Equinox 900 Vs Some Other Smfs

[Jeff McClendon]

It's snowing again here three days after the previous snow from mid December finally melted. 

However, me being crazy.....I have gotten in about thirty hunts since I received my Equinox 900 from Gerry's Detectors back in mid December.

Fifteen or so of those hunts have been with the 900 either by itself or against the Legend, Deus 2 or the Nox 800 on wild targets. Since it has been pretty frozen here, most of the comparisons I have been able to do on actual hunts have been for shallower target separation, unmasking and target ID accuracy. No depth testing.

All I can say at the moment is that I sold one of my Equinox 800s and the other one has been relegated to small gold prospecting and loaner status. I would not have imagined that even one year ago. The Legend, Deus 2 and Equinox 900 although flawed in various ways, really are that much better than the Equinox 800 for shallow target separation and unmasking from hunting ferrous and non ferrous trashed parks and fresh water beaches in my area.

Target ID stability or more precisely, the wider repeatable target ID range of common targets of the Nox 900 is my least favorite thing about it but most of that is me getting used to the 900 and not cranking up the sensitivity too high.

Thousands of targets and five years ago, I was trying my damndest to figure out what the Equinox 600 was trying to tell me on all of the blips and beeps that were coming from ground that was basically silent using some other very famous single and selectable single frequency detectors. After that experience, moving to the Legend was just about seamless. Same for Deus 2 (I had many years and hours on Deus 1 and the ORX). Adjusting to the kaleidoscope of sounds coming from the 900 is very reminiscent of my Nox 600 experience. Patience and time behind the 900 will make things better I'm sure.

[abenson]

I'm really starting to like the All Tones on both the Manticore and 900. Really wasn't that hard for me to get used to. Done a bunch of testing myself against the 800 on both those machines and last weekend decided to let the 800 go to a better home. Not sure if the 900 is at all better at depth or separation on targets in the wild. But I'm at least confident the 900 is as good as the 800 in those situations and with all the other improvements that were made on the 900, I felt like I could let the 800 go.  

[Jeff McClendon]

If I only hunted sites with lots of shallower rusted iron targets or was mostly diving, Deus 2 would be my choice. Otherwise, the performance of these detectors is so close that it is unfair to declare a winner since there isn't one. The winners are the users of these detectors and these detector manufacturers that have given much of the more experienced detector hobbyists what they have been asking for which are quality high performance simultaneous/selectable single frequency, waterproof VLF detectors that are lightweight, well built, and versatile.

[GB_Amateur]

24 minutes ago, Jeff McClendon said:

The winners are the users of these detectors and these detector manufacturers that have given much of the more experienced detector hobbyists what they have been asking for....

I think there's more in that statement than first meets the eye.  I need to print it off and attach it to my Manticore as soon as it arrives.  Thanks, Jeff.

 

[Chase Goldman]

I was looking forward to D pitch audio on the 900 but it seemed more chirpy (EMI susceptibility) so I have been just going with the hot hand D2 relic workhorse, instead. 

But I think I just needed to trust what the 900 was telling me and crank the sensitivity down further than I otherwise would have liked to on the 800 and let the 900 do its thing.  Also, I think I too need to give all tones a go vs. D pitch, especially when trying to ferret out high conductors in high ferrous trash.

Thanks for the tips Jeff and Andy.

[strick]

On 2/15/2023 at 10:50 AM, Jeff McClendon said:

All I can say at the moment is that I sold one of my Equinox 800s and the other one has been relegated to small gold prospecting and loaner status. I would not have imagined that even one year ago.

Yea same here. Sold one of my 800's....(the older out of warranty proven not to leak Ole Betsy detector) sold in one day...Now I'm having  hard time selling the new one that still has 2.5 years of warranty left. I bought it 6 months ago right before Minelab came out with their M-Core announcement lol. The goal is to keep the accessory coils and get a 900 but I'm having reservations about that as well. As soon as Minelab makes their accessory coils available available for the M-Core I might not even use the 900? The Deus 2 ain't going anywhere thats for sure. 

On 2/15/2023 at 12:24 PM, abenson said:

I'm really starting to like the All Tones on both the Manticore and 900. Really wasn't that hard for me to get used to. 

It's funny I've been using all tones pretty much most of the time and I like it as well. I had a hard time with the 50 tones on the 800 for some reason and became used to using 5 tones mostly with that machine. If I get in a wide open field or beach where targets are sparse then I'll switch too deep. 

strick

[Jeff McClendon]

21 minutes ago, strick said:

Yea same here. Sold one of my 800's....(the older out of warranty proven not to leak Ole Betsy detector) sold in one day...Now I'm having  hard time selling the new one that still has 2.5 years of warranty left. I bought it 6 months ago right before Minelab came out with their M-Core announcement lol. The goal is to keep the accessory coils and get a 900 but I'm having reservations about that as well. As soon as Minelab makes their accessory coils available available for the M-Core I might not even use the 900? The Deus 2 ain't going anywhere thats for sure. 

It's funny I've been using all tones pretty much most of the time and I like it as well. I had a hard time with the 50 tones on the 800 for some reason and became used to using 5 tones mostly with that machine. If I get in a wide open field or beach where targets are sparse then I'll switch too deep. 

strick

Unless you do a lot of submerged small gold prospecting and micro jewelry hunting, I don't see any reason why you should get the 900 since you have an under warranty 800, Manticore and Deus 2. The 800 vs 900 difference on small gold and micro jewelry is minimal. The difference in waterproofing quality is yet to be determined. Target separation and depth between the 900 and Manticore is probably slight advantage Manticore. 

[strick]

6 hours ago, Jeff McClendon said:

Unless you do a lot of submerged small gold prospecting and micro jewelry hunting, I don't see any reason why you should get the 900 since you have an under warranty 800, Manticore and Deus 2. The 800 vs 900 difference on small gold and micro jewelry is minimal. The difference in waterproofing quality is yet to be determined. Target separation and depth between the 900 and Manticore is probably slight advantage Manticore. 

Yep solid advice but the new design on the 900 plus the added yet to be proven water proofing are enough for me...one more thing that I noticed today while out on a site that is full of rivets...the Manticore puts most of them in the high 50's low 60's where the 800 used to put them in the higher end into the possible coin spectrum....I'm assuming the 900 and the Manticore will have similar VID's? if they are the same or even close that would be  plus as well. Otherwise I'd have to divide by 2 every time I hit a target if I was using the 800 as right now the M-Core is my main squeeze. 😄

strick 

[abenson]

That's nice to here I'm always digging rivets at ghost towns and military camps. Get excited at the high numbers and then out pops a brass rivet.