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Minelab Equinox Versus Gold Monster 1000 For Prospecting


Cabin Fever

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Here is another video. Some of the same stuff you might have seen already but some different footage in there too..  Shortly after the 4 minute mark if you listen close you will hear a guy ask how it does for prospecting.   Paraphrasing here, but the rep said its better then the 705 but probably not as good as the Monster.    I think that is a much more complicated question to answer but interesting anyway...  Another thing I couldn't quite make out but I think the rep said there was NO Multi Freq in Prospect mode.  (Don't quote me on that one) I did hear in another video that each mode has a specially tuned Multi Frequency.... There is a good closeup of the new pinpointer at the end too.. I wish they would have fired it up so you could hear it but they didn't..

here it is:.    

 

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On 9/19/2017 at 9:31 PM, Cabin Fever said:

Paraphrasing here, but the rep said its better then the 705 but probably not as good as the Monster.    I think that is a much more complicated question to answer but interesting anyway...  Another thing I couldn't quite make out but I think the rep said there was NO Multi Freq in Prospect mode.

This is what I would expect. The Equinox is shaping up to be four detectors in one, with four completely separate operating modes each tweaked for the specific use - Groomed Parks, Farm Field, Beach, And Prospecting.

The Equinox at 20 kHz and especially 40 kHz should at least match the X-Terra 705 in its Prospect Mode. And in my opinion the all metal Prospect Mode on the X-Terra is as good as it gets at 18.75 kHz. I ran one extensively testing against other machines and for me it came down to a push between the 705 and Gold Bug Pro. Basically identical performance. The ONLY thing that made me lean Gold Bug Pro was that while in threshold based all metal mode the Gold Bug Pro also displays the target id on screen via the separately running disc circuit. Best of both worlds - all metal and disc. The 705 in Prospect Mode has an iron mask function but no target id.   Gold Bug Pro vs AT Gold vs X-Terra 705 Gold vs Lobo SuperTRAQ vs MXT

That said just hearing that the Equinox might match the 705 is good enough for me, but I would expect a small edge at 40 kHz over the 705 at 18.75 kHz.

There are however genuine reasons why a detector made specifically for one use can have an edge over any general purpose detector. The Equinox must run well at 5 kHz through 40 kHz and at multifrequency. That means the coil is not tuned for specific use at each of those frequencies but is more generally tuned to operate across a spectrum of frequencies. In my opinion the Gold Monster 1000 is as highly tuned as any single frequency machine can be with both the gain and audio boost pushed to the absolute limits of the hardware - maybe a step beyond. Trying to tune a general purpose machine like the Equinox to run like that in the 40 kHz mode would almost be sure to result in instability and performance issues in the other modes.

Running in multifrequency normally offers no particular benefit when detecting small gold nuggets - you can pack a lot of punch into a single frequency detector for specific uses. However, if one wanted to use the multifrequency to prospect it would be as simple as changing to a mode tuned to do just that. Beach mode for instance is bound to be tuned to run in multifrequency to eliminate both salt and mineralized beach soils and could be a secondary mode for extreme alkali ground conditions.

The bottom line in my opinion is there is no reason - yet - to think the Equinox is going to replace my Gold Monster 1000 as my gold prospecting unit for the smallest gold nuggets in mineralized ground. If it does match or exceed the X-Terra and if it does offer on screen target id while in Prospect Mode it would however stand to replace my Teknetics G2 (Gold Bug Pro variant) and even Gold Racer as a general purpose but also hot on gold detector.

Just my take knowing what I know about how detectors and coils are tuned. Now what would be interesting is if Minelab or the aftermarket guys came out with a 5” x 10” or even better yet maybe 4” x 7” coil specifically tuned for the E800 at 20/40 kHz.

Note added 1/20/2019 - turns out Multi as implemented on the Equinox is very strong on small gold.

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Fred

 Right now your CTX is worth a lot but later not so much. Maybe fifty cents on the dollar down the road.

I don't know why every new detector comes out with a hola hoop for a coil. I know on a show and tell a large coil will get more depth. The trouble is that big coil gets more trash under it at the same time.

Fred if they would just call us before they make a move we could keep them on a straight and narrow path.

Chuck

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After running the Monster, I had no visions of the Equinox out performing it on small shallow gold.  For Prospecting I invision it as the tailing pile detector that I can slap a bigger coil on and drop down to 20 or even 15 kHz for the bigger, deeper nuggets in a trashy location.  I'm taking a gamble but I have already listed my Gold Racer for sale thinking this Equinox will take its place.   After the Monster came along, the only reason I was hanging on to the Gold Racer was because of the big coil and versatility...  How thing change fast!  Nothing against the Gold Racer, it's a fantastic detector but the Equinox, if it performs will just be too versatile not to own for the type of hunting I do..

Bryan

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And let's not forget the Gold Monster has the advantage of Minelabs' new ultra-wide dynamic range technology, which basically expands its 45 kHz frequency to be as sensitive to gold as single-frequency machines operating from 18 kHz all the way through to 71 kHz . To me that means that although the Equinox promises to be an excellent prospecting VLF, the GM 1000 will still have an edge on the smallest nuggets.

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All of this is making me dizzy.  I have a Gold Bug Pro but it sits at home or sometimes in the car without use because I have a 7000 and 2300.

Will I be able to find more gold where I have been hunting or do I still have to find new locations? (I know new is the default answer but you know what I mean.)

I'm assuming that the E will handle trash better in all of its modes and might make a few pieces of gold visible in a slaw patch?

We haven't had much discussion HERE on the coins, relics and other things people use detectors for.  Is it really going to give me more pennies and quarters at the beach ... or a ring I would miss at less than 10 inches with the 3030?

Mitchel

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No doubt the Monster has the edge on tiny gold...but, my GPZ finds gold that is as small as I am after. I simply do not care to spend my time digging 1/10 grain bits anymore...

I have not utilized the CTX as I intended due to my own failings. It is the best silver getter ever...

The Equinox can't possibly be everything the ctx is, however, I like having a light-weight, do it all back-up and general toy...so, I am hoping and waiting...

fred

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19 hours ago, Lunk said:

And let's not forget the Gold Monster has the advantage of Minelabs' new ultra-wide dynamic range technology, which basically expands its 45 kHz frequency to be as sensitive to gold as single-frequency machines operating from 18 kHz all the way through to 71 kHz . To me that means that although the Equinox promises to be an excellent prospecting VLF, the GM 1000 will still have an edge on the smallest nuggets.

That is a very creative marketing explanation of the bell curve of the sensitivity range of any machine ....... 

 

 

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