Do any owners of the Equinox 600 wish you had purchased the 800 (or vice versa)??

Longshot · Dec 31, 2018

Hi everyone, first post here but I've been reading a TON.

I'm trying to pick a good metal detector and for a while here I was reading old posts about SeaHunters vs SandSharks, CZ21s, etc. Somehow the Equinox never showed up in my research but I have definitely decided to buy an Equinox.. just not sure which one. I've read a lot of comparisons and other post on this forum about which one is better etc...

Those of you who purchased the 600.. do you now wish you had some of the advanced settings of the 800?

Those who purchased the 800.. do you use the advanced settings enough to justify the $250 difference?

I'm new to metal detecting and even though I might not use the features of the 800 now, I don't want to have regrets later... at the same time, the 800 is well above my budget.

I'm having this same issue with a scoop. I have been researching those for days.

Thanks guys..

Mud-puppy · Dec 31, 2018

Hey Welcome to the Forum and congratulations on your new Pursuit Oriented Sport! If I were you, forget about the NOX and get an AtPro!...signed: WoodButcher! :laughing:

In all seriousness, lets think a bit here from a monetary Payback scenario...I would imagine the 800 is in higher demand than the 600...I dont know for sure, but I'm guessing this is the case...On this factor alone if I was in your shoes, I'd get the 800...reasoning, If I am no good at this Sport, I could easily sell it and maybe only be out $200 tops...

Also, you get this goofy wireless WM-08 module that you dont need unless you are taking a set of existing phones wireless, and since you are getting a set of wireless phones with the NOX package anyway, and you are new to this so I suspect you dont own any phones currently, you could sell that little module...

So, you get the NOX800, and commit to finding $100 in clad as fast as possible, depending upon where you live and your commitment level, this could take you one weekend or a full year...

Time and Gold wait for Nobody!....In the scheme of things Whats a coupla hunnerd dollars? A Big Bertha driver costs all of that and it will never make you ANY money! :laughing:

.

Full disclosure: I got the 800 back in Sept...I aint fooling around!

Walrus350 · Dec 31, 2018

I've got both. The 800 is my go-to detector.
I

Mud-puppy · Dec 31, 2018

These things are tools, this is a Big Planet, our time here is short, and coils are so small comparatively....We have all been in your shoes...We all started out somewhere with something...

When it comes to buying a new rig, I do what you have been doing, a lot of research and Forum reading, and when I see long time Coilists vouching for a particular new platform, seeing the finds coming in, well, I aint gonna argue with the results!

I got the NOX 800 after evaluating those results from the other Hunters I respect....just as if a veteran carpenter told me to buy a 24oz Vaughn with a hickory handle and why not the Estwing...I dont have time to learn all of this on my own, so we follow and try to pattern the experts....

In field Results are all that matter...When it comes to Treasure, Intelligence and Effort is not primary.... A guy could just as easily find a Gold Brasher in a totlot eyeballing! The thing is to get a rig that is vouched for and then get it outdoors...You cant find nothing sitting around in the house or thinking too much..Pull the trigger!

Longshot · Dec 31, 2018

Thanks Mud. There is truth in every joke. I WILL enjoy my new POS :P

I thought the module thing was needed for the wireless headphones that came with it.. They would probably make more money selling it separately to those who need it.

Walrus, is there a setting that you consistently use that is not available on the 600, or is it more a case of there if you need them (with the settings).

Longshot · Dec 31, 2018

Mud-puppy said:
These things are tools, this is a Big Planet, our time here is short, and coils are so small comparatively....We have all been in your shoes...We all started out somewhere with something...

When it comes to buying a new rig, I do what you have been doing, a lot of research and Forum reading, and when I see long time Coilists vouching for a particular new platform, seeing the finds coming in, well, I aint gonna argue with the results!

I got the NOX 800 after evaluating those results from the other Hunters I respect....just as if a veteran carpenter told me to buy a 24oz Vaughn with a hickory handle and why not the Estwing...I dont have time to learn all of this on my own, so we follow and try to pattern the experts....

In field Results are all that matter...When it comes to Treasure, Intelligence and Effort is not primary.... A guy could just as easily find a Gold Brasher in a totlot eyeballing! The thing is to get a rig that is vouched for and then get it outdoors...You cant find nothing sitting around in the house or thinking too much..Pull the trigger!

All true! It probably means a cheaper scoop however, lol. I'm champing at the bit to get out there. I still need everything.

Mud-puppy · Dec 31, 2018

Longshot said:
Thanks Mud. There is truth in every joke. I WILL enjoy my new POS :P

I thought the module thing was needed for the wireless headphones that came with it...

Nope! You dont need that module at all! I dinked around for half a day trying to figure out what it was for! :laughing:

I finally googled up a youtube..then understood, its for if I had a set of phones besides the ones that came with the rig I wanted to run wireless! I could take that module and run my GG phones on my F70 wireless If I want...but I dont! So hey! I should pop that up and sell it! :laughing:

Right out of the Box the NOX is pretty simple, you charge the thing up, including the phones, and just go out and get right with it in the stock programs! Then, you follow the Forum and ask advice on different settings and for what purpose to make you personal modifications...Thankfully, the NOX users are quite active and willing to help...

Mud-puppy · Dec 31, 2018

Longshot said:
All true! It probably means a cheaper scoop however, lol. I'm champing at the bit to get out there. I still need everything.

I figured you are a gold hunter...based upon the rigs you mentioned in your first post...so yeah..the 800..and a decent scoop...again, a good quality scoop from a well known mfg holds a nice residual resale value if you were ever gonna sell it....so its not like you are out a whole lot of dough...just one nice find pays for it all and then some...This Sport aint like buying a 20' Stratos bass boat for 30K just to catch a few fish..We are all about ROI here Buddy!

Surf Master · Dec 31, 2018

600 or 800

Depend's, if you want more setting's, wireless head phone's , and module, with the gold setting's , than the 800 is for you, you can get a 600 with less settings , no Gold high frequency single setting's , depending on were you live , if your water hunting , or do more land hunting, are you in the MID West were the gold nugget hunting is , can't tell by your signature were your located , you might want to update that , so at least people have a ball park figure on what state at least your hunting, Welcome to The Forum , Earl

Longshot · Dec 31, 2018

Mud-puppy said:
I figured you are a gold hunter...based upon the rigs you mentioned in your first post...so yeah..the 800..and a decent scoop...again, a good quality scoop from a well known mfg holds a nice residual resale value if you were ever gonna sell it....so its not like you are out a whole lot of dough...just one nice find pays for it all and then some...This Sport aint like buying a 20' Stratos bass boat for 30K just to catch a few fish..We are all about ROI here Buddy!

Yeah, I used to try to use my coin master on the beach until I realized that everything was just wrong.

Good points about the resale, (although I'm pretty sure I'm going to be in this for the long haul). Btw, wanna buy a boat? Haha

Quite excited about that "one find" you mention.

Longshot · Dec 31, 2018

Surf Master said:
Depend's, if you want more setting's, wireless head phone's , and module, with the gold setting's , than the 800 is for you, you can get a 600 with less settings , no Gold high frequency single setting's , depending on were you live , if your water hunting , or do more land hunting, are you in the MID West were the gold nugget hunting is , can't tell by your signature were your located , you might want to update that , so at least people have a ball park figure on what state at least your hunting, Welcome to The Forum , Earl

I don't believe I can really utilize the gold setting where I live in NJ. I don't think there's much gold, aside from the beach (which has it's own mode). I've seen some You-tubers panning for gold in streams and getting tiny amounts though.

Surf Master · Dec 31, 2018

NJ

For the difference in Price , setting's with wireless headphone's and module , i would go 800, happy with mine here , take the ferry over here , ill let you swing mine, Happy hunting, Earl

Mud-puppy · Dec 31, 2018

Longshot said:
I'm pretty sure I'm going to be in this for the long haul.
Quite excited about that "one find" you mention.

I dont want to oversell you on the possibilities of this Sport for the Git Rich Quick.... but When a guy reads and follows enough posts, a guy can see a replicatable pattern emerge...and says to himself, "Hey! I can do that!"

The very cool thing is that all our brains process audio signals differently, and when you see a Hunter who is totally in sync with their rig, no matter what it is, like its an extension of their brain, and they are pulling loot on the regular...Yeah...maybe 5% of the Hunters out there achieve this Zen...

We all remember when Sister Kapi started out not that long ago...she didnt know dink from applebutter, but She really wanted to...and now she does...top 5% producers...

The thing about detecting in general, a guy gets outdoors with a viable reason for being there..fresh air a plenty! Seeing the Sunrises and sunsets while slinging coil down a beach...Its way cheaper than a Gym membership, and slightly less gay as golfing.. :laughing:

goodmore · Dec 31, 2018

I like simplicity. The 600 does everything I want it to do. I do not need the gold programs. I don't need to change tones. I got the Miccus headphones for 60 bucks. All is well.

FelixtheCat · Dec 31, 2018

I have the 800 and I like that the back-lighting is adjustable as well. Plus you never know when you're going to go off to the desert or Australia and do some gold prospecting - a feature not on the 600. :roll:

When I 1st started this hobby I was mainly a tot-lot park hunter and my 1st 2 hunts were with a REALLY low end Bounty Hunter that I had bought a few years earlier to identify the copper refrigeration lines for my AC unit in a garden area that I was about to dig into. I had put it away and never used it again. My son gets into Scouting and before a weekend camping trip on a beach, I found it in my tool room, play with it in my yard and decide to bring it along to the camp. After 2 beach hunts with it, I decide that metal detecting is for me and bought a Bounty Hunter Discovery 3300 for $115 at Radio Shack's close out sale on it. (Was considering an Ace 250 as well). It paid for itself that year in clad alone. I found gold and silver in the tot lots before I eventually migrated to be being a water hunter today over the last 13 years. My words of advice: the difference in price is always negligible if you are going to USE your machine. The 800, as alluded to by Mud, WILL be in higher demand at resale time. But don't think about that, just think that no matter what you buy that you are going to go out and use it. That's the secret to finding gold and the other goodies. Gold doesn't just jump on your lap while your sitting on the couch. Get a good scoop - DO NOT SKIMP HERE!!! Get a Stealth (I have with CF handle) or a Stavr (others highly recommend as well). When I 1st got Noxy I skimped on headphones, buying a set on Ebay from the Ukraine and now regret it, and I'm ordering a pair of Tony Eisenhower's. if your'e going to use it, always buy the best equipment you can...YOLO!!!

Mud-puppy said:
The thing about detecting in general, a guy gets outdoors with a viable reason for being there..fresh air a plenty! Seeing the Sunrises and sunsets while slinging coil down a beach...Its way cheaper than a Gym membership, and slightly less gay as golfing..

You are priceless sir! :laughing:

Don't forget the other fringe benefits, well maybe for me, seeing beautiful women from all over the world that are sometimes missing some parts to their bathing suits making a hunt worthwhile even when the yellow eludes me!

SnohomishDigger · Dec 31, 2018

I’m a satisfied 600 owner. I moved up from a Bounty Hunter Tracker IV in August. I was looking for a waterproof machine that provided vdi info to help me evaluate potential targets. Hunting in the Pacific Northwest means hunting in the rain. Plus, there are plenty of lakes, rivers and beaches to search - which I couldn’t effectively do with the Tracker IV.

I chose the 600 because it was the best balance of performance and price for the type of hunting I prefer to do. I don’t hunt gold - neither nuggets nor rings. If I did, I would upgrade to the 800. I wouldn’t say the 600 is better or worse than the 800 - it just fits my needs better than the 800 at this time.

BTW, I just added a pair of wireless headphones. Love that the 600 pairs to Bluetooth headphones without an adapter.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

GroundSweeper · Dec 31, 2018

Talk to Jeff @ Quality Metal Detectors (see forum sponsor link at top right of page) the 800 may be more afffordable than you think.

I got the 800 because I wanted the gold frequency (live in gold country) and backlight levels, and the wireless and Bluetooth systems, and I knew I would regret at some point not getting the 800 if I had bought the 600!

MTtrashdigger · Dec 31, 2018

I got the 800, and glad for it. I don't live anywhere near a salt water beach but there is still some gold to be found in my state so Initially I got it for the gold mode, which is lacking on the 600. But now that am more familiar with it, the additional recovery speed settings are really what makes the 800 worth it for me. The WM-O8 module is a bonus because I can use my wired noise cancelling Bose headphones with it, enjoy the wireless connectivity and really hear the faint squeaks of deeper targets. I would spend the money again. no doubt.

Walrus350 · Dec 31, 2018

Longshot said:
Thanks Mud. There is truth in every joke. I WILL enjoy my new POS :P

I thought the module thing was needed for the wireless headphones that came with it.. They would probably make more money selling it separately to those who need it.

Walrus, is there a setting that you consistently use that is not available on the 600, or is it more a case of there if you need them (with the settings).

Absolutely. I hunt at night so I use the lowest light setting.
The light on the 600 is too bright.
When I use stock beach modes with auto tracking, I would setup the user profile to max sensitivity, with no tracking so I can investigate a deep signal.
Being able to switch your settings in the fly is pretty good if you're a picky hunter.

I haven't been nugget hunting yet, but I know I can if I have the opportunity.

I've seen the modules listed online for $259. You could buy the 800 and sell that. :laughing:

I do find the module very useful on hot days. I just plug my earbuds in it. It's he fastest response time for wireless, too.
I used the wireless headphones like earmuffs last night. :laughing:

The 600 performs exactly like the 800 where I hunt, but it doesn't have everything I need at certain times.

I used to think that the 600 didn't have all the frequencies the 800 had in multi-mode but I couldn't be anymore wrong. It's only when you use single frequencies that 20 and 40 khz aren't on the 600.

As far as scoops, here's my take on it:
https://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=268981

Don't get a Sand Shark.

GL with your decision and HH.

3.14R8 · Dec 31, 2018

Mud-puppy said:
These things are tools, this is a Big Planet, our time here is short, and coils are so small comparatively....We have all been in your shoes...We all started out somewhere with something...

When it comes to buying a new rig, I do what you have been doing, a lot of research and Forum reading, and when I see long time Coilists vouching for a particular new platform, seeing the finds coming in, well, I aint gonna argue with the results!

I got the NOX 800 after evaluating those results from the other Hunters I respect....just as if a veteran carpenter told me to buy a 24oz Vaughn with a hickory handle and why not the Estwing...I dont have time to learn all of this on my own, so we follow and try to pattern the experts....

In field Results are all that matter...When it comes to Treasure, Intelligence and Effort is not primary.... A guy could just as easily find a Gold Brasher in a totlot eyeballing! The thing is to get a rig that is vouched for and then get it outdoors...You cant find nothing sitting around in the house or thinking too much..Pull the trigger!

I run a 21oz Vaughn that 3oz has saved my elbow for more metal detecting! :grin:

Do any owners of the Equinox 600 wish you had purchased the 800 (or vice versa)??

Longshot

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Mud-puppy

Walrus350

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Longshot

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Mud-puppy

Surf Master

Longshot

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Longshot

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