virginia digger
Active member
Does anyone still use the Garrett GTI 2500? I was considering buying a new one but I feel the price is awful high for a 20 year old design. Any thoughts ???
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GTI 2500
- Thread starter virginia digger
- Start date
I've had mine for about six years. Previous ones were Teknetics CZ-7a Pro and CZ-70; Garrett GTP-1350, Garrett AT3 Beach Hunter; and Teknetics Gamma 6000.
Right now my two units are the GTI-2500 and the Teknetics Omega 8000 Version 6.
Hands down, the GTI2500 surpasses all the others I've used. It's just as sensitive as any of those others. The Target Imaging makes the difference.
With the other detectors, it takes more swings over the target trying to figure out its size. A target that's "fairly large and deep" can look like one that's "small and shallow". They can get fooled by a 4-inch piece of slaw at 8-9 inches, that pinpoints similarly to a coin at 3-4 inches.
... (I know some folks will dispute that, saying that it's just a matter of expertise and experience and "knowing" your detector.)
During pinpointing, the GTI2500's automatic Target Imaging shows you what you've got. Not just "depth". It shows "depth" and "size" also.
Not to pound this too hard, but please let me go on with it just a bit more.
I have compared the GTI2500 -- pinpointing -- directly against an AT Pro and an Equinox 600 (belonging to other guys), as well as with my own Gamma and Omega. With the GTI2500 showing a coin-size target at 4 inches, that's what you dig. You see it up front, before digging.
With the non-imaging detectors you might have a coin at 4 inches, maybe not. Sometimes you've already dug deeper than that -- say, 7 or 8 inches -- and your pinpointer still shows a larger target deeper down in the hole. Keep digging? Maybe it's a good target down at 8 inches, maybe trash. But why did that other detector show a shallow coin? You always have to decide ... keep digging this hole, or move on and cover more ground.
The point is, with the Target Imaging, you can dig a deep hole for a larger target if that's what you want to do. But you won't be digging a deep hole and still wondering why the smaller target hasn't come up yet. You see in advance both the depth and size, and it's pretty darn accurate.
Another good GTI2500 feature is the continuous, automatic, ground balancing. It keeps balancing while you're moving along, swinging your coil. You can do manual tweaks if you like. I've found the automatic balancing to be accurate.
Those other detectors have been good, just missing one feature. They've been fun to swing with. But after using the Target Imaging for awhile, I wouldn't want to do serious detecting without it.
This has been a long post, and it's just one person's opinion. I apologize if it's rubbed anyone the wrong way.
Cheers,
Joe
Right now my two units are the GTI-2500 and the Teknetics Omega 8000 Version 6.
Hands down, the GTI2500 surpasses all the others I've used. It's just as sensitive as any of those others. The Target Imaging makes the difference.
With the other detectors, it takes more swings over the target trying to figure out its size. A target that's "fairly large and deep" can look like one that's "small and shallow". They can get fooled by a 4-inch piece of slaw at 8-9 inches, that pinpoints similarly to a coin at 3-4 inches.
... (I know some folks will dispute that, saying that it's just a matter of expertise and experience and "knowing" your detector.)
During pinpointing, the GTI2500's automatic Target Imaging shows you what you've got. Not just "depth". It shows "depth" and "size" also.
Not to pound this too hard, but please let me go on with it just a bit more.
I have compared the GTI2500 -- pinpointing -- directly against an AT Pro and an Equinox 600 (belonging to other guys), as well as with my own Gamma and Omega. With the GTI2500 showing a coin-size target at 4 inches, that's what you dig. You see it up front, before digging.
With the non-imaging detectors you might have a coin at 4 inches, maybe not. Sometimes you've already dug deeper than that -- say, 7 or 8 inches -- and your pinpointer still shows a larger target deeper down in the hole. Keep digging? Maybe it's a good target down at 8 inches, maybe trash. But why did that other detector show a shallow coin? You always have to decide ... keep digging this hole, or move on and cover more ground.
The point is, with the Target Imaging, you can dig a deep hole for a larger target if that's what you want to do. But you won't be digging a deep hole and still wondering why the smaller target hasn't come up yet. You see in advance both the depth and size, and it's pretty darn accurate.
Another good GTI2500 feature is the continuous, automatic, ground balancing. It keeps balancing while you're moving along, swinging your coil. You can do manual tweaks if you like. I've found the automatic balancing to be accurate.
Those other detectors have been good, just missing one feature. They've been fun to swing with. But after using the Target Imaging for awhile, I wouldn't want to do serious detecting without it.
This has been a long post, and it's just one person's opinion. I apologize if it's rubbed anyone the wrong way.
Cheers,
Joe
coinhunterseth
Member
For the price, it is super outdated. The best model Garrett makes currently is the AT Max. Proportional audio on the AT series will give you essentially the same information as the imaging if you learn it. The main reason that I would advise against the GTI is that in the discriminating modes, the ground balance setting is fixed. A fixed ground balance setting will greatly reduce performance in most locations, unless you only plan to use the all metal mode. There are many better machines out there, and most are cheaper too.
virginia digger
Active member
Thanks for the feedback everyone. As said, I do believe the GTI 2500 is a very good machine. However, I wish Garrett would price them according to what is available in the market.Better machines at 400.00 less in most peoples minds would cause no-one to even consider a 2500. And the machine can't be updated with software changes. Most companies would have already have discontinued it. I heard it was Mr. Garrett's favorite machine and that is why they never stopped building it.
Gold Buddy
Well-known member
Mine with the 9 in coil is 5.5 lb.
They did have an upgrade, mmmm........say about 18 years ago. They had a new chip design. It allowed the detector to get much better depth in higher mineralized soil. At that time, it cost those who wanted the upgrade, $100.00 including shipping.
The talking feature was discontinued a few years later. Mine has the talking feature and the new chip.
The true all metal mode, when ground balanced, was very deep, even with today's standards. It still gave a VDI number to help with ID, but was only one single tone.
Those who learned to use the imaging feature properly, swore by it, especially coin and jeweler users. It allows the user to keep all targets too big/too small in the ground with a simple peek at the fairly large screen, thus saving time concentrating on coin sized targets only.
I still take mine out on occasion. It's so much fun to use, although I can only use the talking feature for a short while. Even with the next line up of Garretts coming out, lots of people are still requesting the image feature to be included.
Currently, it is the only metal detector available to use the Garrett two-box system, which is used to dig lager the coin targets in feet, not inches.
My favorite combo was using the small sniper coil in true all metal mode hunting for relics in the woods.
The talking feature was discontinued a few years later. Mine has the talking feature and the new chip.
The true all metal mode, when ground balanced, was very deep, even with today's standards. It still gave a VDI number to help with ID, but was only one single tone.
Those who learned to use the imaging feature properly, swore by it, especially coin and jeweler users. It allows the user to keep all targets too big/too small in the ground with a simple peek at the fairly large screen, thus saving time concentrating on coin sized targets only.
I still take mine out on occasion. It's so much fun to use, although I can only use the talking feature for a short while. Even with the next line up of Garretts coming out, lots of people are still requesting the image feature to be included.
Currently, it is the only metal detector available to use the Garrett two-box system, which is used to dig lager the coin targets in feet, not inches.
My favorite combo was using the small sniper coil in true all metal mode hunting for relics in the woods.