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Can someone explain to me what the differences are between the Minelab SD/ GP series starting with the SD 2100 through the current GP 4500? Thanks!
- Thread starter Adam(Va)
- Start date
Pyrite Boy
New member
Adam, the older SD machines will detect the larger gold at slightly greater depth than the GP and GPX series machines.....where the GPX 4000 and 4500 excels is on smaller gold in heavy mineralization that could not be heard by operators using the older SD models; the GPX machines are more stable and quiet in nasty ground, which allows the skilled user to hear the faint sounds of smaller gold......
Pyrite Boy
New member
Adam, either one will do fine.....the GP will give you a smoother threshold in hot ground; with an SD, pop on a DD coil if the audio chatters to much, and be ready to dig all targets.....Jerry
I plan on using a SD2200v2 mostly for gold detecting. I also want to use it on the beach in So. Cal will it work good there or would I be better off using my Sovereign GT and or my wife's Explorer pro2 .
I would also like to use the 2200 for coin and treasure in parks or the desert (mojave)
Thank you for the help.
I would also like to use the 2200 for coin and treasure in parks or the desert (mojave)
Thank you for the help.
For that kind of hunting, you won't need a GPX series, or a GP series for that matter. An SD 2200 or a 2100 will do just fine. You will not be chasing .2grammers from what you have written. An Infinium will do just fine as well, it's quieter and more versatile, it's just not as sensitive as a Minelab PI but that won't matter because you're chasing larger targets (if I'm not mistaken).
Pyrite Boy
New member
W6pea, where are you planning to detect in So. Cal?.....I am in Redondo Beach........I have used a GP 3000 in the dry with a big coil and did very well, with exceptional ground coverage and depth, but there were some drawbacks- the 3000 is heavy, and since I dig all targets it was quite a workout.....some folks don't want the weight and prefer discrimination, so your other Minelabs with a decent size coil will work OK for that.....Jerry
steve herschbach
New member
Hi Adam,
Since nobody really answered your question I'll take a simplified stab at it. You have three basic designs. The SD, the GP, and the GPX. Each version offered several units, which basically refine the first release in each series.
The SD2100 and SD2100v2 are fairly simple manual ground balance units.
The SD2200 and SD2200v2 offer automatic ground balancing or a fixed/locked ground balance. They also introduced an iron disc feature of dubious reliability and audio boost.
The GP Extreme offered enhanced sensitivity to small gold that was lacking in the earlier units. There were quality control issues with the unit however. The GP 3000 is essentially just a refined GP Extreme and the GP 3000 performance is more consistent between units. Threshold smoothness was improves to be less erratic. The GP 3500 is again just a refinement, with the only feature of note a button on the handle to allow for easy switching between ground balance modes.
The GPX-4000 was another break from the past, going to a digital control system. This allows for more adjustments but also more complexity. The GPX can attain smooth thresholds on par with the best VLF units. The GPX-4500 is a refined 4000.
I disagree with those that say you can get more depth on large gold from earlier SD units than from the latest models. Having used all the models the largest improvement I've seen over time is vast improvements in threshold stability and the ability to adjust for more varied circumstances. It may be that in a particular location an SD will do just as well as a GPX. But not where I hunt. My SD units all had the famous Minelab "warble" whereby the threshold constantly wavered. This meant that small nuggets or very deep larger nuggets had to give enough of a signal to break through the waver. A far cry from listening to a rock solid threshold for the faintest whisper or "break" in the threshold. You can get just such a rock solid threshold with the GPX units. It is not that the GPX goes deeper, it is that you can here nuggets you would miss with an SD as they could not be discerned as clear signals.
More important on my ground was that my SD units simply could not tune out the intense magnetic basalt cobbles we have to contend with. The cobbles give a faint gold hit. So you either dug them all (impossible) or simply ignored the faint signals. But some of them were small nuggets or very deep larger nuggets. When the GPX arrived at my property I saw so many more small nuggets and deeper large nuggets come out of areas well hunted to the point of being "hunted out" that it was obvious the GPX had a significant edge. I'm not talking a nugget or two - I'm talking pounds of gold. The new GPX timings can allow for a clean solid threshold in areas where that was impossible with earlier units. Those that do not hunt such locations do not see the value in a GPX. Those that do know what I'm talking about. There is no way I'd go back to using an earlier model than my GPX-4500.
Steve Herschbach
Steve's Mining Journal
Since nobody really answered your question I'll take a simplified stab at it. You have three basic designs. The SD, the GP, and the GPX. Each version offered several units, which basically refine the first release in each series.
The SD2100 and SD2100v2 are fairly simple manual ground balance units.
The SD2200 and SD2200v2 offer automatic ground balancing or a fixed/locked ground balance. They also introduced an iron disc feature of dubious reliability and audio boost.
The GP Extreme offered enhanced sensitivity to small gold that was lacking in the earlier units. There were quality control issues with the unit however. The GP 3000 is essentially just a refined GP Extreme and the GP 3000 performance is more consistent between units. Threshold smoothness was improves to be less erratic. The GP 3500 is again just a refinement, with the only feature of note a button on the handle to allow for easy switching between ground balance modes.
The GPX-4000 was another break from the past, going to a digital control system. This allows for more adjustments but also more complexity. The GPX can attain smooth thresholds on par with the best VLF units. The GPX-4500 is a refined 4000.
I disagree with those that say you can get more depth on large gold from earlier SD units than from the latest models. Having used all the models the largest improvement I've seen over time is vast improvements in threshold stability and the ability to adjust for more varied circumstances. It may be that in a particular location an SD will do just as well as a GPX. But not where I hunt. My SD units all had the famous Minelab "warble" whereby the threshold constantly wavered. This meant that small nuggets or very deep larger nuggets had to give enough of a signal to break through the waver. A far cry from listening to a rock solid threshold for the faintest whisper or "break" in the threshold. You can get just such a rock solid threshold with the GPX units. It is not that the GPX goes deeper, it is that you can here nuggets you would miss with an SD as they could not be discerned as clear signals.
More important on my ground was that my SD units simply could not tune out the intense magnetic basalt cobbles we have to contend with. The cobbles give a faint gold hit. So you either dug them all (impossible) or simply ignored the faint signals. But some of them were small nuggets or very deep larger nuggets. When the GPX arrived at my property I saw so many more small nuggets and deeper large nuggets come out of areas well hunted to the point of being "hunted out" that it was obvious the GPX had a significant edge. I'm not talking a nugget or two - I'm talking pounds of gold. The new GPX timings can allow for a clean solid threshold in areas where that was impossible with earlier units. Those that do not hunt such locations do not see the value in a GPX. Those that do know what I'm talking about. There is no way I'd go back to using an earlier model than my GPX-4500.
Steve Herschbach
Steve's Mining Journal
I had a SD 2100 and later the a GP. Been a Minelab VLF user since the GoldSeeker 15000 came out and the Minelab PI warble was tough to very difficult to hear through and find some small nuggets, unfortunately it was a big issue on my GP. I learned more in you post about the GPX than reading many of other GPX posts. Keep up the great posts Steve!
Don't forget there's much you can do with the early Minelab pulse machines that bring them up to, some would say even better than the later models
Much of the noise with the SD 2000 and 2100 is a simple home fix as they suffer from coil interference. To limit this Minelab fitted a toroid (might have spelt that wrong) and this needs securing in place.
There's also many improvements you can pay for adding GB gain, smooth mode, exter timings and 2 or even 4 extra frequencies.
Much of the noise with the SD 2000 and 2100 is a simple home fix as they suffer from coil interference. To limit this Minelab fitted a toroid (might have spelt that wrong) and this needs securing in place.
There's also many improvements you can pay for adding GB gain, smooth mode, exter timings and 2 or even 4 extra frequencies.
UMM BRIAN YOU MENTION THE SD 2200 V-2 CAN BE MODIFIED OR BROUGHT UP TO SPEED TO WHERE THEY WOULD WORK BETTER, YOU MENTION THE TOROID , IS THAT SOME TYPE OF DEVICE TO QUIET DOWN THE INFERENCE OF JUNK ? OR TO QUIETED DOWN THE SD2200 V-2 ? AND BEST PLACE TO BUY TOROID OR MINELAB 2200 V-2 ACCESSORIES?