Minelab Equinox tips and questions

[Ridge Runner]

Pretty sure its a 12inch. They will release extra coils for it as well, but the standard coil will be the more universal.

Sounds like a good size for a standard coil, I heard in the video that they'll release a 6" and a 15x12" but didn't mention the standard coil.

Thanks hAyyoUinAU :Y:

No worries. Yeah you are right. They didn't. The 12" is an estimate but seems about right considering the other 2 options they will be releasing. Maybe 10" but even then it's still decent enough.

Hopefully the release date is a worse case scenario and they come on the shelves in time for end of year. Never know.

Just spoken to my ML Dealer ( Main UK Importer/Distributor ) as promised and it will be for sale here in December and it comes with an 11" coil and there is a 6" coil and a 15x12" coil.

John.

 

[hAyyoUinAU]

Good stuff.

 

[clegy]

Minelab no longer lead the field in development, just about every machine they have launched in the last few years have been as a result of a competitor launching as well.

SDC2300 / ATX
Gold Monster/ DPR 600
Equinox / AT Max/ Deus V4

They are playing catch up and the early announcement months from launch is a direct attack on the atmax and an attempt to stall sales there.

It still amazes me that people have such blind brand loyalty for the products they put out despite many machines out performing them regularly in the coin market.

Yes I am Jealous that they can command such loyalty with untested products. It really is an amazing marketing Job!

IMHO Minelab are not what they once where and are now playing catch up rather than leading the way in the coin and relic market.

I look forward to seeing results from the the 2000 or so equinox's that will sell in the next few months just because they are blue.

Feeling Stunned, But not worried in the least as the on ground performance will tell the true tale and I still believe the XP will be up there as it's had 9 years development on the same machine, rather than trying to re-invent the wheel every 2-3 years to keep the shareholders happy and sell everyone yet another machine.

Just when you get your head around one machine they ask you to shelve it to learn the next one.

Happy Hunting all.

Clegy

 

[Nuggetbuster]

Keep that up, and Minelab will offer you a dealership contract in no time!

 

[madtuna]

yeah... nah.

SDC was not brought out to compete with the ATX nor released because of the ATX release.

As for brand loyalty, not here. I'm loyal to what works the best. For finding gold, there's Minelab and then there's daylight.
If there was something better out there I'd be on it in a flash.

 

[Heatho]

Clegy, mate c'mon. Minelab are still releasing some awesome gear, the poor ATX can't compete with the SDC in Australia's really hot ground on tiny pieces of gold, nowhere near the same league. The Goldmonster has been finding gold too in our troublesom ground, as an entry level detector it is great. I'm really interested to see how the Equinox performs while out prospecting too, would be great to do a shootout between the Equinox, ATMax and Deus with hi frequency coils on a goldfield with known planted targets and test each side by side. Also tests of wild found targets to see how they compare and which one can see which target while still undisturbed in the ground.

No other company make anything that even remotely compares to the GPZ in depth capabilities in hot ground. Minelab are real leaders in that regard.

I see the Equinox as a direct competition to the Deus by giving it selectable frequencies, very fast recovery/reactivity and then going one further and adding simultaneus multi frequency detection which is very good tech, the CTX and Etrac have proven this technology for years. Also Minelab have been using switchable fequencies for years too. The CTX is 5 years old now and hopefully they release a CTX 4040 soon, I've become very good at using the CTX and would never be without it for serious detecting. Though you look at people like Rocket with the Deus and he is doing extremely well with it also and amazing everyone with his finds.

Playing catchup? Nah, I'd say busy developing bigger things and now just releasing some new stuff similar to other brands such as XP Deus. To be honest I reckon the Deus is an awesome detector but I reckon too that the Equinox will give it a good run for it's money.

Any of these detectors in capable hands will find the treasure, I really don't think that these detectors are anything without a good operator working them.

 

[Heatho]

yeah... nah.

SDC was not brought out to compete with the ATX nor released because of the ATX release.

As for brand loyalty, not here. I'm loyal to what works the best. For finding gold, there's Minelab and then there's daylight.
If there was something better out there I'd be on it in a flash.

I'm with you MT, I'd switch over to a different company in a heartbeat if they were offering what I wanted. Same with anything though, so much gear so little time and money. :Y:

 

[mbasko]

Minelab no longer lead the field in development, just about every machine they have launched in the last few years have been as a result of a competitor launching as well.

SDC2300 / ATX
Gold Monster/ DPR 600
Equinox / AT Max/ Deus V4

They are playing catch up and the early announcement months from launch is a direct attack on the atmax and an attempt to stall sales there.

It still amazes me that people have such blind brand loyalty for the products they put out despite many machines out performing them regularly in the coin market.

Yes I am Jealous that they can command such loyalty with untested products. It really is an amazing marketing Job!

IMHO Minelab are not what they once where and are now playing catch up rather than leading the way in the coin and relic market.

I look forward to seeing results from the the 2000 or so equinox's that will sell in the next few months just because they are blue.

Feeling Stunned, But not worried in the least as the on ground performance will tell the true tale and I still believe the XP will be up there as it's had 9 years development on the same machine, rather than trying to re-invent the wheel every 2-3 years to keep the shareholders happy and sell everyone yet another machine.

Just when you get your head around one machine they ask you to shelve it to learn the next one.

Happy Hunting all.

Clegy

Yeah could be seen both ways to mate.
ATX developed due to Garrett getting wind of a Minelab PI coming in the foldable, waterproof, mine detector shell. What they didn't realise was it was MPF & red hot on small gold. The ATX doesn't touch it in that respect & is more a competitor to the GPX but falls short in our conditions too. Who's playing catch up?
Maybe the DPR600 was a direct result of Deus getting wind of the GM? They released a watered down XP as a dedicated prospecting VLF then Minelab release the GM with auto sensitivity & ground tracking. I think the DPR needs some catch up now? People wanted it here & in the US but Depar/Deus haven't delivered. Maybe they missed the boat?
I seriously doubt that the Equinox was developed overnight in reaction to other detectors. We've been asking for multi purpose, multi frequency detectors for years & especially a detector that can operate with simultaneous frequencies. It's been 5 years since Minelab released a serious coin/relic machine but even that machine in many ways is still a leader.
Love them or hate them they are still out in front with development. Regardless which way you view their releases they can not only match anything competitors put out but usually trump it so are they the ones really playing catch up on development or are the competitors trying to get in before them with similar machines that just fall short?
Seriously things like MPF, auto sensitivity, simultaneous frequencies etc. don't get thought up, developed & released overnight!
Now for the multi modes/timings {MPF, Smooth (Fine Gold/Enhance/Sensitive Smooth), Normal, Sensitive Extra, Salt}, lightweight, auto tracking, auto sensitivity, full wireless PI detector
Lot of funny tasting grapes around where Minelab is involved.
P.s go the QED :Y:

 

[grubstake]

Minelab no longer lead the field in development, just about every machine they have launched in the last few years have been as a result of a competitor launching as well...
Happy Hunting all.
Clegy

One word: GPZ!

Mate, if your post is meant to be satire, unfortunately it falls pretty flat. :N:

The only thing the SDC and ATX have in common is they're both built into chassis from mine detectors. As a result of the development work that you rubbish, one of the two works brilliantly in Australia and the other doesn't.

If the DPR is so effective at finding gold, why isn't it on the market here in Australia? Could it be something to do with the bare bones pricing and XP protecting their business in Europe/USA and your business here, by restricting DPR from selling it outside Africa, perhaps? It's certainly a bit of an eye-opener how cheap the XP technology actually is!

And as for your final line of equivalence comparos, the AT Max is a single frequency detector in an old, un-ergonomic package - basically a twofer, with features from the AT Gold and the AT Pro combined in the same box. And the Deus is double the price of the Equinox, but without the ability to run multiple simultaneous frequencies.

The long and the short of it is that here in Australia, user loyalty to Minelab is based on their lengthy record of producing effective machines, with each new generation offering more than the last. If they break, you can get them serviced right here where they were designed. That's a pretty good deal, so it's a fair bet that the Equinox will be a real winner, while the rest play catch up or try to ignore it.

 

[rocketaroo]

I like the new ML on paper, and certainly wont bag it, has super features, but "looks badly balanced" in the "photo". ML has so many fanboys, its funny, if not sickening to read their commentary lol Truth of the matter, you need ALOT of time on a good machine, to understand what its telling you. Anything as good, or better than an atpro.....it just comes down to the user interpreting what the machine is telling them. You just dont understand this, until you have a ton of hours with it.

Clegy I love the Deus, but it can be, a temperamental french tart though! I cant see myself swinging anything else, its a dream machine, that just keeps satisfying me, as I go over well trod patches, and pluck more.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Thing is detectors are doing nothing special that they weren't doing 15 - 20 years ago, we have seen some futuristic designs like the Deus and the CTX but in terms of ability there has been no steps forward, I think the CTX is the best beach machine but the Deus is better at coin, relics and Gold,

It would be crazy to buy any machine within 6 months of its release, we saw that last year when I tried to tell folks and we all know how that ended, It's stupid to claim a detector is wonderful before it is released without know anything about it just as it is to Bag it just because of brand loyalty.

The Equinox has a couple of things I don't like about it but it has a hell of a lot that I love about it, I love how you can switch the tones from the last FBS type sounds to the Razor sharp "Bang" of a single frequency machine where you get all the speed you need to deal virtually any site, And they frequencies in 5khz steps from 5 to 20 and then up to 40 just makes so much sense, The 5khz worked so well on the ML Musketeer for deep coins in junk sites, And the 20 and 40khz is going to give a person all they need for fine Gold where I think it might be on par with the GM when it comes to small Gold,

either way I like what it can do.

J.

 

[hAyyoUinAU]

Thing is detectors are doing nothing special that they weren't doing 15 - 20 years ago, we have seen some futuristic designs like the Deus and the CTX but in terms of ability there has been no steps forward, I think the CTX is the best beach machine but the Deus is better at coin, relics and Gold,

It would be crazy to buy any machine within 6 months of its release, we saw that last year when I tried to tell folks and we all know how that ended, It's stupid to claim a detector is wonderful before it is released without know anything about it just as it is to Bag it just because of brand loyalty.

The Equinox has a couple of things I don't like about it but it has a hell of a lot that I love about it, I love how you can switch the tones from the last FBS type sounds to the Razor sharp "Bang" of a single frequency machine where you get all the speed you need to deal virtually any site, And they frequencies in 5khz steps from 5 to 20 and then up to 40 just makes so much sense, The 5khz worked so well on the ML Musketeer for deep coins in junk sites, And the 20 and 40khz is going to give a person all they need for fine Gold where I think it might be on par with the GM when it comes to small Gold,

either way I like what it can do.

J.

I have never ever ever seen a detector ever have the speed of the Equinox. That is something special. And they haven't done that not even up to last year.
Call me crazy, but I am buying a 800 regardless.

The main deal with the Equinox, beside speed, is being able to have two signals, one for ground and one for target. And that will be interesting to see how that works with the Gold frequencies.

Funny thing about high frequency VLF's like Gold Racer is they might be good with specs right near the surface, but they have grunted on 1/2 ounce gold 2 inches down. Pfff... and not just once. Sad. Me and my mate couldn't believe it. So having the multi frequencies will be a big help to check a grunting target.

I understand about getting in too early on new tech, but the R&D and releasing it overseas first will give us the time we need to have a sound completed bug free detector. I would also say they will have to tweak some settings and fine tuning for our noisy ground down under too.

 

[Ridge Runner]

I have never ever ever seen a detector ever have the speed of the Equinox. That is something special. And they haven't done that not even up to last year.
Call me crazy, but I am buying a 800 regardless.

The main deal with the Equinox, beside speed, is being able to have two signals, one for ground and one for target. And that will be interesting to see how that works with the Gold frequencies.

Funny thing about high frequency VLF's like Gold Racer is they might be good with specs right near the surface, but they have grunted on 1/2 ounce gold 2 inches down. Pfff... and not just once. Sad. Me and my mate couldn't believe it. So having the multi frequencies will be a big help to check a grunting target.

I understand about getting in too early on new tech, but the R&D and releasing it overseas first will give us the time we need to have a sound completed bug free detector. I would also say they will have to tweak some settings and fine tuning for our noisy ground down under too.

Yeah well some VLF's will grunt on good targets, That's why I won't change from the one I have, Higher frequency machines will do that more than normal VLFs, because the discrimination is a lot better on lower frequency models and they handle the hotter ground better, back when I was looking in to them I searched for the most successful VLF and went from there, and then I saw what each model could do and researched them 7 days a week for months on end.

A good VLF should be able to report every target when set 10mm to 13mm apart that is when you know the machines is very fast, 2 to 3 inches apart they are quick 2 to 1 inch is fast, 1" to 0" is very fast, and a VLF that is good for prospecting should be able to see 2mm squares of aluminium foil on the ground and they need to have a very fast ground tracking or it will suffer from ground changes giving you false signals and excessive ground noise, Most VLFs will make ground noise especially High Gain Machines in hot ground,

I won't use machines with push pads because I find that machines with push pads can miss ID some targets because their discrimination is in pre set steps and if the target falls between or either side of those steps then targets can and will be miss ID'd, No system is perfect regardless of the brand but some of them come awful close,

John.

 

[Goldpick]

I get where you are coming from Clegy, and you are correct in some respects with regards to Minelab trying to compete alongside established models from other manufacturers, though we should throw other manufacturers like Fisher, Garrett, Whites and Nokta/Makro in the same boat. We should specify that we are only talking about the "Treasure" range of detectors here, the gold side of things is another ball game altogether considering the patents that Minelab holds, and the in-house technologies that they have developed over the years.

There have been many recent models of detectors that have come out to try and emulate the success of the XP Deus, and with varying degrees of success I might add. Though the Equinox is quite a different animal compared to the Deus and also in a different price bracket - all depends on what you features you would want from a detector.
Despite the Equinox having multi-frequency capability alongside very fast single frequency capability, that might not mean much if you do not like small but possibly deciding factors like the tones on offer, or even the differing conductivity scales between the two detectors. Die hard Garrett fans may still want to stick to the AT Max being already familiarised with the previous AT Pro platform, or others sticking with the already proven XP Deus. So whilst a feature packed detector that is new to the market might seem like a given to purchase, if you do not gel with it for whatever reason, then those features become a secondary consideration.

A good example is the Fisher F75 that I purchased, a well established model used world wide with plenty of features to satisfy the most techno savvy operator. Despite that, I really hate the tones on that detector, and hence for that single reason has never been the detector that I would want to pick up for a day's detecting.

Being more of a tone based detectorist, I am quite familiar with what the FBS machines offer in that respect having previously owning an Explorer and Etrac. Despite being great detectors for the beach, very good at providing accurate ID at depth, and a tendancy to favour high conductors, they do come up short on heavily contaminated sites with regards to recovery speed, and less responsive to high conductors - hence why I evetually moved on to the Deus. I always mentioned that if Minelab could combine multi-frequency ability of the FBS detectors, plus also offer the ability of a fast VLF detector in a single lighweight package, then there would be quite a good niche market for such a setup. The other consideration was weight, something that almost tops the list of everyone's concerns when looking at a new multi-frequency platform. You will most likely find that anyone that owns or has owned an x-terra or Explorer/Safari or Etrac will find the transition to the Equinox quite painless, and i suspect that's where a lot of prospective customers will come from.

At the end of the day we should take each detector on its own merits vs making continual side by side comparisons on which is king of the hill. I would be happy to have both the Deus and Equinox in my kit, as they both bring different advantages, ergonomics, features and tones to the table. Now that Minelab having laid out their cards on the table, I'm sure it will give other manufacturers incentive to come up with new offerings to the market.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Multi purpose machines are good machines but getting them to do all things well is a tough job some are good all rounders others are good at some things but fall short in others, finding one that suits your needs is hard work not to mention the expense involved try to find the right one.

So many reviews nower days are either money based or fan based and the advertising blurb is often economic with the truth and detecting is one hobby that seems to suffer the worst, Claims like this one is going to make all other detectors obsolete is a ridiculous claim, and if the Equinox is that good then all that will happen is the other companies will have to raise their game, No matter what detector it is regardless of the price they all have their bad habits,

I see the Equinox as a good solid foundation with something to please everyone, And in this hobby that is the best we can hope for.

J.

 

[Goldtarget]

Can't say it enough times....never been a better time to be in this game than right now. They've made them faster, lighter, more frequencies, and customized. The consumers keep winning, doesn't matter if it's xp, nokta/makro, minelab, whites, etc, they keep refining these great ideas and giving us more options. The last 8 years, and last 4 especially have seen so many great new detectors released. If I could I'd use them all, as each of them has an edge over the other in some way. Either way, blind dedication or not, results under the coil speak for themselves.

 

[james121]

Hey my Aussie friends (im in the UK) - think Minelab has hit the nail on the head with the Equinox...exactly what I was hoping for... the equinox was released in the uk but made by a great Aussie company Definately buying one of these!

 

[mxt sniper]

I have one question about this new Equinox detector, its obviously built with cell phone style electronics, how long will this detector last with moderate use? Most cell phones have a life of around 4.7 yrs.

 

[grubstake]

Good question. Deus is the same - how long do they last?

 

[Nuggetbuster]

I see the Equinox as a good solid foundation with something to please everyone, And in this hobby that is the best we can hope for.

J.

Ridge, I'm just a bit confused - is this going to be a good machine or not?

No mate I can tell straight off that it is going to have limited use, just have another look at it and what do you see of not see.