Minelab SD2000, 2100, 3000,4000,4500 vs Whites TDI

[Cheddar]

So,


since there is all this delay with the White's TDI unit, why not just get a Minelab 2000 or better? They seems to be just as good. Is it price or what?
It seems that Whites can't get it together.

I just keep seeing delays upon delays from Whites, but it seems the Minelabs Pulse units are just as good?
Am I wrong here, or what am I missing? I was going to wait, but definitely not going to wait all summer.

Scott

 

[Hobby]

Whites detector's never rushes out a detector. When thay put it on the market you will know it's right the first time no up grades needed.I too want to see them start selling them so I can see what thay will do in the right hands nugget hunting and how light the end product will be.It has ben a long time comming tho....Hobby:.........drinking:

 

[Mr.Bill]

What delays ? I haven't seen any announcement from Whites that this unit was ready to purchase, and you could go to your local Whites dealer & pick one up. Just the contrary, they haven't said anything. What I read is people jumping to conclusions over mis-information floating around on the net.

What your not seeing, or understanding is the Whites unit, just like the Goldscan 5C from where it came, can discriminate. Let me say it again, Discriminate. These are the first PI detectors to do so.

It also has a full range tone ID, and it can do it to depth. No Minelab PI can do this, and their tone ID & iron rejection is rudimentary.

This is not to mention that the Whites will have a new price of $1595.00.

 

[Reg]

Hi Scott,

The selection of a metal detector isn't a wrestling match so it isn't a matter of what is better or worse or which will win in a match of any sort. What is really relevant is just what a person wants in a detector and whether a particular detector will fits their needs at the price they want to pay.

I am a firm believer that if you personally feel the older ML 2000 is better and that is what you want, and it will fit your needs, then buy it. If you feel a different ML model will work best for you at the price you want to pay, then buy that one.

As Bill stated, Whites has not officially announced their new PI for sale and most of what information that has been going around the net is distributed by others not directly related to Whites. In most cases, such information is distributed in good faith trying to answer questions that people have asked.

Whites is just doing what it always does and that is to field test and evaluate a new design until they are satisfied it meets their requirements and standards before they do announce a new detector. Because so much information has leaked, it appears that Whites has decided to make a limited number of the new detectors while they change a few physical internal items that will help expedite the building of the new detectors.

So, if you feel the new Whites PI is what you want, then you will probably have a wait ahead. The exceptions will be some of the dealers that have placed orders in advance may have one or more for sale. So, there will be some out there. The problem will be tracking them down.

If you don't want to wait and want the features found in the Whites plus a couple of others, then you might want to take a look at the GS 5C. This is the latest unit designed and built by Eric Foster.

Reg

 

[Sunny Jim]

Hey, my daughter can't even get one yet!
You should hear her howl!
" I want a Whites TDI ! Daddy, NOW! "
Sunny Jim

 

[Frank in NH]

n/t

 

[Frank in NH]

n/t

 

[Cheddar]

I really was trying to get a feel for how these things stack up. I guess that no one has really done a "consumer reports style" head to head of the units.
Trust me, I hear some people saying Infinium is the best, the Minelab 4500 is best, the GS, the Deepsearch, etc. Too many OPINIONS of the units and not enough head to head comparisons. Yes, it would take someone with deep pockets, or a dealer (unbiased I might add) to do this kind of test.
Of course, they would need to be ground tests of the same target with all machines.

A few years ago, I hunted an area where the Spectrum had supposedly cleaned up. They said no more targets, etc. They told me the Spectrum had dominated. Then I went in there with an Excalibur and later an Explorer and found many targets they had missed. I think they may have gotten deeper, but I was finding coins and buttons that were mingled very close to nails. But I do not know if I was getting as deep as those guys. Skill, soil moisture, sun spots....who knows...

So, yes you are right, that there is no 1 machine to dominate any site. If you think you know of 1, I assure you, I can prove it doesn't.

BTW, there are already places that have (and have had for a while) the TDI for sale, but thanks to this nonsense regional buying scheme that White's has, you can't buy them. You have to get them from your region's distributor. While I understand the service side of things, if you are selling a product, this is crazy.

For every retailer that I have overseen, when we were out of something, we transferred or sourced it from another location that had it, OR we referred the customer to that location. You know why? You don't want to lose the sale and have the customer buy from a competitor.
I know I will get flack saying the scheme is a benefit or perk for that dealer. But, if you lose the sale to a competetitor, no only did you lose the initial sale, you also lost any future revenue stream for post-warranty repairs and upgrades.
JMO, Scott

 

[Reg]

Hi Scott,

I can understand why you would want a comparison and that is fine. The problem is the logic of comparing a $1600 detector to one that costs much more, if you are comparing the TDI with a new ML.

Next, comes the problem of where to compare them. As a perfect example, I have the SD 2200 and at my house in town, the Whites wins in easily when comparing ability to detect small gold or even somewhat larger items such as coins. In the field away from electrical noise, I am sure the SD will do as well or close to it on the small stuff. I would guess the SD will have greater depth on the larger gold, but that is a guess also since I do not have any to test.

From a technical standpoint, I am sure the SD and the GP series have much more gain in their design, which explains the depth capabilties. It also explains their susceptibility to external noises that other PI's such as the TDI do not hear. So, in the field, the SD will most likely do better on say a one oz nugget, but will have more external noise to deal with in some areas.

I have heard people complain about all the noise or hearing what they believe to be signals from aircraft and I have never experienced that with any of Eric Foster designs, so I don't expect that on the TDI.

My opinion is the TDI is designed and built to fill the gap and fit the need of the recreational prospector who gets out once in a while, and wants to use the detector for other things. The serious professional nugget hunter who is out daily will benefit from the more expensive ML's. However, if it were me and I was a professional nugget hunter, I would probably have one of the TDI's and use it in places where the ML didn't work that well or I needed better discrimination. Again, this is my opinion for what it is worth.

As for the ability to discriminate ferrous objects, the TDI wins easily in my opinion since it has a couple different ways of doing so. For coin hunting in areas with any trash at all, again there is no comparison, in my opinion.

The lists goes on but I think I have stated my opinion on the general comparison enough that a person can get an idea. The TDI is a very unique PI with very respectable depth, great discrimination features and handles bad ground very well. It isn't the deepest seeker on the block on some objects, but it is no slouch either, especially for the money involved.

I am a firm believer in trying a detector before buying if possible. The down side of this testing first is knowing the differences and what to expect when going from a VLF user to trying a PI.

Reg

 

[digitrich]

I would hazard a guess that if you were going looking for coins "in town" with these different machines, that you would lean towards using the White's TDI? Would that be an accurate assumption?? The reason I ask is that's my intention and your opinion would help me come to a decision.

 

[Reg]

Hi Rich,

I have not used the Infinium so I can't comment on that unit, but for working in town especially for coins, I do prefer the TDI or Eric's GS 5 over all others I have used. Remember, the TDI is quite close to the GS 5 in design. The single tone feature has added a whole new dimension to these detectors including coin hunting.

I actually prefer the the control box mounted to the shaft so the TDI is quite comfortable for me.

Keep in mind a PI is a different beast if you have never used one.

Reg