Need Detector Recommendations

If you could only have one machine for relic hunting and one machine for coin shooting what would they be? As I approach retirement, I'm looking for simple to use and set up machines that do not require reading a large owners manual for set up and yet have a machine that really performs. For example, I have a Nautilus 2B that has multiple knobs and switches. It looks complicated but is easy to set up, It is very easy to make GB/ loop adjustment and start hunting. Extreme depth and easy to use.
I'm also considering manufacturer quality and customer support. Will the new machine today be repairable in 10 years? What are your recommendation?

Equinox, for coins, relics, beach.

Relic & coins (you stated simple to setup ) can’t beat the F75, It don’t get any simpler than that……..You also got The Nox , as the menu system is not to bad but a small learning curve.

Then The Deus …yes The menu system is overwhelming at First …..many Pre set programs ….. Also many U Tube Videos …… takes time to understand……..many Relic hunters love this detector ……….. Warning……..if your a VDI number Cherry picker you are going to want to get the Nox .

Good luck



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/28/2021 06:33PM by Rob in (ca).

On this and other forums the answer has simplified over the years. Just get an Equinox.

ORX & CTX

T2/F75, Xp Orx w/ hf coil great detectors.

Tesoro w/ concentric coils if you find one. Easy to use, great relic & coin hunters.

These light and easy to use detectors.

What is your detecting background? Have you had any experience with modern detectors? Electronics aren't made to be repaired anymore. We live in a disposable society. The ability to repair a modern detector 10 years from now is going to be slim. After 29 years in the hobby, I still own and use multiple brands (XP/Fisher/Teknetics/Nokta/Whites), but the Equinox is the one I grab first 99% of the time. Not because it is the "BEST" detector, but because it is the best "ALL AROUND" detector for the money. No matter what conditions I'm hunting in, the Equinox will get 99% of the targets as long as I swing the coil over them. It has preset modes without having to get advanced. Any detector will hit on most high conductive targets. The Equinox really shines on the mid to lower conductive targets because of the simultaneous multi frequencies. I can always go back to a colonial iron patch with the Deus and wiggle out those last few targets being masked by iron. The Nautilus will beat the Equinox on raw depth in cleaner ground, but not on separation with lots of iron bits or modern trash. The Equinox for all that it is has had some quality issues. The coil ears are thin and will break if you tighten the coil bolt too much, and the shaft is cheap/wobbly. Most people buy coil ear stiffeners and carbon fiber shafts. I will admit it's stupid to have to do that after paying almost $1000, but it's still the one I grab first. If you aren't in a hurry, you might wait and see what Nokta is going to do with it's multi frequency detector (hopefully this year). Nokta machines are built like tanks. If they can match the "ALL AROUND" performance of the Equinox, then it might be my next favorite. Just be wary of Youtube reviews. The current trend is to do positive reviews for free products.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/2021 01:06PM by 67GTA.

to me your description is that of the T2 .. but I am very acquainted with that machine .. still it is very simple to operate and very capable .. what is "best" for you however might not be the same as what is "best" for me .. your hunting style might be different, you might want to hunt in the water at some point, you might not want to dig targets as deep as some machines will hit them or you might want to dig the deepest targets any machine will hit .. your expectations of what a machine needs to do might not be exactly what you are thinking now .. spend the time to fill in the blanks on what you are looking for in a machine, as precisely as possible and the choice will be better narrowed than it is by asking what someone else thinks is the "best" and will very likely present the machine you are looking for.

To me, the Equinox wins hands down over the T2/F-75.

T2/F-75's are very finicky detectors. Nice to have as a high-performance backup but not as your main machine. They are extremely sensitive to EMI which is actually what makes them great. The EMI sensitivity is a side effect of their raw power. When they added DST, it helped with the EMI but also killed the sparkyness that they were known for. If I were to buy another T2/F-75, it would be one of the models without DST.

In comparison, the Equinox is very user-friendly and lighter weight with plenty of performance.

one of the cool things about the T2se w/ DST is if you don't like the DST or are in an area where you don't need it, you can simply turn it off. There are areas where it comes in handy .. any performance differences with it on or off, isn't noticeable when actually hunting, except where it is needed, then, with it on, those places can be hunted .. and if you really don't need the raw power you can simply turn that down also, but you can also turn it way up .. many times if I'm coin shooting I run the machine on 1/2 gain .. if the nox is lighter it is noticeably more nose heavy .. the T2 is very well balanced and to me, the feel is much lighter .. but you can get an aftermarket carbon shaft for the nox, many do .. and a coil stiffener, which help to keep the coil ears from breaking .. and it is water proof, though many control boxes flood (you can't take the T2 into the water) .. I know a few guys that have two or three of the nox .. the extra to use when their main machine is in the shop .. but it might be the machine you are looking for.

ScoTTT2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> one of the cool things about the T2se w/ DST is if
> you don't like the DST or are in an area where you
> don't need it, you can simply turn it off.


Actually, you can't simply turn it off.

DST is always on. The on/off feature is really just a high/low setting. Try a non-DST T2 SE and you will see a big difference in how it performs.

It was a heavily discussed topic back when DST first came out. The trade-off of having DST is that you lose a considerable amount of performance. For most people, it's not a big deal, but a lot of hardcore coin/relic hunters found DST disappointing.

Thanks, I also own a T2+ which doesn't have the DST, but it does have the boost process .. at first I compared them to each other quite a bit, but lately the SE is the machine I grab. .. but no biggy, for the little I've swung the Nox I haven't really given it it's fair share of attention, but the guys I hunt with that own one, also haven't shown me that I need to. .. but that's my opinion and the machine that seems to work the best for me, the one I'm most comfortable using is the T2se .. I know what this machine does and what it's telling me .. as far as this thread is concerned, that is the reason I stated he should make a check list of what he wants a machine to do. .. what I like or think is best, and what you like or think is best, might not be what he is thinking a best detector should be and/or might not be the best detector for him and his hunting style and area. .. his description however, to me, is that of the T2, simple, straight forward, easy to learn without a manual, fast and deep.

Questions like this will always get votes for what people feel is they're best or favorite machine..If I threw my hat in the ring it would be the F75 for coins and the Garrett at pro for gold rings..I haven't found anything that beats those two for the specific types of hunting I mentioned.. Each does a great job..I haven't come across a machine that can do both better

Thanks everyone for your recommendations

Not likely to get simplicity with "extreme depth", sold my Nox after only a few uses as I don't care to read a book to tweak a machine either - I have taken quite a liking to the Simplex, could get 3 for the price of one Nox, simple to learn and a very decent performer.

Venerable Ace 400 I still use, a coin and jewelry magnet but not great on depth and obviously a bit dated lacking even basic features like backlight and volume control.

The Equinox is fairly easy to use. The iron bias setting is the only one in my opinion that needs some sort of thinking. People write books and make hours of videos describing adjustments. Use a stock setting. Adjust the tones to suit your head and hearing. The same you do on any detector. Adjust the sensitivity just like every other detector. And then adjust iron bias to your preference and experience. That's all I do. The Equinox will then be able to outdo just about any detector out there. Keep it simple. Have fun.

I like that advice Goodmore



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/2021 05:29PM by Elbert.