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Garrett Apex Revealed - It’s Multifrequency!


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46 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Not really, it is assuming you get what you pay for and perhaps for $500 you don't get what you get for $649 or $899. If the idea is to get Equinox 800 or even Equinox 600 performance for under $500 - good luck.

I was referring more to the vanquish series.

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2 hours ago, coinhunterseth said:

I was referring more to the vanquish series.

Got it. Well, I'd buy one of these sight unseen versus a Vanquish based on the feature set alone but that's just me. There is hardly an inch of difference between all the decent VLFs on the market these days and I'm sure this machine will find stuff plenty well for somebody like me. My detectors find nothing. I do all the finding and there are a dozen detectors at the end of the day I could use and would all suit about as well. Frankly, I think I could use a Vanquish 340 and be pretty happy. Compared to what I started with 45 years ago every detector made now is a powerhouse. :smile:

garrett-ace-apex-multifrequency-metal-detector-lcd-display-controls.jpg

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Definitely wasn't expecting this, kudos to Garrett on getting on the SMF bandwagon!

Don''t really care about submersible, rainproof is good enough for me.  The 50 tone option like the EQX has would be great, I've taken a liking to it on the EQX, lot of audio intel once you get tuned into the symphony of tones.

Software up-gradable would be great, wonder if it is or isn't?

I like how they introduced this as an ACE top dog unit, because that tells me that now that they have SMF technology they will be bring out a AT series with more features.  If this is the baby ACE unit, I'm totally looking forward to seeing what their AT SMF detector will bring to the table.  Looks a bit more ergonomic than the EQX, Not crazy about the shaft setup though (seems like Garrett hasn't been stellar with shafts since the ATP came out, heck the initial ATP shafts had to be sent in to get upgraded camlocks/holes/something, I forget exactly).  Good job keeping the weight down to 2.5lbs!  I've actually grown accustom to built-in rechargeable Li-ion batteries, and like them.  Keeps the weight down, goes for a day or two easy, and less junk to manage.  That brings me to the headphones.  Although I'm a wireless headphone lover, I do not like the propitiatory types like Nokta and Garrett are doing, I think Minelab got it right with an open standard that allows us to use whatever we want.

I love my EQ800, but given the choice between this and a Vanquish, I'd go for this.  This and an EQ600 though, that would be a different story, the EQ600 would win all day long (still has 40KHz in multi just like the EQ800).

I like that they were modest in their release, just enough teasers so we knew something was up, but I think this being a SMF took everyone by surprise without having to parachute out of a plane LOL

As Steve mentioned, patience is a virtue here, when their AT SMF comes out, not only should they have the bugs worked out by then (the ATP has issues when it first came out, shaft, faulty seals, etc) but it'll simply be a better detector, likely waterproof, more features, possibly more frequencies, and probably will be priced between the EQ600-EQ800 if they want to remain competitive (unless it does something fantastic the EQX cannot).

Still looking forward to the Nokta SMF, but seriously FTP and White's....tap, tap, can you hear me, is this thing even on?  Crickets....ouch.

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1 hour ago, Cal_Cobra said:

Definitely wasn't expecting this, kudos to Garrett on getting on the SMF bandwagon!

Maybe Tom will like  a Garrett       machine better then the Nox for  your secret spots you guys hunt.   I  liked having a explorer  too,but the nox can do so much more.  He should have a nox at the spots you hunt.Tell him that he can take the coil     and lower shaft off the explorer and use his  Sunray   as a pinpointer if he is that attached  to it.I did it with  the Infinium to  speed up  my digging time.It is a great pinpointer.I love your videos.You have been getting better coins than Tom the last  few years. He seems       like a fine fellow to hunt with.    

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On 5/15/2020 at 11:10 AM, Mike Hillis said:

I like it. 

However, it is still a Garrett, and Garrett IS Garrett.   I wouldn't expect any special sauce in the different programs other than discrimination patterns.   Hopefully I'm wrong.  Just need an operating manual to set me up or down.

HH
Mike

 Greetings.... Mike ....

I think that 6 programs at APEX could have different Recovery speed settings ... and that could change the game ... but we'll see ...

The USB connector also suggests a possible software upgrade ...

ace-apex-garrett-metal-detector-side.jpg

 

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8 hours ago, Cal_Cobra said:

I love my EQ800, but given the choice between this and a Vanquish, I'd go for this.  This and an EQ600 though, that would be a different story, the EQ600 would win all day long (still has 40KHz in multi just like the EQ800).

This is a common misconception due to Minelab's confusing and dumbed down peudo tech graphical marketing information on Equinox.  As a result people have been misled to think that the single frequency settings on Equinox (5, 10, 15,  20, 40 khz) also comprise the components of the Multifrequency mode spectrums.  Bottom line, based on the best we can tell by third party spectrum analysis, is that they really don't but we also don't really know for sure if there is a 40 khz component in the multi F spectrums of Equinox.  There are probably components around 40 khz or even higher [The radio frequency specification for Equinox and Vanquish actually state 5 - 143 khz (!) as published in the requisite consumer safety brochure included with the Vanquish].  The only thing we can say for certain is that the MF profiles for the modes common to the Equinox 600 and 800 is that they are the same.  Yes the Park and FIeld "2" modes are apparently biased to higher frequencies.  But it is a misnomer to say the 600 has 40 khz just because it is in the MF spectrum. We don't really know.  Also, there are circumstances where 20 and 40 khz single frequency would be beneficial over MF.  Conclusion:  The Apex has 20 khz single frequency and the Equinox 600 does not, so advantage to Apex in this regard. 

Whether the Apex beats out the Equinox 600 overall, well that is TBD based on yet to be observed real world testing but the 600 certainly looks like the winner on paper.  So bottom line, Cal, I agree with you that it is probably 600 winning all day long because even with the 20 khz the Apex possesses, the Equinox 600 is fully waterproof, has 6 MF modes vs. 2 for the Apex, has adjustable recovery speed, has adjustable iron bias, has multiple tone options including 50 tone/plus threshold tone, and more flexible wireless audio options.  And, bottom line, we don't know how good the Apex MF implementation really is yet.  Sorry for being technically pedantic on this "600 has 40 khz in multi" thing, but I really blame ML for putting that junk info out in the first place on their stupid graphic conflating the single frequency settings with Multi IQ. 

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7 hours ago, Chase Goldman said:

This is a common misconception due to Minelab's confusing and dumbed down peudo tech graphical marketing information on Equinox.  As a result people have been misled to think that the single frequency settings on Equinox (5, 10, 15,  20, 40 khz) also comprise the components of the Multifrequency mode spectrums.  Bottom line, based on the best we can tell by third party spectrum analysis, is that they really don't but we also don't really know for sure if there is a 40 khz component in the multi F spectrums of Equinox.  There are probably components around 40 khz or even higher [The radio frequency specification for Equinox and Vanquish actually state 5 - 143 khz (!) as published in the requisite consumer safety brochure included with the Vanquish].  The only thing we can say for certain is that the MF profiles for the modes common to the Equinox 600 and 800 is that they are the same.  Yes the Park and FIeld "2" modes are apparently biased to higher frequencies.  But it is a misnomer to say the 600 has 40 khz just because it is in the MF spectrum. We don't really know.  Also, there are circumstances where 20 and 40 khz single frequency would be beneficial over MF.  Conclusion:  The Apex has 20 khz single frequency and the Equinox 600 does not, so advantage to Apex in this regard. 

Whether the Apex beats out the Equinox 600 overall, well that is TBD based on yet to be observed real world testing but the 600 certainly looks like the winner on paper.  So bottom line, Cal, I agree with you that it is probably 600 winning all day long because even with the 20 khz the Apex possesses, the Equinox 600 is fully waterproof, has 6 MF modes vs. 2 for the Apex, has adjustable recovery speed, has adjustable iron bias, has multiple tone options including 50 tone/plus threshold tone, and more flexible wireless audio options.  And, bottom line, we don't know how good the Apex MF implementation really is yet.  Sorry for being technically pedantic on this "600 has 40 khz in multi" thing, but I really blame ML for putting that junk info out in the first place on their stupid graphic conflating the single frequency settings with Multi IQ. 

Fair enough, what I actually should have said and mean (and stand by) is that multi on the EQ800 and EQ800 are identical, it's the advanced features, prospecting mode, and ability to select 40kHz as an individual frequency that are different (and the headphones and whatnot). 

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14 hours ago, Dances With Doves said:

Maybe Tom will like  a Garrett       machine better then the Nox for  your secret spots you guys hunt.   I  liked having a explorer  too,but the nox can do so much more.  He should have a nox at the spots you hunt.Tell him that he can take the coil     and lower shaft off the explorer and use his  Sunray   as a pinpointer if he is that attached  to it.I did it with  the Infinium to  speed up  my digging time.It is a great pinpointer.I love your videos.You have been getting better coins than Tom the last  few years. He seems       like a fine fellow to hunt with.    

Doubtful, he's rather stuck to his Explorer2, although over the past year he's been given a number of beat downs relic hunting, and is starting to say things like "the nox is better in iron".  Yet he's still looking at the machine in its totality, and he loves deep turf silver cherry picking and I would give a nod to the Exp2 over the EQ on that one, especially given he has what, 15+ years of experience on his Exp2. 

I personally do not care much for park hunting that much these days, as why kill yourself all day for a couple of mercs, when you can go hit stage stops, ghost towns and other late 1700's - 1800's sites for busts, seateds and perhaps a few pesky barbers 🙂 Seriously though, once you get addicted to digging western frontier history, parks just kind of loose their appeal. 

I'm impressed that Garrett pulled this off, but I'm also very content with the success my EQ800 has brought, so I'm in no hurry to try anything new, this machine has done more then I imagined it would finding coins at extreme depths, noodling around in iron and opening up old hard hit sites.  I should make a log of everything I've found with my EQ800 since I got it, definitely been dozens of seateds, a lovely 18K jewel encrusted gold ring (first hunt actually), a rare $1 US gold coin, a few rare silver coins, tons of relics, it's really exceeded my expectations and I barely even dabble with the advanced settings (other than the new iron settings, which BTW work great).

So I'll wait and see what Garrett has up their sleeve with their AT SMF Apex and also waiting to see Nokta's entry into the SMF arena.  You have to love this hobby 🙂

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10 minutes ago, Cal_Cobra said:

Doubtful, he's rather stuck to his Explorer2, although over the past year he's been given a number of beat downs relic hunting, and is starting to say things like "the nox is better in iron".  Yet he's still looking at the machine in its totality, and he loves deep turf silver cherry picking and I would give a nod to the Exp2 over the EQ on that one, especially given he has what, 15+ years of experience on his Exp2. 

I personally do not care much for park hunting that much these days, as why kill yourself all day for a couple of mercs, when you can go hit stage stops, ghost towns and other late 1700's - 1800's sites for busts, seateds and perhaps a few pesky barbers 🙂 Seriously though, once you get addicted to digging western frontier history, parks just kind of loose their appeal. 

I'm impressed that Garrett pulled this off, but I'm also very content with the success my EQ800 has brought, so I'm in no hurry to try anything new, this machine has done more then I imagined it would finding coins at extreme depths, noodling around in iron and opening up old hard hit sites.  I should make a log of everything I've found with my EQ800 since I got it, definitely been dozens of seateds, a lovely 18K jewel encrusted gold ring (first hunt actually), a rare $1 US gold coin, a few rare silver coins, tons of relics, it's really exceeded my expectations and I barely even dabble with the advanced settings (other than the new iron settings, which BTW work great).

So I'll wait and see what Garrett has up their sleeve with their AT SMF Apex and also waiting to see Nokta's entry into the SMF arena.  You have to love this hobby 🙂

Even in turf hunting the nox has pulled many coins out for me. The one        place the explorer might have an  advantage  is where the pulltabs are thick.Pulled out 25 coins out where my expert friend and his explorer only pulled out 2  before this.Many nails here. Me and same  friend   pulled over 30 deep coins on   different place on a side hill where things were getting tough with the explorer .This time he had a nox too.He is stubborn with his explorer,but not like Tom.He saw my success with it.

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