Why Is A $1500 Pi Even Being Talked About?

[Gerry in Idaho]

What’s all the excitement about a $1500 PI when my beloved GPX-6000 does just fine on tiny gold.  My recently acquired (used) GPZ-7000 easily puts my back into traction bars while I swing a boat anchor and dig beyond the depths of modern man with a handheld pick, to get the rarest of gold, a 1/2 ounce nugget.  Why do I say rarest of gold.  Because the majority of folks in the US who put a 2^nd mortgage on their house to purchase a GPZ-7000.. has yet to find that half ounce nugget. 

Now I’m taking pain pills to manage the beating from the ZED’s capabilities and lack of ergonomics… as well as from the old lady who seen the credit card bill. We know this new AlgoForce E1500 is not going to perform any better than what many of us here on DP already swing.  Or do we???

Who wants tiny bits, specimens and reef gold anyway?  Do those kinds of Au even classify as gold and register to those around us?  Most folks only know what a solid gold nugget looks like, right?  Show them anything else and they just role their eyes and wonder why you spent $4000, $5000, even $6500 or the crazy few (more than I realized who would), spent $8000 and up to $10K.

Which begs me to wonder again and out loud this time so I can hear myself.  What am I missing? 

Well, I’m the odd duck here in the crowd most of the time anyway.  I pretty much speak my mind and offend a few when doing so.  When it comes to using a metal detector, I seem to be a lone wolf in my style and desire to swing.  I say that because I swing many states, and pursue a variety of treasures. I do like to specialize in gold though and since I enjoy the hunt and travel, I make the time to reach far places while trying to collect a variety of gold occurrences. 

I’m not the norm, for that is a sure thing.  I like collecting all gold that can be found with a metal detector. And…I seem to find my share of gold, a great deal of the others miss.  Is it because they are lacking knowledge or skill and possibly both.  I’m not sure?  I do know that my finds have increased substantially since I learned the importance of how different kinds of gold responds to detectors and their technologies.

One of the things that immediately caught my attention about this new detector being released, was mentioned by our friend Nenad.

On 1/25/2024 at 11:51 PM, PhaseTech said:

 If you want to find small gold as well as specimens and reefy gold, then the AlgoForce E1500 is worth a look. 

I’m licking my chops and counting the eggs (golden eggs) my roster is going to provide me.  How about you.

[Wasatchgold]

So does that mean you are looking into being a dealer for this machine?

[Rob Allison]

Hi Gerry,

   I think it goes back to what most can afford.  Everyone would love to own a GPX 6000 or even a GPZ 7000, but most know there are other priorities for most that come before a super, high end detector.  I get calls all the time about how someone would love to own a GPZ, but the wife would leave them.  

Historically, the GPX 4500 and 5000 were the best sellers, more so after they were both discounted down to $2499 and $3995.00.  I still today get inquiries on them, but both long discontinued here in the US.  

Keep in mind also, the GPX can really probably find about 85% off all the gold that is out there today.  There will always be nuggets that are too small, crystalline, too deep ,,,,, and the list goes on and on .... 

If most would just focus on what they can find, rather than what they might be missing!  I could "what if" all the time. 

The big advantage I see with the AlgoForce 1500 is the price and all the aftermarket coils you can use with it.  

I think if Minelab continued to carry and support the GPX 4500 @ $2499, we wouldn't probably be having these discussions today.  

Just my thoughts,

 

[Jeff McClendon]

It weighs less than 4 lbs, it has a display that actually tells me something about the target like a target ID, I can easily see that display, it has easily accessible controls, it has inexpensive  non-proprietary battery options, great coil selection, from all accounts so far it has good build quality and most of all, it appears to work just like the small amount of marketing information claimed it would. 
 

What other PI, no matter what it costs, can do all of that???

[phrunt]

I think the people that can't afford a GPX 6000 or 7000 are going to end up with a pretty good detector for their money with the Algoforce, and they will be able to pick up gold they would miss with the 4500/5000 that's a fact but it likely goes the other way too with the legacy GPX picking up gold the Algo misses, maybe deeper bits might be more the GPX territory, I'm not sure on depths yet on bigger stuff.  I doubt they'll do better in any way than someone with a 6000 or 7000 although I've not used my 14x13" on the 7000 since I first got it so I really have no idea about the stock coils small gold performance anymore so maybe a 7000 owner would benefit from having it, they certainly would if they have old GPX coils laying around like a Sadie that gives them a point of difference by being able to get the coil into places the big old 14x13" can't get into and with the detector costing not all that much more than another coil for the GPZ it's not a bad option for a GPZ owner.

QED owners are in for a treat, they already have coils, they already have a battery bank and likely a LL transmitter, so all they need is the basic package and they're off, a working ground grab detector with better performance than the QED from what I've seen so far.

This morning I've been tinkering as I do, and trying out various coils on the Algo, seeing which ones need calibrated and which don't and doing some basic air testing, the smaller coils all work inside the house fine, even at 22 out of 30 sensitivity, putting the bigger coils on like the 15" cause too much EMI and it needs wound back to about 15 sensitivity but then depth and sensitivity suffers.

They Deus 1 is also a good detector for indoor air testing with its 74kHz frequency not being affected by my house EMI so I've used it for some comparisons on a little collection of small gold, I've been able to run my Deus 1 at 95 on the sensitivity with no issues so virtually maxed out, and I must say the Algo is performing well against the VLF on these nuggets in air tests, very similar in fact, with the Algo handling bad ground better one would expect it to outperform the VLF at least on the small test nuggets I've been using, they're the same ones I used the other day swinging the coil over them at the river in the little plastic containers.  I wanted to check something with the 6000 so went and got it, turned it on and tried lowering the sensitivity to the lowest possible and noise cancelling and was unable to use it at all, just going nuts so I guess that's a bit of a demonstration of how well the Algo handles EMI compared to the 6000 when both running mono's.

Unfortunately coin depth I can't really check as with the bigger coils the EMI's too much of a problem indoors and the larger gold modes allow more EMI in than the fine gold modes.

The bottom cardboard box under the XP coil is the one the Algo came in, pretty small box 🙂 The next box up is the Sadies box.

I just dusted off the Manticore and in Gold mode with all defaults and 25 sensitivity out of 30 using the M8 coil I get 8cm on a little test nugget (flake), the same nugget the Algo is getting 10cm on also on 25 out of 30 sensitivity with the 10" Spiral X-coil.

[DSMITH]

For me personally, it came down to, do I purchase a GPX6000 or pick up a Axiom the cost was the ultimate decision maker for me, I weighed the factors of ok am I going to find enough small nuggets to justify the expense difference between an Axiom or 6000, and I am not bragging but I could have purchased any PI I wanted including the GPZ 7000, most or a lot do not have that luxury of being able to purchase the most expensive out there, I weighed all my options that was available at the time and went with the sensible answer at the time, sure the PI I went with does not say Mine Lab on the side of it, but ultimately I went with the Sensible route and most realistic route I could have taken at the time, and that was the Axiom, I do like the Axiom, but I will tell anyone that ask me had the AlgoForce E 1500 been out at the time, that is the route I would have taken, because of the cost of the E1500.

I will be purchasing one of the E1500s when they become available in the U.S not because I need it, but simply because I want one, do I expect it to do anything that the Axiom cannot do (Nope), one of the reasons I went with the Axiom was because at the time I was under the impression there would be after market coils produced, I do not see this happening with the entrance of this new detector the E1500, personally for me, I like having coil options and that is the appealing part for me is the amount of coils that is already available for the E1500, again I like the Axiom but those blunt nosed coils I really do not care for.

[Gerry in Idaho]

1 hour ago, Wasatchgold said:

So does that mean you are looking into being a dealer for this machine?

Most certainly.

[Gerry in Idaho]

1 hour ago, Rob Allison said:

If most would just focus on what they can find, rather than what they might be missing!  I could "what if" all the time. 

The big advantage I see with the AlgoForce 1500 is the price and all the aftermarket coils you can use with it.  

I think if Minelab continued to carry and support the GPX 4500 @ $2499, we wouldn't probably be having these discussions today.  

Just my thoughts,

 

Rob, That's where you and I totally differ.

I like sharing and mentioning the kinds of gold most folks miss and the older Minelab PI's, including the GPX-4500/5000's miss as well.  Heck no, I'm not going to pay $2500 for old technology to find the few rare solid nuggets out there at the locations we all hunt.

You like mentioning the fact that specimens, wire gold and hardrock ore laced with gold is not the norm and or is rare.  Buddy, I hate to tell you, but the majority of gold I recover anymore is of those styles and it's more weight than when I was getting a few ounces a year with the older PI's.  Plus as a bonus, many of them are worth more than the actual gold, sometimes 1.5 to 3X the price, especially if it's wire gold.

That's what I have been trying to tell folks for the last few years.  The newer technology PI's (Axiom, 6000) are doing better on the specimens, reef, wire, tiny bits.  That's exactly why I highlighted Nenads comments on the AlgoForce.  I didn't bring it up at 1st, he did.  I just so happen to know the importance of such potential detector.

And no, its not just in Idaho that I'm finding them.  Some of my collection is from CA, AZ, NV, WY, MT, OR, and Idaho.  It's out there, but it takes people to change their mindset and go hunt hardrock ore dumps and hand placer workings.  Why do I say that, because for 30 yrs most of us have been swinging old school PI's and missing those kinds of gold.

When I can go behind one of my experienced customers on a site he gridded both ways...who pulls 11 ounces of gold with his GPZ-7000 and I found 3 more ounces with newer detectors, it really opens his eyes. One of the pieces is golf ball size and has near an ounce of gold.  His 7000 would not hear it, even in air.  

That's what I'm trying to say.  The newer technologies are seeing more gold than the old.  Problem is the old gold (solid nuggets) has mostly already been found at the sites we hunt.

I know you don't care about "what if gold", so when/if you decide to sell the AlgoForce, are you going to sell it based on price only? 

I love what Nenad said about the different kinds of gold....as I know there is plenty more of it out there to be collected. It's not as rare as you seem to think.  I hate to say it..but in fact.  I'm sorry you don't get out and explore more gold bearing regions.  I also realize selling detectors is not your main income, it's kind of a side hustle.  Hopefully (it can't be too far away), you'll have more time to play and venture into the invisible to many PI's gold.  It's a lot of fun and very rewarding.

I do commend you for your time and comments though.  And I still enjoy BSing with you and Dawn on the rare times we get to.

No hard feelings either way and who knows, maybe I'll have egg on my face.  It wouldn't be the 1st time, only time will tell.

[Norvic]

Ah firstly Gerry you are no Lone Ranger, why talk about an E1500 or get one? simply coz we can, the real question should be why not talk......... but it`s way too late to ask that question, DP members have a 5 in 100 or better representation already of E1500 owners (if the rumored 100 number`s for real) and a lot on DPs posting about it, you`ll do your thing and try to have one in their hot hands before the years out and that`s no question tis a certainty. You`ll also shake you head when you`ve one in your hot hands and wonder why do such innovations not come from other than a past/present Minelab source? Tis a brilliant detector that wont beat your 6K or Z in most situations, about equal to the Axiom and has an edge on the SDC? But licks em all in ergonomics/weight/price and usability..... heh but that`s my early judgement.😉

[Gold Ryder]

Come on 8000 show yourself.  One of the beauty things about PI detectors is they keep the masses out of the price range.  I see the Algo as good for the dealer's but not so good for the crowds in places that are already being crowded.  Give me 8000 let it punch to the earths core.  Ill dig it.