Equinox 800 w/stock coil report Updated 03-26-2020 Biggest 15” coil data added.

Preliminary report here,
I claim not be be Equinox expert.

Based on my experiences only, and what detectors I have run.
Equinox compared to all other detectors with stock sized coils (this assumes Xp Deus has 11" coil), Equinox seems for a 11" stock coil to have the widest range of being able to find lower and higher conductors, both biggest, bigger, medium, small, and smallest.

A great one detector, one coil setup to detect with.

Relics hunters I think will enjoy, so will coin hunters.

If Equinox had available a 6" coil, a 9" coil along with the 11" stock coil, I would buy all and likely call it a day. Would not even care for having another model detector for my needs.
This above however is conditional, meaning if smaller coil performance , of a high percentage of performance is transitioned to the smaller coils, realizing an expected loss of depth, would do me.

Equinox is user friendly at reporting targets nonferrous even in my soil. Crystal clear.

The word obsolete has been used. Not by me but you know who.
Well, so far after putting in 9 hours between 3 sites (older), sites I have crushed multiple, multiple, multiple,times with Deus all coils,except the 11x13" LF coil, so far nonferrous finds in these sites using Equinox are scant. But remember what I paid for my Deus and coils, not to mention how many hunts , rehunts, to clean the site out of nonferrous.
Could I have taken Equinox and stocker coil along with 6" coil using Equinox and clean out in fewer hours, with fewer hunts??? I don't know.

But I am reporting what has happened so far.

I did make some finds, but quantities for time spent not earth shattering.

Imo Equinox will give detectorist more green horn detectorist., a shorter learning curve, These folks will be digging nonferrous finds that using a lot of other detectors would take far longer to learn and master to be as successful.

I have not used the headphone module or have plugged in to detector with wired headphones.

So, I have only used wireless headphones.
Based on what I heard today, imo serious iron workers with Equinox should opt for using the headphone module, or plugin to detector. Seems to me, once you get to speed 7 setting, or higher, the wireless headphones using blue tooth, things are starting to get cramped, especially speed 8 setting.

Detector in every site I have used has been very quiet, all hunting done in multi freq, with a few times transitioned to single frequency for doing a few checks.
What instability I have experience , seems was tied to detector getting out of balance. Reground balancing every time made the detector purr.

Today I ran the detector I think on edge as far as I can go with the exception of using sensitivity levels 24 and 25.

Ground here has been exceeding wet. This moisture could be holding Equinox back some on its performance. If When it gets drier, and going back to sites I mentioned above, and have different experiences, I will admit and post.

So I'll post a pic of my finds in these 3 sites.

Two items top right are ferrous- piece of stainless steel and the other a ball of iron.





Edited 113 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/2020 01:25AM by tnsharpshooter.

Interesting post thanks.

Thanks for report

Thanks for your report on the Equinox.

Fine write up. I hope to start testing next week. I’m hoping to take it to my nail infested church and park I hunt. Deus does well, hopefully the nox will hang with it.

Thanks folks.
Tomorrow going to a fresh water beach. In search for chains.

Good review, So a top dirt machine combined with (possibly) the best VLF beach detector ever made and for less than $1000, what's not to like?
I wonder will third party coils appear from NEL and MARS, I'll bet they are working on it already, imagine the sharpshooter or snake coil on the Nox....

Thanks Mr. Shooter, I think several reports like yours will carry a hundred times the impact of the myriad rants of those who never held one. And James1969, don't hold your breath.

Past(or)Tom
Using a Legend, a Deus 2, an Equinox 800, a Tarsacci MDT 8000, & a few others...
with my beloved, fading Corgi, Sadie

Alright 2 hunts today 3 hours each.

Broken down in hunting old house site and a freshwater beach hunt.

I will talk about old house site hunt first.

Before Imget into some details, I see some folks think the ID on Equinox is jumpy.

It can be but I think it's part of the dna of detector and after today I like the way Equinox ID aystem works.

Equinox's numbers in the meter seem to me to be reading more real time (sorta like Nokta Impact) if you've run one of them.
And on this Equinox I just flat out love it.

The old home site today I have hunted multiple times using Etrac and CTX.
Behind the house behind back porch was an area of interest for me today, as previously I have found copper coins there in the past using Etrac, never did find any more with CTX.

So I slipped the old Equinox in there speed setting 7 park 2, 0 iron bias. This area a lot of junk, nails and iron.

So I'm moving coil around and Imget this flash of high tone (running 50 tones btw) and notice Equinox's meter would only for a flash go to 25and start down, and Imws hearing a lot of others tones (lower) in the headphones. This flash and the meter what is was doing seemed to be pretty consistent.

Well Imstart digging real small plug, and checked after about 4" of dirt out of hole with pinpointer, no cigar, so took a little more out, and the pinpointer hit whatever it was in the hole.
The small sterling ring in the pic (says sterling on inside). Depth was about 6" deep.

So I was tickled as I could be, but even got more tickled after what happened next. See the little fishing sinker. After I stood up, Imswept the plug before putting back in ground. Got a meter readinglike a mid conductor would read on Equinox. (Remember I stated I dug a small plug). About 3 " from the top of the plug the sinker was nestled.
Next about 12" from where I found the sterling ring, I get another signal doing just about the same thing as the ring signal did, but meter seems to go only to 23, and then start down as coil was slowly moved. The rabies dog tag in pic was found.

At another area where it is wall to wall nails, I again used speed setting 7 park 2, and tried to see if I could squeeze anything out, the fitting you see and few other junk targets.

Equinox even wearing an 11" coil got a lot of respect from me today. A weapon detector in my book.




Now for the fresh water beach hunt.
No valuable found but I think folks will benefit from this info.

Beach one speed setting 6 iron bias reduced to 2.
Sens was run at 22 ( for a reason)

Ground balance showed 0 every time I balanced and I balanced a load of times just for curiosity.

Sand depth at this beach seemed to vary from 10" deep to 17" deep- based on my digging and seeing a wash where to sand had been cut by moving water coming off the hill behind beach.

Every single pull tab was 10" plus deep some at 11", and one at about 11.5" deep. All ID at 15 on the meter, except seemed if tab was curled around ring, Imsaw 13 or 14 in the meter.

One coin dug, it was actually one of the shallowest finds found, 7" deep. And I suspect orientation not flat, cause I missed when digging boatloads.

The part of sunglasses.
The double cola top was at about 10" deep register 22 on the meter.

The icehouse cap, gave very windshield wipe ID. It was actually laying on top of the sand.

Even at speed 6 Equinox is really hitting low conductors and it seems high conductors ( based on the twist cap) deep in the sand.

I dig hot one something today. Read a smooth 9 in the meter. Even got it out on top of sand. I tried my best to actually find, I looked and looked and never seen nothing, but the detector was ringing up big time. I abandoned and went ahead.

Also I mention sensitivity setting.
There were high power power lines overhead of me.
Going any higher than 22, the Equinox would waiver, even would waiver when I found a few tabs.

For gee whiz, I even went to park 1 mode and ground balanced, 44 in the window. Don't know if this is smart or not. But remember in beach mode you are stuck with multi freq.
I did hit the icehouse cap with 5khz though, meter reading at 30, a lot higher reading vs checking with multi frequency.

Cheers
Forgot to say, used wireles headphones, all hunting today winds 20-25mph.




Edited 8 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2018 12:19AM by tnsharpshooter.

Thanks for write-up.

We have all read test after test and seen video after video proving the Equinox works.
When are we going to see one that proves that the Equinox works BETTER!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2018 10:32PM by shoveler.

shoveler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We have all read test after test and seen video af
> ter video proving the Equinox works.
> When are we going to see one that proves that the
> Equinox works BETTER!
Too many different kind of site in the US for anyone to prove the "Equinox works BETTER!" but it will be when an individual user comes to the realization for them, it is better than all others. One can speculate and guess, but it will be up to the individual to determine the legist of the term "Best" As for me I know that I know the Equinox is the best I've ever had for where I hunt and that is only after two weeks of use. But that's just me. I'm still awestruck............

Here is a pic.
This simulation, Equinox speed 7 iron bias 0 emulates a whole lot of what I saw today in the wild while sweeping the ring. (And sinker)


Deus will not tell me a high conductor exist (meter reading). When swept from approx 2" above sinker.
Equinox will give me clue.

Will CTX or Etrac? Stock coils.
Can't say.
Don't have either to test.

But both were sweep over this ring before.
I should say, this ring cannot be swept from the back side deu to porch and junk blocking, it was that was 4 years ago too.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2018 11:43PM by tnsharpshooter.

Awesome information Tnss - You certainly are making it easy for us to enjoy - Cheers

[www.earthscan.co.nz]

Take a look at this pic.
Notice the clad dime, and the 4 pull tabs and rings.



Deus wearing 11" coil will not when swing left to right, right to left as you view pic. And let me know a high conductor exist.
Equinox gives me clues. Speed 7 park 2.

Sweeping both with some coil height above tabs and rings.

Deus hears the dime alright, just don't give me valuable info like Equinox does.

Deus IDs dime as 64-66 with lower coil height seeps, higher goes into 90s region.
Btw airtest. 12khz non normalized 87 in the meter on clad dime.

Deus wearing 9" LF coil will id dime but reactivity cannot be any higher than level 2.

Equinox gives flashes of high tone with 23-25 in the meter.



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2018 09:36PM by tnsharpshooter.

It's a little difficult to get exact measurements because of the camera angle distortion but I think I was able to reasonably reproduce your test criteria using the 3.5" of a 2x4 to scale off of and subtract a bit. Let me give you a couple of suggestions since you are not a modern trash hunter. It's not like hunting fields of iron where you are trying to extract each and every possible scrap of junk nonferrous material possible. I have seen post after post of yours where you are demonstrating your ability to dig this type of stuff with the Deus as if you are emulating Tom's F75 testing or detecting an archeological dig and that just doesn't work in modern trash.

Try this using your set up as it is:12k unnormalized , TX1 , sens about 80 , full tones , reactivity 2.5 or 3 , silencer is probably immaterial since there's no dirt , disc 3 to 5. I not only get a good solid mid 80's on the dime right up until the trash is within about 6" of each other , but could do better if I wanted to devote the time to it. Granted after moving the trash closer and closer the ID deteriorates but the distinct 3 different signals and steady 83 to 86 ID is a clear dig me signal to a modern trash hunter. My signal doesn't really begin to deteriorate until I drop the dime another 1.5" and then the tone doesn't match the number and I would expect to be digging an aluminum screw cap , the Deus' mortal enemy.

I'm just guessing here of course but it appears to me that if you are unable to get a decent signal here you are just driving through the modern trash with your "brights on" because you have become so accustom to using those types of maxxed out settings doing the ferrous/nonferrous thing this forum is so captivated on. Swing speed is important also and both iron and modern trash require downshifting to be effective. Modern trash doesn't always like bright lights. I had no problem getting good signals here using my standard 12k clad hunting trash settings , just lowered the sens and bumped the reactivity a little.

Oh I am a modern trash hunter alright.
I based on some finds coming out of sites, think Equinox is doing better at telling me ID of (some nonferrous higher conductive) , not all.

Remember when you dial reactivity up on Deus TID goes bummer. Equinox even with speed up does still ID pretty good down to say 7". Deus won't hardly ID this deep here in my soil even ruinning lower reactivity.
Catch 22 for Deus is what I'm saying.

Oh yeah my test didn't add dirt.
This won't help Deus ID at all. Not here anyways.

Not as much iron ( tinge ) in Equinox signals here either vs Deus.

Don't get me wrong I like both.
But already see Equinox strengths over it, some anyways.

I did repeat test 2 more times using 11" coil on Deus, Gotta have coil down close to the do to get to ID close. Equinox gives me solid clues high conductive something exist. Remember too, Deus meter doesn't roll with numbers like Equinox does. As coil is swept. Just watching meter on Equinox I know more about what's under coil vs Deus meter.

I don't care about the Equinox (that's irrelevant since I don't have one), I'm comparing my testing of the Deus to yours , it's different until I crank it up balls to the wall and swing it at a pace that's unrealistic for trashy sites.

These came out of an old site, pounded by Deus all coils but the 11x13" LF coil, and the CTX and Etrac.


All nonferrous except the round button in the middle. Dug the muscle shell incidentally.
The Equinox, seems to be performing well in mineral. Been witnessing a lot of my finds being detected on edge with target recovery. Coins too in other sites where Deus and CTX have been crawling around.

One of the reasons I suggested, We need to see come coin on edge tests.

In milder and medium mineralized soil.

Dug a few targets today giving the nice clean tone with 2 in the meter. The pull ring was one such target above,,depth 7" on edge.

On edge targets, new users of Nox, might think iron when they strike with Nox.

I have my own way of checking targets using the horseshoe button.

Seems to work pretty good too.

Equinox is it seems good at alerting on all different shapes and sizes of targets. I can tell by a lot of what I am finding hunting behind other detector models. Seems some thing is always wrong with. On detected targets, either orientation or shape and or size.

Those round musket balls came in loud and clear, a Deus user stands a big chance of hitting on of those and think iron.

For such a big coil, Nox sure does sniff things out.

Hard to come home after using Nox with an empty finds pouch.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2018 11:37PM by tnsharpshooter.

Something I have witnessed multiple times using the Nox.

I get a signal.
Pinpoint and start digging.
Miss the target (determined after recovery).

Equinox though when hole is dug adjacent to nonferrous find, meaning all dirt directly on top of nonferrous is still intact, but some dirt under coil is missing when sweeping nonferrous, Equinox fails to detect. Using pinpoint will sound off on target. Usually broad signal.

Super high percentage of nonferrous targets doing the above are flatter nonferrous on edge.
And this is using a locked auto GB.

Be advised, good way to walk off and leave a good find.

Makes me think, Nox is using the dirt somewhat at least to signal on find. Or the missing dirt under coil is confusing the Nox someway.

Thought I would share.

Btw, I super highly recommend folks use Nox with a pinpointer. If you choose not too, you will be spending a lot of additional time recovering some targets. Gotta have confidence with what you heard. Don't give up prematurely. You find a nail or nails, watch out, don't quit trying to recover your target necessarily.

Off all detectors I have run. I using Nox I am finding more nonferrous targets in sides of holes dug after proper pinpointing and X sweeping. And nonferrous just outside of side of hole.
Don't take this above wrong, Nox is locating things for me. I like that.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2018 01:42PM by tnsharpshooter.

Ok, I have done some test using the Nox.

A tip here for folks to consider and even experiment with.

I can't say Nox will behave in all places soil wise but in my soil.

Key setting IMO to up the odds on detecting (stopping on the fringe depth detected)- you won't know what is beneath the coil target wise, but you can suspect deep if coil sweeps are highly critical along with coil height. You don't have to dig necessarily either your choice.

Set ID range 1-6 to highest(er) tone or set 2-6 to highest (er) tone.
I have confirmed this does help me at least.
Cheers
Local air chair detectorist out.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2018 06:50PM by tnsharpshooter.

I also see it digs more JUNK lol.

shoveler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We have all read test after test and seen video af
> ter video proving the Equinox works.
> When are we going to see one that proves that the
> Equinox works BETTER!

GreenMeanie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I also see it digs more JUNK lol.
>
> shoveler Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > We have all read test after test and seen video
> af
> > ter video proving the Equinox works.
> > When are we going to see one that proves that th
> e
> > Equinox works BETTER!


There yah go---works BETTER digging JUNK!!!

D&P-OR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> GreenMeanie Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I also see it digs more JUNK lol.
> >
> > shoveler Wrote:
> > ------------------------------------------------
> --
> > -----
> > > We have all read test after test and seen vide
> o
> > af
> > > ter video proving the Equinox works.
> > > When are we going to see one that proves that
> th
> > e
> > > Equinox works BETTER!
>
>
> There yah go---works BETTER digging JUNK!!!

I think this is due to the compressed VDI. I'll make a video comparing all the can slaw that ID's nickel vs how it ID's on say the Kruzer. However, I saw it detect several targets less than 6" deep that my Omega wouldn't even sound off on. Not even iron tone. Quiet...nothing besides pinpoint. Equinox was high toning coin....and they were coins. So there are positives and negatives. It's definitely different and doing something different.

I believe there is a small issue with outer ring coil sensitivity... almost like the outside of the coil is detecting along with the “blade” detection field of the center of the coil.

I’m not saying it’s a huge problem, but when trash is near by, Ive missed many targets by 6 inches laterally 6 times now.

Deus and Etrac and T2 I’ve used are not affected by this.

I hope when Toms Gag order is lifted soon so he can discuss this more in depth.

Hurry up minelab.. the detector is out we need scientific data from pre-release field testers!

XP Deus
Minelab Etrac
Minelab Equinox 800
Garrett Carrot
22 silvers, 2 silver rings, 1 Gold Ring -YTD 2018


Some of my random digs: [www.youtube.com]

He has said it is all ready lifted but he is still "restricted

Pedlar mills Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> He has said it is all ready lifted but he is still
> "restricted


I wonder when the restriction ends? We learned so much about the Nokta... was hoping for the same with the Equinox.

XP Deus
Minelab Etrac
Minelab Equinox 800
Garrett Carrot
22 silvers, 2 silver rings, 1 Gold Ring -YTD 2018


Some of my random digs: [www.youtube.com]

A hunt today in my detector proving grounds site.
Update here coming soon.

EYE opening!

The suspense is killing me. Fortunately AZ is an hour or two behind you, so hopefully I can get to bed at a decent hour.

Your enthusiasm is admirable, but perhaps a bit more reflection, editing and summarizing would save a lot.

Rick Kempf
Gold Canyon AZ- where there is no gold

My best detecting day ever, not because of specifically what I found (some folks may classify as junk) but the circumstances surrounding these nonferrous found.

These items found in my detector proving grounds site.

Hard busted by some good detectors. Folks here probably know of one model and various I coils I have hunted before with due to my previous posting.

Folks, I didn't even really get out of my own shadow and was digging these.


You see the buttons, item on left is a smashed thimbal. Couple bigger brass pieces. A few bullets, even musket ball.
I intentionally wanted to try field mode 2 in this area just to satisfy my own curiosity.
So this is exactly what I did.

If I would have had about 10 shovels to place around the perimeter of this area I found these today, would be very eye opening and would also support highly there is no way in the world I could have missed this many nonferrous finds this close together. There are 2 landmarks near here. I knew exactly were I was today as far detecting/ detecting history.

Running factory field 2, 0 iron bias and used both speed levels 6 and 7.
Sens at 23
Auto GB with 54 in the window.
50 tones

Every single one of these finds gave very good signal but one using multi frequency.
After locating the first 5 suspect targets I checked with park 2 mode.
I could hear all, but volume of tone was louder and tone not as pure sounding. A couple of these when sweeping using park 2, the signals were trying to chop on the edge somewhat.
On these first 5 suspect targets I checked in field 2 detect mode using single freqs of 15, 20, and 40 kHz. At no time did any of these 5 suspect targets give me anything to dig tonally period. Full rotations around suspect area sweeping.

So I kept hunting, except I quit comparing using park 2, but did check all suspect targets before digging using 15, 20, and 40khz.
Only one additional target gave a signal in both 20 and 40 kHz.
The rest of the targets recovered, I got no tone period telling me dig when checking with 15, 20 and 40 kHz.

No target was deeper than 7" deep.

Equinox purred like a kitten.

Folks most if not all these nonferrous objects have been swept likely at least 200 times by myself personally using other models detectors.
No head to head done on any of them.
Equinox the only detector I had with me.

All I can do here is report truthfully what happened.
Folks can draw their own conclusions.
My Equinox will be under my pillow tonite while I'm sleeping.

I love the daylights out of it, especially after today.

Need to add one more comment here.
Folks the coil on the Nox is alive using multi freq. Some of the holes I had to widen big time to recover nonferrous. A new user of Equinox might get fooled due to the way this things works.
Only thing I can say is it has something to do with the tech and coil, how it works. Like it it seeing in more directions vs traditional VLF detector. Call me crazy but this is what I believe.
Seeing is definitely believing.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2018 12:08AM by tnsharpshooter.