Chase Goldman

Sorry, too soon.... Just kidding, fell out of my chair laughing and broke my "pinpointer". "Lets see if it works..." lol.

Is your curiosity about knowing the details on this just intellectual curiosity or would it have some bearing on how you would utilize the detector? Even as an engineer, I personally couldn't care less about how they do it as long as it works (but that's just me, it shouldn't dissuade you from getting the answers you seek if intellectually curious). As a detectorist, I would only care if that knowledge is essential to how I would operate and get optimal performance out of the detector. Since it is just an on demand thing rather than an adjustable parameter, I don't see much value in determining the inner workings of noise suppression in the Equinox. Multi IQ, however, I am very interested in especially how it is implemented differently in the varoius detecting modes. That would give me some insight into, for instance, whether beach mode might make sense to run in certain mineralized soils (making this up for illustrative purposes). Minelab has given some info but is definitely protecting their "secret sauce" for now. Whether they are being secretive because they are still tweaking Multi IQ or because the info remains proprietary will determine whethervwe learn more about its inner workings in the future, I guess.

Paul, Sounds like you got it all sorted and cannot argue with your logic at all. If you are going to ultimately go with the outstanding GPZ or GPX detectors for gold (I own a 4800 but for relic hunting in hot ground not for the gold hunting it was designed for) you will find the Equinox to be a great complimentary detector and will likely be well served to retain it, as you suspected. Now we just have to wait for Minelab to deliver on their end with the Equinox. Happy Hunting - its a great time full of surprises so welcome to the insane asylum. Lol..

Not at all, after all Steve thought it best to move the thread which aligns with your concern, so in his words, no harm, no foul, no worries.

It should be a great turn on and go detector for beginner and expert alike. Just pick your program (park, field, beach, gold) and swing away no real tweaking needed. As you grow in experience you can experiment with new settings and the machine should be able to grow with you. My only caution is that, even though the Equinox appears to be a great value, I seldom recommend to any new detectorist dropping that much money on a their first machine, not because the machine is not worth it, but often new folks may find that the hobby is not for them after all and they have just spent all this money. It takes a lot of patience, learning, and pragmatic expectations about what you will find. I usually recommend introducing the hobby to a newcomer using a much lower priced but capable machine, if it turns out to be their cup of tea, then they can always upgrade down the road with relatively little up front investment. Folks often do not realize that you will dig a huge amount of trash targets for every keeper. You will have days of being shut out and days when you will find keeper after keeper everywhere you put the coil. It's kind of a streaky thing. To me it is the challenge of search rather than the find itself. I do not detect with an intent to sell my finds nor think about the hobby in terms of when my finds will "pay for my machine." To me that is like work, and I detect to get away from the stress of work. The solitude, exercise, adventure, unexpected surprises and camaraderie with like minded gadget geeks, adventurists, history buffs, and puzzle solvers is what I seek. The finds are just icing on the cake. That being said, I do not think you can go wrong with the Equinox. It will certainly tackle your desired targets in coinage and gold unless Minelab has totally botched it (and no one thinks they have). In addition, even though you "think" you want to just do coins and gold, you may find you have other detecting interests after you get started and having a flexible swiss army knife type machine keeps you from being locked in to the limitations of a specialized gold machine from the get go.. And if detecting turns out to be a temporary venture, should easily hold its resale value. To answer your question: yes I think the Equinox will be a good purchase for you.

Equinox should unlock some great history for you, Randy. Your permission sounds like the detectorist's version of heaven.

Hope he's got some insider info from Minelab and not just parroting the Minelab press release.

Steve - thanks for finding it a better home. I could see how the title could be problematic too.

Bangs head. Yep. Missed that. Again Deus paradigm, that noise reduction initialization is also done on the Deus but automatically on the Deus upon startup. The advantage of having the button on the Minelab though, allows you to reengage the noise cancellation adjustment on the fly if site conditions change. With Deus you would have to inconveniently power cycle the detector. Regardless, though extremely effective, these noise cancelling features are not always 100% foolproof and the discrete frequency “trick” is there as an option. Steve mentioned this in another post as one possible scenario where discrete frequency operation might be preferred to Multi IQ (that and Gold mode were the only scenarios thought up). With on demand noise cancel though, it should be rare you would ever have to use it. Since the CTX only operates in Multifrequency modes, the term “channels” above must mean that slight variations in the multifrequency base frequencies are applied to find quiet modes. Similar principle must be used for Multi IQ (think 5.1, 9.9, 15.1, 19.9 and 40.1 kHz vs. 5,10,15,20, 40 kHz. - in fact I bet Equinox almost never operates exactly at each of those base frequencies. More speculation at MultiIQ secret sauce).

He also wanted constructive, honest criticism too and set up a thread for that purpose. I explained the purpose of the thread title, as an attention grabber to stimulate robust discussion, not to bash. I wonder if some of the issues arise, too, when folk’s don’t read through the threads thoroughly. Even Steve joined in on this discussion and didn’t seem to take it in a negative light. But I agree with you on the patience piece. However, I didn’t sense folks in this thread were complaining (again) about the Equinox not being here yet. In fact, the back and forth seems like a healthy way to talk and learn about Equinox pros and cons in the mean time before it’s release. Sorry the discussion is being perceived as negative by you, not the intent at all. As a matter of fact, quite the opposite as I perceived that some folks were forming possibly unrealistic expectations about some aspects of Equinox performance. You can imagine the negativity that would result if those expectations are not eventually met (you are already sensing it by the tone of some of the postings on the forum). Realigning to more realistic expectations of performance through discussion was the purpose of the thread.

Good question. If hit by Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) that affects Multi IQ mode you can switch to single frequency mode and then you have a choice of at least 3 discrete operating frequencies (5, 10, 15khz) to choose from for the 600. For the 800, you can also use 2 additional (20 and 40 khz) to attempt to find a clear frequency. Even though these frequencies are all are harmonic multiples of 5 khz, you should still be able to avoid the EMI as higher frequencies tend to be less susceptible to EMI. This tends to be superior to simply frequency shifting slightly away from the base frequency such as in the AT series and other single frequency detectors that have the capabilty to slightly shift frequency. The tradeoff for doing this is you lose the benefits of Multi IQ but if necessary to detect your site at all, at least it is an option. The Deus which is a discrete multifrequency machine has the ability to shift each of the 3 or 4 available base frequencies (coil dependent), like the AT series. I do not know whether Equinox has this capability in discrete frequency mode. Side notes: When in Mult IQ operation BOTH Equinox 600 and 800 operate all 5 of the above frequencies simultaneously even though only the 800 can operate the upper two discretely. And EMF, besides being an annoying one-hit-wonder band from the 90's, is a physical property of electromagnetism that, among other things, enables torque to be applies to electric motors. Electrical engineers like to make even their terminology and not just the concepts, confusing. HTH

Hope so! BTW the complete discussion including the excerpt posted by NSC is at this link: https://www.minelab.com/anz/go-minelabbing/treasure-talk/equinox-technologies-part-1

Thanks NSC for posting that information in this thread. I have seen that technical comparison between MultiIQ and BBS/FBS from Minelab and also related comments from beach detectorists here about not caring too much about the "silver advantage" of BBS/FBS vs. MultI IQ because they are mainly after gold. So that appears to be the Minelab technical statement a lot of beach detectorists are hanging their hat and dreams on for the Equinox. I honestly hope it IS a game changer for wet salt beach detecting. That would be a great thing.

The provocative thread title is not meant as a headline scoop for a newly revealed design flaw in the Equinox but as a discussion point as explained below. Perspective: I see the Equinox as a machine that that encompasses advanced detecting technology that enables it to be a jack of many trades, but not necessarily a master of all or even possibly any. I have a Deus and a GPX and a number of other VLF detectors that sit around collecting dust because I am generally swinging my Deus when I can and my GPX when I have to (deep relic hunting in highly mineralized soil). The Equinox is attractive to me because I see that it will excel VS. THE DEUS at wet salt beach hunting (an admittedly extremely low bar) which is something I would like to explore further as the Deus limits my ability to do that effectively. Yet, I do not see myself even becoming primarily a salt beach hunter. I also see the MultiIQ technology coupled with fast recovery speed of the Equinox and dedicated single high frequency (aka Gold Mode) options as a detector that can seriously challenge the Deus in mineralized soil conditions and thick iron as well as for mid-conductive relic hunting (namely brass hardware and buttons) vice gold. It, at the very least, may open up some opportunities at sites where I would have to scan the site more than once with the Deus at different frequencies using the newer Deus HF coils. It will also enable me to do some back woods water hunting without having to engage all the ridiculous antenna and phone bag claptrap that is required to make the Deus ready to be dunked in the drink. I never envisioned the Equinox as a detector that would obsolete existing Minelab BBS and FBS machines at salt beach hunting. Obviously the Excal II is also a Dive machine so the Equinox cannot replace that capability and the Sovs are revered for their abilities on and off the beach as is the CTX, even if it is a bear to lug around. The PI beach machines are are a different animal altogether. Basis for Discussion: I see a lot of dedicated salt beach detectorists here and I can't help but wonder if there will be disappointment amongst the dedicated salt beach crowd with respect to Equinox performance vs. the existing Minelab salt beach "royalty" detectors. I know that some here consider me "confused" when it comes to discussing this topic, but the only reason I bring it up is to learn from the anticipated back and forth discussion in the thread I am coming at this not as an expert in salt beach hunting, because I am obviously not that, but as a detector geek. I can't help but wonder why dedicated salt beach detectorists think the Equinox will hold a candle to their existing beach machines at the price point and with the other non-salt-beach related capabilities offered. Logically, there just has to be compromises made by Minelab with respect to salt beach capability vs. the Sovs, Excals, and CTX's (i.e., the "no free lunch" axiom). Don't get me wrong, the Equinox should be capable and up to the task of Salt Beach hunting, but will it excel vs. these other detectors or is it just wishful thinking and a pipe dream? Is there healthy skepticism or unrealistic expectations? So please give me your thoughts. Thanks.

Any idea on availability? Are dealers taking preorders on WP phones?

Doesn’t sound like a paper manual will last long in that environment either. At least with a PDF you could reprint the manual after the original becomes soggy and sandy or print selected pages smaller and suitable for laminating for rugged field use which solves the phone problem. Seems like a professionally printed manual with access to the most up to date PDF version would be the best of both worlds with minimal expense. Edit: Upon further reflection, a laminated version of the quick start guide might be best for your purposes.

Might want to consider another dealer who knows the correct answers to these basic questions. All he needed to do was pull up the Minelab site and gain some familiarity with the product he is selling. You place a lot of trust in these folks. Good on you for checking but imagine if you just put your trust in the dealer and went with his off the cuff answer. You’d have a great pair of CTX phones and a return hassle.

100% agree with you on all points. If you saw my previous post I tried to dissuade her from Deus and Garrett (who she said she was considering as alternatives out of frustration with the Equinox rollout) for those very points and instead consider Etrac. Once she acknowledged weight was a significant driver with you that’s when I pointed her back to Deus. I also think First Texas machines (Fisher F75 and Teknetics T2) are well balanced for their weight, have an awesome user interface and feature set, fair priced, and perform great though not waterproof. Problem is making recommendations for her without a clear picture of her detecting habits and what she wants most out of a detector. I got the feeling she was interested in Equinox mainly because it was being marketed as a light weight machine vs. it’s other key features (MultIQ, fast recovery time, and waterproof).

When someone posts that they are afraid of being heartbroken by a metal detector, it doesn't require that much of a logical leap to get to "distraught". Lol. Minelab is not doing anything whatsoever different from any other new electronics manufacturer does to generate hype be it Samsung, Apple, Tesla, Garrett, or Minelab. It's called Marketing to generate hype and it gets some folks really excited and others really frustrated, unfortunately. Enough of that. What I really want to do is make a recommendation now that I know detector weight is a prime consideration. If weight is the issue, then I DO highly recommend the Deus. It can literally be swung ALL DAY. I know a detectorist with severe arthritis and they rekon the Deus has added perhaps 2 or 3 more years to their ability to detect. The new HF coils are incredible (and light). I own a Deus and do not intend to give it up even if I get and love the Equinox. The Equinox is lighter than most but will still weigh a full pound more than the Deus (which translates to 1/2 the weight of the Deus and makes a huge difference in personal comfort). If anything, if weight and balance are important, I DO NOT recommend any Garrett AT series detector. They are good workorse detectors but weight and weight distribution are not their forte. You don't have to be Popeye to swing them but if you have shoulder arthritis or back problems you will need a harness which to me is an encumberance that can be avoided with other detector choices such as Deus. HTH.

Just kind of scratching my head on this one. Not sure why you would not just wait a few more weeks and let Minelab attempt to meet its first advertised deadline. The detectors you are looking at either do not hold a candle to the Equinox in terms of technical capability (single frequency Garrett AT Max, I presume) or cost 1.5 times as much as still have some shortcomings vs. the Equinox (Deus - and I own one and love it, but know where it falls short vs. Equinox and where the Equinox falls short vs. Deus). But without knowing what is attracting you to the Equinox in the first place and what you are hoping it can do for you, it is hard to make an alternative recommendation. For example, why is another capable multi-frequency Minelab (e.g., Safari or E-Trac) not in the running? Genuinely wishing you the best in whatever direction you decide to go, but would like to help you with some recommendations, if you wish because you seem to be very distraught about the Equinox release situation.

I honestly do not think Minelab is going to lose sleep over defections because (1) most folks, Judy excepted, have a usable detector that can hold them over until ML actually issues the most buzzworthy detector in years, a detector thst specs wise easily blows away the AT Max and (2) Professional gold prospecting and munitions detection probably make up the vast majority of their sales, so a few hobbiest defectors to Garrett will not move the needle at all. Minelab knows what they have. That being said, they will likely do their best to meet officially advertised delivery dates but not at the expense of delivering a NRFPT product. There really is no motivation for them to string potential buyers along.

Yes, a little confused as to what point you were attemting to make, originally. Seemed like you were slogging Equinox. Thanks for setting me straight, though. You are right. I don’t know those detectors well, I own a Deus and hunt with that and a GPX mostly. So what you are saying is for Equinox to be worth it for you (to move on from your GT) it needs to outperform the other salt water Minelab’s in moving salt water and it hasn’t demonstrated that yet. Looking to get more into wet beach hunting with the Equinox so I'm eager to learn the nuances of what should be expected before I plop down 900 or even 650 bucks for one. Thanks again for laying it out so clearly in the followup post. I think you missed my point though, it is possible a $650 detector is NOT going to out perform your beloved Sovs. And I don't actually consider that a fail because...I will have a $650 to $900 detector that will likely do better than any other detector in its price range at the beach, in the gold field, pucking silver in the park, or cherry picking relics in mineralized plowed fields. Hope the Equinox earns its salt for you, but if not, your GTs will still get it done, and that's great.

And an Excal II and a CTX should bang on it as hard as well, I would expect no less from these specialized or top of the line Minelab Multi frequency detectors. But is the demonstrated performance coming at the same cost and/or with the same overall flexibility, though? That is the question folks should be asking themselves about the Equinox. Did Minelab come up with the proper balance of features, performance, cost? Balance means that the Equinox SHOULD be outperformed in some respects by other detectors in Minelab’s product line. So if the Equinox is not the end all and be all needed for a specific set of conditions, not surprising that folks ma stick with their GTs, Excals, or CTX. In my case, I am expecting improved mineralized dirt performance vs. any other vlf out there be it Multi frequency or not. I still don’t expect it to outperform my GPX. My GPX doesn’t like rain...so the Equinox might come out at that point.

Being so focused in on ML products you probably have missed 1) the laughably delayed (>2 yrs) version 4 major SW update and Hf coil/pinpointer release for Deus including a bug ridden final release because they lost configuration control of their software file versions, 2) the delay from announced March 17 to actual May 17 for release of the Nokta Impact and 3) the significant delay from announcement to release of the Garrett AT Max. This is pretty much par for the course for any detector company and in fact I would say that Minelab hasn't actually done a bad job so far since when Equinox was announced at Detectival, Minelab has actually not yet missed an officially announced deadline which is a better track record than these three other detector manufacturers had in 2017. Any dates that have been missed are unofficial dates that have been thrown out there by dealers AFAICT, which tends to ratchet up the feelings of frustration for promises unfulfilled. IOW good luck finding significantly better satisfaction from another detector manufacturer, much less, a better product than the Equinox. Of course now that I have said that, I have sealed Equinox’s fate and it should flame out badly. Lol. Anyway, just as in detecting itself, patience and healthy skepticism is usually rewarded, it certainly lowers one’s blood pressure and perhaps fends off heartbreak. Hang in there, Judy.

Did you order the headphones from the same dealer who is supplying your Equinox order and they were taking orders for them already? What about accessory coils?