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Best Detector For Small Nuggies - Equinox Or Monster?


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  • The title was changed to Best Detector For Small Nuggies - Equinox Or Monster?

The Monster is $100 less with two coils and gets the job done with less fuss. If small gold nuggets is the sole reason for owning a detector why pay extra for capability you don't need, especially when predicated on the idea of spending $179 extra to get a small coil for the Equinox, driving the price difference even higher?

GM1000 Vs Equinox Vs White’s 24k

Minelab Gold Monster 1000 Data & Reviews

Minelab Equinox 800 Data & Reviews

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Steve-----Let me re-phrase my question.----Barring the cost factor & considering hunting for small nuggets.----Which is the most effective (gives the best performance) in that regard with each of these detectors (GM 1000 & E800) being used in highly mineralized ground & with each operating with their small coil?----It would seem that both of these detectors/coil combos have been out long enough now to have  comparison tests along these lines.---------Del 

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  • 4 weeks later...

A bit late to the party...

I also have both machines and definitely prefer the controls on the monster over the equinox for their simplicity.  It is a very enjoyable detector to operate, no cluster of unused buttons as nugget shooting does not require it.

I really appreciate just being able to put the monster in auto 1(or 2), doing a quick ground balance, and getting to hunting!

With that being said if you are planning to do more than just nugget hunt, the Equinox can do it all!

  

 

 

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Hi,

of course somebody like me has to have a different opinion. I found the Monster to be an excellent nugget detector, simple, efficient and deadly on small gold targets (also deadly on any ferrous/non ferrous targets). That was my problem with it actually. I wanted more information and more control of settings, waterproofing and built in wireless options. The Nox 800 gave me all of those plus with the 6" coil and 11" coil, very small to medium size gold targets were just as detectable. I believe I have a lot higher probability of determining ferrous vs non ferrous identification of targets, a depth meter and a pinpoint function along with target and tone ID. Plus, for me the biggest of all is manual ground balance capabilities and manual adjustable discrimination for hot rocks. There are probably more I forgot. Oh yeah, like a threshold and simultaneous multi frequency operation, DUH!, which I truly believe helps in detecting masked targets.  That is a lot of differences for the money if you ask me. Then, you have all of the other detecting capabilities of the Nox 800 on top of that.

 

Jeff

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I agree with Jeff Mc.  Have owned both. The Monster works and is easy...but...the Equinox is just as good, if not better, and infinitely more versatile. 

The Monster got sold. 

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  • 1 month later...

Hi all...I have used both machines and being on a VLF platform they are very good at finding small pieces of gold especially with the small coils.  However I think in mineralised ground the gold monster does tend to pull away from the equinox 800 somewhat.  We have a following of them on the NSW far south coast AU on the mullock heaps. But if mineralisation is not an issue I would lean towards the Nox due to it being more versatile as a treasure detector

 

Jack

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Jack is spot on. In milder soils the Nox will go deeper on bigger bits if you can use it in Multi, but the Monster on a high manual sensitivity is very powerful.

As much as I like having an adjustable threshold and ability to run in fixed ground balance on the Nox, the monster sort of latches on to targets better. Hard to explain but it's as if the monster is more sure of itself - it either sees a target or it doesn't - you just have to keep that auto tracking in check. 

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