Andy Sabisch

A few points I wanted to make on this topic . . . . . First, I appreciate the positive feedback that has been posted or sent about the book and happy that it has helped people master the Equinox. The purpose of the book - as has been the case with my other brand-specific handbooks - has been to share what I and other seasoned detectorists have learned with time in the field with the model(s) covered. The additional perspective input from others gives the book is what I feel has set them apart from others. It is hard to put out a book right after a new model is released and claim it covers all the details of how to use it yet there seem to be books that do just that. Second, while I would love to say that as soon as any changes are made to a specific model that the handbook will be updated and reprinted but since my wife and I are the ones footing the printing costs and we had just ordered a run when the update was announced (gotta love it when that happens), the handbook does not include the software update that was issued by Minelab. There will always be new ideas, techniques, accessories and yes software updates that come up and releasing a new book every time something changes is not always possible. We did issue a revised handbook on the XP Deus but timing was such that we could do so and get it reprinted shortly after the release of the latest software update. So no, the V2.0 software update is not in the book but it does cover 95%+ of what is on the current unit. Finally, in regards to the link in the handbook that was intended to take you to a "bonus page", we had multiple issues with our internet provider and they kept purging the files making the link useless. We have corrected that and are in the process of rebuilding it and as an addition to that page's original design we will be adding several "how-to guides" including a Ground Balance primer (that will address the questions regarding ground balancing the Equinox and dispel several false rumors despite some claims that I omitted it from the book as I did not understand it . . . untrue!), what V2.0 offers and how to use it for specific conditions, setting up a "cherry pick" program for different types of hunting and more . . . as we get asked questions, we will add guides to address them. The link should be working and we will be getting the content back up into the pages as quickly as we can . . . and if anyone has any accessories that they want to share or find photos to share, be sure to stop by and let us know. Wish I was able to be on all the sites all the time but I am working to get to rhem and answer questions as they arise - feel free to contact me directly if something comes up . . . Andy Sabsich

I appreciate Hugh's response as it provided the message I woudl have posted myself. The point of including programs from users around the world ALONG WITH THE REASON THEY MADE THE ADJUSTMENTS THEY DID was to avoid people simply blindly loading programs without understanding the why behind them. By looking at the settings and seeing what was changed from the factory presets, one can adapt them to their area, their preferences and their ground conditions. The book provides an overview of each function and that combined with the programs and explanations provided should help accelerate the learning curve. I have found that often driving even 20 miles from one site to another requires tweaks to settings but if you understand the function of each, that takes seconds to get dialed in and finding targets. Hope this clarifies the purpose of the programs in the book and how best to use them for your applications Andy Sabisch

Superb coin there . . . . definitely shows you know your equipment and how to find the sites that hold the targets you are looking to find. Congratulations . . . . . now get out there and find 4 more to make a nice even number . . . 20 has a nice ring to it! 😁

Very nice find to say the least . . . and it backs up my philosophy which is when someone tells you a place has been hunted for years, it simply means the easy stuff is gone and the good stuff is still there waiting to be recovered. Congratulations!

Since the Equinox first came out and the Facebook groups started up covering it, there have been several examples of settings that are posted and stated as absolutes. One that warrants some discussion is GROUND BALANCE. The common response to the question “Should I Ground Balance my Equinox?” is “No, leave it at preset as there is no need to ground balance it since it is running Multi Frequency.” Before we accept that statement as gospel, let’s step back and ask a basic question which is if there was no need to use the function, why would Minelab had included it in the first place? The answer is they would not have and it is there for a reason which is to address the adverse effect caused by mineralized ground. The more mineralized the ground is at your selected search site the more the performance will be impacted. Remember, the factory preset for this is “0” yet it offers an adjustment range from “-9” to “99” So, do you know how mineralized the ground is in your area or the sites you frequent? Do you know that mineralization levels can change dramatically in a short distance? A good example is an older house where the front yard can be mild in terms of mineralization while the backyard can be severe due to coal cinders and other stuff in the ground. On a site such as this, settings that would be ideal for the front of the house might be mediocre at best in the backyard and ground balance may be the setting that corrects that issue. In the area around where I live in Michigan, the Ground Balance registers between 55 and 75 on the Equinox. I do extensive testing on actual targets before recovering them (great use for poker chips) so I can see if making a change or changes will improve performance and I have found that performing a Ground Balance at my sites makes a noticeable difference over leaving it at preset. In fact, several times I have found that a deeper target either is not detected or mis-identified with the GB at preset compared to setting it correctly. It also runs quieter which helps pick out those marginal signals. So, I could make the absolute statement that “Ground Balancing is always required” but is that really an accurate statement for any location worldwide? This past weekend my wife and I attended a hunt (rally) in central Pennsylvania and we stopped at an old school (circa 1924) on the way to the hunt site. I Ground Balanced the Equinox 800 and the site registered between 14 and 18 . . . much different than my home sites. I searched for a few minutes and got a good, deep signal. I reset the GB to “0” and checked the target . . .it was still discernible. So, in this case, adjusting the GB off of the preset did not buy me anything. The hunt site was a bit different and in some areas, the ground registered 50 or higher. In those cases, coins on edge were not as clear with the GB at preset (0) as compared to setting the unit for the ground conditions. I used the Equinox on my last trip to England and rarely saw GB values above 20 in any of the fields we visited. The takeaway from this is that there is no “one rule fits all conditions” as site conditions can and do change which will cause you to reassess your settings and make the adjustments needed to compensate for those changes. If you want to get an accurate answer to the question “Should I Ground Balance my Equinox?”, do the following . . . . 1) Do an Auto Ground Balance at your site to see what the ground mineralization is. 2) Find and mark a deep target. 3) Sweep over it with the GB set at “0” (preset) and then again with it at the value you found when you GB’ed the Equinox. If you get a cleaner, stronger signal with the GB set off preset, you have your answer for that location. If not, leave it at preset and reap the rewards. But avoid saying it always should be left at Preset based on an Internet forum or Facebook post as the person that made the post might be searching sites totally different than what you are. Dial the detector in to YOUR sites and YOUR targets . . . you will always do better than simply taking advice that might be fine in one area and not another and usually that other area will be yours. Hope this helps . . . . . remember, the answer to virtually any question that pertains to setting a metal detector is almost always "IT DEPENDS" as conditions vary so greatly!

Daniel, I think you know that I gravitate to those that know the detectors I write about and not the ones with the flashiest YouTube videos or the most posts on some forum . . . Social Media is a great tool but when people become self-proclaimed experts and spread bad information, it is a double edged sword. It is a shame that people pick that information up and get more frustrated than had they left well enough alone. You will recognize the veterans that I contacted for input in the book and each is well recognized in their are(s) of expertise. Andy Sabisch

Sorry for not getting back . . . life tends to get in the way of the best laid plans at times. We just got them in from the printer last Friday and we were out of town for a few days so we have been playing catch up trying to get books shipped out to those that per-ordered them. Appreciate the input provided . . . . feedback has been positive so far. Steve. . . can you shoot me an E-mail at asabisch@att.net . . have been looking for your contact information and wanted to get a copy out to you.

Wanted to see who was using the Equinox for prospecting and if you are, woudl you be willing to share settings and some find photos for the new Equinox Handbook that is getting ready to ship to the printer . . . will send a copy of the book when they come in if we can use them in the book. Send prospecting find photos or settings to asabisch@att.net Thanks in advance,, Andy Sabisch

As Chase alluded to, we held off updating the book until the software updates were completed and there had been run time in the field to ensure settings were provided for the latest software versions. We released the new book in mid-January 2019 and it should be making its way to dealers at the time this update was posted. Appreciate the input many provided . . . positive feedback from those that have received it so far agrees. We have them available if you can't find one . . . Andy Sabisch

Personally I have always been partial to the 6x10 and 4x6 coils for relic hunting with my MXT Pro. But not sure if I would make a switch to the Sport from the Pro if I already had the Pro . . . more coils available and a proven performer. The MX Sport offers a number of adjustments and features not found on the MXT Pro but as some have indicated, it does have some issues with the stock DD coil that it comes with. There have been posts about using the prospecting mode with VCO turned off and selecting 2 tones . . . there will be some tweaking for each person based on site, conditions and preferences. As more get out there, there will be more feedback - positive and not so positive . . . . all of which can help in the buying decision

There will be a 6x10 and 950 coil coming or should be available as we speak . . . . I had the chance to test both and saw a notable difference over the stock coil. Of course with both of the optional coils not being solid, it will make them difficult to use in the water.

I wanted to weigh in on this post and provide some additional information to build on the field test report I penned for Lost Treasure Magazine. As anyone that has been involved in testing detectors for the manufacturers can attest to, the process is a moving target where you go through multiple versions as changes are made based on tester feedback across the country. Unfortunately with digital detectors, a change to one function can have an unexpected impact on something else and we saw this in the MX Sport development process. Software is a tricky business and that is what runs most detectors nowadays. Having multiple modes takes the MXS to the next level . . . if they do what they were intended to do . . . . and there in lies some of the issues people are noting. Audio rules for true performance in the field and that was one area that I provided feedback to the team in Sweet Home on as well as alluded to in the report. Those that have read my reports over the years know how to read between the lines to see when something is being pointed out politely . . . if I write the detector picked up coins down to 5 inches you can read that the depth was not there. The 8 and 20 tone option is in most areas unusable due to the TID fluctuation causing multiple tones from a single target and in many cases this is for one that is not co-located with other items. The SAT option can help to some degree in the "hanging" one sees when you get over a target in terms of resetting the signal but in trash, the stock coil struggles. I had the ability to try the other 2 coils for the MX Sport (6x10 DD and 9.5 Concentric) and noted that performance improved with both of them. The rusted bottlecap affinity of the stock coil was addressed and the unit appeared more stable. The stock coil has similar issues to the stock coil on the V3i (and we have seen the same with club members comparing the Treasure Master and the Treasure Pro where the coil acts differently) so not sure if it is an issue with the round DD coil design that White's uses. The MXT is one of my favorite relic machines and my wife is attached to her MX5 . . . and as several people have posted, the MX Sport had great expectations to take both to the next level . . . . . but as Steve and others have said, with the stock coil, it does not seem to make that expectation. The waterproof feature is a plus as is the larger display and several of the features that were added to the MXT platform. Looking strictly at the stock coil, it does struggle in high trash (most of my testing in the field test was with the 6x10 which is by far my favorite White's coil on other detectors as well) and the audio in any option above 4 tone tends to be challenging. People are making finds with it as shown on several of the forums so it does hunt but with more options hitting the street on a regular basis, there are more options to choose from. As Steve mentioned, my first real detector (other than some basic BFO or home-built units) was a White's and I have always had a soft spot for the brand. The company has stalled in recent years and it is a shame seeing what was the industry leader in the 70's and 80's fall to the spot they now hold. The MX Sport was the 3rd new model the new team released with more to come I'm sure . . . . the question is when you compare feature and price to the competition for the application each of us wants to use it in, will it rise to the top or be lost in the crowd? I'd be happy to answer any questions forum members might have on my experiences or the field test report as written . . . . Andy Sabisch