Minelab Fy23 Investor Presentation For 2024 - No GPZ 8000?

[jasong]

The reason I am stating my opinion is based on what I am reading in the old and newer modified ZVT patents Bruce Candy outlines that technically speaking, ZVT should be superior to any type of PI due to the relative lack of X contamination during sampling without the pulse decay, as well as the lack of a decay time interfering with target sampling. That isn't what we are seeing today with current models though. At least not exactly. 

Given that the SDC (IMO anyways) has better or at least equal X ground performance generally than the 7000, and that the 6000 can almost keep up with the GPZ in terms of small bit sensitivity - it stands to reason that the 7000 implementation of ZVT was not optimal early on and has room for measurable improvement. From that, it would stand to reason that almost 10 years of development time should have resulted in a more optimal ZVT implementation by now. Especially in terms of dealing with X component in soils, as well as further refining target sampling improvements. 

If I've made an error in reasoning there, I'd be curious what it is. Because lacking insider information, that seems like the logical conclusion to make based on the data the public have at hand. 

I understand the whole withhold technology at a drip pace thing Minelab does, for sure. That's another issue, it's hard to predict what the business department does though, and I suspect it changes with the wind sometimes, so I refrain from speculating there. 

But if they release an 8000 with better X handling than the SDC, improved target response for both short and long time constants, and more ergonomic to match the 6000 then I stand by my statement - to me that would obsolete the SDC, 6000, and 7000 entirely - as in - I doubt I'd use any of those 3 again if I had such a machine. Improve the EMI filtering and my opinion would likely be strengthened.

[jasong]

Keep in mind though - I said the same statement after using the X Coils (and I got flack for it too). I said to me the X Coils obsolete the need for the NF coil. And I still stand by that statement today. But the NF is good coil - great to those unwilling to cut a cable. But to me, that coil was obsolete before it was even released.

Similarly, my 4500 hasn't left my closet since I got X Coils and especially since I got my 6000. The 4500 and 5000 are to me very obsolete platforms - I have zero interest ever running them again. And I believe as a platform, the 7000 itself in terms of electronics design and ergonomics is already close to obsolete if it had any serious competitor. It's an old, stodgy, dinosaur platform to me that feels like how the 3500 felt to me when I first started detecting for gold. If not for the X Coils, I doubt I'd use it much anymore quite honestly, but I also don't do a lot of ultra accurate patch cleaning anymore these days either, clearly there is no equal to it yet there. 

[EL NINO77]

It must be recognized that Jasong does not lack enthusiasm,, about how technical progress in detectors can subsequently influence the development of detectors with better detection possibilities,,, which current gold detectors have....
To assume that each new generation of gold detectors can achieve a better depth of detection for a certain target size.. say by 10% on a standard large coil,,
Is it a little deep or is it deep enough...?

But I also understand Steve well...who has been a tester of many excellent gold detectors...and who may know more about...how difficult it is to achieve even that 10% more depth of detection...

Is it realistic that every 7-10 years we get a new detector that gives us a 10% better depth of detection...?

[RONS DETECTORS MINELAB]

I also am extremely interested in what Minelab could offer to the table after 9 years of working on it.

I am also trying to think of what Minelab could do to add a ZVT upgrade that would not take away from the sales of their other models but would indeed excel at performance even if they only added the CC and Spiral coil options.  I hope there not trying to clean out the warehouses of all the 7000 prior to a new release because that could be another ten years at the rate they now sell. 😓

Oh! Problem solved as I remember Minelab will offer the new ZVT replacement at such a high price that everyone would still prefer buying their older models due to their personal budget constraints. Only fever stricken people like myself would buy the new model and possibly never make a return on the purchase though. 🤐

 

[Aureous]

4 hours ago, phrunt said:

Minelab would never release a machine that makes every other machine they make obsolete, they want to make every detector they have viable for sale, so a new GPZ would be some improvement over the earlier one, yet it would never make the 6000 obsolete, or any other in the range detector they want to continue to sell.  They are more likely to do baby steps, they also don't want it to be the last detector they make, if they throw the farm at it, they'll have little left for the future.  I think this is probably the biggest reason we get baby steps with models.   They'll release as little as they can get away with to make a viable new model that people will want to buy.  I guess I'd do the same if I had no competition.

Anyone involved in the industry/hobby for the past decade/s will know that Minelab is a Master of what their previous Sales Manager labeled 'incremental Innovation' . They will always release a new detector model ONLY when the economic circumstances force them to.  

Steve has seen multi-decades of disappointment in the industry where promises and expectations are dashed, so a degree of pessimism is completely warranted. 

On the plus side, ZVT tech has been investigated quite a bit lately by Woody and only on two improvement stages, he has found wild improvements in overall depth on all sizes of targets. Add the benefits of new coil designs and the 8000 could well be something special. BUT, Minelab will have to ensure that the model they release will not supersede the next 2 models they have on the drawing board....

[phrunt]

We have to remember the gold detector market customer base is shrinking, the higher gold price may spark some interest from those that had given up to return to it or bring in a few newbies, but more than likely it just makes those already dong it happier 😛  The loss of much of the African market hasn't helped the situation, being the bigger market.

What's the bet they have made more money out of the Manticore than they did the 6000.  This wasn't helped by the high failure rate with 6000's but the sales volumes of Manticores would be much higher, a much broader market of customers.    The Equinox series has probably made them more money than the GPZ ever did even with the vast price difference.  

They've stated to take note too indicating they're shifting a lot of focus onto these multi-purpose VLF machines.

The 6000's selling well enough for them to just leave it the current machine, when the novelty wears off from it and sales slow to a crawl that's more than likely the new GPZ's time.

[phrunt]

Minelab put up their pictures of their UK dealer conference, a handful of dealers showed up, I'm sure a few of them came together too from the one dealer.   I guess soon they'll be selling direct off their website like they've configured for some of Asia, as they've spoken about in their investor reports to streamline sales.

A sign of the times for dealers I guess, gradually disappearing.  I was quite surprised with the UK being such a populous country to have so few dealers show up.

I like their little shovel spoons, I bet a few of them were knocked off 😛

Maybe I'm just used to the Microsoft, Intel, Nivia etc dealer conferences where hundreds of people were there and they had to hire out big venues to host them.

They put up their African one a few months ago, it was a little bit busier and they gave them all free hats and t-shirts.

This is an interesting photo, the two GPZ's are well used, the two 6000's are brand new, I wonder if they were samples for them to try them out.

Lots of happy faces!

[Rivers rat]

http://www.sahel-groupe.com/fr