Jump to content

Equinox, Micro Nuggets


Condor

Recommended Posts


JW,

If you manage to do some filming, please include the bump sensitivity part.  If people think the new Equinox is the ultimate VLF gold detector, they're going to be disappointed.  It is a very fine gold detector, assuming you have some experience and understand the absolute skill of coil control.  At these extremely high settings, you simply will not be able to poke that 11" coil down between rocks and crevices without bumping and falsing.  I was very happy on the flat ground and tailings mounds, but deep down in the rocky gullies and desert washes I was quite frustrated.  Now that I better understand the machines limitations, I will concentrate on the areas where it excels and leave the others to my more capable machines. 

Just remember all the complaints about the Monster falsing with higher settings.  This machine is no different and perhaps worse because of the coil design. 

I'm not a basher, just realistic.  I like this machine for all its flexibility and I wouldn't trade mine for anything like priced.  Caveat Emptor. 

Edit 3/10 - See follow up post.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My advice would be reduce the sensitivity until the coil falsing stops, then test the machine for depth on gold against other similarly priced general purpose detectors and on larger gold, not just micro stuff. The falsing is the result of trying to make a general purpose detector with an 11” round DD coil perform like a Gold Bug 2 with a 4” x 6” concentric coil. I have been noting the coil issue in every nugget report I have made, but the machine does not have to be run in such a way that the coil falses and it still is a performer. Perhaps not enough to satisfy you Steve (Condor), but for everyone else who encounters coil falsing at high sensitivity levels my answer is turn the sensitivity down. Park 2 or Field 2 are alternatives that may also reduce or eliminate the problem. If using Field 2, be sure and open up the lower target id range that is blocked by default.

I am not arguing with your conclusions at all Steve - great report! I just want people to know there is an alternative to all or nothing.

My recommendation always is that serious prospectors look to dedicated nugget detectors for their needs. Equinox is a general purpose detector that makes compromises as regards nugget detecting because it has to also do several other tasks. The coil set is the obvious standout compromise, and Equinox will not come into its own as a prospecting detector until nugget specific knock resistant coils are developed for it.

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Steve, you're spot on and we're on the same path here.  We have all seen the knee jerk negative reactions to Minelab's various detector releases in the past.  All or most of the negativity has fallen silent after general use by unbiased consumers.  My goal here was to get out in front of this weakness (for prospectors) and I raised it on the prospecting page rather than the Equinox fan club page.   The Equinox is an awesome detector given all that it accomplishes at this price point.   Minelab has certainly not touted this detector's gold field prowess, it seems an afterthought to their innovative technology, and may well become a major strength with a dedicated coil.  I am certainly looking forward to that day.  I applaud Minelab for not dumming down the detector and leaving the choice of adjusting to extreme sensitivity in my inartful hands.   Just because my mini-van's engine is capable of 120mph, doesn't mean I should drive it at those speeds, but the option is mine and I sacrifice any claims that my mini-van sucks because it won't corner at 110mph.  It simply wasn't designed for that and I am the first to admit it.  Power on Minelab, innovation is king. 

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am happy you posted what you did Steve because I have been trying to not make every prospector think Equinox is something it is not. That is why I have not been posting about the machine hardly at all on this forum and in fact created the new forum to keep all the buzz away from here. It would be easy to hype it up as a gold machine because it can get the gold, but there would indeed be blowback over the coils from some. One way or another I am going to get a handle on it however.

Saw this video elsewhere...

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great post John - Thanks to both you and the “other Steve”:smile:

That’s pretty much my exact take on the situation. Yes, I want to be able to show what Equinox can do for me on gold. At the same time I do like the machine so much I worry about blowback from people who do not fully understand what we are trying to relay. The back and forth in this thread puts it all out there very clearly and is now the best thread on the subject anywhere. I have a great deal of faith in what I can do with Equinox and gold nuggets personally, and I am not surprised at all that it will hit gold that you other machines missed. Remember, Multi-IQ has both the high and low frequency components working for it and is almost guaranteed to punch deeper on some nuggets than a dedicated high frequency machine because of this.

Remember this Gold Monster chart?

minelab-gold-monster-1000-45-khz-operating-frequency-compared-large.jpg

And this Equinox?

minelab-multi-ig-frequency-range-diagram.jpg

Yeah, Equinox can do great on tiny gold, but I am going to be looking for larger nuggets in trashy areas myself. We will see. I already basically agree with Condor - I am leaning Equinox over Gold Monster because the coil issues are secondary to what my gut tells me those charts are saying. The heck with the tiny gold - I want the 15” coil for tailing piles!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Many thanks JW for keeping everyone's Equinox expectations realistic as it relates to gold prospecting.  There is no sense hyping the attributes of this machine without talking about its potential disappointments.   Prospectors can be an unforgiving bunch.  I well imagine that Steve H is behind the scenes, working his keen powers of persuasion, encouraging Minelab to give us a gold prospecting coil.   I was out yesterday with a Gold Monster and only ran it for a few minutes at a time, so I really don't speak the Monster language, but I can honestly say that given my limited time with both machines, I would pick the EQ over the Monster for a small gold VLF.  The weight, balance and versatility just make the EQ a lot more value for the money.  I know JW and Steve H have said this, but let me reiterate, finding gold this small with an 11 inch coil is remarkable.  I will try and get the EQ over a faint, undug target today, and adjust the sensitivity down until I lose the target.  That should give us a better idea of how far we can go on Sensitivity to eliminate bump falsing.

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...