"You will find everything that you would find with a TDI, using the Dual Field or Tesoro Sand Shark - at HALF the price"
Terry, that statement clearly indicates to me that you have never encountered conditions requiring the use of the ground balance on the Garrett Infinium or White's TDI. Lacking that experience you lack an understanding of the value of a ground balance circuit on a pulse induction metal detector. You therefore accuse Garrett and White's of ripping people off by charging twice as much as you believe they are worth, since machine costing half as much perform just fine for you in your limited experience. You are like a person in low mineral ground using a Gold Bug 2 complaining that a GPX 5000 is a rip off because it can't find any gold that the Gold Bug 2 will easily find. After all, the GPX 5000 costs over six times as much as a Gold Bug 2 so it should do what a Gold Bug 2 does, right? You think $1600 is charging too much for a detector and are fine with almost $6000?
If Minelab had believed as you do the SD 2000 would never have been developed and everyone in Australia would be swinging a Sand Shark. I do not for one second believe the Infinium or TDI are nearly as good as a GPX 5000 and I recommend anyone who can afford it should get one. If you want to shop used you can get used older model Minelabs for about twice the price of an Infinium or TDI. That right there should tell people how good the Minelabs are.
The fact is however is that the TDI and Infinium are the clear second choices after Minelab. For people in places that require the use of a ground balance circuit on a PI - and that quite clearly is not you Terry - they are low priced options. By definition a non-ground balancing PI will outperform a ground balancing PI in conditions that do not require the ground balance circuit. The TDI with the ground balance turned off will get more depth in ground that does not require the ground balance. The GPX 5000 will go dramatically deeper with the ground balance system shut off in ground that does not require the system. But then, you have probably never encountered that ground with your GPX 5000, have you Terry?
One reason I very much prefer the TDI compared to the Infinium is I can turn the ground balance off on the TDI. The TDI outperforms the Dual Field under most conditions that do not require ground balancing when you turn the ground balance off. When you encounter conditions where engaging the ground balance provides an advantage, only then do you do so. Again, you clearly do not understand what the advantages are of a ground balance setting on a PI nor understand when it should or should not be used. There is a reason it can be turned on or off. Sometimes you need it, most times you do not.
Never encountering something does not mean it does not exist. What makes you interesting Terry is your professed lack of humbleness. You actually are proud of that? Well maybe if you would be a little more humble you would be a little more open to learning things. You can't learn when you are convinced you already know it all.
Your pronouncements fly because for most people under most conditions they are indeed good advice. I do agree that most people are better served by a good VLF. I do think they should just dig deeper and get a Minelab if they can afford to do it. But I know the engineers who worked on the Infinium and the TDI because I tested prototypes of both machines. Frankly I find the implication that the machines are worthless and that the companies are ripping people off by selling them at higher prices insulting. A lot of people put in some work developing those machines. I know the engineers are to a large degree prohibited for speaking up for themselves so I feel compelled to speak out on the subject. I would hate to see your lack of experience pass off as fact to people who do not know any better.
Steve Herschbach
Gosh Steve, that was quite the rant! You put a lot of words in my mouth, and called me a know-nothing. Wow.
Well, at least now I know it's personal and not professional.
Do you think there are that many places in the United Sates that have soils so hot that only a TDI or Infinium will work, and a Dual Field or Sand Shark won't? Where are they? There is no place in California, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon or New Mexico, that I have detected where the TDI or Infinium would be an advantage over a Whites GMT, or Dual Field for that matter. Ground balancing on such a low power machine is like putting tennis shoes on a 350-pound man, and calling him a "track star."
I loved this one! "Your pronouncements fly because for most people under most conditions they are indeed good advice." Sweet Mother of Pulse Induction Steve! Is that your way of saying, "Well, you're right Terry, but we REAL experts don't like you making it seem so simple"?
Let's get real Steve, and just be honest with folks. A full 90-percent of the people that own a Minelab GPX, a TDI, or an Infinium, live and prospect in areas where they would do just as well with a Goldbug, Lobo, or GMT.
You don't know anything about me or my experience Steve. You have never hunted with me or looked into my eyes. You have no idea how many hours I have on the TDI or Infinium – or where I have used these two machines to form my opinion. Yet, you have no problem at all assuming I have “no experience” and don’t know what I’m talking about. I’m sorry, but being insulted because I personally believe the TDI is way overpriced is mental hurdle you’ll have to overcome in your own time. I never said your friends machines were “worthless,” Steve – that is your word. I said they are WAY overpriced, and are no better than a Dual Field or Sand Shark when it comes to gold prospecting.
I’ll stand by my opinion, without attacking you personally. I just don’t see the need.
