Once the Manticore is released and If the reports for the Manticore are good, you can bet that the Equinox for sale signs will be out in full force with the accompanied price drops.
The Equinox 800 is a great machine for its time. It is over 5 years old and my bet is that it will become the mid level machine of choice for many Minelab fans for at least a few more years. The Manticore will be the machine like the E-trac was over a decade ago. As a few more years roll by, you can bet that the Equinox will be discontinued as new technology and inability to source repair parts become an issue just as the E-trac became.
I am waiting till spring to make a decision on either a Manticore or a Deus II.....or maybe both. I am running into resistance to allowing metal detecting mainly because people some times do not fill their holes.
FILL YOUR HOLES or LOSE IT ALL.