Equinox getting dumped

[kansasexp2]

I don't think it will be long before Minelab come out with an Equinox 1000 to better compete with the Drus 2. If they improved the build quality, and lost some weight, etc they would make a lot of people happy.

 

[UtahRich]

I don't think it will be long before Minelab come out with an Equinox 1000 to better compete with the Deus 2. If they improved the build quality, and lost some weight, etc they would make a lot of people happy.

I'm thinking you're right. Four or five years between model upgrades is about right. The 800 has been immensely popular the last 4 years. No wonder other companies have set their sights on it. I've heard on a couple other forums that minelab was/is asking for feedback or input on what would improve the 800. I've had my own thoughts.

The Etrac has been discontinued and the CTX3030 is a heavy beast. I imagine the 1000 or whatever they call it, will be more upscale and capable than the 800 and we will see the CTX follow after the Etrac as a chapter in the Minelab detector history.

I will anxiously wait and see.


Rich -

 

[morelic1955]

I have had several people tell me I should get this or that, I am a relic hunter. I have hunted with a Explore II since 2004 or 05 whenever it came out. I still come up with a little trick or two that you can do with it. It amazes me how fast people go through machines before moving on to the next hottest thing. I know my Explorer II does not do as good in the red ground around Culpeper but I do think if I hunted it enough I could learn it. I have been relic hunting for 51 years and the Explorer II doesn't leave a lot in the ground

I'm the same with the X-Terra 70 & 705. Used the X-Terras since 2005 and have found loads of CW Relics.

 

[fwcrawford]

I'm the same with the X-Terra 70 & 705. Used the X-Terras since 2005 and have found loads of CW Relics.

Those XTerras are still very good detectors and very capable of making great finds!!

 

[nenadgbeepin]

Rather than a Nox 1000 what I want is a 3030 lite. Loose some weight with an external cable/thinner shaft, sort of Anfibio style build, and then add some single frequency options and a proper threshold based all metal mode with VCO audio and I'd have my dream machine.

 

[LawrencetheMDer]

Technology is part of the metal detecting puzzle that includes skill and luck. My personal estimate is that tech plays 30%, skill is 50% and luck plays 20%. Those who think tech is everything in good finds will ultimately be disappointed with ANY machine. I own low level machines (eg Bounty Hunter 3300, a ca 1997 Echo 2), midlevel machines (eg NOX 800) and high level machines (Excal II, CTX 3030) and do mostly beach hunting. I have a great time with each one and each one plays a role in my detecting depending on circumstance. I loan out the 3300 to family and friends who visit and want to try out MDing. I also carry a low level detector ( Echo II) in my car for spontaneous hunts and when opportunity presents itself. I use the 800 for most planned hunts now, just bought another one w free 15" coil, and recently have been using the CTX 3030 w 17" coil at low tide for maximum coverage. But mostly, I rely on my skills having metal detected for about 50 years, knowing where and when to search and happy as a jay bird when after a long day I'm literally dragging the detector back to the car when I hit a nice gold ring or chain.

For those pre-ordering/purchasing a Deus II, you better cost in the hardwired headphones (optional FX-03 or BH-01) for water hunting since the unit will not function once the control unit is underwater and thus limited to shallow water where the control unit is not submerged. [Always love to see 800s w blue tooth wireless buds or headphones in water because I'll just go deeper w my wired headphones to find targets beyond their reach.] And, having drowned my 800 once and my CTX 3030 twice (have never drowned the Excal II) my bet is that the Dues II will also eventually drown. The Deus II operation manual is now available online and it makes very interesting reading and is highly recommended BEFORE you purchase the unit. But given the costs of a fully equipped machine (Deus II plus wired headphones, est $1900 w tax) I for one will wait to see how it actually performs in salt water...and I'll be waiting for a while.

 

[Joe Black]

My 800 has been a great detector the last (ALMOST) 4 years. Gold rings recovered took a huge jump, old nickels took a huge jump, all sorts of deep co-located keepers mixed in with other stuff. It is as deep as my Etrac. Way lighter than my old Explorer XS and Etrac. Faster than both. It's a great coin shooter. I have 16 or 17 years between the Explorer XS and Etrac. There are times i miss the ferrous/conductive screen, tones were great on them, and they had a rugged build. But my shoulder i injured appreciates the 800. I tolerate the 800's ultralight build. I added a carbon fiber shaft and aftermarket arm cuff. Tones are different but have a similar 'minelab' sound to them. Due to the separation ability I hunt with my 800 a bit different than I did my FBS machines.

For me, my above results speak for themselves.

I wish there weren't issues with many equinox's leaking. I shallow water hunt and so far no issues there for me. I wish the coil ears were engineered to be more rugged. I do worry about them breaking. I wish it was an S rod design. Personal preference. That said, the 800 was close to 1/2 the price of my original Etrac.

No regrets here. It's been a great experience. Technology moves forward. We all have to make decisions for ourself. I will be adding a D2. It is replacing my D1. Will it replace my 800. No idea. It has some big shoes to fill.

If I had a flooded controller, broken coil ears, poor detecting results or other issues, I might feel different. But my 800 has done well.

My thoughts are exact!…….personally I believe in my opinion, the Deus 2 is going to end up being king of the beach once confirmation reports start coming out…..yeah , I just dumped one of my 800’s to make room for my future D2.

 

[Radish]

The D2 is looking like it will be a great machine. I have been watching the videos and demonstrations as they being uploaded. I am not seeing it doing a hell of a lot better than my Nox 800. I am not saying either is better but so far I do not see a reason to sell my nox and coils. I don't really care about a wireless coil. I feel like its another thing I don't want to charge. I do not like having to out a water antenna on my machine. I also do not plan to scuba dive that deep. Most of the videos I have seen the D2 users are switching to square tones. square tones makes it more like the Nox. So far I only wonder if the X&y ID setup will help me ID undug targets, and the ergonomics might let me swing a bit longer. I see the biggest thing that keep being hammered on is the build quality. I have yet to snap the ears on my coil nor has my nox flooded. I would like to know how often it really happens and how beat are the ones that do fail.

I guess what I am trying to say the Deus II has yet to wow me enough to order one yet, and I still love my Equinox. The equinox is the best machine I have ever used. It will take something amazing to get me to put it in the closet.

 

[5900_XL-1]

The D2 is looking like it will be a great machine. I have been watching the videos and demonstrations as they being uploaded. I am not seeing it doing a hell of a lot better than my Nox 800. I am not saying either is better but so far I do not see a reason to sell my nox and coils. I don't really care about a wireless coil. I feel like its another thing I don't want to charge. I do not like having to out a water antenna on my machine. I also do not plan to scuba dive that deep. Most of the videos I have seen the D2 users are switching to square tones. square tones makes it more like the Nox. So far I only wonder if the X&y ID setup will help me ID undug targets, and the ergonomics might let me swing a bit longer. I see the biggest thing that keep being hammered on is the build quality. I have yet to snap the ears on my coil nor has my nox flooded. I would like to know how often it really happens and how beat are the ones that do fail.

I guess what I am trying to say the Deus II has yet to wow me enough to order one yet, and I still love my Equinox. The equinox is the best machine I have ever used. It will take something amazing to get me to put it in the closet.

 

[5900_XL-1]

I won't get excited about the Deus 2 until if gets out and into side by side field hunts, by independent tectors, not the "pushers" of the Deus2, which is all I have seen so far.

 

[Pyledriver]

I quite likely will. When I got my equinox I had a Deus also. I decided the equinox was the main machine based on its ability to hunt beaches and be waterproof so I sold the Deus. I have regretted that decision ever since! For some reason it was like I was one with that machine, but even more important was the fact that it was a wireless and I could disassemble it to almost nothing. The ergonomics were great unlike the equinox, and the machine weighed practically nothing. After getting rid of the Deus, I spent a good deal of money getting telescoping carbon fiber shafts, a folding control box mod, and then realizing that all of that was too short for me and buying another carbon fiber shaft just for the purpose of cutting it to a longer length so that now I have a tall man telescoping carbon fiber shaft, the stark realization set in, and has never left me, that the machine will never be a Deus, LOL! Even if the Deus two is only ‘as good’ as the equinox, the other characteristics would still be enough that I would switch.

 

[u2robert]

If you used the XP Deus 1 the Deus 2 will not surprise you
Awesome detector

 

[Mark kus]

I highly suspect the Deus 2 will be a very good unit. Whether $6-$700. better then the Nox, if any better?.....HH jim tn

I doubt it’s that better or that more capable only thing I like more about it is it’s really waterproof! And it’s a multi frequency also I’ll be buying one eventually..
Matk

 

[Jlong]

I have just recently bought an 800 and still learning its nuances. I am converting from a Garret GTI 2500 that I have used for many years. It was a real silver machine but lacked in the nickel range that the 800 nails. The one thing I do miss is the size and depth indicator that worked pretty good on the garret down to 6 inches. If Minelab could incorporate an improved version of this I would take out a loan to buy one. The parks in my area just mow over aluminum cans and leave large hunks of can shrapnel that I could determine with the garret size indicator. There may be a way to determine this with the 800 but I have not figured it out yet. I have only had it for a week but am finding stuff in my yard that is littered with old iron that I thought I cleared out of good stuff.

 

[kschae4]

jlong welcome to this forum. If memory serves me, the Nox target depth is calibrated for the depth of coin-size objects so I utilize the same pinpointing technique that I learned years ago on the Safari to determine the size of targets and if to dig or not. Basically, in the pinpoint mode, as I lower the coil over the target and it starts to scream 6 inches or higher above the target, I feel the target may be a crushed can or a larger metal object. Coins, buttons and tokens IMO do not scream in pinpoint mode until I'm within a few inches over the target. Test some ferrous and conductive items and see what results that you experience. GL & HH

 

[Jlong]

jlong welcome to this forum. If memory serves me, the Nox target depth is calibrated for the depth of coin-size objects so I utilize the same pinpointing technique that I learned years ago on the Safari to determine the size of targets and if to dig or not. Basically, in the pinpoint mode, as I lower the coil over the target and it starts to scream 6 inches or higher above the target, I feel the target may be a crushed can or a larger metal object. Coins, buttons and tokens IMO do not scream in pinpoint mode until I'm within a few inches over the target. Test some ferrous and conductive items and see what results that you experience. GL & HH

Thanks for the info I will give this a try. I also noticed yesterday when I dug up a can that the detector was really chatty like there was a handful of dimes under the coil instead of a single tone..

 

[Mark kus]

I have just recently bought an 800 and still learning its nuances. I am converting from a Garret GTI 2500 that I have used for many years. It was a real silver machine but lacked in the nickel range that the 800 nails. The one thing I do miss is the size and depth indicator that worked pretty good on the garret down to 6 inches. If Minelab could incorporate an improved version of this I would take out a loan to buy one. The parks in my area just mow over aluminum cans and leave large hunks of can shrapnel that I could determine with the garret size indicator. There may be a way to determine this with the 800 but I have not figured it out yet. I have only had it for a week but am finding stuff in my yard that is littered with old iron that I thought I cleared out of good stuff.

I had a GTI 2500 long time ago and the equinox since it came out by far waaaaaay better detector try 5 tones to start on the nox

 

[woodbutcher]

I had a Deus 2 ,sold it. Saw no performance over my Deus 1 in the dirt ..Still have my equinox 800,,,not sure why guys are saying Minelab needs to come out with somthing to compete with the Deus 2? In my opinion the equinox is still a far superior machine compared to the Deus 2,,Xp is new to simultaneous multi frequency,,Minelab has over a 20 year headstart of perfecting it..

 

[laplander]

I had a Deus 2 ,sold it. Saw no performance over my Deus 1 in the dirt ..Still have my equinox 800,,,not sure why guys are saying Minelab needs to come out with somthing to compete with the Deus 2? In my opinion the equinox is still a far superior machine compared to the Deus 2,,Xp is new to simultaneous multi frequency,,Minelab has over a 20 year headstart of perfecting it..

Sold my 2 also couldn't agree with you more!

 

[Mark kus]

Sold my 2 also couldn't agree with you more!

I have my Deus 2 also I only have two detectors all I need but for the clean crisp hits the nox to me sounds waaay better tone wise maybe that's why they Deus have their square tones to try to sound like the minilab?
Mark