Garrett ATX vs Minelab GPX5000

[Guest]

This whole thing about the cost of detectors her in Oz compared with what's available in the US is fascinating.
For example in the US, an AT Pro is worth $595. Here, $975.

Anyway, for those interested, get a Bongo address, buy one from a website and get it sent via Bongo.

I'm bringing an AT Pro, with an extra search coil (5x8), two coil covers, Garrett PointerPro, landed here in Oz for $950 Oz$.
There reason it's being done this way is because Garrett Oz, have a deal with the parent company and the US outfit will not allow any Garrett devices to be sold overseas from stateside.

And I really find the dealers here incredibly greedy. It seems this has become the motto for Oz. Get more, get more, get more. You poor sods.

 

[loamer]

How do you go with repairs, voltage variation issues for the charger, plugs etc?

 

[slipped disc]

It is somewhat of a dilemma. you must add in the dollar conversion too. Any return under warranty is about $90 freight and a wait of 3 weeks plus for return. there is duty payable over $ 1 k.
I agree some brands/models are too dear in comparison. ask the aust. dealer for a discount/deal too.

 

[DiggingToChina]

Old post but just my 2c. I had the garret atx for gold hunting and spent many hours with it yes I saved money but I lost that in time and now have a gpx 5000 couldn't be happier.

 

[ronniecruisin]

Hi. All. Your right there Sunrise Boy. Australia is the land of the great rippoff.! Always has been and always will be, BUT I FIGURED OUT WHY.! Think about it! We basically come from a history that started with Convicts. Now I know that a lot of em were not really crooks, ( sent here for stealing a loaf of bread when they were probably starving anyway), But Quite a few were probably pretty crooked sooooooooo. There's your answer then! Nothings changed since the 1700s. We're still a bunch of crooks! Look what's happened since Electricity Privatization.! Need I say More?

 

[nuggetino]

Yep and then people get shitty when you make over seas purchases.

 

[ronniecruisin]

Not related but a good example. Mate of mine purchased a high end recording gear product. Price here? $2000. Landed here from the US.? Less than $1000. Hmmmmmmm.

 

[christian1664]

A few weeks ago I asked a question on here on whether the TAX was up to the job in the WA gold fields and had varying answers most saying the minelab 5000 was far superior.

Well I have just returned from a two week WA prospecting trip and this is how I rate both machines.

I will let the figures do the talking.

Four days of using the Garrett ATX the result one .2 gram nugget .

Nine days using the minelab 5000 in the same area and remember this machine is new to me, the result fourty nuggets for just under an ounce.

The Garrett ATX my have a few nich applications ie working near power lines or on salt flats but as a machine for general prospecting it just doesn't find gold like the 5000.

I will still use the ATX for beach detecting for which it is excellent but the next time I come to Australia it will be staying at home

Hope you find this short comparison useful

 

[GaryO]

Thanks for your review Christian , hope u had a good time here mate

 

[old hand]

I am glad you had a successful trip and are going home with some colour, interesting that there is so much of a difference between the 2 detectors regards john

 

[christian1664]

hi Garyo and old hand

Had a fantastic time and will be back next year

Hard to say why the ATX struggled to find gold but the find rate really speaks for itself, I'm no novice at detecting, been at it over forty years and have plenty of hours on the ATX it simply was not finding gold, perhaps the extreme mineralization in the area I was working was too much for it, even the 5000 struggled to run stable in a few areas.

A possible answer is that the ATX gives a false signal every time you touch a rock or pebble so it is impossible to scrape the coil along the ground as you can with the 5000 so depth with be lost, leading obviously to less gold.

All the depth tests I have seen have been on flat even ground and the ATX performs well in those conditions, but in the real world you need to swing the coil above any objects on the ground or you will be checking false signals all day as I was.

as I mentioned before I have no loyalty to any make of detector and will use what I consider to be the best for the conditions so for me the 5000 is it for WA (not tried the 7000) the Atx is nearly there a little more work from Garrett is required and it may then be a contender, but my considered opinion for the moment is leave it at home and get a 5000

hope this of use to you all Leigh

 

[limpalot]

Garrett definatly has to get their act together over the Falseing issue of the ATX. Should be an after market coil that is better.
Cheers LL

 

[old hand]

I was speaking to a mate last night and he told me off a video in QLD I think he said it was ,but it showed how ATX was working under power lines with good results but the minelab was useless, I have not seen it and I don't no if they put a DD on and tried cancel on the minelab so the ATX can be good regards john

 

[Beav_can]

I think this is the video your mate was speaking of...I can't post links here yet but go on youtube and search for
"Garrett ATX & Minelab GPX: Detecting Gold under EMR"

Beav in Canada

 

[PhaseTech]

Garrett definatly has to get their act together over the Falseing issue of the ATX. Should be an after market coil that is better.
Cheers LL

I also initially thought it was coil falsing, but when I took the ATX to the beach I could run the Sensitivity flat out and hit the coil on rocks etc and no falsing???
But in the goldfields, any Sensitivity higher than 10 was a no go.

 

[limpalot]

Garrett definatly has to get their act together over the Falseing issue of the ATX. Should be an after market coil that is better.
Cheers LL

I also initially thought it was coil falsing, but when I took the ATX to the beach I could run the Sensitivity flat out and hit the coil on rocks etc and no falsing???
But in the goldfields, any Sensitivity higher than 10 was a no go.

Thanks for the info PaseTech,
Looks like it may be a coil problem then. I have had a response from Garrett about this; the new coils due out at the end of the year now; WILL not have the falseing problem; Quote from Garrett today. The new coils, 2 of, will be sold with the shaft included, One would expect the option of with or without, due to the extavigent cost of their coils for the ATX.
Good to see they are listening to us about problems.

Cheers LL

 

[mbasko]

If I owned a detector with a coil that was falsing & had an email from the manufacturer stating that their new line of coils, that they will be selling, won't have this problem then I'd be politely asking them to replace my falsing coil with a new one that doesn't do that as soon as it's available. Putting up with it wouldn't be an option especially after being told they will happily sell you a "solution"!
I wonder did they test them in Australia?

 

[statey 57]

yes i do agree with your post as i too have been using the atx .and it found one large 17 grammer and 2 speci at 10 grams ,it finds the large targets very good .how ever it dose miss the smaller one's . also had issues with touch sensitivty falsing when touching the ground ,and the spinefex bushes.and it's a heavy detector to swing as well.i then used my 5000 over the same ground and found six more nuggets from .5gm to 1.6gm and a way better machine with the new evo coil 12" round very happy with my 5000 , so ill just hang up the atx and use it for relic hunting.

 

[Steve V2.0]

I'm new to this forum and need the wise counsel of all. There are many great detectors out there but I need comments on the pros and cons of the 5000 and Garrett ATX. This will be my first detector so calling all ML and Garrett to help me unravel the puzzle. I beleive your experiences will not only help me but others who are about to splash out hard earned cash!

 

[Nuggetbuster]

If you're talking about detecting for natural gold in Australia:

Pro: Minelab GPX 5000
Con: Garrett ATX

You only need spend a few minutes searching previous posts on this and every other forum and read the feedback, and see the finds... or speak to almost anyone who has used both... or hire each for a day and go to a known goldfield.

Added bonus is that if you buy a GPX and don't like it and want to sell, you'll sell it easily. Same can't be said for the ATX.

However, if you're talking beach detecting, then the Garrett ATX would probably be the better option.