cjc

I agree with you 100%TVR. With practice, with very careful handling of the back connectors, this machine has a lot of potential. If you have used a lot of other pulses and know what to listen for (peaked, centered, narrow responses) the audio of this detector can be very good to you. It has the accurate characteristics of an Eric Foster circuit and because of that smoothness and detailed reporting--tells you a lot. The discrimination may sound off on some iron and some wire but the information to avoid these targets is there. Ive had problems with stability in salt conditions. These may or may not have come from corrosion on the coil contacts. I've just invested in a small coil with the hope of running this machine successfully under fast salt conditions. Fisher First Texas has made a good try of making this detector despite its problems--I feel that the potential outweighs the problems. It has TDI Pro depth, great target information and something that closely resembles discrimination. Alexandre's refinements to Eric's circuit do tell you what's iron and what isn't. He has also responded to my enquiries--something I appreciate a lot. More so than any of the new VLFs coming out--this machine is a true "secret weapon"--the one I had hoped my waterproof TDI Pro would be. Point being that when I pick this detector up---turn it over--give it a shake, look at it closely--Im forced to admit that it does what its supposed to--quite well in fact--and can be used. FT has responded to the physical problems Ive had with this machine fast and with exactitude--they have stood behind this product as constituted. That's enough for me and I would buy another if I could. cjc

If you are going to give any street cred to this kind of testing--this one seems to show the Legend in a more accurate light. Nice audio and clean transitions amongst the spikes. From my "iron cross" testing days I will say that these high resolution machines operate on a ratio--that is---there is a limit to how big or a chunk of iron they will "see through". These tests are more telling IMHO--but still not definitive of in ground performance. Anyone who wants to see the Impact and NOX perform this remarkable test can take a look at my YouTube channel. cjc

Well, really I posted that video to show that with machines with that much fidelity--these side by side tests don't mean much. One day its one machine looking better in iron--the next day its the other... c

Looks and sounds pretty good to me... cjc

In practical terms, Iron Bias controls how much extension you will hear in the signal tone when you swing the coil over alloys. Iron is the ultimate alloy--a highly diverse signal thats also magnetically connected to the surrounding ground. Another way to see Iron Bias is that it's the "grain" of the signal tone over iron and adjusts how cleaner metals will stand out. To use it effectively it helps to have a basic understanding of signal types: "clean" metal--that is composed of only a few metals, diverse alloys, like aluminum slag or a screwcap, versus magnetic type alloys--such as steel or the ferrous, non ferrous combination of a bottlecap. While I do trust N/M's judgement in selecting a single setting for the Legend (especially from a beginner's standpoint)--Im in the "yay" camp in that I like the extra fidelity at cap infested shorelines. Fine tuning this control lets me pick out aluminum and gold from these caps while others are digging everything. Im very excited about this detector and can't wait to see how it operates in these types of conditions. Based upon what I've heard of the audio--it sound like a great dense junk gold hunting machine. cjc's

That's a no--different wiring. cjc

Tadpole: http://clivesgoldpage.com/ Regards clive

This is pretty much my one big problem with the NOX--that the funky modulation just won't let you tell what is what size. With wired phones--the soft audio is a bit annoying too. My only suggestion would be to branch out a bit and use your pinpoint to tell size. I also go back and forth to Horeshoe to tell more solid objects by which side of the line the assign to. You might also try G2 as a checker with some rejects in to make the signal jump over. This sizing thing is critical and those who don't fancy using Pinpoint or the cross sweep pay a price in frustration. Hope this helps. cjc

...and this is a great question. With the NOX--in fast salt all the beggar tricks (higher disc, higher 1st tone break, low Sens, fast rec--won't let you run beach 1. (Great signal balancing practice though). Maybe the D2 is different.... cjc

This is exactly the kind of simple no nonsense testing that's needed. Laughable hearing Calabash going on about how it beats a way overtuned NOX with the Coiltek 15" --25 Sens --ya right... As itchy as my trigger finger is--that's the hard dope--thanks, Midalake. cjc

You've inspired me to try cranking that big coil once more--thanks! And sorry the original blog post did say "beginner." http://www.clivesgoldpage.com/top-minelab-equinox-mistakes/ c

Its easy to say all this stuff--context notwithstanding. It's like the old " I dig everything" lament that conveniently misses the part about "where". You're having a conversation with yourself.... Im just saying that inland., or in iron and junk infested locations--these skills will help if you chose to use them--especially (as stated--holy crow) if you are a beginner. I gave up debates and hot dogs--for much the same reason--case in point. cjc

I don't agree with this--the AQ might have a a few opening night jitters but overall it does as advertised and has TDI Pro level depth while doing so. Huge potential. Also, initially, pins where the number one problem target with the AQ but as I've trained my ear I can hear the weakness and non-centered character of the tone. This is the level of hearing (and not over tuning) that's needed with a pulse of this caliber in order not to dig caps and iron. cjc

My list originally started with |"...not using.." --changed it to "never...." for that reason. cjc

"...Its all in fun until..."

"Hunting with no basic skills is great if you don't mind not having any idea what size and shape your signals are, where they are and if they are iron or not... " cjc

you are always better off testing with that kind of a target--not a solid loop. that said, I get the sense that because the metal is competing with the grounds signal--and not that different----it's being biased out--that is the difference is seen as an alloy--just as would a weak, flat bottlecap signal. there's a lot going on with the fidelity of this machine as well. signal balancing becomes much more complex. the adjustments you were making might just not be the right ones...😆 I was similarly shocked trying to run the CTX big coil in salt water--it was missing all but surface targets. But after MUCH fiddling--low Gain, super slow E/W sweep, some disc lines to clean up the target assignment, tests that alternated between fast and slow retuning --I was finally getting green rings at 18" +. It's almost like signal balancing has become some "forgotten secret" that everyone thinks these new machines full of presets will make unnecessary. They wont--and when you add in these complex audio, bias and salt balance features there's even more testing needed to get specific desired results. cjc

We are in the same wait and see boat on this one Dewcon--waiting for someone to go past in Dive mode...I don't know about you but my trigger finger is getting itchy...😆My problem with the NOX is that it often drops into low TX doing who knows what. Also, if the D2 is losing depth in salt with the 9" coil, the big coil can only be worse. Even the mighty CTX has this problem--just can't process it's own big coil with out some PHD level signal balancing.... cjc

Thanks--I'm going to use that. Hunt one place where there are just the can ends--they sound great on the NOX. cjc

Thanks GnshpCSO These all relate to basic skills and without them a super sensitive machine like the NOX is a lot harder to get the hang of. cjc

Ya, thats an old pulse hunter's trick--to feel around for the "point" of the field shape of a non ferrous targets--whereas the wider flat top of an iron field drops out abruptly as you lift the coil higher. cjc

TOP MINELAB EQUINOX MISTAKES (I know ‘em, cause I’ve made ‘em...) 1/ Not using cross sweep to determine how consistent a signal is. This results in a lot of elongated targets that sound good in one direction getting dug up. 2/ Not using pinpoint to determine how solid, what size and shape a target is also iron wide / narrow. Pinpoint can also tell you when the machine is responding to part of a larger object—like wire. The machine’s high Gain causes you to dig too many “flyspecks.” 3/ Not using the depth meter to get an idea of target size and location in the strata. The depth meter can help to correlate the other information you are getting to give a better idea of where and what size a target is. 4/ Sensitivity too high (targets don’t stand out), or small surface targets dominate the signal. Target tones become clipped sounding, machine loses depth. 5/ Bias too low (targets don’t stand out), dig alloys. 6/ Recovery speed too fast, targets don’t stand out. 7/ Using a large coil with too much sensitivity—targets don’t stand out from the larger detection field. 8/ Using a large coil with the recovery speed too fast—machine does not have time to process the information from the larger detection field. 9/ Large coil, black sand or high saline, (or fast salt) sensitivity too high --less depth than stock coil. cjc

less about the finds, more about the machine?

I did take a look at their stuff back then but Im not sure it was exact--wound up putting mine in a BHID box--rock solid. I talk to Eric quite often will have to ask him what he used. Hard to believe it would be a Gringo company lol. I tried to get a gasket from them it did not fit. cjc

Glad you found someone to take a look at it, Jerry. Sounds like the coil cable brain end. Don't forget the gasket making kit if you need it too. cjc