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Equinox & Salt Water


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I am getting questions via PM instead of the forum....

“Why did they put an external speaker on the Equinox? Is there anyone that even uses them now days? I know a few that have had trouble with the speaker leaking on the CTX”

and

“I saw a post saying the Equinox may well have a true AM mode like the Xterra does for prospecting. Would this bring it to an equalizing depth against the Xcal and CTX in the salt water? Have you tried the all metal mode and IF you have, could you do a post on it (true all metal, threshold based, does it lock on when the button is pushed or do you have to hold the button). Curious as to if it is something that could be used like an Excal in Pinpoint or if it is just a quick push of the button to go to a non-notched mode of discrimination.”

My perception of Equinox is that it is a general purpose all terrain detector intended to take market share from Garrett AT and Deus. It is waterproof to ten feet and does have a multifrequency beach mode. I think it will do well in salt water. I question whether it will replace a true diving detector like the Excalibur with the hardcore water crowd. For people like me who get in the water maybe three weeks out of the year it’s just great however. Whether it proves sufficient for the hardcore water hunters, only time will tell.

The all terrain, all purpose intent of the Equinox pretty much demands it include a speaker. It is just a fact that people expect detectors to have an external speaker. The Fisher CZ-7 was an early attempt to make a detector without a speaker (it had a plug in accessory speaker). It was not a well received idea. The Minelab SD, GP, and GPX detectors have no external speaker, and people have been selling external speaker kits ever since. The vast majority of people think a detector should have an external speaker.. Again, we are talking an all terrain detector here that will see more use out if water than in it, not a dedicated diving machine like the Excalibur.

The Equinox has four Detect Modes. Park, Field, Beach, and Gold. The Park, Field, and Beach modes are discrimination modes. Everything is discriminated visually by target id and/or tones. You can block or notch out specific target id numbers or ranges. You can also, at any time, by hitting the “Horseshoe” button, go to a wide open “All Metal” mode where all items are accepted, similar as to the way it is done on X-Terra and CTX. This is not a true non-discriminating all metal mode, but a discrimination mode set to accept all items. The discrimination filter is engaged.

You can at any time engage the pinpoint mode, which activates when you press the pinpoint button, and turns off when you press it again. It might serve like the all metal pinpoint on the Excalibur but I am a bit doubtful of that. The pinpoint of the Equinox currently “ratchets” automatically to focus on and pinpoint targets. This is still being tweaked so I can’t say for sure, but I personally would not buy an Equinox thinking it will duplicate how the Excalibur acts as far as pinpoint mode goes. It might in the final version, but I would not want to bet on it.

The Gold Mode on the Equinox 800 is  somewhat like the Prospecting Mode on the X-Terra 705, a threshold based all metal mode. It operates at 20 kHz and 40 kHz plus MF (MultiFrequency) and is too hot for salt water or wet salt sand. It might be good on dry sand for micro jewelry, but that’s it. For wet salt sand or in salt water, the Beach Mode, which only operates in multifrequency, will be the go to mode for most people.

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Hi Steve, I can't seem to find a straight forward answer to how the Equinox will handle mineralized beach areas. I admit to not still being savvy on understanding all the settings but I do have that situation on the beaches in my area and wanted to clarify that.

Thanks!

 

:o)=

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I have good information that tells me the Equinox will handle mineralized salt water beaches just fine for a non-PI detector. I am confident enough that is the case I sold my CTX. Is it “better” than the CTX? I am sure that will be a subject of debate over the next year.

The problem you face is that this is an early announcement, and the main focus has not been beach but coin and relics. Right now you only have three groups (four people) who are testers who have said much if anything. Remember, testers may or may not say anything at all.

There is Brandon Neice, who appeared in the Detectival announcement videos, and who is based in Idaho. Brandon goes by Dr. Tones on YouTube

There are Derek & Sharon McLennan of the DUG THAT OFFICIAL MINELAB EQUINOX 800-600 GROUP who are based in the U.K.

And there is me in Reno, Nevada.

Notice none of us is on the ocean. The Equinox has undergone salt water testing of course, but the fact is nobody has produced any solid information regarding that subject yet. I hate to say it, but people for whom those reports are of key importance - you are going to have to be patient and wait for the reports to appear.

I know before most about any official reports and most new information appears on this forum with 24 hours of it appearing anywhere, and often times this is the first place you will hear about it. I would also keep a close eye on Brandon’s YouTube page and the Facebook group mentioned above.

Previous thread on wet sand beach performance.

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Steve,

You could have Minelab send mine early and I'll tell you what it is like on the Southern California Beaches.  Just let Bill know my order is filled.

I'm going out in about an hour so if I had one I could give a report.

Mitchel

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I'd bet a wood nickel that Gary Drayton has been testing an Equinox on saltwater beaches.  He is notoriously tight lipped (except when it comes to bragging on himself haha) but he doesn't partake on forum blogs and such.  He is kind of Minelabs beach/jewelry hunter face.  

 

I like that it does have a true threshold based all metal. I just wish it were also an option for the other frequencies and modes.  The open screen with active disc filter/circuit is what killed the CTX for a relic hunting machine for me.  

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To be a success at the beach in my area the Equinox has to be able to work mostly in the wet sand and wading. I regularly hunt my beaches here and have yet to see another detector out in the surf detecting as the shore break is just too strong to deal with. I'll detect no higher than mid thigh at most because the waves just pull my excal back and forth and they are no friendlier to my scoop so if the Equinox will handle the wet sand at low tide that will suffice. I vacationed in the keys last summer and that ocean is way different than mine so once again the type of success you will have with the EQ in salt water (when released) will depend on your location. 

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My apology for the PM instead of using the Forum.   I was the one who asked ...... who uses the external speaker?   Been at this 25 years and traveled full time for 5 in an RV doing nothing but detecting and had never used it.   As a salt water hunter now i could only see it as a possible leak issue.   

Im disappointed it wont function in a PP mode like the Xcal does......... really leaving some targets out there.   Not certain most water hunters will notice any depth differences in the water...... targets move around daily out there so depth is what it is.   No doubt theres someone water hunting with it........ dont want another CTX issue.   This machine has a lot of potential as a water machine in so many ways....... most of us have modified our Xcals and id dare say more us it as a wader than a dive machine.   Not having to open a box to change the battery in a big plus too.    Lighter and thinner shaft will be so much easier to swing than the CTX in the water.    Cables maybe the only real issue to watch.  But Ron Delgado is working on  something there.   It will be interesting to see how the 2 multi freqs work and just which works best and why.   BUT.....it will work of that im sure.   Ive gotten to like the CTXs smart screen.......... that i will miss.   However, i do just as good with the tones.   Looking forward to this machine and its potential.

Dew

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