Definitely took a left turn at Albukoikee on this one...

[IDXMonster]

Just a completely different deal. Looks like they mounted it on a Compadre chassis! I'm a great believer in Minelab,maybe even a fanboy. But I'll let this one ride the wind awhile and see if it's a game changer or not. Above ALL...I need performance and ID at depth. That's ME...hopefully it's up to the task!

 

[Explorer.se]

Just a completely different deal. Looks like they mounted it on a Compadre chassis! I'm a great believer in Minelab,maybe even a fanboy. But I'll let this one ride the wind awhile and see if it's a game changer or not. Above ALL...I need performance and ID at depth. That's ME...hopefully it's up to the task![/quote

Same here IDX I might not have to spend my money on this one, we shall see!

 

[BigTony]

IDX, the other thing folks talk about these days - how will it perform in iron?

 

[chipper97]

Even if the Equinox doesn't ID at depth quite on a par with the E trac and CTX I think I'd still consider getting one. I think it may have astonishingly fast recovery, very Deus like, going by some Youtube video's I've seen.

 

[IDXMonster]

Even if the Equinox doesn't ID at depth quite on a par with the E trac and CTX I think I'd still consider getting one. I think it may have astonishingly fast recovery, very Deus like, going by some Youtube video's I've seen.

By now I've dug enough old coins that are 7-9" deep with every conceivable other metallic item in the hole with it using the CTX AND the Explorer2 so I'm not worried too much about recovery speed. I've watched a lot of videos where guys are sweeping the coil erratically and way too fast. Personally,I'm not sure that it's a "processor speed thing" with our current beloved machines as much as it is the speed of the audio generator. I've had MANY situations where the screen is wide open (with both machines) and there is a garbled low/high or low/mid-ish/high tone coming through. Then as soon as I switch to a high and tight disc pattern to get rid of the low/mid tone the high tone turns clean and obvious. Why? I'm guessing the audio gate can't switch fast enough to supply 3 separate clean sounds,so it does the best it can. When I apply disc,it doesn't have to send those two extra signals down the line,just the high tone...so the high tone becomes clear.
If the reviews come out on the Equinox and it's just renewing old hunting grounds,I'm in. I'll see what shakes out...

 

[chipper97]

You're probably right IDX. I've been swinging an Explorer SE and E trac for the last 3& 1/2 years and I sweep the coil at a moderate pace. I honestly don't think I miss much due to masking. But sometimes I do wonder when I read about the lightning quick Deus, or Impact, F-75 etc. in iron. I'm tempted to think I need another "tool" in the box for these iron infested sites. I guess it's a good thing in a way that the FBS machines are a bit heavy. It certainly discourages me at least from whipping through a site at break neck speed. Slow and low and I believe our Explorer's and CTX's will separate the goodies from the trash quite effectively in the vast majority of detecting environments. And of course nothing touches them for accuracy at depth. As you say we'll just have to wait and see how things shake out with the Equinox when it's put through it's paces in the field.

 

[sgoss66]

Even if the Equinox doesn't ID at depth quite on a par with the E trac and CTX I think I'd still consider getting one. I think it may have astonishingly fast recovery, very Deus like, going by some Youtube video's I've seen.

I hear you, chipper. But you said it yourself... "very Deus like." That, for me, is the point. I've been tempted to try a Deus. Don't have the cash, but tempted. I realize that most coins that are still left in heavily hunted public spots are either A. too deep for most machines/detectorists, or B. too "masked" by iron or other junk, for most machines/detectorists.

How do you combat "coins being too masked" with the best of today's technology? Fast recovery, separation ability, using the right frequencies are part of that; in other words "Deus-like," as you said.

How do you combat "coins being too deep" with the best of today's technology? Superior depth, AND -- SUPERIOR ID CAPABILITY THROUGH THE WHOLE RANGE OF THAT DEPTH.

Right now, FBS users have the "depth part" covered, including superior ID at depth. THIS machine, the Equinox, may be able to meet or exceed "Deus-like" units for hunting for coins in iron/nail environments. BUT -- for this machine to be THE SUPERIOR unit, to "make all other single-frequency VLF machines obsolete," as Minelab claims, it MUST, in my opinion, meet or exceed the FBS platform in terms of both DEPTH, and especially ID ACCURACY AT DEPTH. Otherwise, if it is going to take two units to have the "best of both worlds" (depth and unmasking), then it is just as easy for me to have FBS as one of them, and, say, a Deus, as the other, as it would be to have an FBS for one, and an Equinox for the other. If this is to be the game-changer that I hope it is, then I truly believe it has to do BOTH -- meet or exceed the DEUS as a fast machine for hunting in iron, AND, AT THE SAME TIME, meet or exceed the FBS units as deep machines with unparalleled ID accuracy at depth.

Steve

 

[chipper97]

Steve, I see what you are saying and I agree. If the Equinox's multi-frequency tech. isn't as capable as FBS tech in providing equal or superior ID at depth then it isn't "the game changer" that Minelab touts. We'll still be in the same situation of needing multiple units to meet the accuracy at depth problem and the unmasking in dense trash problem. It seems at this early stage that the Equinox will have "deus-like" recovery but other than claims that it goes very deep, nothing has been verified in terms of accuracy at depth. That is the great question going forward which we'll have to wait for. But if Brandon Niece is relegating his CTX to second string maybe just maybe it really does have the potential to meet both dilemmas. I'll be following this very closely. We just might be in for a real shake-up in the detecting universe.

 

[sgoss66]

We just might be in for a real shake-up in the detecting universe.

I am REALLY hoping so! I'll be following it very closely, as well...

Steve

 

[Blank Planet]

if in the market for a mid priced detector that does most things pretty well then why not after all its the nokta/makro garrett market they are after..

hey might be wrong but not about to sell off my Deus CTX and etrac because some guy on youtube said so

BP

 

[goodmore]

There will be plenty of time and a long Winter to do the research on this detector. Multi frequency and waterproof are a great start. Goodbye to the Sovereigns and Excalibur if it has depth.

 

[minelabking]

Fact of the matter is I know for a fact I will be buying this detector to go along with the rest of the minelabs and deus I own currently. I believe it's going to be a great machine. On the other hand I'm not a fan of wired coils these days. Now to see what the good people over at Xp will do because it's all about the sales and the bragging rights of being the best. Well done Minelab.

 

[Clad2Hunt]

Waterproof, light, and muti-freq. The 800 is going to make a great beach machine. I will be comparing it to my ET when they are released.

 

[Southwind]

I don't care about speed and all that. If it's a E-Trac at 2 1/2 lbs It will be mine.

 

[IDXMonster]

I don't care about speed and all that. If it's a E-Trac at 2 1/2 lbs It will be mine.

And mine! Electrical impulses,magnetic waves,etc only travel so fast....the machine needs time to accurately assess a target. If it does what the etrac or even Explorer does regarding depth coupled with ID then sign me up!

 

[Ksdirt]

I have had them all ...etrac..v3i....deus...racer2 ...the deus was finding 9" wheats where the etrac didn't even see it ....IRON"...just didn't like the thought of replacing battery in a coil also...would rather have coil wired than not ....had to wire deus with some home made rigg'n if you went even a foot in the water... as for the etrac maybe we can see the screen now....wow there tech is really advancing with the equinox...I think this is a machine to recon with....have one ordered already...can't wait..

 

[IDXMonster]

I have had them all ...etrac..v3i....deus...racer2 ...the deus was finding 9" wheats where the etrac didn't even see it ....IRON"...just didn't like the thought of replacing battery in a coil also...would rather have coil wired than not ....had to wire deus with some home made rigg'n if you went even a foot in the water... as for the etrac maybe we can see the screen now....wow there tech is really advancing with the equinox...I think this is a machine to recon with....have one ordered already...can't wait..

KS..are you saying the etrac didn't see the wheat penny because of IRON or because of depth or a combination of the two?

 

[Ksdirt]

I'm guessing iron because of the 3 nails that were in the hole also..... Buddy of mine had the etrac and he's good with it....just my guess as to why..