Equinox 800 vs 900

Long time 800 user. Love the 800. What is the advantage to going to the 900? Bought the Manticore. So far not impressed with how it does in somewhat iron sites. So much falsing. Was wondering if the 900 would do better? What kind of improvement should I expect to see over the 800? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Wow. How did this post almost go: missed!

EQX-900. To list a few of its upgrades.....above EQX-800:
1. A bit better EMI handling.
2. Higher ID resolution..... to include 119 ID's (0 to -19 being the expanded iron range).
3. Improved target separation.
4. Improved waterproofing.
5. Entire shaft is carbon fiber.

What "improvement(s)--advantage--should we expect to see in the EQX900 over the Manticore?

There's a couple more attributes about the EQX-900 (over the EQX-800)..... that are near-and-dear to my heart......that I should mention:
6. Higher Sensitivity availability.
7. Depth Audio.

This 'dp' Depth Audio is a all metal type of audio......virtually identical to Manticore's Prospecting Audio. For the serious wet-salt beach hunter........ it's a game-changer in regards to allowing higher Sens settings in the wet-salt.........audibly understanding wet-salt aberration's in/with the sand........VS.........real targets.............and simplifying Ferrous........VS........non-Ferrous types of targets.

Del......... the EQX-900 is a 'less-expense' unit ...over the Manticore. For the all-purpose general hunter, there are no advantages of EQX-900 over Manticore. There are quite a few parallels; yet, Manticore still remains the 'trump-card' over EQX-900.

Tom,

Q1 - Would there ever be good reason to use dp audio for inland hunting such as parks, woods and fields or is this dp mode included on the 900 for wet-salt beach hunting?

Q2 - Where do the parallels end and at what point does the "trump card" of the Manticore "kick in" ?

I appreciate your time - Jim





There's a couple more attributes about the EQX-900 (over the EQX-800)..... that are near-and-dear to my heart......that I should mention:
6. Higher Sensitivity availability.
7. Depth Audio.

This 'dp' Depth Audio is a all metal type of audio......virtually identical to Manticore's Prospecting Audio. For the serious wet-salt beach hunter........ it's a game-changer in regards to allowing higher Sens settings in the wet-salt.........audibly understanding wet-salt aberration's in/with the sand........VS.........real targets.............and simplifying Ferrous........VS........non-Ferrous types of targets.

Del......... the EQX-900 is a 'less-expense' unit ...over the Manticore. For the all-purpose general hunter, there are no advantages of EQX-900 over Manticore. There are quite a few parallels; yet, Manticore still remains the 'trump-card' over EQX-900.

Q1 - dp audio (Prospecting audio on Manticore) CAN be used in parks/woods/fields.......if you are in a "dig all non-ferrous" relic hunting capacity. In many cases....... dp may actually be preferred.

Q2 - Manticore pulls away from the EQX platform:
INLAND = PRIMARILY with its better EMI mitigation abilities. THIS is what allows for formidable/greater depth abilities.............AND.............with more accurate target ID's. If you do not have any EMI.......than both units are nearly equal; yet, a slight depth lead goes to Manticore. Manticore does handle mineralization slightly better. Manticore also allows you to 'better unmask' in carpets of nails.....due to the availability of being able to 'break out' (separate) Ferrous Limits UPPER and Ferrous Limits LOWER........and adjust accordingly; to each specific site. Yes..... a learning-curve/skillset is required......in order to know how/where to adjust/set UPPER & LOWER limits.
(((For example: yesterday........ I hunted one of my Real-World test-gardens (a 1867 house/church site) in Sanford, Florida...........a site that stopped producing non-ferrous targets, many hunts ago..........and the site called for (and allowed) Ferrous Limits UPPER on '4'.....and Ferrous Limits LOWER on '3'...........due to the exacting decomposition status of the ferrous debris in the dirt. This would be equivalent to a EQX Iron Bias F2 being on approx -2.4 (Negative 2.4).,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,., of which.....EQX does NOT allow you to go any lower than F2 = 0. ----------------- In 3 hours of hunting....... 71 more non-ferrous targets came to light.......due to THIS (Ferrous Limits) adjustability of Manticore. I had a friend with me........under the ML-105 bluetooth wireless phones..........listening to me/my-Manticore......whilst I was under my wired KOSS QZ99 headphones.....plugged in to my Manticore. He was sitting in a lawnchair ...several feet away.,.,.,.,.,., determining if the targets sounded like 'diggers'....... or seeing if I was digging crazy/psychotic/NO-DIG audio signals. This was somewhat of a 'sanity-check'.....with a good friend being my second set of ears))).
There are some more (other) attributes of Manticore.....above the EQX-900 platform; yet, slightly more subtle.
BEACH = Manticore is leaps-and-bounds above EQX platform ....on the beach.
EQX-900 = 13.8" on a Nickel ....in the wet-salt.
Manticore = 15.8" on a Nickel....in the wet-salt.
This may not sound like much of a difference; yet, it is tremendous. And this performance advantage REALLY shows/expresses....... if you hunt a beach that is regularly hit by many other detectorists. The XP Deus-2.......can close a fair amount of this 'gap' difference; yet, the D2 is same price as Manticore.
Manticore is also formidably better IN the saltwater.......over EQX. , . , . , . , . , if you are a "IN the water" hunter.
Most beaches do not encounter much EMI......... but if you are on a beach (usually with underground cables)......... and EMI mitigation is important........THEN the Manticore will present yet, another performance advantage.

In a nutshell.......... if you are a 'Factory Preset' (turn the unit 'ON' and go) type of hunter....... then the performance difference between Manticore and EQX-900...... is not that much.
If you know how to use some of the available tools on Manticore.......then Manticore is the clear choice (price/budget permitting).

Clear as mud???

No mud at all Mr. Dankowski, I understand with great clarity Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

TomD,

I have another question for you concerning the Equinox 700/900. You mention the FE-0 on the 700/900 is a bit more aggressive then the 600/800.

If a FE setting of '1' on the700/900 would be the closest to F2 = 0 ( -1) on the old EQX 800, what does a setting of FE-0 on the 700/900 equate too? How much l"lower" does the iron bias drop past -1?

I appreciate anything you are able to share. - Jim



NASA-Tom
Re: Equinox 800 vs 900
April 14, 2023 11:14PM

Q2 - Manticore pulls away from the EQX platform:
INLAND = PRIMARILY with its better EMI mitigation abilities. THIS is what allows for formidable/greater depth abilities.............AND.............with more accurate target ID's. If you do not have any EMI.......than both units are nearly equal; yet, a slight depth lead goes to Manticore. Manticore does handle mineralization slightly better. Manticore also allows you to 'better unmask' in carpets of nails.....due to the availability of being able to 'break out' (separate) Ferrous Limits UPPER and Ferrous Limits LOWER........and adjust accordingly; to each specific site. Yes..... a learning-curve/skillset is required......in order to know how/where to adjust/set UPPER & LOWER limits.
(((For example: yesterday........ I hunted one of my Real-World test-gardens (a 1867 house/church site) in Sanford, Florida...........a site that stopped producing non-ferrous targets, many hunts ago..........and the site called for (and allowed) Ferrous Limits UPPER on '4'.....and Ferrous Limits LOWER on '3'...........due to the exacting decomposition status of the ferrous debris in the dirt. This would be equivalent to a EQX Iron Bias F2 being on approx -2.4 (Negative 2.4).,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,., of which.....EQX does NOT allow you to go any lower than F2 = 0.



NASA-Tom [ PM ]
Re: NOX. 700 and 900.??
January 03, 2023 01:28AM
There are 'some' things that I can not talk about; yet, I can discuss basics:
A FE setting of '0' is a bit more aggressive than anything EQX 600/800 employed. Yes...... you could say: EQX 800 F2 = -1. . . . . for all-practical-purposes; yet, understand..... it is still mildly different/enhanced.


yet, (once again) understand it's a bit of a hybrid.....and slightly different.
FE settings of 2 - 9 provide about what you would expect......with each incremental upward step.......... as compared to EQX 800; yet, should be 'improved performance'...... with each individual upward incremental step.

Jim.......... on the new EQX platform........there is ONLY "Fe". It simplifies ferrous adjustments into one category: "Fe". (Which more closer resembles EQX-800 F2 settings). Yes...... on the new EQX ... a Fe of '1' setting more closely resembles the old EQX F2 = 0 setting. BUT....... on the new EQX platform...... when you place Fe on '0'....... it provides a lower/different parameter of a specific Manticore DNA of: Ferrous Limits Upper ..... AND..... Ferrous Limits Lower of "balanced" (unspecified) parameters. This is all that can be disclosed....at this point.

Thank you Tom this is precisely the information I was seeking.




NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jim.......... on the new EQX platform........there
> is ONLY "Fe". It simplifies ferrous adjustments in
> to one category: "Fe". (Which more closer resemb
> les EQX-800 F2 settings). Yes...... on the new EQX
> ... a Fe of '1' setting more closely resembles the
> old EQX F2 = 0 setting. BUT....... on the new EQX
> platform...... when you place Fe on '0'....... it
> provides a lower/different parameter of a specific
> Manticore DNA of: Ferrous Limits Upper ..... AND..
> ... Ferrous Limits Lower of "balanced" (unspecifie
> d) parameters. This is all that can be disclosed..
> ..at this point.