NOX discussion

[hikerdude]

Ok, I have a brand question. The new Minelab NOX 900. I am thinking about buying one, instead of the Manticore. Any and all comments are encouraged, good or bad.

 

[robby4570]

Ok, I have a brand question. The new Minelab NOX 900. I am thinking about buying one, instead of the Manticore. Any and all comments are encouraged, good or bad.

I've never been one to jump on the "bleeding edge" of technology, I got my E-Trac in 2014 after they'd been out about 6 years, I got my next detector, the Equinox 800 in 2020 after being out about 2-1/2 years. A decision I regret, while it's a good machine... I JUST don't like it. Granted I just took it to the extreme by getting my CTX3030 after it had been out 10 years. But my point is, give it some time to let the hidden bugs come out and get corrected (and there WILL be some) unless you just gotta have one now...

 

[Wolf-Dog]

I've never been one to jump on the "bleeding edge" of technology, I got my E-Trac in 2014 after they'd been out about 6 years, I got my next detector, the Equinox 800 in 2020 after being out about 2-1/2 years. A decision I regret, while it's a good machine... I JUST don't like it. Granted I just took it to the extreme by getting my CTX3030 after it had been out 10 years. But my point is, give it some time to let the hidden bugs come out and get corrected (and there WILL be some) unless you just gotta have one now...

X2 good advice.

 

[yooper69]

I've never been one to jump on the "bleeding edge" of technology, I got my E-Trac in 2014 after they'd been out about 6 years, I got my next detector, the Equinox 800 in 2020 after being out about 2-1/2 years. A decision I regret, while it's a good machine... I JUST don't like it. Granted I just took it to the extreme by getting my CTX3030 after it had been out 10 years. But my point is, give it some time to let the hidden bugs come out and get corrected (and there WILL be some) unless you just gotta have one now...

Isn't that what the 900 is the new upgraded version of the 800?

 

[hikerdude]

Not sure what the 900 is. I just know Minelab disappointed me when they announced the new 700 and 900 when I thought they were gonna announce the release date for the Manticore. I know of one guy who bought the 800 just a few days before the 700 and 900 came out and is totally pissed. I don't blame him. I am looking for a back-up for my Deus II. I was hoping to get a good report on the 900 and how well it is finding treasure. Now that I think about it, maybe I'll get a second Deus II for a back-up. The Deus II is just that good.

 

[robby4570]

Not sure what the 900 is. I just know Minelab disappointed me when they announced the new 700 and 900 when I thought they were gonna announce the release date for the Manticore. I know of one guy who bought the 800 just a few days before the 700 and 900 came out and is totally pissed. I don't blame him. I am looking for a back-up for my Deus II. I was hoping to get a good report on the 900 and how well it is finding treasure. Now that I think about it, maybe I'll get a second Deus II for a back-up. The Deus II is just that good.

Ever since Codan took over Minelab, the company seems to step on it "junk" a lot. but I think the missed release dates may be part of the marketing plan. Get you "hyped" up to get it and then yank it back so the buyer wants it even more. And the hype over new machines is ridiculous... every new machine is more powerful than the last, searches deeper than the last and is lighter than the last - hence MUCH better than the last and YOU need to rush right out and buy one. I don't fall for that hype, never had and never will. From what I've experienced with the 3030 I used years ago and now this new one I have, it's a major deep seeker, ID's targets as well as or maybe better than any other machine (I believe these companies need to work on target ID capabilities on new machines, I think the depth limit has been reached on "hobbyist machines") and it's 12 year old tech!

All that being said, I'm not a fanboy but I love my Minelab E-Trac and CTX3030... 'Nox 800, not so much. Even at that, I still have 2 White's machines too.

 

[jmaclen]

Instead of taking shots at this company or that, here is a thread on another forum that has two posters giving their experiences after using the Equinox 800, 900, Manticore and Deus 2. These same posters also have experience with the CTX 3030. There is also some input from one Manticore field tester who also field tested the original Equinox 800 and the 900.

Rx And Tr Questions

Hello. I don't plan on purchasing a Manticore, but I still like to learn about the new detectors. With that said, I have two questions about the Manti: 1) Isn't Tr power regulated, and haven't detectors reached the maximum allowed power output a long time ago? If so, what does the Manti's "More p...

www.detectorprospector.com

 

[metaladdict]

Ok, I have a brand question. The new Minelab NOX 900. I am thinking about buying one, instead of the Manticore. Any and all comments are encouraged, good or bad.

I bet you will like it since it's an improved 800. They say it's more ergo and has 99 vdi numbers.
I like my 800 very much

 

[markinswpa]

Not sure what the 900 is. I just know Minelab disappointed me when they announced the new 700 and 900 when I thought they were gonna announce the release date for the Manticore. I know of one guy who bought the 800 just a few days before the 700 and 900 came out and is totally pissed. I don't blame him. I am looking for a back-up for my Deus II. I was hoping to get a good report on the 900 and how well it is finding treasure. Now that I think about it, maybe I'll get a second Deus II for a back-up. The Deus II is just that good.

Sounds like you answered your own question. I bought a second 800 as a back up because I liked it that much. Now I have a 900 and without an ounce of regret. I had the Manticore preordered but when I heard about the 900 I changed my mind. Although not perfect the 900 is definitely a step up from the 800 and also a step in the right direction. Good luck with your decision. Mark

 

[hikerdude]

Mark, you went with the 900 and you say it's step up from the 800. That is what I wanted to hear. I am going to follow your lead. Thanks, I am going to cancel my Manticore order.

 

[R_Ruff]

I've never been one to jump on the "bleeding edge" of technology, I got my E-Trac in 2014 after they'd been out about 6 years, I got my next detector, the Equinox 800 in 2020 after being out about 2-1/2 years. A decision I regret, while it's a good machine... I JUST don't like it. Granted I just took it to the extreme by getting my CTX3030 after it had been out 10 years. But my point is, give it some time to let the hidden bugs come out and get corrected (and there WILL be some) unless you just gotta have one now...

I have a CTX arriving today. I couldn't resist considering the recent price drop and a military discount. I have a Nox 600 (mainly because there's no gold mining where I live) and it's done its job but it's definitely limited.

 

[Cherry Picker]

I'm still trying to figure out the pecking order of these new detectors.

Manticore
Deus 2
Equinox 900
Equinox 800
Legend

 

[jmaclen]

I'm still trying to figure out the pecking order of these new detectors.

Manticore
Deus 2
Equinox 900
Equinox 800
Legend

You would have to own all five to know for certain in your soil conditions and for the targets you are hunting.

For me, I have four of the five on your list (no Manticore).
Gold prospecting, Deus 2 is dead last, not even close.
Target separation in trash for coin sized objects Deus 2 is first.
Overall depth on coin sized objects where I detect……1/2” difference at most and who comes in first changes.
For ergonomics it goes to Deus 2 but only with the 9” coil with Nox 900 close behind.
Versatility and build quality goes to the Legend.
For ease of use including charging and water use….Deus 2 is dead last and Nox 800 is DQ.
For most impressive goes to the Legend.

Read that topic I linked.

 

[Diga]

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[Diga]

jmaclen,

Have you done separation speed tests with those detectors? More specifically, placing two targets close to each other, using the same coil size, max recovery speed, and same SF / similar SMF.

I'm mainly asking because I'm finding it hard to believe that any one of those detectors can process faster than another. I mean, even the most basic processor can process data much faster than a metal detector needs to, so I would think that if each is set to max recovery speed, and all else is equal, then separation should be similar.

I guess the manufacturer's could set the maximum recovery rate even higher, but I suspect they already set it to the point just before audio clipping occurs, or other detrimental effects that can occur with too high of a recovery speed.

 

[robby4570]

I have a CTX arriving today. I couldn't resist considering the recent price drop and a military discount. I have a Nox 600 (mainly because there's no gold mining where I live) and it's done its job but it's definitely limited.

I personally think you made a great choice. You get used to that CTX3030 and you'll never look back. There's a few guys from back in the early days of the 3030 - Dirtfishing (Bill_S on here), cutaplug, mowerdog, pondguru - on youtube who really know their stuff. Also, Andy Sabisch's book will help you. I'll get flamed for this I'm sure but (coming from 8 years on the 3030's little brother, the E-Trac) I think the CTX is the best hobbyist machine out there.

 

[Cherry Picker]

I agree Robby. If not for my physical disabilities I's own a CTX 3030.

 

[jmaclen]

jmaclen,

Have you done separation speed tests with those detectors? More specifically, placing two targets close to each other, using the same coil size, max recovery speed, and same SF / similar SMF.

I'm mainly asking because I'm finding it hard to believe that any one of those detectors can process faster than another. I mean, even the most basic processor can process data much faster than a metal detector needs to, so I would think that if each is set to max recovery speed, and all else is equal, then separation should be similar.

I guess the manufacturer's could set the maximum recovery rate even higher, but I suspect they already set it to the point just before audio clipping occurs, or other detrimental effects that can occur with too high of a recovery speed.

I never use max recovery speed so it is not something I would test.

There is something (always has been) in the design of Deus 1, Deus 2 and the ORX that makes them just above the rest in target separation and recovery speed. Up until Deus 2, at least where I detect most often that XP speed came at the cost of overall depth.

Deus 2 has kept the speed I have grown used to but also has much improved depth.
That does not mean that Deus 2 just detects better in general than the Nox 900 or the Legend. It doesn't where I detect.

To answer the original question from the OP in a few words......if you are mostly a silver hunter or a beach/submerged hunter and you hunt in low mineralization, the Manticore might be a great choice.

If you hunt on mineralized ground and you are looking for gold jewelry in modern trash, mid conductor relics and do some gold prospecting for picker to small sized nuggets, I would upgrade to the 900 from the 800 due to the many improved and added features along with no reports of 900/700s leaking so far.

I have heard from some Manticore users that hunt on similar ground as me, that Target Trace is basically unusable deeper than 5 or 6" due to moderate to high mineralization and that deep iron falsing is very real. That is exactly how my former CTX 3030 behaved out here and is also why the Equinox 800 revitalized my detecting hobby since it handles the high iron mineralization that I hunt in extremely well. The 900 is even better. So the Manticore's Target Trace might be a waste of money for people that hunt in moderate to high iron mineralization.

If you want a detector that can do everything that the 800 and 900 can do at a great price.....get a Legend.

 

[Diga]

Thank you for the reply Jeff.

I value your opinion, but that is something I would have to see to believe.

Engineers can easily make a detector take as many snapshots per second as they want. But, the detector would get to the point that audio clipping would begin, and according to Minelab, poor target ID accuracy would also begin due to insufficient information from the target. I believe that on those detectors, maximum recovery speed is set to just below the point that those negative aspects begin to occur. As such, separation ability should be similar among those detectors. I mean "similar" in the sense that if there is a difference, it wouldn't be a "Wow! What a difference", but rather more likely a difference coinciding with the test's margin of error.

If I did a detector separation comparison test, I would use two nonferrous coins, that have very different IDs. I would set the detectors up with maximum recovery speed, and the rest as I described, then see how close together I could get the coins before each coin's ID merged. Coil height and swing speed are critical with this type of test, so both of those would have be to very consisent between detectors.

 

[Diga]

I just did a test with my Legend using a nickel and a dime. I could get them as close as a mere half inch while still getting separate and proper IDs. Any closer, and the IDs begin to merge. I was using M1, default sensitivity, maximum recovery speed, and the 6" coil. I used the 6" coil because I don't hunt trashy sites with the stock 11" coil.

I'm thinking the results would be similar with the D2 and Nox, or rather, I would hope so.