Opinions Minelab SD2200v2/SD2200D vs Whites TDI Pro Oz series

Opinions Minelab SD2200v2 or SD2200D vs Whites TDI Pro Oz series
Don't know if too many members are using either a Minelab SD2200v2/SD2200D or Whites TDI Pro Oz series but I am interested in any feedback on them?

Reason being is I am starting to research & get ready for that inevitable step from VLF to PI for gold hunting. Not that I am in a rush or will be getting rid of the VLF - very happy with the Whites GMT & will definitely keep it to compliment any PI I do end up getting but I do wonder what I am missing with it sometimes, especially depth wise. My thinking is that with a reasonable PI machine to compliment the GMT I will have a 2 x detector kit that may be able to rival newer Minelab's but on about 30-50% of the budget.
So far I have narrowed down the two above mentioned machines. I have come up with a bit of a list on pro's/con's for each & would like any opinions that could add to this or correct me if wrong.

Minelab SD2200v2 or SD2200D  
Pro's - <$1500 used for basic set up to $2000 with lots of extras, auto ground balance, good track record on Aussie goldfields especially bigger/deeper gold which would compliment the GMT finding smaller shallow stuff nicely, larger Minelab user base for help/tips, large range of coils can be used, Aussie made
Con's - >10 years old, parts & service availability if damaged/needing repairs, may need mods for smaller gold hunting?,

Whites TDI Pro Oz series
Pro's - <$1500 to $1700 used - $2200 new, newer machine, large range of coils can be used, already own a Whites so that may help re: operation?,
Con's - not much info re: success on Aussie goldfields, unsure of user base,

Probably leaning towards the Minelab's a bit. Not sure - doesn't get any easier deciding after getting your first one Any opinions welcomed/appreciated.

Hi mbasko,

I can't help you with the TDI, but hopefully another member will. I see you have specifically gone for the 2200v2, not that there's anything wrong with that, but I am curious as to why you have eliminated the original green box SD2200d? Personally I think that it's an extremely good PI machine and I believe, would equal if not slightly better perform than the 2200V2. I hope you don't take this wrong as I'm not trying to say that anything is incorrect with your research, I'm just curious to how you came to select the 2200v2.

Hi CostasDee,

I came to select the SD2200v2 purely based on it being a newer model.

I had read that the only discernible difference between the two is that the SD2200D has a straight shaft + green box & the SD2200v2 has an "S" shaft + blue box. Had read some other discussions re: SD2200D V SD2200v2 & it appeared 50/50 from those?

Would like any feedback re: SD2200D also + any problems with the "S" shaft on the SD2200v2.

Thanks CostasDee - now I've narrowed it down to 3.

Hi again,

Now I'm not trying to make up your mind for you, that's purely your decision. As far as the straight vs the S shaft are concerned, both are fine with the exception that if you ever decided to put a ground balancing button on, the straight shaft is easier to do this on. Personally and this is purely my decision, the SD2200d was the last of the SDs and was an exceptional performer on bigger nuggets at depth. The GP range of detectors (the first of the blue boxes) were more sensitive to the smaller bits that the SDs just couldn't hear, but I believe, at the sacrifice of a bit of depth. The 2200v2 was introduced to give people that wanted to buy a GP machine but couldn't quite afford it, the option to buy a "watered down" version of the blue boxes. Of the two, my personal opinion, and purely that, is that the 2200d had more depth over the 2200v2, but the 2200v2 picked up smaller pieced than the 2200d. So it all really depends on what you want to chase...

Thanks heaps for the info - I'm in no hurry at the moment, still reading/researching so the info/opinion is great.

I think from what I have been reading etc. as an entry level PI machine I could live with either for the right price ;)but more depth would be nice. Would just take the "I wonder if......" out of some ground.

Poses a few more questions for me though (sorry to be a pain) - 
What would be considered a small size nugget for the SD2200D or the SD2200v2?
Would some of the new smaller coils on the SD2200D lose you some depth but allow it to see smaller gold also or are they just not small gold machines at all regardless of coil etc.?
Does anyone believe that the mods available are worth the money for these older machines or are they best left as is?

I can only talk about my personal experiences and other members may have different experiences. Living in Victoria we have very mineralised ground here so I personally cannot use a mono coil on my 2200d, I just cant handle all that extra noise and continual second guessing, therefore for Victoria, a DD coil coil is what I use. A DD coil is not as sensitive as a mono and probably the smallest piece I have found has been around 0.5gms, within 3 inches from the surface. Go to a 0.3gm, and I'd have to rub it onto the coil to get a reaction. If you could tolerate the noise, or are going to use it in an area where mono coils don't pose as much of a problem, then you should quite easily pick up the 0.3gm at 3 inches if not smaller and/or deeper. I would imagine that a 2200v2 would be able to pick up a 0.3gm at 3 inches using a DD, but I would guess that the machine would have slightly less overall depth using the same coil as the 2200d. Hypothetical figure, if the 2200v2 can just "see" a 10oz nugget at 24", the 2200d would still "see" that nugget at say, 27-28". Now please remember that these are only my beliefs that I have understood from the research that I had done, prior to me buying the 2200d. Your research and info from other members could steer you in the direction of the v2.
 
As far as coils go, in my opinion, a DD just is not a sensitive coil for small nuggets. As an example I will use my personal experience of when I put a Joey DD on my 2200d. My friend running a 11"mono on his 4500 picked up a bit of bird-shot probably weighing about 0.25gms (at a guess) at about the 1" mark. With my setup, 2200d & Joey DD, I had to rub it into the coil hard to get a response from the detector. Limitations of DD coils, great for mineralised soils, shocking for flyspeck nuggets.
 
As far as mods go...well that depends on who does them and at what cost. A frequency mod to a 2000 or 2100 is inexpensive and beneficial. The 2200d mods are a little more costly and depending on where you go, could cost about $1000. Put this price on top of your purchase price and you could buy a "clean" 3000, 3500 or even 4000, and for a few $ more a 4500, so are they worth it (?), probably not in my humble opinion. Resale of an unmodified machine will probably always be higher than a modded one too, unless the modder was someone with the reputation of Ismael Jones or Barry Johnstone.

Costas - thanks for the replies. Very helpful.

Hi Mbasko,

I have never used the tdi, however knowing its operation principals I would opt for a 2200 of some sort any day. I have run mono coils on one(modified) I was repairing for a member here and on noisier virgin ground it was very difficult, though when I hit real targets I knew they were real. I found that one of the extra mod timings helped a bit in noisier ground. In general though I would say that a stock standard 2200 is a damn fine machine and I found that the standard modes gave the machine the best all round detection depth on all targets I tested. When used on old pipeclay diggings with mono coils this is a deadly machine! I went to a spot that I had found a few bits before and using an 18"mono I snagged a nice 9g nugget just meters from where I had found a 5g bit on another occasion. I also managed to pull out a .4g nugget and whilst retrieving that I also found a shotgun pellet with the 18" coil. I must warn you though, you will end up digging some freakin deep holes though! Somehow I hurt my elbow while digging a hole for a piece of junk and its still a bit sore when lifting things at least 6 weeks later....

Cheers Mick

Thanks Mick from what I've read over last couple of days think the SD2200D would be great as a budget combo with my GMT. If anyone hears of one for sale at a reasonable price please let me know - not concerned about all the extras, a basic working machine that I could add to would be great. 
Matt

Gday Mbasko,
Good advice from both mechanic and Costa.
In my opinion (and i have owned 2 sd 2200's and detected all around the central western goldfields for the past 13yrs) is to save a few more dollars and buy a GP Extreme.
I conducted a few tests out in the field on undug nuggets with the 2200 vs the Extreme. In noisy ground the extreme won hands down. The 2200 just couldnt filter out the mineralisation enough to hear the targets. On bigger gold in mild/quiet ground they were on par,but there isnt much of either around these days,so you want to concentrate on smaller gold at depth.
One test saw the 2200 unable to detect what tuned out to be a 1.7 grm bit in noisy orange clay at 10 inches. It was a clear signal on the extreme.

Thanks Gus - at the moment I am trying to get the best I can afford. I'm not in a big rush but would like something fairly soon - say within a month or two.

Have had the GP Extreme & also GP3000 recommended by other people & they appear to be getting up around $1000 or more over what I really would like to spend now. I s'pose its a bit of trap - save for the GP Extreme then someone says save a bit more for a GP3500 & so on until you end up at the pinnacle in the GPX5000. Can do ya head in a bit working out options, budget etc. .

Even with a DD coil were the SD2200's still no good around the central western goldfields?

I have had a GP3000 offered to me at what looks a reasonable price - but like I say still about $1000 more than I really want to part with at the moment due to me having a sneaking suspicion I will be paying extra tax this year when the taxman comes knockin'. Got some HECS fees left over from last year to pay back & not enough "allowable" deductions to counteract it.

If I got a SD2200 @ the right price now I would look at it as a bit of a PI learning curve. In 12-18months time I hope to be on track to update further to a GPX of some sort. Need to try something, the GMT is good fun & I have found a bit with it but it also leaves a few questions i.e. "what if" after I've walked an area.

My choice was the TDI Pro a few years ago, it had the coils and versatility I was looking for then..............and still has!

.....................................First gold on WA ground.

My pictures have proved to be safe from misappropriation here.
.........................First Gold on Qld. Beach detecting.


ivanll

Gday Mbasko,
I found a stack of gold with the 2200d,dont get me wrong mate.
One of the best coils in a DD was the Coiltek 10 x 5 joey. Worked great for high junk areas like hargraves,hill end and sofala/ wattle flat. Not bad for small pieces ,say .15 grm at 3 inches in moderate ground. The other plus of this coil is its ability to 'fish' around the edges of large trash signals,looking for smaller nuggets thet may be masked when using a round coil.
I also found heaps of gold around wire fences that run through the diggings using this coil/detector combo.....fences that you couldnt get near with any of my later GP.s and a mono coil combo.
The other coil I did well with was an old white nuggetfinder 14 eleptical mono. I guess by that time i was so used to ground noise,i could pick out the targets from the constant groaning of mineralisation.
Whatever choice you make mate,Im sure you will do well as from what i have seen you have the drive to succeed.

Ivanll - thanks for the reply. Good to see the TDI working for you. Not a lot of feedback on them unfortunately.

Gus - thanks for the info on the coils. I will keep an eye out for something & have also asked some of the NSW Minelab dealers to let me know if they get any trade ins etc. Regardless of what I do end up with I will be better off for the advice/opinion/info given by all on this post.

I know a few TDI users that like them immensely and they know how/where to use them and so they have no need to go on forums.............. which can and do have drawbacks and bad experiences, consequently reducing feedbacks.

Find someone that is willing to let you have a go with their TDI or perhaps contact the Importer/Dealer and get a first hand demo.......there is nothing like it.

I had someone try mine with different coils and I only showed him what it was capable of, he went and purchased one within the week.

ivanll