Steve Herschbach

Chart in first post updated to include new Nokta Anfibio series. Nokta/Makro Anfibio Series Owner's Manual Nokta/Makro Anfibio 14 Data & Reviews Nokta/Makro Anfibio 19 Data & Reviews Nokta/Makro Anfibio Multi Data & Reviews Nokta Anfibio metal detector series - Anfibio Multi, Anfibio 19, and Anfibio 14

Sounds about right - I was guessing US$249 to $299. Minelab Equinox 15" x 12" DD search coil

The big question at this very late date - what will the coil sell for. Lots of dealer sites listing it now, but none with a price.

Well, there is this giant banner on the Nel website

Published on Sep 30, 2018 by Nuggethunting (Rob Allison). “Here is a series of 3 short videos filmed in Arizona. Not all targets are gold, but at least one was a small gold nugget. I was using the Minelab GPZ 7000 Metal Detector.”

Find your "Account Settings" in the upper right. Look for "Display Name" and make the change. Let me guess - goldseeker5000

and the link at Minelab for those who can't see the above.

Bummer. Kind of had that feeling on the CZX but we are rooting for you Carl. Got a spot waiting in my lineup for Manta but do take the time to get the ergonomics right. All you have to do is meet or beat the waterproof TDI for performance and at a lower weight than 5.3 lbs and I will be happy. Best wishes to everyone at FT!

You would need to ask Kellyco that question. Policies change all the time. Yes, they do at this time.

Welcome to the forum! There are no concentric coils for the Equinox. Whatever you were watching, that is not what it was. Currently the Equinox comes with an 11” round DD coil. There is a 6” round DD that was released recently. And a 12” x 15” DD coil is about to be released. There are no other coils on the horizon at this time. Previous thread on subject

Me too. I get the impression being visible on the forum may have caused some sort of issue for him. There are many prospectors who never post because of the unwanted attention it might attract. There is a lot of weird group politics between various prospecting cliques down here in the Lower 48, and after a bit of hanging out I decided my old introvert prospecting habits work best for me. Mind my own business, do my own thing - that's my motto. Maybe Norm had a similar epiphany. It is unfortunate however as a lot of knowledgeable people are out there who could lend a hand to a newbie.

The good news about bullets is they test your skills while looking for gold. The smaller the lead and the deeper you can detect it, the better you are going to be at finding gold. Finding the first nugget is the hardest normally. It takes getting that ear for tiny signals.

I am very happy for you Paul and glad to see the life of adventure you are living that many can only dream of. Good on you!!

I believe Minelab has already announced they have no plans for any future single frequency detectors. In that sense the "will obsolete single frequency" was spot on because that is exactly what is has done at Minelab. That's not to say all single frequency detectors will stop working (that is not what obsolete means) nor does it mean existing models will not continue to be sold. But do expect anything new from Minelab to be leveraging more advanced technologies. Nokta/Makro also sees which way the wind is blowing. Quoting Dilek Gonulay "Anfibio is planned to be the last series that will not have SMF (except for our entry level devices coming up)". SMF means Simultaneous Multi Frequency. The entry level device referred to is no doubt the new Simplex series. Single frequency tech is well known and good units can be made by any company that has metal detecting expertise. I think that increasing foreign competition will relegate basic single frequency units to the under $500 or lower entry level market. This is already happening with many older existing single frequency models seeing price drops to $500 or lower. It will be impossible to compete in price as the competition races to the bottom, especially with the Chinese finally making some credible entries into the market. The only way any company will be able to command higher prices is going to be the inclusion of multifrequency or hybrid tech in new premium models. So yes, I do think Equinox is paving the way to the next generation of detectors, mainly by resetting what people expect in detectors selling for over $500. I can get an Equinox 600 for under $600 (shop around) so why pay more for some single frequency model? Fisher has done multifrequency in the past (CZ series) and it is a stated goal for them to produce a new multifrequency model. White's has been a multifrequency leader. It would seem the company with the most to lose here is Garrett, which has never made a serious entry into multifrequency.

nuggetnoggin scores!

I just got this in a dealer email saying that Gray Ghost waterproof headphones for the Equinox are either in stock or shipping to dealers at this time. I will take the bit about unsurpassed volume performance with a grain of salt but hope it's true. Available now - Gray Ghost Amphibian Waterproof Headphones for Minelab Equinox The design is 100% waterproof and totally submersible to a maximum of 30 feet! No compromise in sound quality or functionality. Improved speaker design. Unsurpassed volume performance. The Minelab Equinox connector has a IP68 rated connector. Our quality, fully waterproof connectors protect the integrity and functionality of your detector. Technical Specifications: Heavy-duty Coil Cable with IP68 Waterproof Plug Heavy-duty IP68 Waterproof Volume Control allows you to adjust your volume to suit your detecting conditions on land or in the water. Solid-state Speakers Designed for Maximum Sensitivity, efficiency, durability in dry or wet conditions, regardless of depth. Special Sound-blocking Muff Design eliminates ambient noise up to 24 decibels Heavy-duty Thick, Plush, Soft Polymer Cushions with full-ear surround. Heavy-duty Muff-to-Muff Connection Cable Adjustable Fully Padded Headband… No screws… No wire frame… No rust! Compact Carry and Storage fold-able design. Prior thread on subject Gray Ghost Amphibian Headphones For Minelab Equinox

There are two levels of ground balance with Equinox. Multi-IQ just like other previous Minelab multifrequency options uses the multifrequency processing itself to remove most of the ground signal. For most normal ground you don’t need to ground balance. It was not until the CTX 3030 showed up that a ground balance was even added to the Minelab FBS units, and only then for use in extreme ground. Multi-IQ is the same. Most normal ground (parks) does not need the actual ground balance, and it is preset as locked in all modes except Gold Mode (see below) which is preset for tracking. Further, ground balance is a local setting and does not carry over between modes. That might explain why the hot rocks you encountered in Gold Mode were ignored in Park - different ground balance settings? Minelab Equinox Factory Presets

Great answers! Minelab Gold Monster 1000 - Main likes are simplicity and the way the boosted audio bangs out on tiny gold. Main dislikes are squared handle, tendency to fall over, coil bump sensitivity at high sensitivity levels, and poor coil selection (two). Great grab and go unit. White’s Goldmaster 24K - Main like for me is feel on arm and hand grip, detector very stable on ground. Nice ergonomics for me (ergonomics is very subjective). Good coil selection (three coils plus another in the works) out the starting gate. The extra adjustability compared to the Gold Monster is nice but also adds complexity (not a problem for me, just an observation for others). Dislikes? For a new model the lack of built in wireless headphones is disappointing, 2 year warranty (most others are 3 - 5 years). Minelab Equinox - not in the same class as the units above. The GM1000 and GM24K are both pretty much dedicated nugget detectors. They have minimal use outside that realm. The Equinox on the other hand is the truest example of a detector that can do almost anything well that has been made so far. My main like - extreme versatility. This versatility adds complexity and again that is fine with me, but I note the fact for others. I like the wireless headphone operation built in. I like waterproof to ten feet. Dislikes? The handle on the Equinox is a little large for my hand, but again, fit is a personal issue. Only two coils so far, third one on the way. Which would serve best just depends on what you want from a detector.

Minelab pulse induction detectors in particular are susceptible to directional swing issues but it is not something normally encountered with a VLF. There is a scientific basis for what you are experiencing however. Metal Detector Basics & Theory by Bruce Candy See pages 12 and 13 and in particular the section on atmospheric sources of interference.

The Equinox does not normally make a false signal from bumping the coil. The only time I have seen it is in Gold Mode with high sensitivity and low recovery speed. If you are using stock settings and getting constant false signals from bumping the coil something is wrong.

It seems to me a thread or thin wire with a knot on the end run through that little hole from the inside would create some kind of dangling decorative ball.

A nice summary quote from Tom Dankowski about why Simultaneous Multi Frequency (SMF) is worth consideration over single frequency options... “SMF's punch through bad dirt better. Hold on to accurate ID's at depth....and in bad dirt....better. Handle EMI better. Genuinely handle wet-salt better..... to include more accurate ID at depth.,.,.,.,.,.,.,., and a host of other rationale/justifications.” Fisher Intelligence (5th Edition) by Thomas J. Dankowski

Welcome to the forum John. Be nice to get more action on the Garrett forum here so I hope you hang around. That’s one nice chunk of gold!