My New Treasure Talk Blog - Equinox 600 Vs 800

[SteveJJ]

On 3/1/2018 at 8:49 AM, Steve Herschbach said:

I will end up with both. Saltwater is hard on detectors. I will have a 600 and it will be the only one to get in saltwater. The 800 will be backup because all saltwater detectors fail eventually. All dry land detecting will go to the 800, with 600 acting as backup and loaner.

I was just thinking the same this morning. Sell my F75 and use the funds for the 600, as a backup/loaner. I'm so far away from salt water that didn't cross my mind until your post. I can see value in focusing my learning to the Equinox as well. Seems very different from the capable F75 in tones and readings. Thanks for the write up!

[Chase Goldman]

The only reason I am not selling my F75 is I like having a capable detector that has a concentric coil option.

[Steve Herschbach]

Same reason I am holding onto the Gold Racer for now - I have a concentric for it. I hope a concentric is possible for Equinox because I would get one in a heartbeat.

About Coils by Dave Johnson

[vanursepaul]

I have forgotten about concentric---I think i had them for the 705 right???

Please refresh my memory Steve--Why are they desirable? 

[Steve Herschbach]

Try the link in the post just above the one you just made Paul 

[vanursepaul]

oops-- selective scanning...lol

[Tpayne]

I'm not a expert with the equinox and never will I consider myself one. In saying that I purchased the 600 due to avaliablity. I have noticed that there is a large section of the community that is worried about the reactivity and iron bias and there max settings compared to the 800. 

I wanted to bring to attention that like park 2 the reactivity setting is 3 and corresponds to 6 on the 800 but then looking at field 2 reactivity setting 3 on the 600 corresponds to reactivity setting 7 on the 800. You can find this information on the flyer that is included with your purchase. Also these same varitions are used with the iron bias and should be adjusted accordingly. 

Also with the equinox 600 you do have the options of auto,manual, and default zero when it comes to ground balance. All 3 settings here have there place. I've noticed if you have a bed of nails I would auto or manual. Seems like beach,water and relativey clean yards default 0 is adequate. Always keep in mind you will at depth using default 0 tracking you can ground balance a good target out. 

In saying that the equinox is a impressive machine. The operation is impressive. It's ability to give strong target signals while surrouded by nails is impressive. It took me a minute to quit chasing the iffy signals saying there almost always are flat iron or large square nails. If a target will hit strong a one position but will not a 90 degrees but then will again hit it strong at 180 degrees dig it. I had a mercury dime come up at 7 inches that way. All in all thanks minelab..

[Chase Goldman]

On 6/9/2018 at 9:03 AM, Tpayne said:

I wanted to bring to attention that like park 2 the reactivity setting is 3 and corresponds to 6 on the 800 but then looking at field 2 reactivity setting 3 on the 600 corresponds to reactivity setting 7 on the 800. You can find this information on the flyer that is included with your purchase. Also these same varitions are used with the iron bias and should be adjusted accordingly. 

Also with the equinox 600 you do have the options of auto,manual, and default zero when it comes to ground balance. All 3 settings here have there place. I've noticed if you have a bed of nails I would auto or manual. Seems like beach,water and relativey clean yards default 0 is adequate. Always keep in mind you will at depth using default 0 tracking you can ground balance a good target out. 

Thanks Tpayne.  But wanted to point out a couple of things, not to nitpick but to make sure there is no confusion by others who might read these posts by clearing up what may be some misconceptions.

As illustrated by the manual figure inset - On the 600, Recovery Setting 3 ALWAYS corresponds to Recovery Setting 6 on the 800, regardless of mode.  The table shows that for the 800, DEFAULT setting is 7 in Field 2.  This does correspond to a slightly higher default recovery setting on the 800 than the 600 because the 800 can be adjusted to a slightly higher recovery setting vs. the 600.  So in Field 2 on the 600, "3" still corresponds to "6" on the 800, but the default setting of the 800 for Field 2 is indeed  "one higher" at a setting of 7.

Also, besides default 0, manual, and auto, the 600 ALSO has tracking GB mode just like the 800 which will continuously change GB to match the ground phase while you are swinging the detector.  Tracking mode is not recommended for low mineralization conditions such as white sand beach hunding (mineralization changes are what "prompt" the tracking GB alogorithm to measure and change GB), nor is it recommended or even needed if you are at a site that has very little change in the overall ground phase reading due to uniform conditions (mineralization or otherwise) that determine the ground phase.  Tracking is also good for rapidly changing salinity conditions such as when you are detecting in the surf at a salt water beach.

HTH