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Minelab Equinox Versus Vanquish Search Coils


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Anyone who spends much time comparing targets with a Equinox and a Vanquish knows that a Vanquish will hit most targets an Equinox will hit. The performance is closer than people may want to imagine for most normal metal detecting, making Vanquish a genuine value.

Vanquish came out with a different set of coils than the Equinox, to the chagrin of many Equinox owners, since they are not compatible.

What is interesting is that the Vanquish coils are quite a bit less expensive, even in cases where they are physically larger than the Equinox coils. Part of this may be the windings and tolerances possibly being different. Vanquish coils seem thinner and lighter, and being able to keep the price down on them is critical to keeping the price of the detector down also. However, it is a mistake to think retail price has anything more than a loose connection to manufacturing cost. The rule is charge what the market will bear. And true story for anyone that wants to bother with the research - accessory items for expensive detectors often cost a lot more than the same accessories for lower price detectors. This is because most people who spend a lot on a detector are willing to spend more on accessories. Just ask any car dealer who sells both inexpensive and expensive cars.

So while I do not know the exact details, the fact is Vanquish coils sell for les because they have to. Nobody is going to buy an accessory coil if it sells for as much as the detector itself. This adds to the value proposition however. Not only does a Vanquish get very close to Equinox performance for a lot lower price, but the accessory coils can be had for quite a bit less.

I kind of get now why Minelab did not make a set of these coils for Equinox. Would Equinox owners be willing to pay about $100 more for the same coils across the board (even though they would be different coils)? People will say, no, just sell me the coils for the Equinox at the same price. But Minelab can't do that - it undermines the Equinox detector and accessory price structure. If that seems unfair, let me remind people the 11" round coil for the CTX 3030 sells for $349, a good $120 more than the 11" coil for Equinox! Minelab may have decided to simply avoid that can of worms by keeping the lines completely separate and distinct as far as the coils go.

minelab-equinox-coil-vs-vanquish-search-coil.jpg

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On top of that they apparently aren't letting 3rd party aftermarket coil manufacturers make coils for the Equinox (nor Vanquish for that matter), either.  (Oh, and then there's the GPZ...)  For those who want to continue to dump on Garrett and First Texas, I do emphasize that they haven't stooped to this level of loyal customer gouging, at least yet that we know of.

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I quite like the Vanquish . I have used my 540 4 times and found 2 Gold rings on the first search and a few Silver rings along with £60 in coinage. 

I bought the Nox 800 again and that seems to find things but the Gold is missing this year . 

On Friday i will take the 540 to the beach for the long tides and get on the sand . 

The only thing i have an issue with on the Vanquish is that when using it on the beach if there is Seaweed the Vanquish sounds off on it . Minelab needs to sort that one out . The Nox doesn't do it on my settings .

As for my moan about headphones in the past. I have found that if using the WM08 there is more chance of interference from EMI and phones cut out than if you use the phones on there own . 

I have also found a nice cheap alternative to the Minelab phones on Amazon , they are August EP650B . Not CB only B . They pair perfectly .

 

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Come on Simon,

    ML has shown absolutely no sign of listening to us repeatedly ask for coils!

    I've let it go, and moved on! Their loss!

    Do yourself a favor, and do the same! You have plenty of other great detectors, and coils to keep you, and a bus load of detectorists busy for years!🤣👍👍

 

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    I expect someone's gonna figure out how to copy that chip eventually! Or build one into the cable somehow! Oh yeah, they already did the cable thing!👍👍

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Things a person can't have........

minelab-equinox-detectors-with-vanquish-search-coils.jpg
Minelab Equinox 800 with V8, V10, and V12 Vanquish coils (no, they won't work)

Equinox on left is my gold prospecting detector, on a telescoping rod for packability. It is normally rigged with the stock or 6" coil. The one in the middle is a late prototype, a little rough for wear at this point in time. I keep it outfitted with a stock rod and coil for park detecting. And the one on right is rigged with a steveg rod. I normally use this with the large coil for field hunting, or a stock coil for wading and/or mask & snorkel use.

Anyway, the Vanquish coils are just on the Equinox for mockup purposes only.

And some people may even want this.....

minelab-vanquish-540-equinox-11-inch-round-coil-herschbach.jpg
Minelab Vanquish 540 with Equinox 11" round coil (no, it won't work)

 

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3 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Things a person can't have........

minelab-equinox-detectors-with-vanquish-search-coils.jpg
Minelab Equinox 800 with V8, V10, and V12 Vanquish coils (no, they won't work)

Equinox on left is my gold prospecting detector, on a telescoping rod for packability. It is normally rigged with the stock or 6" coil. The one in the middle is a late prototype, a little rough for wear at this point in time. I keep it rigged with a stock rod and coil for park detecting. And the one on right is rigged with a steveg rod. I normally use this with the large coil for field hunting, or a stock coil for wading and/or mask & snorkel use.

Anyway, the Vanquish coils are just rigged for mockup purposes.

And some people may even want this.....

minelab-vanquish-540-equinox-11-inch-round-coil-herschbach.jpg
Minelab Vanquish 540 with Equinox 11" round coil (no, it won't work)

 

I am happy with the coils they have . The Vanquish works well with its coils and the Nox works well with its coils . 

I think i might have to buy that 15 inch coil for the Nox soon , again !

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On 10/5/2020 at 12:30 PM, Steve Herschbach said:

What is interesting is that the Vanquish coils are quite a bit less expensive, even in cases where they are physically larger than the Equinox coils. Part of this may be the windings and tolerances possibly being different.

Minelab has to make up for the manufacturing failures of the coil and pods somewhere. 

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  • 3 months later...

Will Coiltek produce new coils for Equinox?

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