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My Equinox 800 Take (Tests and Commentary)

What I would like to see is heads up 600 against 800 on some targets-multi frwquency being run on both.

And some had to head on a gold chain in salt water like that one gent did.

Tomorrow, I am going to another fresh water beach.
Gotta be a chain or 2 there.
 
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.

vg6crq.jpg



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).

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 beast 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

6eek3s.jpg
 
I fully suspect now, Equinox has as advantage on both Deus and CTX even hunting in modern trash. 11" coils on all.
May so a test using Deus, explore XS and Equinox to show.
 
This is just one test. Keep this in mind. I got curious based on some things I a seeing in previously hunted sites, things i'm finding too with Equinox.

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

2lmxufb.jpg


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.
 
I pulled the trigger today and bought the 800 and I can confirm my wireless Bluetooth earbuds work just fine (the same set I use with my AT Pro and the Nokta Impact) Exactly the same sound as the included earphones, no discernible delay, that’s as much as I’ve had time to do today. (I walked into the shop and paid cash, no waiting list, no pre order, no drama, apart from when my wife seen me putting it together and asked why I needed 4 detectors, the AT Pro, the Impact, the 800 and the detekniks scuba tector to which I replied that technically the scuba tector is an oversized pinpointer so that’s only three :) )
 
I pulled the trigger today and bought the 800 and I can confirm my wireless Bluetooth earbuds work just fine (the same set I use with my AT Pro and the Nokta Impact) Exactly the same sound as the included earphones, no discernible delay, that’s as much as I’ve had time to do today. (I walked into the shop and paid cash, no waiting list, no pre order, no drama, apart from when my wife seen me putting it together and asked why I needed 4 detectors, the AT Pro, the Impact, the 800 and the detekniks scuba tector to which I replied that technically the scuba tector is an oversized pinpointer so that’s only three :) )

Can’t believe someone actually had unclaimed inventory. Nice.
 
Here is a pic of test.
2gvsnly.jpg


Clad dime beneath plane of 2 nails.

Swing down the barrel of both nails to try and get signal.
No trickery, coin was removed for check of falsing all detectors.

Equinox in park 2 speed levels 7 and 8 iron bias 0 gives me some thing tonally to investigate (like turn on suspect area and sweep). Speed 6 setting dodgy.
Mulit freq used . Also can hear dime using 20khz and 40 kHz single freq ops. Using 15khz dodgy.
Can also hear dime in all metal. With freqs ops noted above.
Can use some good coil height too and get signal.
What about Deus and 11" coil.
Full tones, the only way to hear dime is to practically scrape nails with coil. Tried reactivity levels, 2, 2.5, 3 and 4 and txpower 1 and 2.
Going to disc 6 and sweeping you will get a signal.

Deus and 9" LF coil.
Good luck, no signal,period using any settings I can find, disc 6, 0 disc notta
Tried 12kh and 18khz.

Deus and 9" HF coil.
Using. 28.8khz I just might investigate, using 54 kHz a tad better signal than 28.8khz.

What about Nokta Impact stock coil ?
Good luck with trying to get an investigate signal.
Just like Deus and 9" LF coil. No settings to give me anything to investigate.

Disclaimer: I set this test up using Equinox.
Then compared the others.

Btw, using speed setting 7 and comparing a few other detect modes.
Park 2 does better than field 1, but field 2 does better than both park 2 and field 1.

More data.
Comparing park 2. Field 2 and Beach 2- all pass test above - no falsing with coin removed factory disc used in each detect mode.
Here is something interesting though.

Park 2 and field 2 both pass, will yield no negative meter numbers with disc on, turn off disc AM negative numbers are displayed with meter going to 16-17 with dime detection.
Beach 2, different. With disc on the only thing meter reads is a number 1 with dime detection.
Turn on AM and negative numbers displayed with numbers shooing to 1 with dime detection,

Field 2 is overall better performer though in this one test. .(slightly)
 
Let's talk about iron falsing.
You will get some using Equnox.
Get ready for it.
Falsing will occur generally moreso using Mulit freq vs using single freq, especially freqs of 15kha, 20khz and 40 kHz.

Iron false usually give labored tone, meter readings generally in the 15-23 range.
User can pivot around these,,likely falsing will decrease or cease altogether.
Some suspect targets though where falsing may extend at great angle,when pivoting around suspect area.
Nails suspected vertically (straight nails) and nails with bends of around 60 degrees or more.

User can go to AM and likely hear a slight drum roll in background.
User when using AM may hear no falsing when pivoting instead hear the drums really be played.

Users of Equinox 800, can elect to save a program in user profile with single freq ops say 20khz and have actual GB dialed in and then toggle to check targets.
When sweeping iron falses you get in multi freq, usually sweeping these same spots (using your single freqs ops user profile program) from same direction as false was obtained, user will usually hear, muffled tone with id readings in very low positive territory like 1-3.

Iron falses will generally have a tinge of ragged edge to tone, bent nail can and will fool a user though at times . Lots of other detectors can too, even Etrac and CTX, and Deus.

Should say here, Imo CTX. Etrac, and Deus (with LF coils), Nokta Impact better at not falsing on vertically positioned nails vs Equinox.
 
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Folks should try and use beach 2 detect mode and compare in your test garden on deeper silver coins vs park 2 mode.

Get your iron bias and speed set correctly though using beach 2 mode.

Also compare beach 2 mode vs park 2 mode on a deep nickel.
You likely will see a difference here-park 2 better.
 
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I pulled the trigger today and bought the 800 and I can confirm my wireless Bluetooth earbuds work just fine (the same set I use with my AT Pro and the Nokta Impact) Exactly the same sound as the included earphones, no discernible delay, that’s as much as I’ve had time to do today. (I walked into the shop and paid cash, no waiting list, no pre order, no drama, apart from when my wife seen me putting it together and asked why I needed 4 detectors, the AT Pro, the Impact, the 800 and the detekniks scuba tector to which I replied that technically the scuba tector is an oversized pinpointer so that’s only three :) )

Nice. Enjoy it!!!
 
Just tried this with my ATP and small coil. About 6" from coin to nail on a .50 piece, I could detect the coin if I went slow. Dime stood no chance.

BCD




Here is a pic of test.
2gvsnly.jpg


Clad dime beneath plane of 2 nails.

Swing down the barrel of both nails to try and get signal.
No trickery, coin was removed for check of falsing all detectors.

Equinox in park 2 speed levels 7 and 8 iron bias 0 gives me some thing tonally to investigate (like turn on suspect area and sweep). Speed 6 setting dodgy.
Mulit freq used . Also can hear dime using 20khz and 40 kHz single freq ops. Using 15khz dodgy.
Can also hear dime in all metal. With freqs ops noted above.
Can use some good coil height too and get signal.
What about Deus and 11" coil.
Full tones, the only way to hear dime is to practically scrape nails with coil. Tried reactivity levels, 2, 2.5, 3 and 4 and txpower 1 and 2.
Going to disc 6 and sweeping you will get a signal.

Deus and 9" LF coil.
Good luck, no signal,period using any settings I can find, disc 6, 0 disc notta
Tried 12kh and 18khz.

Deus and 9" HF coil.
Using. 28.8khz I just might investigate, using 54 kHz a tad better signal than 28.8khz.

What about Nokta Impact stock coil ?
Good luck with trying to get an investigate signal.
Just like Deus and 9" LF coil. No settings to give me anything to investigate.

Disclaimer: I set this test up using Equinox.
Then compared the others.

Btw, using speed setting 7 and comparing a few other detect modes.
Park 2 does better than field 1, but field 2 does better than both park 2 and field 1.

More data.
Comparing park 2. Field 2 and Beach 2- all pass test above - no falsing with coin removed factory disc used in each detect mode.
Here is something interesting though.

Park 2 and field 2 both pass, will yield no negative meter numbers with disc on, turn off disc AM negative numbers are displayed with meter going to 16-17 with dime detection.
Beach 2, different. With disc on the only thing meter reads is a number 1 with dime detection.
Turn on AM and negative numbers displayed with numbers shooing to 1 with dime detection,

Field 2 is overall better performer though in this one test. .(slightly)
 
Picked these up on a 25 minute hunt between rain storms.
Folks don't want to know what detectors I have beat this site up with.
Site loaded with iron, trash, aluminum, tabs, etc.

2vtnlh3.jpg


Equinox is like a minesweeper.

I think a few of my other detectors ran in this site are seeing these coins, just not telling me they are high conductors.
And I am talking about more models too not shown in my signature block.

This site a small yard.
Oh I'm not done detecting using the Nox either.
 
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This detector is talking to you Tnss, looks like you've taken a shine to it.

Yeah, I like it. Maybe reminds me of a good IDing Deus. Running 50 tones it sounds like a Deus to me. But my CTXs I had, the audio didn't flow when coil was swept in 50 tones conductive. You could jam the audio by sweeping too fast it seemed. If meter was not as real time reacting with Nox, I would n't like near as well. I think there are a few little tidbits (important) to learn about this detector to be all you can be. Seems I am discovering one about every day by using and testing. Need to do a few follow up tests to make sure I am going in the right direction. One bad building block of bad info stifle me learning the tendencies this detector possesses.
 
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Yeah, I like it. Maybe reminds me of a good IDing Deus. Running 50 tones it sounds like a Deus to me. But my CTXs I had, the audio didn't flow when coil was swept in 50 tones conductive. You could jam the audio by sweeping too fast it seemed. If meter was not as real time reacting with Nox, I would n't like near as well. I think there are a few little tidbits (important) to learn about this detector to be all you can be. Seems I am discovering one about every day by using and testing. Need to do a few follow up tests to make sure I am going in the right direction. One bad building block of bad info stifle me learning the tendencies this detector possesses.

Do you anticipate using your Deus in the future?
 
So here in lies the problem with Deus comparing to Equinox.
Equinox is a better one setting detector to hunt with giving tone and ID.
In both iron and modern trash. Comparing coil size to coil size.

I have done test that bears this out.

In order to get Deus to hunt modern trash you have to use 8khz or 4khz.
In order to get Deus to hunt in iron, 18khz is the top dog, 12khz can work but can miss targets a user might get using 18khz.

So in a site that has both modern trash and iron, BIG advantage for Equinox 800.

I am seeing this too in sites where I have hunted actually remembering how I had Deus setup.

Deus when speed up to keep up with Equinox many times (highly likely) no accurate ID provided to user.

And I'll bet the engineers at Minelab knows this too, hence multi IQ tech.
Single frequency (using) use cannot do both well.

Cheers.
 
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