Steve, I notice that you have many different gold machines, including the GPX5000 and the Garrett ATX among others. How does the 2300 compare to them?
The problem is there is no perfect detector for all tasks. I try to figure out what a detector is best at, and use it for that. My main detectors and why:
Minelab GPX 5000 - Handles largest range of gold sizes for most depth in widely varying ground conditions. This the detector I use to look for nuggets at maximum depth in the worst ground conditions or for covering lots of ground fast with larger coils.
Minelab SDC 2300 - Excels at pulling gold out of shallow ground, hits a bit smaller gold than GPX 5000. Also more compact with built in speakers and batteries, unlike GPX. This detector is rapidly becoming my primary prospecting detector. There are far more place with small gold than large gold.
Garrett ATX - Great all around unit, less expensive alternative to Minelab units. Pretty heavy for prospecting so this has become my preferred beach and underwater unit due to waterproof design.
White's TDI - Also less expensive alternative to Minelab units. However, between the three units above I find I am just not using the TDI any more, so it may be up for sale soon. Don't get me wrong, it is a good detector, but basically nothing about it makes me want to take it and leave the others behind.
That is my basic methodology. I get each new prospecting unit as they become available, assuming I think they may add some capability I do not have. I toss them in the mix, and see how it works out. At the end of the day I want to find gold, so after an initial testing and learning phase the detector has to provide a compelling reason for me to use it, or it just sits around after awhile. Enough of that and I may as well sell it to make room for the next contender.
