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Gold Monster 1000 Or Equinox 800?


ks1652

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I've had both.  Prefer the Nox 800 and sold the Monster.  Just find the Nox can do everything the Monster can but then it can also do a whole heap more. 

Would very much like to have the small coil for the Nox but have never found enough of a compelling reason to fork out the cash as the 11" is a pretty good allrounder.   

If you are hunting in bushes/sticks, etc, then getting a solid skid plate for the Nox 11" will make things much easier.   Spoked coils in the bush are a  😖

Best of luck with whatever you do  👍

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On 1/10/2022 at 4:23 PM, ks1652 said:

Again it's my goal to keep the cost down for now while I learn as much as possible about the art of proficient detecting using my Gold Bug 2. Once I'm comfortable with where I am I will consider a higher end detector.

Here's something it took me almost 3 years to learn -- I can (and will) only use one detector at a time.  Yes, sounds trite and almost insulting, but it's true.  It appears you are mostly (or even exclusively -- you didn't make it clear) going to be gold prospecting/fossicking, and in an (wide?) area around Las Vegas.  You already have an excellent tiny gold IB/VLF detector.  (You haven't said how much experience you have with it.)  If you buy another detector for finding tiny gold, what will you do with your GB2?

The real diversification move is to own one IB/VLF and one PI.  You indicate that money isn't burning a hole in your pocket, and that buying a new $1k+ detector (don't forget the auxilliary coil costs) will have an effect on your detecting budget.  PI's cost more, but prices always come down eventually and there are some good deals even now in the $1k-$2k range on high performance, used Minelab PI's, not the latest and greatest, but very good performers.

If you're the kind of person who can sell for close to what you buy for, then getting more detectors (and liquidating others) is an option, but obviously don't expect to get what you paid....  If I were in your shoes, knowing what I know now and not what I didn't know 6 years ago, I'd learn the GB2 while finding gold with it and save up for a PI to complement it.  But I'm the first to admit that what's best for me isn't necessarily best for someone else.

I wish you positive experience as you go forward.

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Many great answers for you already mentioned.

Here is how I sell a customer one or the other (of the 2 you requested).

If you are only after gold and need a simple Turn on & Go detector that can easily be handed over to a friend, relative of buddy on occasion....go Gold Monster 1000.

If you like fine tuning performance and having the ability to be in control of your gold detector, then the Equinox 800 is much better than GM-1000.  Having the added features of Coin/Relic/Beach, 100% waterproof, software update-able and blue took wireless is just a bonus.

As always, All VETs of all US branches get 15% discount.

Good Luck.

www.gerrysdetectors.com

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Been said already many times. Long story short Monster for ease of use. But to go above and beyond, IF you are willing to learn the machine, the Equinox is the better choice for me at least. But again, you have to be willing to make the effort to get the extra functionality out of it. Bonus is it will also cover you for coins, beach, relics.... most people genuinely need nothing but an Equinox. It is still the most versatile detector made, bar none.

https://www.detectorprospector.com/forums/topic/7468-my-tips-on-nugget-detecting-with-the-minelab-equinox/

 

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I'm still learning the Nox 800 and so far, I am not impressed by it. I have run the X-terra 705 for both gold nuggets and coins and treasure and I ran my Monster with great success. I have issues with the Monster being it is top heavy and constantly tips over when running a scoop over coil. The handle is long which I like, but is not easily adjusted which I don't like. It would be nice to have a threshold on it. I really like that it barks out the signal on gold and all other targets. Hunting in areas that require you to be alert of hazards around you such as bears, lions and rattlesnakes, the Monster shines in this case with no headphones required. The Monster is a real Skunk Buster gold machine. Now for the Nox, I have not used it for coins and jewelry but I have for gold. I am still trying to pull a nugget out of the ground with it and this is what I definitely do not like about it. The Nox shaft seems too short for my liking and the 6" coil does not glide on the ground conforming to the contour of the ground as good as the Monster. I find I tend to get the coil caught up on rocks all the time which is ticking me off. Didn't have that problem with the Monster or any other detector. It is very light, lighter than the Monster but it doesn't feel as comfortable to swing as the Monster. The Nox handles mineralized ground way better but the response on targets is chirpy and not as sharp and definite as the Monster. I don't like this about it. I don't like the open coil design. Quite frankly it sucks. The Monster has a better coil for rough terrain and hugs the ground far better. I still have some learning to do with regards to the response time and the iron bias. I already want to sell it or trade it off for another Monster, but my girlfriend is currently using it and it is the only detector I have that she can swing because of the weight. She wants a Monster and so we may keep the Nox for underwater gold nugget hunting in Montana and a backup machine only. So I will be buying her a Monster down the road. For me the 6000 is like having a Monster on steroids and covers my bases as a skunk busting detector, I just wish there was a smaller coil. I really would like to see an 8x12 for it. If I could do it over, I would have bought another Monster when I bought the Nox. I bought the Nox to replace the Monster and the 705. So far I don't see it to be superior to either the Monster or the 705.

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I guess it's a bit like cars, some favor the model they've got without ever driving the other one.  Some drive the competitor for 5 minutes and think theirs is the best from that short test drive.  Some really just don't get along with a certain model. 

I'm guilty of it, I've decided I don't like detectors I've never used or at the very least ones I've played with for a few minutes. 

So take opinions as just that, opinions and knowing the limitations opinions have. 

Decide what you want by tidbits in opinions that sound useful to you or look for an overwhelming concensus.  You can't lose either way both the Gm and Nox are great. 

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9 hours ago, Goldseeker5000 said:

I'm still learning the Nox 800 and so far, I am not impressed by it. I have run the X-terra 705 for both gold nuggets and coins and treasure and I ran my Monster with great success. I have issues with the Monster being it is top heavy and constantly tips over when running a scoop over coil. The handle is long which I like, but is not easily adjusted which I don't like. It would be nice to have a threshold on it. I really like that it barks out the signal on gold and all other targets. Hunting in areas that require you to be alert of hazards around you such as bears, lions and rattlesnakes, the Monster shines in this case with no headphones required. The Monster is a real Skunk Buster gold machine. Now for the Nox, I have not used it for coins and jewelry but I have for gold. I am still trying to pull a nugget out of the ground with it and this is what I definitely do not like about it. The Nox shaft seems too short for my liking and the 6" coil does not glide on the ground conforming to the contour of the ground as good as the Monster. I find I tend to get the coil caught up on rocks all the time which is ticking me off. Didn't have that problem with the Monster or any other detector. It is very light, lighter than the Monster but it doesn't feel as comfortable to swing as the Monster. The Nox handles mineralized ground way better but the response on targets is chirpy and not as sharp and definite as the Monster. I don't like this about it. I don't like the open coil design. Quite frankly it sucks. The Monster has a better coil for rough terrain and hugs the ground far better. I still have some learning to do with regards to the response time and the iron bias. I already want to sell it or trade it off for another Monster, but my girlfriend is currently using it and it is the only detector I have that she can swing because of the weight. She wants a Monster and so we may keep the Nox for underwater gold nugget hunting in Montana and a backup machine only. So I will be buying her a Monster down the road. For me the 6000 is like having a Monster on steroids and covers my bases as a skunk busting detector, I just wish there was a smaller coil. I really would like to see an 8x12 for it. If I could do it over, I would have bought another Monster when I bought the Nox. I bought the Nox to replace the Monster and the 705. So far I don't see it to be superior to either the Monster or the 705.

Have you read  “My Tips On Gold Nugget Detecting With The Minelab Equinox” in the Equinox section of this forum yet?

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On 1/10/2022 at 9:24 PM, oneguy said:

GotAU summed it up best....

 

Honestly at this time my focus is gold. Not to say finding other things doesn't get me pumped up.  Finding a meteorite on my claim was awesome. That's said most claims at Rye Patch are placer gold finds. I'm leaning towards the Gold Monster then see if I still need another detector. 

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23 hours ago, Jeff McClendon said:

I have owned the Gold Monster 1000 and still own the Equinox 800.

I found the Gold Monster 1000 to be an excellent 45 kHz single frequency gold prospecting specific detector that is easy to use and be successful with. My only problems with the Gold Monster 1000 were its lack of a threshold tone and its difficulty staying automatically ground balanced along with the time it took to sometimes auto ground balance it. These two limitations showed up the most in really hot ground conditions where a threshold tone could have given me possibly a little more depth and  being able to do a button press ground grab to lock the ground balance would have saved me some time and frustration and I wouldn’t have needed to constantly have to pump the coil on really hot ground or after recovering a target.

I found the simultaneous multi frequency Equinox 800 with its highest multi frequency of 40 kHz in its Gold modes to be the equal of the Gold Monster in sensitivity to tiny gold targets with the 6” Minelab coil and with the 10X5” Coiltek coil while also having the option of using the 11” or larger coils for deeper gold targets if the ground mineralization allowed. Doing a push button ground grab, manually ground balancing or using its automatic tracking ground balance along with its SMF Multi IQ technology gave me the flexibility to easily use the Nox 800 at highly mineralized sites where the Gold Monster 1000 could not operate well at all. The Nox 800 also has full single digit VDi notching, fully functioning accurate target IDs unless the ground is super bad, recovery speed adjustments, VCO audio and an actual threshold tone that is capable of adding a little boost to really weak signals. Amazingly enough, the Equinox with the 6” or 10X5” coil is more comfortable to swing than the very top heavy Gold Monster 1000. All of the Nox 800 Gold mode features are very helpful for the gold prospector and if you want to hunt in a discrimination mode you have two options….Park 2 and Field 2 that also have a high frequency of around 40 kHz SMF or 40 kHz single frequency operation along with all of the same features as the gold modes plus multi tone operation.

If you plan to do some coin/jewelry/relic hunting and also occasionally get to a saltwater beach or need to submerge a detector, the Equinox is very capable of doing all of that easily.

So, in my opinion, since you already have the excellent single frequency 71 kHz Gold Bug 2 for tiny gold nugget prospecting, the Gold Monster 1000 is kind of redundant. The Equinox would offer so much more versatility both as a gold prospecting detector and coin/jewelry/relic detector than the Gold Monster 1000.

Great insights. Now my head is spinning I need again. The versatility of the Nox makes it a good choice. Was think Monster just a few minutes ago.  Now I'm back on the fence. Good thing I'm not under the gun to buy. Thank you for your post.

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We all had to make a decision on what to buy.

If you're not in a hurry , no need to make the decision till you are and then there's always a "new release right around the corner " to consider too. 😉

Stick around and your new machine could become easy to pick tomorrow  !?!🤔

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