Bad Luck

[George1971]

I forgot to ask about Nokta/Makro Simplex. What is your opinion compared with vanquish?

[Chase Goldman]

The Simplex is an excellent value as far as single frequency detectors are concerned.  If you understand the advantages of simultaneous multi-frequency vs. single frequency and hunt primarily where single frequency is meets your needs (i.e., not on a wet salt beach, are ok with more variation in your visual target ID) the Simplex has some "pro" features that are absent on Vanquish.  I go through a detailed features comparison here.  Bottom line, the choice depends on your primary type of usage and hunting requirements because on features alone, Vanquish and Simplex are in a virtual tie.  I don't have any first hand experience with the Apex as I do with the Simplex and Vanquish, so cannot give a recommendation on it other than the features rackout in my linked post.  Search on Apex here as there are many good first hand review posts on that detector.

[GB_Amateur]

I've seen several used Equinox 600's go for under $500 on Ebay.  Here's one up for auction now (so may go for less or more than $500 when finished in a day or so):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Equinox-600-used/402479964992?hash=item5db5ace340%3Ag%3AsY0AAOSwV65ffdsi&LH_ItemCondition=4

[George1971]

Hello everyone, I followed Chase’s advice finally. I withdrawal safari and I took Vanquish 540. I have not gone for metal detecting yet but I will tell you my first impression. It is a very light, easy to assemble and generally very easy to use detector. In contrast with safari I thought it is a toy. In my mind the comparison was created between a car 30 years ago and todays car. Technology is evolving.  I did of course some air tests with coins and jewelry and as it was expected I saw totally different vdi numbers. I was impressed by the vdi solid numbers something that safari did not have at that size but I’ve noticed not a good separation between copper and silver. Safari in brass and silver separation was much better. Safaris Silver target flute sound is unforgettable. On the other hand, I think that Vanquish has more solid vdi for gold jewelry and locates gold jewelry better and deeper than safari. After a research I made on web I decited to work on jewelry mode with reduced separation and iron bias on low. Some guys on internet said that the recovery speed in coins mode is like equinox at 5 but with little depth, in jewelry at 4 and in relic and all metal at 2, something which I do not know if it is correct.  Ι hope I made the right decision with Vanquish 540 purchase. Anyway, soon I will go metal detecting and I will tell you my impression under real circumstances. Also, I am waiting for your advices.

[palzynski]

Good choice you cant go wrong with that one .. 🙂  Just a few things I use my 540 with a V10 coil which is lighter and almost as deep as the V12 stock coil.  I use the JEWELRY mode which I find better on iron trash areas than the COIN mode and also because the JEWELRY discri pattern is set from 0 to 40 that allows to pick up some old very small coins that display only +7 VDI !  With the COIN mode such very small coins would have been be notched out ...

Looking forward for your feedbacks , HH ...

[George1971]

Thanks Palzynski for the infos. One of the following days i will go to the beach and I will tell you my impression.

[George1971]

After some years of using Minelab Safari I used for the first time the Minelab Vanquish 540 on the beach. I think that Minelab must made a mistake in price of those detectors. Safari costs almost 1000€ and Vanquish almost 400€ something which should be in reverse in my opinion.

Vanquish 540 negatives in contrast with Safari is that there is not such good separation between copper and silver. I saw tid numbers between copper and silver almost in same scale.  Safaris silver target sounds and numbers are solid and clear.

I select jewelry mode with sensitivity minus 1 or 2 levels depending on the EMI. Also, sometimes I used iron bias low and sometimes high to test the detector.

Vanquish 540 is totally quiet and if there is any chatter from EMI you reduce a little the sensitivity and that’s all. It is very light, very easy to use and when you have a good target the numbers are solid and the sound sharp. So, you don’t have to dig for trash, when you have trash the numbers are going up and down and the sound is trembling. The recovery speed is in much higher level in contrast with Safari. The depth is amazing. I found 1 euro in 34 cm depth; I did not believe it. I went on the same beach where I had gone with Safari 3 or 4 times ago and I thought that there is nothing else to find. The results are in photo below.

Vanquish 540 is much easier detector with amazing capabilities for its price. In my opinion is the perfect detector for coin shooting. For gold jewelry I can’t tell because I did not find something yet but in air test with gold has better sounds, more solid numbers and much more depth than Safari. We will see in the fields and on the beach.

[Chase Goldman]

George - Glad you are enjoying your new detector!