TedinVT

7 hours ago, grasshopper said:

Sorry if i may have missed this in an earlier post, could the 50% increase in power be related to increasing the percentage of a low frequency waveform to the manticore SMF mix?  I know my Deus1 drew battery power at higher rates as i changed to lower frequencies. If minelab is using a new lower frequency and has changed the recipe of frequencies,to go after higher conductors with the new manticore, wouldn't this account for a higher current draw and thus allow Minelab to make this claim?

Just throwing this out there. 

Rich - 

Interesting thought, Rich.  You can bet someone with a spectrum analyzer and time to kill will be looking at that.  The first month or two after commercial release will be filled with reports and we'll all (in the north) have some fun winter reading and watching.

2 hours ago, NAGANT said:

No full manual and weird marketing points to pressure to get this in the buyers head now to stall buying other makes.   The manual isn't available due to software tweaking I'm thinking, the basic start up guide isn't affected.  Depending how anal  or conflicted the engineering team is will determine release date.  New Minelab releases crank up used classifieds everytime.

You nailed it!

Probably more important than ever to turn your cell phone off when detecting to prevent it from exploding into a massive fireball.

38 minutes ago, vive equinox said:

i am not english but i understood 1599€ vat included in the video🤔 , does he said that ? 
 

 I feel like this 2d bargraph is an insignificant gimmick 🤨

I would like to see the shape rendered on a pulltab

Yeah, the shape rendering of pull tabs will help sales!😁

Coming from the ATPro to the Nox in 2018 I really missed the 0-99 VDI range.  Glad Minelab is adding that.  Put some distance between copper pennies and dimes, etc. I hope.  Based on the latest 47 minute YouTube video I'm not seeing any reason to shelve my Nox though the leaking issue stays on my mind.  The real test will be when folks start doing comparisons of the Beast, D2 and Nox head to head on land and in saltwater.

I prefer Park 1 multi in fresh water.

1 hour ago, GB_Amateur said:

Ok, it's been 10 days since the original post was made in this thread.  I'll chime in now.  For starters, here's the page in the manual that covers the Pinpoint function:

If you have an Equinox, are interested in using the pinpoint function, and you haven't read it previously, now's a good time to do that.  And if you have read it before, read it again!    nwdetectorist mentioned part of the coverage of this topic by Andy Sabisch in his book.  The full description/instruction begins on p. 45 and goes through p. 47.  I just reviewed that as well.  It's very good, but IMO not as good as what I'm going to say below.  #2.  Important note:  what I relate below is a combination of things I've read (e.g. manual page above, Sabisch's book, posts here on this site) and things I've figured out on my own.  Unless specifically called out, from now on just assume these are my opinions (so I don't have to keep repeating 'IMO') based up all of those forms of learning, and keep in mind what I say may not be accurate.  (Everyone could say that on just about every post, but I'm going to emphasize it here.  Proceed, if you wish, with this in mind.)

0) The pinpoint function (PF) on the ML Eqx has some good features and some bad ones.  As has been noted in some posts above and much previous literature (here and elsewhere), there are many ways to pinpoint a target.  The pinpoint function is a tool but shouldn't be used exclusively.  In my case I use many methods, sometimes all of them on a single target.  But keep in mind that many people prefer not to use the PF, for their own reasons and preferences.  Also, the Eqx PF has some things in common with other detectors but you'll be confused if you expect it to do all the things exactly the same as your other detectors PF functions do (more below).

1) The PF has both audio and a visual indication.  Obviously you can use either or both.  I'd estimate that I use the audio part of PF on at least half of all my targets, but the visual tool on only a few % of finds.  Basically, the visual tool (common to the ML X-Terra series, and maybe others) has an open circular ring around the outside of the display which fills in completely when centered over the target.  At least that's the intent.  As Sabisch points out, for very strong targets that saturate this feature, the ring can fill in before you get centered.  Detuning necessary.  More on that later.

2) The manual mentions "tone and volume modulated".  Volume, yes, but tone pitch?  That is subtle at best.  One of the earlier posters said it was a VCO audio and it might be, but it's nothing like the VCO I've heard on other detectors.  I depend solely upon tone volume for audio determination of target location in PF.

3) There is an annoying occurrence which has been noted (complained about?) since the Eqx was released -- sometimes when activated, the sound from PF is muted and barely audible.  I think one of the software updates addressed this but it didn't completely eliminate the problem.  Sometimes moving away from the target, waiting a couple seconds, and returning solves the problem.  But so does moving to the side, getting out of PF, and then restarting.  These both take about the same amount of time and the latter one is probably more reliable.

4) One thing I disagree with the ML manual above where it says:  "The target ID of the detected target will remain on the Target ID display and the depth indicator will show its approximate depth."  Those statements are inaccurate and misleading.  Both of these indicators are frozen in their respective positions when the PF is activated.  The best location of the coil for determining the optimal readings of these two features is directly over the center of the target when in motion modes, not pinpoint!  As you move away from the target, getting ready to activate PF, you typically get a dTID and a strength indication but those won't be optimal because they are reflective of what the detector picked up when you were moving off to the side to activate pinpoint.  (Some detectors give accurate digital target ID's and depth while in PF.  The Eqx does not.  I suggest you ignore both when in PF.)

5) PF works best when the coil is kept at a uniform height above the ground when moving the coil after activation of PF.  The easiest way to do this is to have the coil in its 'natural' height -- the same height you keep it when searching.  But sometimes (see below) you may want to keep the coil well above the ground so in this cases be particularly careful since it's awkward to maintain a unifrom height in this unnatural position.

6) As noted in the manual and in the Sabisch book, the PF has a dynamic detuning feature which personally I find annoying, frustrating, and worse than worthless.  They should have given users the option of turning it off.   Fortunately it's slow enough to activate that most of the time I don't notice it.  Also fortunately, they include a manual method for detuning which is quite useful.

OK, after all these caveats, let's start with the simplest use of locating a small target and then go into the initial poster's request of target sizing.  You've found a target you want to investigate and would like to accurately pinpoint it for further investigation and/or recovery.  While still in the search mode, move the coil to the side (toward or away also works but to the side is better) until your detector goes quiet.  How far to the side?  Well, you often don't get complete freedom because there are other targets nearby.  Somewhere between half a coil radius and the full coil radius (5.5" for the stock coil) is usually good.  Just make sure it's far enough for the detector to go silent.  Press the pinoint button. (Note:  unlike some detectors, this is a toggle switch so not only don't you need to keep it held down when pinpointing, you shouldn't.  PF stays on until you press the button again.)  Then move the coil (at a moderate to slow pace) back over where you initially determined the target to be and when you get a tone, move it around side-to-side and front-back to get the loudest sound.  If you want to use the visual feature of PF, watch the screen and when all of the segments of the circular ring are highlighted, you've found the target location.  Because of the DD nature of the coil windings, pinpointing with left-to-right motion is more profound/crisp than forward and backward coil movement.  Thus to really get an accurate location, you can walk around the target and just move the coil left-to-right, noting the location that gives maximum volume at multiple compass directions.

If the target gives a strong (loud) PF signal, the manual detune feature comes in handy.  At a coil location where you still hear sound from the target, but not at the volume max, turn off PF and then turn it back on.  Now move back over the target and not only will you get a less ear-blasting sound but also a sharper location.  If the extended target is particularly large/loud you may want to activate and subsequently move the coil (off center, of course) when it is elevated considerably above ground level, e.g. 6 inches above.

OK, what about sizing medium to large extent targets?  While in search mode, move the center of the coil a coil radius (or a bit more, as necessary) away from the perceived target location, again making sure you are over 'silent' ground, not the intended target and not a nearby target.  Activate PF and rather slowly move towards and eventually past the previously perceived target location.  If it's a non-pointlike target (i.e. extended) as you move the coil take note of when the sound appears and when it PF goes silent.  Definitely move around the target and repeat.  For example, if it's a linear target such as a horizontally oriented piece of rebar (i.e. parallel to the surface), in one direction you'll get the sharpest blip from there a 90 degree compass angle change will result in a long, drawn out tone.  How about a paint can lid (again, let's assume oriented parallel to the ground surface)?  Now no matter what compass position you choose, the length of movement from silent to loudest to silent will be about the same.

Manual detuning over an extended target works, too.  You can hone in on the centroid of the target by successive manual detunes.

Now, a word of caution regarding not getting fooled by the dynamic detune feature.  Let's say you've found a silent location near the target to activate PF.  You then move the coil over the target and past it, encountering a strong(er) nearby target than the one you are interested in.  If sufficiently strong, the dynamic pinpoint will kick in and when you subsequently swing back to your intended target you hear nothing.  !#&*@!@%%!#&(!!  You've got to start over and be careful not to get near that unintended target.  Coming from a different direction might be the best solution.  Sometimes nearby targets are so close and loud that PF won't even work at all for locating your intended target.  You'll have to resort to other pinpointing methods in those cases, or dig and remove the nearby bully target and then go back to locating your intended one.  I do this fairly often when I encounter a undesired large target near my intended (hopefully good) target.

Another word of caution, if you don't keep the coil at a uniform height when moving it while in the PF you won't get reliable audio or visual reporting of location by the detector.

One final note.  A metal detector 'sees' the solid angular extent of a target, not its size.  A deep, extended target may sound (when pinpointing as well as searching) like small pointlike targets such as a coin when using PF.  As an anology, consider an approaching train which you can discern far in the distance.  Looks pretty tiny.  Hint:  don't assume it's going to stay tiny and set up your picnic blanket in the middle of the tracks!!  #3 (and final)

Excellent write-up GB.  The described technique is the one I use regularly.  In pinpoint mode, I locate the center of the target (peak segments and sound) then rotate the coil in place on the ground 90 degrees and finesse the pinpoint readings to peak again.  For coins, a golf ball to baseball diameter plug (depending on target depth and the size of your hand or digger) is all that is required.  A word of caution, if you haven't reinforced your coil ears, be careful when rotating the 90 degrees on the ground so you don't twist so hard that you risk breaking a coil ear(s).

My 800 is well past the 3 year warranty.  The stock coil ears broke in April 2020 hunting dry land and with a coil ear support gizmo attached.  The support gizmo didn't prevent the breakage.  I would not recommend one of those 3D printed devices.  I use the Nox in fresh and saltwater, often completely submerged, as well as dry land in every type of terrain.  
Gigmaster put up a YouTube video showing his coil ear reinforcement:

I did this reinforcement using the same materials and it came out great and feels solid as a rock and is holding up perfectly.

Interesting test.  Results were not what I would expect.

Credit to Gigmaster for his latest video identifying a good bet for the source of the control pod leaks.  Very interesting. 

While I'm at it, Gigmaster recently did a video on how he is repairing and reinforcing the Nox coil ears.  I had both coil ears fail last year and had the coil replaced under warranty.  Now that my warranty expired in Feb. I figured I'd give Gig's ABS plastic reinforcing mod a try.  I used 1/8” ABS (I wouldn't recommend anything thicker) and Gorilla Weld 2 part epoxy like Gig used.  It went very well and is rock solid.

The LEDs are very small.  They light if the headphones are taking a charge and go out when the headphones are fully charged.  My ML80 headphones usually charge in less than an hour.

One other consideration...  were all of you swinging over the target in the same direction?  If one coil crosses over the target in one direction and another coil crosses over the target at 90 degrees from the first coil direction you may get different results, much the same as if you “tested” the target from those two different directions with your detector. Think of a coin on edge example.  I'm also assuming all your coils were passing over the ground at the same height.

I agree with NCtoad.  You really have to go through all the settings and make sure all the machines are set up identically in order to make any 1:1 comparisons.

I use the ML Bluetooth headphones for most of my field, woods, playground, etc. detecting.

I use my Pelso waterproof headphones for fresh and saltwater beach and water detecting.

I use the WM08 wireless module with wired earbuds in the very hot weather and when I wear a wide brimmed hat for sun protection that doesn't work well with regular headphones.

F2 = 4 all detect modes

Nice job!  Looks like it could take a direct hit and keep on truckin'.

Pelsos all the way.  Chase & Midalake advice is right on.  Love my Pelsos.  Even though you plan on wading you still have to contend with waves and splashing so waterproof headphones are still the smart choice.

I'd say if your only use will be to hunt beaches, go for the 600 and put the money you'll save from not going for the 800 toward a decent set of waterproof headphones.  If you hunt the wet sand and in the water you'll want waterproof headphones.  I have the 800 and hunt everywhere.  I bought the LS Pelso waterproof headphones for the saltwater and freshwater beaches.  They've worked well.  Also, consider buying a carbon fiber shaft if you'll be in the salt water.

2 hours ago, dewcon4414 said:

So is it the boards arent grounded?   I wouldnt think the box would pick up much EMI.  Most of the EMI should be comes from the coil.

Sure, the coil can be a source, but unshielded electronics can act like a receiver to pick up external signals if they are strong enough.  The “cell phone too close to the control pad” causing noise is a prime example of this.  Electronic junctions (a diode, for example) can act like the old crystal set radios did to detect signals.

Sounds like you are just hunting in trashy areas.  Not much you can do beyond what the first two posters have suggested.  Good suggestions by the way.  If I'm coin shooting I turn all metal off and notch out 15 through 19.

Have you tried detecting in areas known to be “clean” just to be sure and check that the abundance of target sounds decreases?

The pinpoint issue you mentioned is a known problem that has persisted since day 1.  Try pausing a few seconds after locating a target and raise your coil before initiating the pinpoint function.  It almost seems like the detector needs to settle out before pin pointing.  I've had days where the need to reset the pinpointer is less than others days.  Also, the “need to exit pinpoint and restart pinpoint” seems less frequent in colder weather, as in the 30s and 40s here in VT.

When my coil with both ears broken was replaced this summer it came with a new coil bolt and new coil cover all attached to the coil.  Nice.  Replacement was very quick.  The guys at Ft Bedford are doing a great job.

Anyone who doesn't rinse the saltwater off their metal detector, fishing equipment, etc. with fresh water after using is asking for corrosion problems.  If you are using the stock aluminum shaft in saltwater, take it apart and rinse it, let it dry before putting it back together.  Better yet, invest in one of the carbon fiber shafts.  Besides rinsing the headphone connector, remove the 4 screws that hold the control pod onto the shaft and check that for corrosion periodically - the screw bosses in the control pod handle are brass.  The anti-corrosion sprays, as mentioned by others, are worth the investment - apply after rinsing and drying.

I'd go for the 800.  It gives you room to grow as you learn its capabilities yet, as many have already said, it can be a “take it out of the box and go” machine.  The wireless headphones are a blessing and worth the extra bucks in my opinion (coming from a machine with wired headphones).

Still, any detector is only as good as the person using it.  To get proficient with any detector, you need to put in the time with it.  Learn to really listen to the sounds and what the machine is telling you.  Learn good swinging technique.  And learn patience, go slow and low.

Both of my coil ears broke in April and I'd been using a coil ear stiffener.  Didn't help in my case.  Sent the coil in for warranty replacement and received a new coil in a week.  I asked the guy at the PA repair facility why the ears break and he said over tightening the coil bolt seems to be the biggest problem.  I no longer use the ear stiffener and don't over tighten the coil bolt - so far, so good.

If you opt to use a stiffener make sure the coil bolt goes through the stiffener and ears easily and the whole assembly fits together freely on the lower shaft without needing force to get it all put together  Avoid any strain on the coil ears.

I wrecked my AT Pro coil by detecting without a coil cover.  Learned that lesson the hard way.  And the AT Pro coil was, IMHO, much more robust than the ML coil.  I always use a coil cover now, especially with the replacement cost of a ML coil.

GB_A - Doing a quick switch between the personal mode and the regular detect mode allows me flexibility as I work an area.  Not much different than setting up a personal mode with a frequency to test for bottle caps or small aluminum as you work an area.  Simple button push to quickly switch.