Dogmatic said:
A great video PhaseTech. Thanks for taking the time to post it. Tossing up between the ATX and the SDC 2300. Big price difference, however is there as much of a differnce in the detection? Too many decisions and not enough info at the moment.
Okay I'm not one to bag certain products, and sing the praises of others because all detectors have good and bad points whether they be price, poor audio, confusing user interface, too many settings, not enough settings, poor run time etc etc. but I will point out some key differences based on my somewhat limited experience with both units:
1. The ATX has impressive performance on Max sensitivity however start swinging it around and you'll realise there is no way you can actually operate it on max. Performance drops off quickly when you lower the sensitivity. In general I have found I needed to drop the Sensitivity on the ATX to 10 and still have good coil control to keep it running smooth. This appears only a marginal drop in actual numbers, but I have found that performance drops a lot, particularly on smaller targets. If the 8" Garrett coil allows a higher sensitivity to be run without falsing (I haven't used one), I think it would be well worth it, but the optional coil prices seem very high.
2. The SDC on the other hand does not false at all, and the Sensitivity control is such that you start at minimum and try to push it higher depending on local conditions. However, even on the recommended setting of 2 (out of 5) it performs great.
3. The ATX comes with a bigger coil, with 2 optional coils available. The SDC only comes with an 8" mono (but I hope that changes in the future).
4. The ATX audio is simply too high pitch for my liking. I find it very harsh on the ears, but others don't seem to have a problem with it. The SDC has a choice of High or Low tone, and the target signal is that smooth Minelab wee-ooo signal.
5. Beaches. Okay here is where the ATX wins. Why? The beach is flatter so there is a lot less touch sensitivity on the coil. You have the ability to reject some iron (even though it sounds harsh), whereas SDC is all-metal. Also the coil is larger for greater ground coverage, and being open web means it won't get sucked into wet sand. The ATX seems to be less affected by nearby powerlines, but I haven't confirmed this in a side-by-side test. I have to say I have only used the ATX at the beach on one occasion so my comments may not be well qualified. If Coiltek released a DD platypus for the SDC (open web 12x8"), it would make an awesome combo for beaches!
6. The SDC folds down more compact - but there is a negative. Because the control box is so thin, it means the armrest needs to fold as well, so it isn't a solid design. Because of a wider control box on the ATX, the armrest is the traditional style and feels really nice. But....
7. When swinging both detectors, the thin profile of the SDC means the control box can get closer to your body so there's less strain on your arm. If you use a harness, you wouldn't notice either way, but I am yet to use a harness with the SDC, but was really wishing for one after swinging the ATX for 45 mins.
8. Blue vs Green - sorry Minelab, but I prefer olive green so ATX wins here for me. But at the end of the day, performance rules..... if my GPX was pink with ribbons on it, I'd still be swinging it (under a camo control box cover no doubt)
9. ATX runs on 8 x AA's, and SDC runs on 4 x C cells. Yes C Cells are harder to buy in discount bulk packs, but rechargeable cells and charger are included so it is a non-issue. I've bought some Energizer C cells and have tucked them in the boot just in case I run the NiMH's down. Tip: Fishing Lure boxes make great battery storage containers!
10. In three afternoons I found 5 nuggets with the SDC. In 4 attempts with the ATX, my tally is Zero.
So there's my current take on both units.
