Equinox 800 and 600 coils

[just_dig_it]

This is my first post as I am new to this forum and to the hobby. I've been using a fairly old and cheap Gold Century 1020 metal detector and looking to step deeper into the hobby with either an Equinox 800 or 600. I've read and watched many reviews on the two while learning about the hobby itself. I'm still undecided, hahaha, as the 600 is probably all I need, but I'm the type of guy that likes to "have the best I can afford." As I continue to work on my decision I am wondering about future upgrades (coils in this case.). I understand the new Equinox 6" coil has not been shipped and used by the general public. I was wondering if the Equinox 800 would benefit MORE THAN the 600 with either a smaller and/or larger coil? In other words, will "extra" features and advanced settings of the Equinox 800 further separate it from the 600? Thank you for your time

 

[laplander]

Hello and welcome to the forum, lots of good info here and a great group of guys and gals to bounce ideas around with.
I tend to go for the Bells and whistles as well Eugene, but I don't think coil size will effected by the base machine, only time will tell when the coils are released. Look carefully at the differences Advanced setting, wireless, etc.. They are both great machines!
Laplander

 

[Dukester75]

IMHO, if you are a gold prospector the 800 could benefit MORE then the 600 with either the small or the large coil because the 800 has the gold modes. If you are not a gold prospector, then really the main features the 800 has over the 600 deal with tones and tone breaks. Those features wouldn't make the 800 benefit more the 600 with the other coils. The 800 also has a bit more adjustment to recovery speed and iron bias and those could MAYBE benefit the 800 more then the 600 with the other coils, but I would think that to be minimal and difficult to quantify. A definite benefit to the 600 is that you can buy one of the other coils with the money saved over the 800.

 

[dewcon4414]

Based on the price of the WM..... u could buy the 800 and sell that.

 

[just_dig_it]

Thank you for the great advice guys!

 

[Joedaddy276]

I've had zero luck trying to sell a wm08 for 160 that's 100 off! But yeah what dukestar said!

 

[indy durtdigger]

I just bought a 600 and got to use it for the first time yesterday. So far I really like it. The first thing I did was take it to a really junky spot so I could mess with the iron bias and recovery speeds. Dug a sterling bracelet I missed with every other machine I've run over that area and it was a good eight inches down. After using it for two outings I super miss the wireless feature my other Minelab has. For the money it takes to upgrade a 600 to wireless the 800 is worth the extra 200 smackers. Plus it has more modes and way more adjustments to tweak it.

 

[Rick(ND)]

If you can get either one right now I agree the 800 is the better buy, if you like it and keep it you know you have the best without upgrading. Now if you dont like it and want to sell it the 800 is real easy to sell closer to what you paid for it right now. I remember when the Explorers came out as there was the XS and the S model that didnt have some of the features the XS had and those that bought the S model wish they would have got the XS and when they tried to sell the S Model it was harder to do and at a much lower price also. I am sure glad I ordered my 800 back in Sept when I did and had it in March. Now if you cant get a 800 right now and really want to try one it seems there are several 600 for sale at some of the dealers plus it seems some have got the 600 and the 800 they ordered earlier have come in and they want to sell their 600.


Good luck

Rick

 

[Des D]

This is my first post as I am new to this forum and to the hobby. I've been using a fairly old and cheap Gold Century 1020 metal detector and looking to step deeper into the hobby with either an Equinox 800 or 600. I've read and watched many reviews on the two while learning about the hobby itself. I'm still undecided, hahaha, as the 600 is probably all I need, but I'm the type of guy that likes to "have the best I can afford." As I continue to work on my decision I am wondering about future upgrades (coils in this case.). I understand the new Equinox 6" coil has not been shipped and used by the general public. I was wondering if the Equinox 800 would benefit MORE THAN the 600 with either a smaller and/or larger coil? In other words, will "extra" features and advanced settings of the Equinox 800 further separate it from the 600? Thank you for your time

This is what I wrote / thought a month ago - I still believe this.

"Small coils are brilliant. After much pestering many moons ago, ML finally introduced a small coil for the 'Explorer XS' and it sold well for years.
The 6" for the CTX was / still is a brilliant addition for those who like to use that option.
The proposed new 6" for the Equinox will be a brilliant bit of kit too but it's the owners of the E600 who will benefit the most. Why?
The E600 isn't as fast in the Recovery stakes as the 800: just 3 selectable speeds compared to 8
So, 800 owners are reporting fantastic separation with the standard 11" coil but I am positive 600 owners [ would like ] faster separation in heavy iron and that could be accomplished with the 6" coil.

However, that said, my own preference for an additional coil for the 'EQX' would be a larger than the 6" and smaller than the 11" and a fabulous compromise would be an 8.7" x 5" Elliptical and even better still, it could be left on a spare lower rod for quick changes in situ when required and indeed such a coil could be left on the detector all the time.
Thoughts?"I'm actually thinking that a 6" coil on an E800 will be challenging to deal with and learn?
In 'rapid fire' Recovery 8, Iron Bias 0, in a heavy nail area with differing size nails, various stages of decomposition etc etc, it'll be inclined to respond to tiny pieces and a person might get an easier run with the 11", and to keep the 6" for manicured gardens/jewelery recoveries, stubble rows.
Of course in trashy parks it'll be very handy.
But I'm thinking people will glean better results (less hassle) by sticking to the 11" [ with the exception of E600 owners ] who will probably benefit more with it than owners of the E800?"

 

[adamBomb]

I went with the 600 because I only beach hunt. My chances of going prospecting are zero. The wireless module is a joke that comes with the 800 since you can connect any bluetooth headphones to the 600/800 without it. As far as the features, only you can decide if you would actually use them. They serve no purpose to me but that doesn't mean they won't to you. My use of the machine is pretty simple - Beach 1 or 2. I only adjust the volume or sensitivity.

I've been using a fairly old and cheap Gold Century 1020 metal detector...I'm the type of guy that likes to "have the best I can afford."

Quite the oxymoron there

 

[dewcon4414]

Des...... we have the same opinion when it comes to about a 9" coil. Thats ones id like to see for water hunting...... but i kind of like my DD. Sure like to see a NEL.... i like their foot print and coil sizes. But at this point....... the 6" is going to sell because we have no choice..... same with the 15". ML needs to understand....... this is a multi use machine.... coils for beach and now raw gold hunting may well benefit from more choices of different types and sizes of coils. They obviously considered the headphones this time around (except for the water ones)....... but i dont think they gave enough thought to the coils Des.

Dew

 

[FFX2]

I just bought a 600 and got to use it for the first time yesterday. So far I really like it. The first thing I did was take it to a really junky spot so I could mess with the iron bias and recovery speeds. Dug a sterling bracelet I missed with every other machine I've run over that area and it was a good eight inches down. After using it for two outings I super miss the wireless feature my other Minelab has. For the money it takes to upgrade a 600 to wireless the 800 is worth the extra 200 smackers. Plus it has more modes and way more adjustments to tweak it.

You can buy a pair of Low Latency APTX BLuetooth headphones that will work great with your 600. I had a 600 and bought a pair of Trond headphones that worked great with it.

 

[coin-star]

Same here for wireless headphones. Just got a 600 and got some $45 AptX Low Latency headphones. Brand is iArchmage (the black ones) and so far so good. Paired and working fine. You can also get the exact ones that Minelab ships with the 800 for around $70. They are Miccus SR-71 Stealth Bluetooth Headphones. Another good brand is Avantree.

The iArchmage get 50 hours advertised use, and the Avantree get 40 hours. Advertised use on Miccus is only 20 hours.

For my needs, I don't see myself needing the extra features of the 800 and I wanted to get a 600 and use it NOW instead of waiting for months.

CS

 

[pan4au]

Same here for wireless headphones. Just got a 600 and got some $45 AptX Low Latency headphones. Brand is iArchmage (the black ones) and so far so good. Paired and working fine. You can also get the exact ones that Minelab ships with the 800 for around $70. They are Miccus SR-71 Stealth Bluetooth Headphones. Another good brand is Avantree.

The iArchmage get 50 hours advertised use, and the Avantree get 40 hours. Advertised use on Miccus is only 20 hours.

For my needs, I don't see myself needing the extra features of the 800 and I wanted to get a 600 and use it NOW instead of waiting for months.

CS

I have the blue Archmage great battery life they pair up "+" low latency and work great

 

[just_dig_it]

Thanks again for all the advice. So to summarize, there may not be much of a "noticeable" difference when using the Equinox 600 with 6" coil when compared to the Equinox 800 with the 6" coil. Would the 800's higher iron bias and recovery speed further separate its self (performance) from the 600 with a larger coil? Also, what's the benefit of the 20 and 40KHz single frequencies compared to multi-frequencies?

 

[Jason in Enid]

..... Also, what's the benefit of the 20 and 40KHz single frequencies compared to multi-frequencies?

Original plan was that those were going to be the gold hunting frequencies, but at the last minute they realized from tester reports that multi actually worked better for prospecting so they changed that part of the gold mode but left the single HF options.

 

[ewtaylor]

Just got an email reply from NEL coils. He says he should have Nel coils available for the Equinox series by August. I hope so and can't wait to see what they come up with.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Just got an email reply from NEL coils. He says he should have Nel coils available for the Equinox series by August. I hope so and can't wait to see what they come up with.

Very interesting news! Lets hope many more companies start producing EQX coils too!