Equinox: Hype or the real deal?

Before I review, a quick note. I am not a supporter/detractor of any particular manufacturer. If a manufacturer fails/succeeds with a product launch or puts out a poor/stellar product, I will call them out on it. I try to be as unbiased as possible.

Flashback to September 2017. The announcement of the Minelab Equinox drives detectorists into a frenzy with pre-orders, forum wars, and pandemonium on YOUtube. It has been nearly 10 months since the announcement with the majority of the user base now using the Nox in the field. The coils, as of this writing, should be coming out the end of 7/18. Some big names in the hobby, as well as the average user have posted their thoughts, finds, and criticisms on the Nox but one question seems to still remain. Is the Nox hype, or the real deal?

First the bad:

Shaft wobble: This has been documented where the lower shaft does "lock" into position and wobbles/rotates rather freely WHEN you force it to. Apparently, I heard engineers are working on a fix for this.

Coins on edge: This also has been video documented and while I have not seen, nor tried it, it may be an actual issue, it may not be.

Foam arm piece coming off: The arm cuff foam cover separates from the arm cuff after many hours of use. This is yet another design failure IMO.

Menu system: The menu system is clunky to navigate. I don't really like it. I'm sure I can get used to it after a fashion.

EMI: The EMI(electro-magnetic interference) is brutal the default or higher recovery speeds. However, dropping the sensitivity(or the recovery speed) can mitigate it to a tolerable level. The only thing that can fix this would be a new coil with better shielding.

Various other issues: Everything ranging from, water seal failure, screen errors with extreme heat, quick battery life and anything else are most likely isolated instances for the most part.

Now the good:

I can go point by point of what I like. but the best way to explain what is good about this detector, it would be better to explain my experiences.

First few hunts: This was both a frustrating and exciting time. It was a clad stabbing fest. Nothing great just adjustments and trying to figure out what is going on under the coil. I did notice the targets seemed to get "locked on" to. The audio signal would get stronger and stabilize in tone.

Key hunt(on video): The key hunt which really made me take notice of the Nox abilities took place on video. The area was a personally pounded to death site(it was pounded hard before I got there). I would go there every week, and finds would dwindle to I was lucky to get a wheat. My first target was a silver dime. The way the Nox reacted to the target, it seemed to focus and lock on like it remembers the target location and how is should sound. After my third silver dime and buffalo nickel, I was just about convinced of the Nox abilities that it really can bring old sites back to life again. I just hit that site last weekend and pulled 5 wheats out of there including a 1914. Also at the same site, a 2" large iron bolt was masking a wheat penny. I knew this because i had a consistent one way wheat penny hit. I removed the bolt and the signal was clear.

Summary:

With the Nox, I have found many coins in my pounded out sites where I shouldn't have simply because it was hit hard. One site is loaded with ash many inches thick, and I was hitting targets underneath the ash layer. It seems either the multi frequency penetrates the ground better, or it is a combination of factors that make this machine well above most other machines. The short comings listed above aside, I would recommend this machine to moderate/advanced users to get the maximum benefit from the machine.

Conclusion

Minelab Equinox: Hype or the real deal? It's the real deal PROVIDED, you know what your doing.

I do not find EMI a problem at all here in the UK the only negative thing so far for me is the screen going black when detecting in the hot sun (it took around 20 mins to clear)

Definitely does a good job finding what other detectors have left behind.

I haven't had EMI issues with mine, and I've had it to a few sites that forced my F75, and other EMI sensitive detectors to use reduced gain to successfully detect, but I was able to run the gain pretty hot on the EQ800 at the EMI laden sites I hunted. I was getting 10"+ deep period silver coins.

As with all things detecting, YMMV.

No EMI problem here. No shaft problem either.

You forgot to mention the crappy useless headphones that come with the 600. The 800 phones aren't all that great either. Why are we forced to buy headphones that we'll never use?

.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/03/2018 08:36PM by Badger in NH.

No emi issues for me hunting under power lines running high gain and 7-8 recovery speed. No screen issues in the mountain sun for hours at 95 degrees F. No shaft wobble or arm cuff issues. I musta got lucky.

No EMI issues or any of the other issues mentioned so far.
Initially during the inception of the NOX, there were many complaints from nincompoops who didn't understand that a cell phone will cause EMI while it pings the nearest tower for signal.
With this now becoming common knowledge, that issue is for the most part a non-issue.

I've not seen many complaints regarding the NOX.
Many of the new NOX users find religion..... many NOX users have been witnessed stating "Jesus this NOX is great"

Up to my ____ in Pulltabs, Grant

No issues here other than the foam arm cuff lining coming off after approximately 200 hours. I actually like it better with out the lining! Not going to replace it.
Nox has lived up to the hype for me.

Dean

I had a 600 and 800; one of them had a slight wobble in the shaft and the other did not. When I took the wobbly one apart and fiddled with it, I couldn't see anything wrong with it. When I put it back together, I must have held my tongue just right because whatever I did, it quit wobbling.

I have ran into the EMI issue though; at one of my sites there is an electric fence that gave it fits no matter what channel. This is a common problem with all machines that I take there though.

I don't particularly like the headphones either; the wireless ones and especially not the wired ones that come with the 600. IMO, the yellow waterproof ones are better than the stock ones that come with the 600. The wireless ones; some times they pair up instantly, and some times it takes a few minutes of playing to get them to pair. With that said, I've not been a particularly big fan of ANY of the wireless headphones. I still prefer my Sunray Pro Golds over anything I've used and wish Minelab would have made the Equinox with a 1/4 headphone jack; or at least made the wireless module 1/4.

It's not the perfect machine but overall I do feel Minelab hit a home run with it. There is not a perfect detector out there; but we all do have our picks and our favorites. We could micro manage and nit pick over anything and everything. When I bought my first Excal II, I was excited but the dealer I bought it from was also an Anderson shaft dealer and told me that I should probably pick up one of the shafts for it. I thought he was just trying to sell me something else. I had just spent $1,300 there and didn't want to spend any more. I took the detector home, charged it, and after my first hunt with it, I was on the phone with the dealer getting one of those Anderson shafts for it. It's a shame to spend that kind of money on something and it not even remotely be useable. At least with the Equinox, it is usable and not a necessity right out of the gate like the Excal.

Its a bit of a disappointment for me in the salt water. Sensitivity to small gold goes away once you switch to Beach 2. However it still does as well as the other MLs at a far better price thou. I believe/hope if they make this a platform.......sensitivity to small gold will improve near and in the water. Id say it was a good replacement for the Xcal as a wading machine. With the exception of ...... id liked to have seen them keep the ability to hunt in PP mode. Shameful most of us had to do our own phones...... and those who didnt had to pay for those not so good yellows .... even thou they likely had a pair for the CTX. The shaft...... well its a travel shaft and i put that up because it wont work as a daily use shaft in the water. I think most of the complaining about the wireless phones came once people found out just how inexpensive they were. But the upgrade to wireless was a good thing for most. Its also disappointing they still dont have coils or the simple accessories like a SKID PLATE available.... which i tried to buy. Being a little nose heavy out of the water..... its going to be interesting to see how heavy the larger coil is to swing. As far as the hype........ there was a lot of that..... to the point of stopping most other detector sales. For the price and with the warranty and its flexibility/ability......id say its a darn good beach machine.

I'm kinda curious.

Most opinions seem generally favorable.

With a yes or no, has it crossed that threshold of "obsoleting" your other detectors?

Cal_cobra Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Definitely does a good job finding what other dete
> ctors have left behind.
>
.....

Looking forward to comparing some flagged signals. Let's hurry up and get another set of trips lined up to check a few of our spots.

Nothing is perfect however reading feedback seems to be a keeper...however an experienced detectorist always has a couple models to cover all situations...heck still some 20 yr plus units still the favorite of many.....

Cal_cobra Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Definitely does a good job finding what other dete
> ctors have left behind.
>
> As with all things detecting, YMMV.

Finding what other detector left behind? Like can slaw, whole aluminum cans, rusted iron, flat iron? Yep, sure does.
Ground conditions (including target loading - variety and density), I believe, account for a huge variation in how any detector works for any individual in their specific site(s). Part of the YMMV as Cal-cobra stated.

My time with the Equinox has been limited due to receiving it just before the farm fields got planted and the tops of the thermometers blew off, but personally, I've found it to be something of a mixed bag. It doesn't do me any good for it to lock onto a nickel at 13 if it's going to lock onto aluminum shards or iron at the same TID and I happen to encounter much more aluminum and iron than I do nickels. Likewise, CW bullets and buttons may read 16, 17, 18, but so do aluminum shards and pull tabs. Depending on size and configuration, aluminum I have dug can register anywhere from 11 or 12 up into the high 20s. That is the single biggest problem I have with the Equinox. And that CAN explain some of the good finds because with the Equinox, you have to dig it to be sure!

I really like the ergonomics of the Equinox, which is not the same as saying it is built sturdily and will hold up over time. I have no problems with looseness in the shaft joints but I do feel a little torque-twist-movement in the coil at swing reversals. Sometimes. Not to the point of annoyance.

So far, though, my finds with it have been too meager to reach any conclusion about its ability to clean out a relic site. I've had it in my confederate camp site which was pounded for over two years by two of us with numerous detectors. For me, it has found a few small bits of lead (not counting modern 22s, 30 cals, 45 cals) and a couple very small pieces of brass. The Impact did better than that. My current digging partner, on the other hand, using his 800, has found a lead RR baggage seal (local CW era rail line) and a couple of large cannister shot (big iron that every detector loves).

Bottom line is I would buy it again. I enjoy using the 800 and look forward to getting it into more and newer relic sites. Can it be improved? Definitely! If I could only keep the Impact or the Equinox? Well, fortunately, I can keep both <g>.

Wayne

Most of my desirable targets fall between 9-20 on the scale, but i'd never pass up on a good sounding signal no matter the TID number.
For me the beauty of this machine running field 2, is that it is picking up finds with quality audio in 50 tones, that the top relic Deus unit with a LF coils are missing/giving scratchy signals on.
Here's my finds from sunday morning, plenty of rubbish finds amongst some good finds, but the audio on some of these small items was beautiful, nuanced and with a low'ish gain setting they were better modulated.

ncwayne Wrote:

> Finding what other detector left behind? Like can
> slaw, whole aluminum cans, rusted iron, flat iron?
> Yep, sure does.
> Ground conditions (including target loading - vari
> ety and density), I believe, account for a huge va
> riation in how any detector works for any individu
> al in their specific site(s). Part of the YMMV as
> Cal-cobra stated.
>
> My time with the Equinox has been limited due to r
> eceiving it just before the farm fields got plante
> d and the tops of the thermometers blew off, but p
> ersonally, I've found it to be something of a mixe
> d bag. It doesn't do me any good for it to lock on
> to a nickel at 13 if it's going to lock onto alumi
> num shards or iron at the same TID and I happen to
> encounter much more aluminum and iron than I do ni
> ckels. Likewise, CW bullets and buttons may read 1
> 6, 17, 18, but so do aluminum shards and pull tabs
> . Depending on size and configuration, aluminum I
> have dug can register anywhere from 11 or 12 up in
> to the high 20s. That is the single biggest proble
> m I have with the Equinox. And that CAN explain so
> me of the good finds because with the Equinox, you
> have to dig it to be sure!
>
> I really like the ergonomics of the Equinox, which
> is not the same as saying it is built sturdily and
> will hold up over time. I have no problems with lo
> oseness in the shaft joints but I do feel a little
> torque-twist-movement in the coil at swing reversa
> ls. Sometimes. Not to the point of annoyance.
>
> So far, though, my finds with it have been too mea
> ger to reach any conclusion about its ability to c
> lean out a relic site. I've had it in my confedera
> te camp site which was pounded for over two years
> by two of us with numerous detectors. For me, it h
> as found a few small bits of lead (not counting mo
> dern 22s, 30 cals, 45 cals) and a couple very smal
> l pieces of brass. The Impact did better than that
> . My current digging partner, on the other hand, u
> sing his 800, has found a lead RR baggage seal (lo
> cal CW era rail line) and a couple of large cannis
> ter shot (big iron that every detector loves).
>
> Bottom line is I would buy it again. I enjoy using
> the 800 and look forward to getting it into more a
> nd newer relic sites. Can it be improved? Definite
> ly! If I could only keep the Impact or the Equinox
> ? Well, fortunately, I can keep both <g>.
>
> Wayne



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/2018 06:50PM by ghound.

I must say I have been exceedingly happy with my 800. Now over two months in, its still getting better as I learn it better. I have never found silver dimes like I have in the last few weeks. I am exclusively hunting very hunted out dirt, too. Of the last four dimes I found three were silver! I don't expect this to last but wow! I think I have found more silver dimes in the last four weeks than the last five years, seriously!

I was hunting two days ago and suddenly got significant EMI'd. I looked up and was directly under low power lines (I walked away later and it cleared up in twenty feet). I remembered reading a work around and hit the freq button to 5kh, instantly smooth as butter and bang hit a quarter then a silver dime in less than two minutes. A typical but impressive as all get out!

I have none of the common gripes B-Pa listed in the first post. My mini list of imperfections is 1) I feel its nose heavy and the aftermarket shafts seem to not be. 2) Bluetooth is slightly iffy on connecting. 3) Waterproof headphones. 4) headphone connector. All acceptable given the performance IMHO. I never thought I could let go of my favorite detectors until now. I have four friends who bought 800s and four more saying they are going to buy one. I've not seen the enthusiasm for any other machine. Just think if they come out with a CTX level unit with even better, more refined tech!!!

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

There is no perfect all around machine. There maybe better beach machines..... gold machines.... dirt machines..... but come on the Nox does pretty well in most situations. Take your best machine.... can it find gold then go neck deep in salt water? If so..... what did u pay for it?

EMField Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm kinda curious.
>
> Most opinions seem generally favorable.
>
> With a yes or no, has it crossed that threshold of
> "obsoleting" your other detectors?


Maybe.

It has taken over the cat bird seat of my detectors for sure; it's the one I reach for the most, if not all the time I've let several of them go on to new owners. I had previously sold the CTX 3030 in favor of the eTrac due to coil options. I tested the Equinox against the eTrac and never in one instance found anything it could do better for the things I do and hunt for, so I sold it as well. When testing it against the Multi Kruzer, I did like the build quality better on the Kruzer, and their wireless headphones were better IMO but I'm still not sold on wireless headphones. Performance wise, I didn't see any benefits of the Kruzer. Despite that, it hasn't quenched the want/lust for the next big thing. I'm quite content with using it for now but always looking ahead and forward to what may be just around the bend.

Like Daniel, I just don't use my other detectors anymore in favor of the Nox. I've sold all of my VLFs due to non use. My E-TRAC is now on the sales block as well. It just sits and gathers dust. If interested in a nice E-TRAC with three coils and two shafts just PM me.

So, in my situation, yes. It has obsoleted the machines that I had. I can't see myself going back to SF VLF.

Dean



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/2018 01:02PM by bado1.

EMField Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm kinda curious.
>
> Most opinions seem generally favorable.
>
> With a yes or no, has it crossed that threshold of
> "obsoleting" your other detectors?


Yes

Up to my ____ in Pulltabs, Grant

only problem i found was when wading in a little over waist deep water and the control head goes under water the paring with the wireless headphones disconnects. when i bring the control head out of the water, the paring returns. the wireless head phones don't sound clear to my hearing. the high tones sound much like mid tones and mid tones sound lower that what I would like. So I use the WM-08 module and my Apple iPhone ear buds and that takes care of the problem. Plus not heavy and sweaty like over the ear headphones.

other that those two Iove my 800 especially the low weight.

Ditched the WM-08 module because it will not work when the 800 control head goes under water. Bought the Minelab 1/4 phone plug to 1/8 inch water proof connector and use wired head phones. Now I can immerse the 800 head unit much lower in the water. Just need to keep the headphones out of the water because they are not water proof.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/2018 03:46PM by maxxkatt.

EMField Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm kinda curious.
>
> Most opinions seem generally favorable.
>
> With a yes or no, has it crossed that threshold of
> "obsoleting" your other detectors?

Absolutely not.
A good analogy would be the emergence of diesel powered pickup trucks in the late 70's and early 80's.
Some like and need them , most don't , and the pickup truck keeps trucking along.