils on my GPZ and older model GPX both bundle and spiral (flat wound) in a variety of different sizes, often the exact same coil size with different windings to see the real world differences between a coil being bundle and spiral and I'm sure many owners with an older model GPX have run say a 14x9" mono bundle coil and then a 14x9" mono spiral coil and seen first hand the extra sensitivity the spiral coil gives them.  I first run a semi spiral coil like the GPX 6000 has on my GPX 4500 when X-coils released the 12x6" coil for it which was their first Semi spiral coil as spiral windings wouldn't fit and they wanted a coil more sensitive than bundle windings so they made the 12x6" Semi spiral for the GPX 4500/5000, the same winding design was later used in the GPX 6000 coils.

We need @strick with his super-dooper X-Ray machine to X-ray the 17" coil to really get the answers. ?

It would explain the almost comparable sensitivity levels you're talking about. 

I haven't seen the two coils having similar performance on small gold here in my brief encounter with the 17" seeing it miss targets that were easy for the 11" but my grounds very different.  I haven't seen JW use that coil since that day.

The detectors not hindered by soil in my mild soils so much so I guess in optimal conditions the 11" can shine over the 17", weaken the more sensitive performance of the 11" with some bad soil and whatever Geosense does because of this and perhaps the gap in performance is less noticeable.   The more sensitive a coil the more it needs wound back in difficult ground to work optimally.  Much like the 14x9" Coiltek coil, I find that very weak on small gold compared to the 11" and 10x5" coil.  Some in Australia have said it's almost the same.... I could not disagree more so much so I never use it and may end up using it as a "sacrificial coil" to get its chip out..

[Norvic]

7 hours ago, afreakofnature said:

We all know that Steve has run both detectors extensively. I would go with the advice that he gave.  I have not read Lunk‘s article yet, sorry amigo ? , but whatever he has to say, I would go with that as well.

AFN you have nailed it, the edge the 6K has over the Axiom, from my hours behind both, is what ML call Geo Sense when running in one of the Autos. If you cannot handle the Autos on the 6K you are probably better off with the Axiom but don`t start using the Axiom on full sensitivity go no higher than 3 until you have some hours on the clock. 

[Norvic]

On 6/1/2023 at 6:43 AM, GotAU? said:

OK I’ll bite, what about that piece of string?
Is it which end is longer?

GAU, Aye between the 6K and the Axiom choosing depends on the users experience, capability and ground which will suit them best, thus "the piece of string". If what one of us do well with cannot be assumed to be so for all. 

[Gerry in Idaho]

Which is best?  Heck man that's an open end question.

Best at value?

Best at Ergonomics?

Best at Discrimination?

Best at coil options?

Best at durability and least amount of issues?

Best at Relic Hunting?

Best at small gold?

Best at Big Gold?

Best at User Friendly?

I own both and have posted much gold found with both in times past.

For a 50% more price increase of the GPX-6000 in the USA $6000 vs $4000 for the Axiom, what is best?  I don't see the average person needing to spend the extra $2000 and in fact I would recommend that person get a good VLF to complement the PI.

As I said, I own both and for now, plan on keeping both.  But I use them as tools and can afford both.

I'll be in the field soon and hopefully find some gold this year.

So far my best piece is a small chunky specimen with the Equinox 900

 

[Gold Catcher]

4 hours ago, phrunt said:

I guess what could explain what you're seeing is if with the 17' coil being larger they didn't need to do the semi spiral windings and were able to lay them out completely flat now as a full spiral coil not in layers on top of each other like the 11".  This would likely give the sensitivity increase that you're experiencing that allows it to somewhat keep up with the 11" coil.

Good point, this could indeed explain it. Would love to see that X-ray.

GC

[dirtman]

On 3/8/2023 at 6:45 PM, PhaseTech said:

 

 

When doing this test did you remove the FOIL layer from the bottle cap paper seal ????

Very important !