mh9162013

Iron bias (like what's on the Equinox and likely on the Legend) is a setting that can help or hurt you. N/M seemed to take the approach that b/c of the harm that can come from misusing iron bias, they wanted it fixed (not adjustable). Apparently, that has proven to be a highly unpopular approach, hence the recent change. It's an either/or situation, ie they're mutually exclusive.

If I had to guess, I'd say for every 100 more-than-casual detectorists in the United States, about 10-15 are women or those who identify as the female gender. A good proxy would be to watch the Garrett annual hunt videos. You'll notice that female detectorists are not rare.

Choose the right videos, though. Some are less about detecting and more about..."showing off" the star of the video.

I guess it depends on on how how iron bias works. Heck, it could be as simple as simply adding or subtracting X number of points to a given VDI reading.

N/M did ask themselves this question and they answered it. But apparently, they seemed to answer that question incorrectly. N/M might be falling victim to the "when you try to ride 2 horses at once, you end up falling off both." I don't think the issue here is N/M answering this question seemingly incorrectly. I think the issue is how N/M responded to the public's apparent desire for adjustable iron bias.

Because many people have a tendency to fiddle with adjustments when they shouldn't or when don't fully understand what's going on or how the adjustment works.

When testing my Equinox 600 on Monte's Nail Board, I saw first hand what a dramatic effect iron bias can have when a high conducting coin (even one like a clad dime) is placed next to a steel nail. So yeah, iron bias can be a big deal in certain situations. The problem is knowing when that "certain situation" applies.

In my experience, EMI is never constant. Sometimes my Equinox seems to get blasted out of nowhere so I run it at 12 to 15 sensitivity. Other times, I can run 23-25 no problem. And I presume the EMI hitting my Equinox is different each time...it sure does sound that way, at least. So maybe it's not possible to remove the constant environmental signal for a metal detector. Or maybe it is, but involves using tech that Codan/Minelab only wants sold to military clients?

I agree with you. It's the classic "adjustability versus simplicity" conundrum that engineers/designers often face. I think one of the issues for N/M is that they painted themselves into a corner by all-but-declaring that the Legend is better than the Equinox. Yet they made the decision to give it an iron bias that worked like the Vanquish 340 or 440. Heck, even the 540 had iron bias adjustability (high and low).

Sweet find!

There's a soon-to-be-released carbon fiber S-shaft for the Equinox. And with a relative large number of Equinoxes hitting he second-hand market, maybe you should go back to that detector?

Have you ever sold a metal detector?

https://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=294266

How would that work, exactly?

That makes sense, thanks. I'm itchin' to buy this, but I have to see if I'll prioritize it over a smaller coil (6" or 10x5 Coiltek). Then there's the NoxBox...

Great pics, thanks for sharing! Question: the distance b/w the control pod and the "S" bend in the shaft - is that some arbitrary measurement? Or is there a reason the control pod is situated where it is? I just ask b/c I'm wondering how the ergonomics might be affected if the control pod is pushed closer to the "S" bend to possibly shorten the overall length when collapsed.

Looks rather interesting. I look forward to reading more. But how can we use this calibration table to more accurately ID targets in the ground (or understand what's going on when our VDI numbers seem to be "off?")

Yeah, the heat issue seems to be the biggest concern. But this is designed for divers, so I imagine the heat issue shouldn't be a problem. The heat issue is really a potential problem for prospective buyers like me, that just want it to help provide overall protection for the Equinox.

I've been monitoring the development of the NoxBox: https://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=294266 Seems like it'll be a great waterproofing option for those who like to use the Equinox in wet environments. The only thing holding up development right now is the designer's need for an Equinox that's in bad shape (or broken).

They are; their only difference is the color/name on the outside.

Apparently, for very heavy detectors, straight shaft has better ergonomics. Also, a straight shaft design might be easier to make collapsible. But besides those reasons, I think it's just a preference thing. I don't get the conversion of the Vanquish to a straightshaft...if anything, one of its best traits is its s-shaft design. But to each their own...

How does an across the board (or near across the board) price increase by Minelab "keep the edge" against N/M and its Legend? I wouldn't be surprised if a CTX 4040 or Equinox 1000 gets announced later this year. But I don't see how that would be a reason for Minelab to increase the prices of its products now. QED: I'm inclined to believe Minelab's price increases are mostly due to inflationary pressures, not greed.

Fisher Fanatics, Bounty Hunter Backers, Minelab Minions, XP Extraordinaires, White's Worshipers, Tesoro Toadies...

Update: the TRX is a great pinpointer to use outdoors...as long as you keep it pointed down. Often, when you move the pinpointer so it's parallel to the ground or pointed up, it falses (EFE?). You can press the button to retune/detune it, but it'll sometimes start falsing a few moments later when it's pointed in a different direction. Does this make the pinpointer unuseable? Absolutely not! It's still a great pinpointer, but my F-Pulse's stability and consistency has spoiled me, so I've decided to keep that one instead. But when theTRX is used in the dug hole, it's really great and I see how the "detects from the tip" is very useful and helpful in narrowing down where a target is. The better ratcheting ability is also really nice... So, the TRX is going up for sale. Glad I got to try it, though.

I store my 9V batteries in a Storacell holder: https://www.amazon.com/Storacell-Powerpax-SlimLine-Battery-Batteries/dp/B004YG7MKM/ref=sr_1_13?crid=ND6SAORBV8LW&keywords=9v+battery+holder&qid=1644891177&sprefix=9v+battery+holder%2Caps%2C78&sr=8-13 No worries about short circuits (especially when you insert the 9V batteries upside down, unlike in that pic). Phrunt, you store (for long periods) your pinpointers WITHOUT batteries in them, right?