Inside the Minelab GOLD MONSTER 2000
The Minelab GOLD MONSTER 2000 metal detector runs Multi-Au hybrid SMF-PI technology: a simultaneous multi-frequency engine from 12 to 76 kHz that combines the sensitivity of VLF with a Pulse Induction soil-handling engine. Easy-Trak ground balance adjusts automatically to ground variations, and Quick-Trak gives you a fast manual ground balance when you want it. The GOLD MONSTER 2000 returns a 0 to 99 Target ID across 25 discrimination segments next to the real-time Gold Chance Indicator, with a 5 level depth indicator and Echo Wave audio. Sensitivity runs Manual 1 to 10 plus Auto 1 and Auto 2.
The GOLD MONSTER 2000 ships with the GM2000-05 5 inch round Double-D coil, two rechargeable 2700 mAh lithium-ion batteries, wired 3.5 mm earbuds, a universal AC charger, a car battery charger cable, a universal shaft adapter and the Getting Started Guide. The control pod is IP55 rated (rainproof) and the coil is waterproof to 1 m (3.3 ft). The telescopic carbon fiber and fiberglass shaft collapses to 65 cm (25.6 inch) and extends to 138.2 cm (54.4 inch), and the detector weighs 2.75 lb (1.25 kg) with its battery. Minelab covers the control box and coil for 2 years.
GOLD MONSTER 2000 vs GOLD MONSTER 1000: Which Should You Buy?
Both GOLD MONSTER models are built for small gold, and both balance to the ground automatically. The GOLD MONSTER 1000 is a 45 kHz single-frequency VLF with two modes (Gold and Deep All Metal) and the Gold Chance Indicator only. The GOLD MONSTER 2000 adds the Multi-Au multi-frequency engine, three ground settings (Normal, Benign and Difficult), a numeric 0 to 99 Target ID, Echo Wave audio, manual Quick-Trak ground balance and a shorter collapsed length for packing.
We recommend the GOLD MONSTER 2000 if your patches are in ironstone, hot rocks, black sand or variable mineralized ground, if you hunt trashy old workings where a target number helps, or if pack size matters. The GOLD MONSTER 1000 is enough for mild to moderate ground when simple operation and the lower price band matter more. The two models use different coils, so coils from one do not fit the other.
GOLD MONSTER 2000, Best For:
- Prospectors working heavily mineralized ground, hot rocks and black sand
- Trashy historic sites and tailings where the 0 to 99 Target ID helps separate iron
- Hikers and travelers who want a detector that collapses to 65 cm (25.6 inch)
- Hunters who want Easy-Trak plus a manual Quick-Trak ground balance
GOLD MONSTER 1000, Best For:
- First-time gold prospectors who want two modes and very little setup
- Mild to moderately mineralized ground in creeks, washes and bedrock
- Remote trips where running on 8 x AA batteries is a useful backup
- Buyers who want a dedicated 45 kHz gold detector in a lower price band
Multi-Au, Target ID and Echo Wave Audio in the Field
Multi-Au is Minelab's gold engine, separate from the Multi-IQ found on Minelab's coin and relic detectors. It runs a higher 12 to 76 kHz range for small, low-conductivity gold and pairs it with Pulse Induction soil handling. That combination maintains signal clarity and reduces ground noise in mineralized soils. The useful test with the GOLD MONSTER 2000 is whether a faint signal stays repeatable when you sweep it from several directions.
The three ground settings are picked for ground severity, not target size, so pick the setting for how aggressive the iron and mineralization are in front of you. Getting the detector stable first and then listening for small, repeatable changes in the threshold works better than starting at the most aggressive setting. Auto sensitivity is often a better choice than maximum manual sensitivity; if raising sensitivity makes the threshold erratic, small targets get harder to hear, not easier.
The 0 to 99 Target ID and the real-time Gold Chance Indicator help you separate promising gold signals and make faster dig and no-dig calls in trashy ground. Echo Wave audio layers target tones over the threshold, with high tones for gold and low tones for hot rocks and iron. On a weak target, let the audio and its repeatability decide, because the ground shapes what the display shows.
Where the GOLD MONSTER 2000 Earns Its Place
We recommend the GOLD MONSTER 2000 for inland goldfields: dry washes, creek beds, exposed bedrock, gravel bars, quartz reefs and bench deposits. The 5 inch coil reaches into rocks, scrub brush and tight bedrock cracks that larger general-purpose coils cannot work into, and it rewards a slow style with overlapping sweeps. Because the coil is waterproof to 1 m (3.3 ft) and the control pod is rainproof, creek edges and shallow gravel bars are fine as long as the control pod stays out of the water.
The GOLD MONSTER 2000 has limits. It is a small-gold detector, not a deep-seeking pulse induction detector, and we don't recommend either GOLD MONSTER for wet salt sand beaches. For depth on larger nuggets in extreme ground, Minelab's pulse induction GPX 6000 is the step up. For the rest of the prospecting kit, browse our gold detectors and gold prospecting equipment.
Coils and Accessories That Fit the GOLD MONSTER 2000
We carry two coils for the GOLD MONSTER 2000: the GM2000-05 5 inch round DD that ships with the detector, and the GM10 10 x 6 inch DD for covering open ground faster. Both are waterproof to 1 m (3.3 ft), and each Minelab coil comes with its coil cover. GOLD MONSTER 1000 coils do not fit the GOLD MONSTER 2000, so check that a coil listing names the GOLD MONSTER 2000 before you buy. All coils that fit are in the GOLD MONSTER 2000 coils filter.
The GOLD MONSTER 2000 collection also holds replacement coil covers, shaft and armrest parts, battery and headphone caps, and the Minelab wired headphones with a 3.5 mm plug. Pair the detector with a pinpointer for recovering small targets from rock and gravel.
GOLD MONSTER 1000 vs GOLD MONSTER 2000: Spec Comparison
Both GOLD MONSTER models are dedicated small-gold detectors with automatic ground balance, the Gold Chance Indicator, a 5 inch round Double-D coil as standard, a coil waterproof to 1 m (3.3 ft) and a 2 year warranty on the control box and coil. The differences sit in the detection engine, target ID, ground settings, audio, pack size and batteries.
| Feature | GOLD MONSTER 1000 | GOLD MONSTER 2000 |
|---|
| Technology | VLF, single frequency 45 kHz | Multi-Au simultaneous multi-frequency, 12 to 76 kHz |
| Search Modes | Gold, Deep All Metal | Normal, Benign, Difficult |
| Target ID | Gold Chance Indicator (no numeric ID) | 0 to 99 numeric ID plus Gold Chance Indicator |
| Discrimination Segments | 50 | 25 |
| Sensitivity | Manual 1 to 10, Auto, Auto+ | Manual 1 to 10, Auto 1, Auto 2 |
| Ground Balance | Automatic (Easy-Trak) | Automatic (Easy-Trak) plus manual Quick-Trak |
| Audio | Continuous tone | Echo Wave: high tones for gold, low tones for hot rocks and iron |
| Wireless Audio | No (wired 3.5 mm headphones) | No (wired 3.5 mm earbuds) |
| Standard Coil | GM05 5 inch round DD (two-coil packs add the GM10 10 x 6 inch DD) | GM2000-05 5 inch round DD |
| Coils Interchangeable | No, GOLD MONSTER 1000 coils only | No, GOLD MONSTER 2000 coils only |
| Waterproof | Coil to 1 m (3.3 ft); control box splash and rain proof | Coil to 1 m (3.3 ft); IP55 control pod (rainproof) |
| Weight | 1.33 kg (2.94 lb) with GM10 coil, excluding battery | 1.25 kg (2.75 lb) including battery |
| Length | 94.4 to 138.2 cm (37.2 to 54.4 inch) | 65 to 138.2 cm (25.6 to 54.4 inch), telescopic |
| Battery | Removable 7.2 V 2700 mAh Li-ion, or 8 x AA in the AA battery adapter | Two removable 2700 mAh Li-ion batteries |
| Warranty | 2 years control box and coil | 2 years control box and coil |
Read our GOLD MONSTER 1000 vs 2000 comparison for how the two models behave in mild, mineralized and trashy ground, and which one we would buy for each.
Why Buy the Minelab GOLD MONSTER 2000 from Serious Detecting?
- Free Shipping on Orders Over $99: Your Minelab GOLD MONSTER 2000 ships at no extra cost across the continental US.
- Authorized Minelab Dealer: Showroom in Ypsilanti, Michigan, full 2-year manufacturer warranty and product registration support.
- Help Before and After You Buy: Our staff answer setup, coil and GOLD MONSTER 2000 questions by phone or email.
