The Nokta Magnetar 9000 - Coming Soon to Australia

Nokta Detectors has officially launched the Magnetar 9000, their first-ever Pulse Induction gold detector, and the claims being made are as bold as anything the prospecting world has seen. During their official launch video, Nokta implied strongly that the Magnetar 9000 will outperform the GPX 6000, GPZ 7000 and GPZ 8000. At a price point of approximately $8,000 AUD, sitting significantly lower than the intended competitors.

After 20 years of producing highly respected VLF and SMF detectors with full in-house manufacturing, Nokta has turned its large engineering team and director of engineering (Ahmed Akgiray PhD - Ex NASA Engineer) toward the serious PI gold market. The result is the Magnetar 9000, a machine they believe warrants competing at the very top end of the gold prospecting market.

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Performance Claims and Market Positioning of the Nokta Magnetar

Nokta has been direct: their benchmark competitors are the most expensive PI gold detectors on the market.  With the GPZ 8000 having recently launched to mixed impressions from experienced prospectors (largely due zero coil options), the timing is quite significant. The prospecting community has felt stuck in a Minelab monopoly for years, and Nokta's willingness to make direct performance comparisons at this price point suggests great confidence in what they have built.

The Magnetar 9000 currently sits at a more competitive price point than the GPZ8000, GPZ7000 and GPX6000 while claiming to offer advantages over each. These are bold claims which are coming from a company that has developed a reputation for actually delivering and even overdelivering on its promises.

Magnetar 9000 vs GPX 6000, GPZ7000, GPZ8000

	Magnetar 9000	GPZ 8000	GPZ 7000	GPX 6000
Price (AUD)	~$8,000	$15,000-$17,000	$10,800	$9,300
Weight	2.4kg	2.8kg	3.32kg	2.1kg
Waterproof	Yes IP68 to 3m	No	No	No
Colour Display	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Easy + Expert Mode	Yes	No	No	No
Concentric Coils Options	Yes	Yes	yes (very difficult to get)	No
DOD / DRC Coil Options	Yes	No	Yes	No

Standout Features of the Nokta Magnetar 9000

Beginner Friendly without stripping out the Expert Controls

Beginner friendliness and deep settings used to be at odds. Detectors kept getting simpler and more automatic, which has frustrated experienced users who want to fine-tune performance. Manufacturers are now splitting detectors into experience-based modes, giving both sides what they want. The Magnetar 9000 is one of the first to do this.

The "EASY" mode on the Magnetar 9000 hands over the essential controls to the operator while handling everything else. The "EXPERT" mode 

2.4kg: Built for Long Days in the Field

It's extremely common to see serious prospectors abandon their top-of-the-line gold detectors for lighter, lower-performing machines. Top performers like the GPZ7000 (3.32kg) are often dismissed for nothing more than excessive weight. A heavy detector quickly grows uncomfortable, cutting into the experience and shortening how many hours you can swing, which ultimately leads to less gold recovered.

The Magnetar 9000 sits at an enticing 2.4kg with the MG37 coil equipped, an impressive weight especially considering the claimed performance bracket and waterproof construction that no other similarly positioned machines have.

Serious Coil Choice: The Shortcoming Manufacturers Ignore

Coil options are single biggest performance advantage you can have when gold detecting, and it's the one area manufacturers have deliberately ignored. The Magnetar 9000 will likely change all of that with the widest predicted range of coils in its class, so instead of compromising on one all-purpose coil, you run the exact coil built for the ground and gold in front of you.

A gold detector is only as good as the coil fitted to it. Size, shape, and winding configuration each impact performance dramatically, and even the best-performing detector on the market can become practically unusable with the wrong coil in the wrong conditions. This is why hoards of serious prospectors go back to older machines with more coil options. The newer detectors may have many technological advantages but nothing can make up for the size, shape and coil type you're running.

The MAG 9000 launches with two DRC (Dual Receiver Coil) variants, with Nokta already working on additional shapes and sizes, concentric configurations included. 

The company have confirmed that aftermarket coil manufacturers (like Nugget Finder and Coiltek) are welcome to produce coil options for the Magnetar. This means that we'll likely be seeing a large selection of unique coils emerging over the coming months and years.

Waterproofing - A New Frontier

The Magnetar 9000 is fully ingress protected (dirt, dust and water can't get in) , so it can be used in rain, submerged in creeks, or worked through dusty and sandy terrain without risk to the internal electronics.

This matters for gold prospecting specifically, since a lot of ground worth checking sits in or near waterways, and weather rarely cooperates with what we want. Other detectors in this class don't offer the same level of protection, which usually means stopping work when conditions turn and avoiding water altogether.

Interestingly, there has also been talk of Nokta producing specialised neutrally buoyant coils for use in an underwater environment.

Full Feature List

• IP68 waterproof to 3 metres, the only PI of this calibre with this rating
• approximately 2.1kg, matching the lightest PI detector in its class
• DRC (Dual Receiver Coil) technology
• Two coils included at launch: MG37 and MG29
• Compatible with concentric coils
• Active Magnetic Sensor Technology (details pending)
• Easy Mode and Expert Mode dual interface
• Full colour LCD display
• Bluetooth headphones included
• Built-in loudspeaker
• Telescopic carbon fibre shaft
• 2 batteries included with stated long battery life
• Backpack/harness included

Magnetar 9000 has Easy Mode and Expert Mode

The Magnetar 9000 offers a dual-mode interface that is unique in this class of detector. Expert Mode gives experienced operators multiple pages of fully adjustable settings. Easy Mode strips this back to a single page of essential controls, making the machine genuinely usable for newer prospectors without compromising depth of control for those who want it.

For hardcore users, Expert Mode is what matters, and it delivers the level of control expected from a high-end PI which has been missing from the competition. The added accessibility of Easy Mode is a bonus for the broader market rather than a compromise to the machine's serious credentials.

Technical Specs of Magnetar 9000

Weight and Waterproofing

The Magnetar 9000 weighs in at 2.4kg, a bit more than a GPX 6000 which is widely praised as one of the lightest PI detectors currently available. What makes this impressive is that Nokta achieved this while also making it IP68 rated to 3 metres, the only fully submersible PI gold detector of this calibre on the market. Waterproofing typically adds weight, and Nokta appears to have solved that trade-off entirely.

For Australian prospectors, full submersibility is a practical advantage. Creek beds and shallow waterways are among the most productive gold environments in the country, and until now no high-end PI could go there with you.

Magnetar 9000 DRC Coils: Dual Receiver Coil Technology

The Magnetar 9000 launches with two coils, both using Nokta's new DRC (Dual Receiver Coil) technology. Nokta has not yet released a full technical breakdown, but expert speculation suggests DRC is functionally similar to the DOD coil technology that was central to the GPZ 7000's capability in difficult ground conditions.

The two included coils are:

• MG37 at 14.5" x 13" (37cm x 34cm): Larger coverage coil for open ground and depth
• MG29 at 11" x 8" (29cm x 21cm): Compact coil for tight terrain, high mineralisation and smaller gold nuggets

The machine is also compatible with concentric coils, with the aftermarket ecosystem expected to develop significantly over time.

What are people saying about the Magnetar 9000?

The response from experienced prospectors has been broadly positive and notably measured, which carries more weight than simple enthusiasm. The sentiment is less about excitement and more about relief that a credible, serious manufacturer has finally entered a space that has been a one-brand market for too long.

With Nokta's track record, twenty years of quality production and competitive pricing without cutting corners has built great trust in the detecting community. When a company with that reputation makes direct performance claims against competing high ends machine, people take it seriously.

Watch the Official Nokta Magnetar 9000 Launch Video

See the full official launch presentation from Nokta, including their direct performance claims and a closer look at the machine.

WATCH HERE

Availability in Australia of Magnetar 9000

At the time of writing this article, we are finalising testing of the Magnetar 9000 in Australian conditions. Please check HERE for the availability of Magnetar in Australia.

The Magnetar 9000 is undergoing real-world testing in Australian conditions as I write this, and performance is very promising. Due to the extreme and varied nature of soil across the Australian continent we strongly believe that thorough testing of the Magnetar 9000 on the worlds toughest soils is essential before launching here in Australia. 

Detect-Ed is taking names for the waiting list now.

Pros and Cons of Magnetar 9000

An honest assessment for serious prospectors.

Pros

• Approx 2.4kg (Lighter than its direct competitors)
• The only fully waterproof PI gold detector of this calibre on the market
• Claims performance superiority over the GPX 6000, GPZ 7000 and GPZ 8000
• Priced below the GPZ 8000, GPZ 7000 & GPX 6000
• Two coils included at launch covering both coverage and precision work
• Easy Mode and Expert Mode, accessible to beginners without compromising depth of control
• Bluetooth headphones, two batteries and backpack harness all included
• Built by a manufacturer with 20 years of trusted production and full in-house manufacturing 
• Australian service center for Nokta products with excellent communication and fast turn around
• DRC coil technology comparable to the GPZ 7000's highly regarded DOD system
• Active Magnetic Sensor Technology, potential to distinguish iron from gold
• Price point makes the Magnetar far more accessible

Cons

• Untested in Australian soil conditions, which are among the most challenging in the world. Early results from African goldfields are very promising, but Australian prospectors will rightly want to see local field results before drawing firm conclusions (coming soon)
• No established aftermarket coil range yet although Nokta are developing a handful of aftermarket coils + Aftermarket manufacturers are working alongside Nokta to increase the range
  

Our Take

There are still unknowns and the real-world field performance in Australian conditions remains to be seen.

What's already on the table is a class-leading lightweight PI detector with DRC coil technology, Easy and Expert modes, a full colour display and wireless headphones included, all at a price below all other relevant competitors from a manufacturer that has earned its credibility over two decades.

If Nokta's performance claims hold up in the field, this could very well be a turning point for the serious PI gold detector market. We will have hands-on results as soon as units arrive in Australia. Follow Detect-Ed for updates.

MAGNETAR 9000 HERE

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Nokta Magnetar 9000 cost in Australia? Approximately $8,000 AUD.

Is the Nokta Magnetar 9000 waterproof? Yes. IP68 rated and fully submersible to 3 metres, the only PI gold detector of this calibre with this level of waterproofing.

When will the Magnetar 9000 arrive to Australia? To be confirmed, Nokta will release it to different regions at different times. Due to extreme global demand and active gold rush's happening overseas, we anticipate that Australia will not be amongst the first countries to receive stock, however rest assured that Australia will be securing stock as early as possible!

How does it compare to the Minelab GPZ 7000, GPX 6000 and GPZ 8000? Nokta has directly implied performance comparisons to all three models, with real-world field comparisons still to come.

What coils are included? Two DRC coils: the MG37 at 14.5" x 13" and the MG29 at 11" x 8". 

Is the Magnetar 9000 suitable for beginners? Yes, unusually so for this class of machine. Easy Mode provides a simple single-page interface for newer users, while Expert Mode gives experienced prospectors full control.

Where can I buy one in Australia? Join the waiting list now to secure an early unit.

Thank you for reading! Comments welcome below.