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Glad I Waited For An '800'


Aurum

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Though I’ve owned the Equinox 800 for a less than 3 weeks, it took less than a couple hours of use to realize I had made the right choice to wait on the higher end model though in all probability I would have made the same finds with a 600.  After deciding to purchase an Equinox a couple of months ago, I angst over which model to purchase. There were good reasons for purchasing both models and 600 was readily available, but as much as I tried, I couldn’t pull the trigger on a 600.  As it turned out, the reasons why I thought I wanted the ‘800’ over the ‘600’ turned out not to be the primary reasons why I’m glad I waited. Here are a few of the reasons. 1) Audio versatility. The 800 comes with the ML 80 headphones and the WM 08 wireless module though either of these can be purchased separately to use with a 600 but at a higher combined cost than just purchasing an 800. Should either the WM 08 or ML 80 go dead for whatever reason, you‘ll still have a wireless option to use. Also, the WM 08 module along with an adapter allows you the option of using your favorite set of headphones with audio that’s even faster than aptX. 3) Four ‘Back Light’ options, not just ‘on’ and ‘off’. 4) More ‘Recovery Speed’ settings though I’m sure some would argue that the three settings on the 600 are adequate. Now that I’ve had the opportunity to use these features, it reinforces my choice to have waited on the 800. I’m looking forward to gaining more experience with the Equinox as I learn to use the advanced settings and other features that only come with the ‘800’. Some finds from my first few hunts.

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2 hours ago, Aurum said:

Though I’ve owned the Equinox 800 for a less than 3 weeks...

Didn't take you long to start cashing in.  Well done!

As far as pitting the Equinox 800 vs. 600, Ok, that can be a discussion topic.  But the bigger issue is Equinox vs. all other induction balance (IB) competition, including Minelab's own models.

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I think you're on the right path and a good start at that.

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Just ordered my Equinox 800 from Gerry's Metal Detectors . I'll have it by thursday ?

Gerry got it in the mail 2hrs after I ordered it !!!  That really impressed me , he also 

has some great youtube videos . Good luck on your hunting , and stay safe out there .

                                                     nightforce53

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2 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

Didn't take you long to start cashing in.  Well done!

As far as pitting the Equinox 800 vs. 600, Ok, that can be a discussion topic.  But the bigger issue is Equinox vs. all other induction balance (IB) competition, including Minelab's own models.

I used an Explorer II (my most successful detector) for a better part of 8 years before buying a CTX. Found many more old coins with the Explorer but that probably had more to do with locations and time on the detector. As for comparing the Equinox to either the Explorer II or CTX, to me they're all different. I will say that I found most of the coins pictured with the 800 after I had spent several days detecting the same lot with the CTX. Just luck? Probably not. The Equinox is faster than the CTX and way faster than the Explorer but whether it will be able to match the Explorer II with finding silver is yet to be seen.

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2 minutes ago, Bayard said:

If the backlight and speeds 7 and 8 are the best reasons for an 800 you can come up with, I believe you would have been more than happy with a 600.

Thought I mentioned four reasons. Did you buy a pair of aptX headphones to use with your 600 or do like being attached to Nox? Life is too short to skimp if you have the means and really enjoy the hobby. Best of luck to you.

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1 hour ago, Aurum said:

Thought I mentioned four reasons. Did you buy a pair of aptX headphones to use with your 600 or do like being attached to Nox? Life is too short to skimp if you have the means and really enjoy the hobby. Best of luck to you.

I've been using a 600 since February.  I originally figured I'd upgrade to an 800 once they became readily available; however, after using the 600 with a tone break at 22, I have no need for an 800.

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Oh please don't try to make me feel bad for owning a 600.

My story.... I initially bought the 600 due to lack of inventory on the 800. I thought, "I can easily afford the 800 when they arrive" but I couldn't wait to break myself in on the Nox so I bought the 600. 

I'm up to about 80-90 hours now and I have to be honest....I don't think I'll be buying the 800. Why? Because I have a good understanding of the 600 now. Coming from the Safari/Etrac FBS tone machines, it's an easy transition. I hunt in 50 tones and I don't feel the need for tone breaks, etc. I've gotten pretty good at determining what's under my coil by listening to the tones and reliably the TID's. I hardly dig screw caps but only to randomly spot check. Nickels, dimes, coppers, quarters, (silver or clad) have their respective tones and TID numbers and you pretty much know when you are over one. I still get fooled by junk signals, but I've overcome many that at first took up a lot of my time. 

As far as recovery speeds, It seems to me and from what I'm reading, 800 users rarely ratchet it up to 8. My top end on the 600 is 3 which is equivalent to 6 on the 800. Pretty quick I think considering my success with it. It seems that many are having consistent success in the range of 5 - 7 anyway. 

The 600 has given me bucketlisters from the day I bought it. My first 3 hours at an old heavily pounded park in L.A. netted me my first injun and a couple of mercs. Overall in my short time with it, it has given me a couple of V's, buffalos, mercs, rosies,  a GW, dozens of wheats, tokens, rings, and tons of clad. And now since I'm focused on nickels, I'm simply killing it. The other day I dug 16 nickels in 3 hours. It just brings me closer to digging more buffs and V's.... and I'm excited about that. 

I don't own the 800 and never used one but I don't think it's fair to sell the 600 short due to a few more bells & whistles that the 800 has to play with. And I certainly hope that others look into all the details before making their decision from one over the other. 

Lastly, I'm not a gold hunter so the lack of prospector modes is fine by me. 

 

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10 hours ago, Aurum said:

Thought I mentioned four reasons. Did you buy a pair of aptX headphones to use with your 600 or do like being attached to Nox? Life is too short to skimp if you have the means and really enjoy the hobby. Best of luck to you.

Looks like you've gotten some nice finds and I'm glad your liking the 800.

I'm not Bayard, but I choice the 600 over the 800 partly because it was available then and because I didn't have any need for the WM08 module, nor did I think I'd do much tweaking with the extra settings on the 800 (and indeed, I seldom find myself changing much from the factory settings on the 600). I bought a pair of aptX LL headphones on sale before my 600 arrived for less then $50. So, with the $250 I saved over the 800, I spent $50 on the aptX LL headphones and I still have $200 to use for six inch coil.

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