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Reasons To Hold Onto Equinox 800 In Light Of Deus 2


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And is it possible for minelab to offer a new upgrade of the minelab software Equinox 800 

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I use my Deus 1 with HF 9" coil for two detecting scenarios: 1. gold prospecting only as a backup when I get tired of swinging a heavier detector like the GPX, 24K or Equinox or if I am high altitude backpacking and 2. densely iron trashed relic sites with shallower non-ferrous relic targets.  In both cases I use the Deus in either one tone VCO or two tone Pitch mode. Otherwise, I can't stand the Deus 1 audio. Target ID in moderate to high mineralization on any sized non ferrous target where I detect most of the time is accurate only down to 3" at best. Overall depth is also severely limited using frequencies below 18 kHz. So, I rarely use my Deus for coin and jewelry hunting, never for beach hunting and definitely never for places where multi tone ID, numerical ID and depth are important.

I use my Equinox 800 for everything which means, gold prospecting, beach hunting, freshwater hunting, relic hunting, coin hunting and jewelry hunting. I virtually always use the Equinox in its Multi setting. Single frequency detecting offers little to no advantage where I hunt in moderate to high mineralization. Single frequency use for target investigation or for EMI mitigation is something I use occasionally.

So, in order for me to ditch the Equinox, Deus II would have to out hunt the Equinox at everything.

Assuming that Deus II will be as good or better as Deus 1 for densely iron trashed sites, then currently Deus 1 and most likely Deus II beat the Equinox for densely iron trashed sites when shallow relic hunting. Deep stuff, Equinox wins currently.

Also, Deus 1 with the HF 9" coil is slightly deeper and more sensitive to small gold nuggets in moderate mineralization than the Equinox with 6" coil. (I still don't have the Coiltek 10X6). In any soil conditions worse than moderate however (moderate meaning the Deus 1 mineralization bar approaches half full), the Equinox wins easily even with a coil 1/3 smaller due to Multi IQ. Also, with Deus 1 gold prospecting I just use the WS4 and no remote since the remote offers nothing in the way of displayed information when gold prospecting that I can see without a magnifier whereas the Equinox has plenty of easy to see information. 

So IF Deus II's multi frequency technology can vastly improve moderate to high mineralization ground handling and in doing so improve overall depth and target ID accuracy in bad dirt, (THOSE ARE HUGE IFS) along with having an easy to use ground grab button, easy to use onboard pinpointing, easy to see display and I actually like its square wave tones; Deus II might be a possibility for me. I already like the Deus ergonomics, I have no problem charging stuff before a hunt and XP makes quality products. 

Just having good enough SMF tech (like the Apex) to saltwater beach hunt won't cut it with me.

For those wanting smaller coils, it took XP 7 years to improve coil quality and variety from the original LF coils to the HF coils..........at least they already have all of the exterior forms, molds and equipment for making the HF elliptical coil.

 

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1 hour ago, palzynski said:

XP will probably release smaller coils for the Deus2 , as they have already done for the Deus1 with the 10X6 elliptical HF.

XP listen their customers , if there is a demand for smaller coils which is logical for a multipurpose detector , they will do them ...  

I’d expect so, but I’ll take the bird in my hand over a promise for the future. And for my purposes, they will never make truly small coils, like a NEL Snake. Wireless is inherently limiting coil options, and prohibits third party coils, even more so than with Minelab, who regularly gets beaten up for that very thing.

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I'm doing just great with an Equinox 600 and the 10x5. Finding stuff I didn't with the 11" coil. Never found anything that wasn't under the coil. 🙄

I'd like to try the Deus, but with fixed income it's out of my range. I'll wait to see how it does.

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6 hours ago, Veisal said:

And is it possible for minelab to offer a new upgrade of the minelab software Equinox 800 

Sure it is possible, IF they wanted to.

But why do that when they can instead sell a higher priced detector? That is the business model. What they have now could be upgraded in software to do what the new one will do but they choose to come out with a totally "new" unit that will do it.

Look at the XP Deus vs ORX for example. I'm convinced the only difference in the two is software.

All about the $$$$

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16 minutes ago, RobNC said:

But why do that when they can instead sell a higher priced detector?

That assumes they have the Equinox 1000 or w/e ready to go. But if it's a while off (maybe a year or so), they could release a software update to keep at least some current Equinox users from "jumping ship."

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2 hours ago, mh9162013 said:

That assumes they have the Equinox 1000 or w/e ready to go. But if it's a while off (maybe a year or so), they could release a software update to keep at least some current Equinox users from "jumping ship."

A software update isn't going to fix the Equinox water intrusion problems and that is the only real reason why an Equinox user might jump ship to the Deus II, especially at the Deus II price point.

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I often get very excited about new releases and in my head I put them well above where they really are, then when I get them and start using them I am brought back down to earth.... With the Equinox even though I'd done all the reading and expected so much from it, it delivered... 

Maybe I'm getting old, or maybe I just don't get as excited anymore but the Deus 2 isn't really doing it for me.  I look forward to seeing peoples reports on it and reading about what benefits it provides, I found no reason to think I'd benefit from the first version of it and I'm confident I'm right about that, so far I'm not yet sure If I'd benefit from the second version of it.  It's another detector with coils that are an absolute impossibility for aftermarket coils to fill any gaps however at least they have a genuine excuse for their coils to be XP only coils.

I love stable target ID's, and the Equinox is incredible for that in my soils, I've not heard much positive about that with the first Deus, I'd like to see if they've improved on that.

HOWEVER, If Minelab released an Equinox 1000 tomorrow on the sly with no indication It was coming I'd be calling my Minelab dealer the second I found out about it placing an order.  The Equinox is almost my perfect VLF after some aftermarket accessories like shaft, arm cuff, oh hell let's be honest the only thing I like about it is the control pod and coils 🙂 The coils are good, but I'd prefer more choices, in saying that I still prefer the 6" over the Coiltek 10x5" for prospecting but see the benefits to having the Coiltek so I'll use it when I think it's the right occasion where it's hot nose will benefit me and I'm glad it is an option.

I wish you could buy the Nox control pods separately, it's the only part of the package I want!  Believe me I've tried.

So, Deus users, love for you to change my mind, but right now I'm an Equinox person and I think you'll have a hard time changing that.

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39 minutes ago, Chase Goldman said:

A software update isn't going to fix the Equinox water intrusion problems and that is the only real reason why an Equinox user might jump ship to the Deus II, especially at the Deus II price point.

Isn't it possible that the Deus II outperforms the Equinox in terms of SMF operation? I know that's a tall order, but it's a reasonable possibility, isn't it? In that case, Minelab could update the Equinox 800 (and maybe 600, too) to improve its capabilities.

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