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Equinox Update 4.0 Expected?


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Morning y'all,

I know we are all at least mildly interested in seeing what new functions or upgrades the folks at Minelab might be cooking up for the Nox line; any idea if we can expect a fourth summer update, or do we think 3.0 was the final? If we get a fourth, what do you think might change? Interested to hear everyone's thoughts as many of you are much smarter than I am when it comes to what is possible or probable in this field.

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 I’d say we not going to get just so many freebies without Minelab going to a new Nox.

 That’s just my opinion.

 With the 6000 hitting the market I would think this  is where Minelab is at are can be found were the money is .

 What ever happen to a new 2300 of the talk a while back was made?

 Heck I got my name in the pot for the 10X5 coil and I’m still waiting on it.

 Chuck 

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I'd say you're right; I was honestly very pleased to see so many updates come out already, as sometimes it seems as though very few companies have a financial incentive to give consumers an upgraded a product years after it has already been purchased. My guess is that 3.0 was the last update we'll get, and intent is to get Nox users increasingly thirsty for a new machine in the series sometime in the next few years. 

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I only have about 100 hours under my belt with the Equinox and really like the machine.  Although I'm a new detectorist and believe the Equinox is quite functional, I'd like to see some new features added if they have the headroom in the hardware. 

1) Having more than one user profile would be handy.

2) I've read the pinpoint mode could be improved compared to other Minelab detectors.  Perhaps the ability to select the pinpoint model used?

I think it makes business sense for Minelab to continue to upgrade the Equinox, since they will continue selling it into the future and the R&D costs are already baked into the pie.  Adding software functionality only improves their standing in the industry and with the users.  

I am new to metal detecting, but I've been around the software industry for nearly 4 decades.  My number one rule is that "Software sells Hardware".  Releasing new features to an existing hardware platform will certainly sell more hardware.  It will also grow their software intellectual property to be leveraged with the next detector they release.

 

Just the ramblings of a newbie.

 

AJ

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  • 1 month later...

There's been mention by a hard core alpha beta tester of adding a 100kHz mode, but it could require a new coil to facilitate it.  I suspect that will not make it to the current EQX line-up, but to the next gen EQX.   Overall I've been darn happy with the EQX, it's surpassed my expectations and paid for itself many times over.  I get the impression that the next gen EQX will share the same coils, sane M-IQ, but new bells and whistles, much like going from an Etrac to a CTX, hopefully without the CTX tax. We shall see, but as popular as the EQX is currently, I wouldn't expect anything until next year at the latest, and even then I think Minelab could successfully milk the existing EQX and Vanquish line for another year or two. 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

With Nokta Makro intending to compete directly with the Equinox 800, and outdo it in build and features, then considering Minelab is title sponsor of Detectival, I wonder if it will force Minelab’s hand to go to a 4.0 update with more features for equinox. It sounds like there’s a good chance of hearing something about NMs SMF this weekend. Will Minelab respond in kind? The hosts of Detectival said on a recent UK podcast “there are a few surprises coming.”

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On 8/28/2021 at 6:55 AM, Cal_Cobra said:

There's been mention by a hard core alpha beta tester of adding a 100kHz mode, but it could require a new coil to facilitate it.  I suspect that will not make it to the current EQX line-up, but to the next gen EQX.

Even if possible without a hardware upgrade, would it make financial sense for Minelab to execute such a 'free' change?  Have they ever made such a significant change via software upgrade?  From what I've seen over the last several years, they don't even add new coil options and seldom do they allow aftermarket coil makers to do that.

Doesn't the 25+ year old Fisher Gold Bug 2 still the have the highest operating frequency (option) of any ground balancing IB detector?  If Minelab were to develop a detector for which a 100 kHz ground balance capability has significant application(s), would they even include it first as a selectable frequency option on a simultaneous multifrequency detector?

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2 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

Doesn't the 25+ year old Fisher Gold Bug 2 still the have the highest operating frequency (option) of any ground balancing IB detector?  If Minelab were to develop a detector for which a 100 kHz ground balance capability has significant application(s), would they even include it first as a selectable frequency option on a simultaneous multifrequency detector?

I believe the highest induction balanced frequency available is the XP Deus/XP Orx using the 9X5 HF coil at 81 kHz.

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