Garrett AT PRO, Garrett AT Gold, Whites GMT or Minelab X Terra?

[Bez]

Okay, so i'm expecting some sort of half decent tax return and I'm going to spend some of it on a detector.

The detectors I'm looking at are:

Garrett AT PRO
Garrett AT Gold
Whites GMT
Minelab X Terra dual detector

They all seem to have their things i like about them, but I'm swaying more towards the Minelab as it's a dual detector and comes with interchangeable coils for both relic and gold prospecting, but I'm not too sure. I doubt it's going to be near as good as the whites GMT for small gold peices, but the whites doesn't seem to do so well in mineralised soils, yeah? And it's not submersible like the AT PRO. Hmmm.. Can the coil on the minelab be submersed in salt water and fresh water?

I would really like a detector that's versatile for both gold and relics, and at a minimum the coil should be able to handle a bit of sea water yeah? Or am i asking too much?

I definitely want to go for a multipurpose detector as I'm heading I'm heading to Europe for sometime at the end of the year, so i need something for relics, coins etc.. but.. i also want it for gold too for Australian soils. I'm originally from Victoria but in Darwin for work, so i'll be driving home in 3 months and i really want to do a lot of detecting on the way back through NT, SA and VIC so good ground balance/discrimination is a must also yeah?

Ehh.. i don't know.

I'm looking to spend $1000, but maybe I'll consider $1500 for something better and more versatile.

Any thoughts?

 

[Salla]

I was at the exact same spot as you a few weeks ago and after long consideration I went for a Garrett Infinium. You might want to have a look at it as well.....

 

[Bez]

Yeah i read about the Infinium, has mixed reviews. Great for relics, but not too sure on gold. Any experienced Infinium users like to chime in on the gold side of the detector?

I can get one from a dealer in Texas for about $1200 delivered.

 

[argyle]

Hey Bez.

You seem to have the basic differences of the units sussed out okay in regards to how one of the four would suit you. As far as every one of us giving our opinions, it nearly always leads to people getting upset on forums with the differences between units and which one is better ect.
I've never worried too much giving my opinion, hell if someone asks I can't see any reason to hold back.
I own all but the AT pro as I had no use for it.
But out of all four you've mentioned, the XTerra705 is bounds ahead.

So much more you can do with them. Different frequency's and I'd back the 705's prospecting mode on any ground against my GMT's 50khz any day. Neither Garrett are are in the race. Badly designed to boot.

 

[argyle]

As for Infinium...I wouldn't pee on it. I'm allowed to say that as I bought two, so I'm talking through my pocket. So badly designed It's hilarious. As for the handling of ground and ease of use, both Minelab Vlf's, the Eureka and 705, are far and away better detectors on the goldfields and coin detecting. The pulse unit Garrett only beats them over wet sand.

 

[argyle]

A 705 in what they call the gold pack with the 10"x5" coil at $850 plus $300 for a 15" Coiltek coil and you'd never want for another detector again.
Deeper than the Infinium with that 15" coil.

 

[Bez]

Thanks for the good info, Argyle.

Can the 705 coils be submersed in salt/fresh water and work?

Also, so it's better to buy the coiltek 15" coil rather than the coil that comes with the 705 dual coil (gold/relic) package , this one

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Minelab-...6317?pt=AU_Gadgets&hash=item460d2234fd&_uhb=1

Thanks again.

 

[Bez]

ahhhh, the coiltek coil is water proof!! i see now

 

[Bez]

Looks exactly like what i want, cheers!

 

[argyle]

Yep and so is the stock round concentric. People knock the concentrics as not being able to handle heavy mineralized ground, but its simply not the case, they are only a touch more 'sensitive on hot ground. They are a very good coil, but the Wot 15" is worth the extra if you only buy the gold pack. That coil is amazing.

The 10"x5" in the gold pack is only water resistant, not waterproof. It's in the 18.75 khz only.

 

[Bez]

Cool cool, WOT coil it is then. Just have to wait until i get my tax estimate to buy it. Hopefully next week sometime. You definitely seem to know your way around detectors and coils, seasoned prospector! dealer maybe?

Is it hard to set 'em up, get dialed in? Or just a case of getting out there putting the hours in and learning the machine?

 

[argyle]

Detectors and detecting for gold is something I've loved for 30 odd years. Dealer? Jeez no, actually I hate em.

Yeah XTerra's are so easy to set to the detecting you want to do. Once you get your 'ear' set to them they are very simple, then its just a matter of hours. It doesn't take much to get used to detecting. If the more hours you detect the more you like it, then you'll stick at it naturally anyway. Their the best Vlf allrounder made so far by anyone, if there was another I'd tell you and recommend it instead. I'm not brand loyal.

 

[Bez]

Well thanks for all the advice, I'll definitely go the x terra gold + the 15" coiltek coil. Sounds like it will suit me well. Hopefully I'll have it sooner then later.

Cheers,
Bez

 

[Nugget]

This is always a tough questions to answer as unfortunately there's no one detector fits all.

You are asking quite a lot from a sub $1500 detector, there's only so much a manufacturer will pack into a single unit before forcing you to upgrade to the next / more expensive model. Before making your final decision, it may pay to hire or borrow your primary choice so you can be certain it'll perform to your expectations in the given conditions.

All of the detectors mentioned above are great machines in their own right, it just depends on the application and operator.

DD coils do perform better (quieter) in mineralised ground over concentric, and the difference can be quite noticeable in some conditions.

All the best in finding your soul machine, and if you have any specific questions relating to the AT Gold let me know.

Nugget.

 

[argyle]

Actually Bez.

If you found yourself coming up short at tax check time. An XTerra 305 at $395 with It's stock concentric 9" round 7.5 kHz coil, out performs the AT gold in hot ground when gold detecting , detects deeper and is just as sensitive, handles much hotter ground, when run in ground balance mode. And outshines them in tone id and visual id when coin hunting.. You just have to know how to use them.

And I'm certain you'll get the hang of it real quick.

 

[Bez]

Think I'm going to still go the X Terra 705 with the 15" WOT coil. It's about as universal as I'm going to get within my budget that bests services my needs and still retains a great deal of quality for the price.

Thanks guys!
Bez

 

[Nugget]

Great choice Bez. I look forward to seeing some reports.

Nugget.

 

[Bez]

Cheers nug, I should have my tax estimate by friday, so hopefully i can order it off ebay that night and with any luck have it to head out the following sunday to test it out!

Assuming everything goes well.

Little bit excited!!

 

[Bez]

hhmm, not sure if you're still about Argyle,

But is that "15 WOT compatible with the X terra? because on the site it says "This coil is compatible with Minelab E-Trac, Explorer 1 & 2, Safari, & Quattro".

There is another 15" coiltek coil that says it's compatible with the 705, also at a retail of $300, but it's a 3khz DD coil, not a WOT coil. Is there a difference? did you specifically used the WOT coil on the 705?

 

[argyle]

Yeah Bez.

The WOT coils were originally made for the XT series of gold Vlf's, XT stood for Xtra Tracker, forerunners to the Eureka gold. All had a 4 pin coil connector.
They were so named by America's Coiltek distributor, a bloke named DOC Lousignont, a Minelab dealer. When he first laid eyes on it he called it a Wild Orange Thing, that's how the coil got it's name, WOT. He no longer has anything to do with Coiltek.

They are now called All Terrain Coils, which I reckon much better suits them.

Coiltek made them for the previous units as well, the GT16000 (the first with auto ground balance and tracking, the GT stood for Ground Tracking, and the following unit was the FT16000, standing for Fast Tracking (it had a slightly faster tracking speed) and the Eureka Ace Dual - a manual ground balancing unit in two frequency's 8khz and 20khz, and Eldorado MK1's, Stirling and Tribune and Musketeers, which all have a 5 pin connection. As well the 15" All Terrain coils are made for Sovereigns and Explorers and ETracs.

The XTerra's 15" All Terrain coils come in 3 types - 3khz low, 7.5khz mid, and 18.75khz high frequency's.

The 18khz 15" coil for the XTerra is probably not the ideal option for you, as if you buy the gold pack you'll have the 10x5" in 18khz anyway.
I found the 7.5khz and 3khz just as sensitive on hot ground, because they handle the mineralization better they are much 'cleaner' to listen to.
I use a 3khz and a 7.5khz exclusively when using XTerra's on the goldfields.