Steve,
I saw that comment from Brandon Niece, about his CTX being relegated to "second tier." I wonder what context he used that in -- ability to hunt in iron, or ability to ID at depth? Or, both?
Which leads to the larger issue. I totally agree with you about FBS's weakness being recovery speed in trash, and the Deus (and other similar units) weakness being target ID, especially at depth. This is why -- just as you said about your trips to Hawaii -- turf coin hunters need (at least) two machines, or -- at least HAVE needed two, up until now.
I also totally agree with you in your last paragraph, discussing how there is "more going on than just sheer depth." Absolutely. And yes, the Equinox will likely "slay the CTX in dense trash." I totally agree with you. But, the problem is this -- the Deus, for example, also "slays the CTX in dense trash." YES, that's a very important part of coin detecting -- dense trash hunting. But it's only HALF of it. Depth, and ID with depth, is the "other half," and it's why my Explorer is, thus far, far from being "obsolete."
To elaborate further...obviously, I am hunting public spots that have been HAMMERED, for the last 40-50 years. The cherry-picking of easy, old coins is largely over. If you want to find old coins in the vast majority of public spots, as I see it you have to be either A.) better at hunting "deep" than the other guys have been, or B.) better at hunting in thick trash (especially iron, where coins are partially masked) than the other guys have been. Ideally, you should be able to do BOTH of these things better than those before you. And yet, to do BOTH of these things, it has required two different machines (and, of course, two different skill sets).
I already ACCEPTED, as you have, that the Equinox will have the "hunting in trash" part well-handled. That's why I was primarily focused on the "depth/ID at depth" issue. Ideally, what I would like would be NOT to simply replace my "fast recovery, better at hunting in iron and other trash" machine with the Equinox. I would like it to replace BOTH -- my Explorer included. And so, since I am already convinced it will be a great machine in trash, I am MOST interested in the "accurate ID at depth" part of the equation. If this machine can hunt in iron like a Deus, and at depth like an FBS unit, then I am ENTIRELY SOLD. But, this is where I remain skeptical...I have to see this machine meet or exceed FBS (or hear it from trusted sources) before I believe it.
THANKS for your reply!
Steve