Here's the thing ,
In my not so humble opinion , The Equinox is an outstanding machine ! I personally own the 800 and have found it to be a wonderful eye opener - It quite literally makes you learn to understand the technique's necessary when making the jump from fun user to serious user . Starting out in this hobby with this machine may not be the best thing for most - depends on the individual . Learning the basics with a more " down to earth machine " might be the best way to go . The guys and gals here have listed quite a few good choices that will help you understand this hobby and what the machine is telling you , and while the Equinox can be a turn on and go type machine , in the long run , you'd be better off with a little experience gained from some of the others . The options and power of the Equinox can be a tad over whelming if your not somewhat familiar .
Good Luck to you what ever choice you make
Al