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First, thank you very much for your contributions to the metal detecting community. You have been very generous with your time, treasue, and knowledge. I know you addressed this a little bit a while ago. You related that the Equinox gives more audio information than the typical digital machine because it takes so many snap shots of the target in such a short period of time. How does the audio information compare to the audio of the Nokta Fors Core?

I don't do a lot of coin shooting, its not because I'm not interested, its because I literally live on a gold field so its actually easier for me to go find a nugget than it is to go find coins. Clermont the town I live in has a colourful past with gold being discovered here in the 1860's, so some of the coins to be had are quite old by Australian standards. Clermont also suffered from a massive flood in 1916 that killed over 60 people whilst they slept, this happened because the town had been built on the flats beside Hoods Lagoon an ancient river channel that is now a water hole, Hoods lagoon is away from the main present day water courses that flow past Clermont (the confluence of Sandy and Wolfang creeks). When both creeks get major flooding upstream (in the case of the 1916 flood it was due to a cyclone crossing the coast 300 kilometers away) the water backs up and flows out over the flats, in 1916 it backed up so far the water ended up inundating the town completely (some say 10 to 15 feet). The tragedy was further compounded because it not only happened in the middle of the night when people were in their beds asleep but also flash flooded at tremendous speed. For those interested I've included a couple of links to recent newspaper articles marking the centenary. ABC news article ABC news article 2 I have a good friend Paul who is mad on coin detecting, especially wading in the surf. He has an advantage in the surf because he looks like he's about 10 feet tall (obviously an exaggeration) so can wade deeper than most with some amazing finds for his efforts. He and I often go gold detecting together and on occasion we go on a coin shoot, the fact I had the Equinox 800 to play with was a good incentive on a 40 degree Celsius day, so out we went while it was still coolish targeting an area he had scoped out on previous occasions. The area he selected was near the banks of Hoods lagoon and was selected because the old town was once there but also more importantly the size of the gum trees told him they were old enough to have been there providing shade for people trying to escape the heat of summer. People like to lay down in the shade, they also place articles of value at the base of trees when they go for a swim, so the immediate areas around the bases of old gum trees are prime locations for coins. Paul having a play with the Equinox I have not even tried the EQ in the coin modes (other than having a bit of fun with Field mode when I was out prospecting, but that's another story) so you can consider me to be an absolute new chum, all I did was set the threshold tone to my liking and put the Tones on 50 using the Park mode. I wondered off from were Paul was digging up a 1 cent piece (he rubbed in the fact he had the first coin for the session, so it was game on). Now to be fair to Paul he did kind of "lead me" to the path of silverness and I was making him use an Xterra 705 as his CTX was back on the coast on lone to a friend. Sure enough in no time I had a sweet signal that screamed "dig me", it's funny how metal detecting for non-ferrous has a universal language even coming from my "Gold Prospecting" background. To me the signal sounded very sweet and mellow with the target ID complimenting what I was hearing, even though the dirt in Clermont is highly mineralised (it is a Gold Field after all) the Equinox 800 just purred along. My first Silver with the Equinox 800, a 1931 Shilling This coin would have been lost long after the 1916 floods but was still a decent find in my books, especially considering I'd only just turned the detector on. By this stage poor old Paul was a little distracted, I don't know who was more pumped him or me, he sure covered some territory with those stomping long legs of his as he hot footed it over when I screamed I had a silver coin. We shot the breeze for a bit, probably one of the highlights of this type of detecting with a good friend and definately more sociable than gold detecting where you have to keep miles away from each to avoid interference. Getting back to it I then pinged onto another "good" sounding target only inches away (the EQ really does makes a stand out signal on silver that's for sure), this time my second coin for the morning popped out of the ground. 1920 Six Pence I've really enjoyed being involved with the Equinox, its well outside my normal scope of detecting which I found challenging, being away from my comfort zone has helped me to grow in ways I had not expected as a long term gold specific metal detectorist. Tapping back into my roots chasing high frequency gold has also been extremely rewarding, I'm really looking forward to the coming months as others start to talk about their experiences with this brilliant detector. JP

I have a standard test I perform on new machines to see the drop off in distance when a gold band is scanned perpendicular vs flat to the coil. Ideally the loss when scanned perpendicular would be in the range of 33% ( 8" on edge vs 12" flat being a very good result) some machines loose 50% or more in this test. It gives me an idea of what to expect when wading fresh water sand bars where rings may settle on an angle. Thanks Tom

This is a response I gave on another forum , in response to the frustration that some are showing, even to the point of giving up on the NOX; I can understand the frustration, and as a long time Minelab loyalist, I feel your pain. I guess I'm just not there yet. I'm trying to look at it like this; Minelab is endeavoring to come out with a brand new technology, and at the same time, try to implement the suggestions of their field testers, to make it the best it can be. Surely, they've run into some things which have cost them unexpected time..... Yes, Detectival was most likely unveiling the technology a bit too early in the process, but can you imagine the buzz that they must be experiencing internally when they see just how much better this technology is! Of course they were eager to show all of us just how big a change was coming. Perhaps a little too eager.... I for one will forgive the company which has brought me all of my best finds, THROUGH their previous technological advances. Who else could have brought us BBS, FBS, and now Multi-IQ? And how different would recent detecting history be without them.

A Hawaii beach report from the DUG THAT OFFICIAL MINELAB EQUINOX 800-600 GROUP If you are not on Facebook you may not be able to see this video...

A mate said he saw on Facebook that someone somehow made a battery explode or something , is the machine still on course for release sometime in the next month ? Its probably all crap like most things on Facebook but just wondering .

That screws into the headphone jack to make it waterproof without having to plug in waterproof headphones? It seems some guys on another forum are getting worked up about the Nox needing extra accessories to completely waterproof the machine if your not using wp headphones. Thanks!!

Searcher Magazine Facebook Page Minelab tester Gordon Heritage is on the cover so I assume he does the review?

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.

It’s been all kind of questions ask here but I don’t think this one has came up . Steve just how good is the stand on holding the Equinox up ? I dislike a stand that won’t keep your detector upright every time you put it down. I like taking care of my detector and I won’t take it out until I fix a problem like falling over like a dead dog until it’s corrected. Chuck

I know the Equinox is not out yet but during all the testing did anybody run it over Monty's nail board. Just curious .... and will be interested in how it does when it gets into peoples hands.

Hi Steve and all other forum members. Just wondering will the equinox control panel front keyboard user interface stand up to the rigors of heavy use especially here in the UK with gloves on and mud everywhere. I know it has a screen protector, but will there be perhaps an aftermarket control panel cover , say for instance like the at pro covers etc, I always protect this part of the detector if possible , Maybe a simple plastic bag would suffice. Thanks Michael

Does anyone know a lot about the beach modes? Should it be actually called salt water beach modes? I just hunt freshwater and I am sure it is probably obvious to most, but would someone use the beach modes in fresh water at all? Would the equinox be best put to a normal soil mode for a fresh water beach condition? Thanks.

It may not be for everyone and especially those who do just 1 thing and are really good at it with a certain detector. But what about all the other folks and those who do a variety of hunts? The last few years has allowed a few manufactures to build detectors with a vast range of uses. I predict this new technology will be the flagship for future models to come with is great for the end user. I’ve been a Minelab dealer for 20 years, but more importantly a multi use detectorist for 40+ years. Some people think I’m a Minelab guy because of all the YouTube videos and posts I make mentioning the brand Minelab. Simple fact to set everyone straight so you understand where I come from. Brand means nothing to an accomplished hunter. Success means everything. As a detectorist, who hunts with many friends and customers, I want to find treasure. I don’t care if I’m in the warm water of Mexico or Hawaii scooping for gold rings, I want the best salt water performing detector for the task. If I’m in the rolling fields of England digging Roman coins and artifacts I need the best discrimination and ID detector I can find. If I’m in the gold rich soils of Australia or NV where many others detect, I need the most powerful detector with depth than can handle mineralized grounds. Or I could even be here in my own 150 year old town of Boise trying to sniff out another 100+ year old silver coin in a nice manicured yard of a neighbor, I need extra depth and better target identification. After all, most sites I detect have been hunted by many. And yet I still seem to find more than most others? What separates me from most of you? Not only my Success, but the fact is I have almost every detector at my fingertips. Yes, being a multi line dealer allows me the opportunity to get them all. On top of that, I have handful of select Field Staff members who also enjoy the hunt and we like to compare different detectors, coils, settings and also share our findings and knowledge. So having the ability to do all the different styles of hunts we do with most of the top performing brands, allows us to see the truth and find the best detector for the hunt we’ll be doing. I’ve yet to find 1 detector that is best at everything. In fact, I am most certain said unit will never be made because there are too many variables, soil conditions, kinds of targets and many other aspects affecting the outcome. So legs go full circle and back to the beginning. Why am I more Successful than most? The detectors I use give me the extra advantage needed to keep finding treasures in worked out sites. Most of the ones I swing are proven winners and they are Minelab models that have been tested side by side with the best of the other brands. I’m not saying in a particular soil type on a certain target, at a given depth, there is not another detector than could beat a Minelab…because I have found such instances, hence why on a rare occasion I still go back to some other brands and models. But the majority of time, the newer and more advancing technologies of Minelab is the winner. Each of the detectors I have used for Minelab since they came to the USA has been better than the previous ones they have made. Not one time did the overall performance/features of a new model not do better than the older. Here’s your options. Keep swinging your old reliable and getting a scrap here/there or start the new year with the newest (the future) technology and never worry about looking back over your shoulder. For you, what’s it going to be? For me, past performance and proof has already served me well. I know without a doubt this new Multi IQ is here to stay for a long long time and I’ll be out there swinging it at all those sites making top finds as usual. After all, I’m a detectorist and not worried about detector brand, cost or model … I want bang for the buck features, performance, versatility and a machine with better ergonomics. Anyone know of such a detector? The EQ-800…I’m pretty sure. BTW, I’m always here to earn your detector business no matter the brand and I accept some detector trades. Yes the 15% Military Discount on Minelab detectors, even the Equinox, is a great way to thank a Veteran. See you in the field, where it counts. Thanks, Gerry

OK, I promised myself I was not going to do this - start showing finds yet. It seems kind of mean. "Look what I found" when nobody can get their hands on an Equinox yet. I also have a real problem discussing depth on coins in my area, as do a lot of people in the Western U.S. but also anywhere mineralization is very high. Despite all the talk of 10" plus dimes back east or wherever, I never see that kind of depths normally. The soil here is basically decomposed granitic rock and it is heavily laden with magnetite. Just drop a magnet and pick it up, and a big glob of magnetic soil comes up with it. A Gold Bug Pro/Tek G2 will get 6 out of seven bars on the Fe304 meter here. People who have not experienced this type of soil may find it hard to imagine, but getting a dime past 6" here is very hard without using a PI. The dime signal tends to have the target id shift down until at about 6" it turns into a ferrous reading. You can detect it, but it sounds like a nail, and if you have ferrous rejected, you never hear it at all. The problem is not so much depth but accurate target id at depth, and this magnetite really interferes with detectors. I moved to Reno just over 4 years ago, and have spent considerable time park detecting, mostly while testing various detectors one against the other. And the story never changes, no matter the machine. That 6" depth barrier keeps appearing. What that means is that when I say I hit a dime at 7" it is a "whoa, wow" kind of thing. The other issue is the parks have been pretty well detected, and so for the last four years I have made few silver coin finds with VLF detectors. The explanation locally is that the parks are just hunted out, though some experiments with PI detectors had me thinking that was not true. The coins are there in at least some places, but all the detectors over them so far were missing them. Not because they were super deep, but because they read as ferrous targets past that 6" mark. Now I am not going to make crazy claims about the Equinox blowing past this barrier and doubling depth, but it is unlocking stuff by seemingly getting that "extra inch". I think there is more to it than that however. Equinox is not only getting that little bit better target id at depth, but also unlocks coins next to trash, so it is a double whammy. What this leads to is repeated moments like just happened to me a couple hours ago. I went to this little park where I found a 1944 Mercury dime with the Equinox previously. The first silver I found in the park actually. I needed to check some things and figured it was a good spot for a test run. So I fire the Equinox up, and in twenty feet I get a nice high tone, quite clear. An easy signal. I dig a plug and sure enough, at about 6" I see silver. And out pops a 1916 Mercury dime! It was worn but the date was clear. I did not want to rub it and so wrapped it and stuck it in my pocket to examine closely when I got home. The whole time I am wondering if it is one of "those" 1916 Mercury dimes, but for the life of me I could not remember which mint mark was the magic one. So I swing 10 more feet, and another nice clear high tone. It ends up being a second Mercury dime at about 8"! - a1941 S Mercury. OK, I hear everyone going "yeah, yeah, 6" or 8", big deal". That's the whole problem with talking depth with people around the country. All I can tell you is you just don't go to a local park here and walk thirty feet and dig two mercury dimes in a row in ten minutes. I in fact can't remember the last time I dug two mercury dimes in a row, it's been that long. The thing is, I did nothing special. Sensitivity was 22 out of 25 and no magic settings. Just nice high tones, dig, coins. That simple. And decent signals at that. That 1916? I washed it and put it under my 30X scope and the D I hoped for (I had checked the internet by now) turned out to be an S instead. A 1916 D in this condition might be worth around $1000 but the 1916 S, well, this is more like a $3 coin. But an exciting find all the same when it happened, that's for sure. If this was all there was to it it honestly still would be no huge thing, but this kind of thing happens repeatedly and often with the Equinox. I got a really big tease today and I am offering this little tease for you all out there. I sure like this detector! Note added 1/4/2018 - see the followup post at http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/4973-2018-year-of-the-equinox/

As the arrival of the Equinox nears I know what forum I will coming to as we start using the Equinox in our main detecting locations. I'm curious what types of detecting environments people on this forum detect in. For myself I do a lot of woods hunting, celllar hole hunting with emphasis on colonial relics. I hunt fields whenever possible, and like to detect old parks and private permissions. Many of my best sites are iron/ laden and I'm hoping the EQX 800 will help unlock the finds I'm sure are still there.

I believe most people have seen these but they were posted on Facebook or other odd ways, so here they are again posted on YouTube for easier viewing. Slow n low Published on Jan 16, 2018 The beach detecting lads wanted to see if the Equinox 800 performed well in salt water, it was quiet and stable and handled the surf very well. Please excuse my legs. It was gale force winds with freezing cold rain and nobody would follow me in to film lol. Slow n low Published on Jan 16, 2018 Testing the Equinox on the beach in wet sand and its quiet and very stable even on full sensitivity in beach mode 1, this machine is going to be very popular on beaches.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to the annual Minelab Partner Conference in Phoenix that was just held during January 14th to 16th. And I was lucky enough to swing the Equinox 800 under the tutelage of its godfather, Minelab Engineer and Product Technical Manager Mark Lawrie at the GPAA Golden Dreams mining claim near Morristown, Arizona. Being composed of tertiary volcanic rocks and soils, this area is extremely noisy, making it very difficult for most VLF gold machines to cope with. Using a small 2-grain test nugget buried at 2 inches, Mark and I adjusted settings on the EQX to get the most distinct target signal from the test nugget relative to the ground response. Although the Nox performed admirably in these exteme ground conditions, finding many small bits of lead and brass bullet shrapnel that litters the area, suffice it to say that I won’t be trading off my Gold Monster 1000 anytime soon. Granted I only was able to swing the EQX for half a day and would need a lot more time to get familiar with its capabilities, and I’m sure it would fare much better in search of small gold nuggets in non-volcanic soil types. As far as I could tell, the Equinox 800 was running the latest software version, as the Gold Mode had the multi frequency option available.

Took a closer look at the NEW quick start guide and noticed a menu setting/adjustment I hadn't seen before called "Iron Bias". 600 allows three step adjustments (0-3) while the 800 appears to allow 9 steps (0-9). The icon/brief description is across from the adjustable recovery speed setting on the guide on the bottom row. Can Steve or anyone else explain this setting? Thanks.

https://www.minelab.com/usa/go-minelabbing/treasure-talk/equinox-technologies-part-3 Cliff EQUINOX Technologies (Part 3) January 15, 2018 Minelab Electronics This is the third instalment in a blog series introducing and explaining the technologies inside our new EQUINOX detectors… (Read Part 1 here. Read Part 2 here.) Our goal was to develop a true multi-purpose detector that could not only physically be used in all-terrain conditions, but also be suitable for all types of detecting for all detectorists, and particularly those not requiring a specialist premium flagship detector optimised for only one aspect of detecting – e.g. coins, beach, gold, jewellery, water, discrimination, artefacts, etc. This multi-purpose requirement is something that could only be achieved by going beyond single frequency and creating the next generation of multi-frequency technology. Equally adaptable to all target types and ground conditions – just select your detecting location and go! An important update on the Detect Modes… Previously we have stated that Park, Field and Beach would run in multi-frequency and that Gold would only use the single frequencies of 20kHz and 40kHz, giving better results for gold nugget hunting. Our ongoing collaborative field testing feedback from around the world has resulted in further improvements to Multi-IQ to the point where multi-frequency is now the best option for Gold Mode as well, and will be the default setting. Please refer to the revised Getting Started Guide for updated product functions. Now, back to the technology: looking into our Multi-IQ diagram further… a single frequency is most sensitive to a narrow range of targets and multiple frequency is equally sensitive to a wider range of targets (e.g. the orange curve versus the white curve below). According to Philip Wahrlich, “From our testing, the Multi-IQ deployed in EQUINOX detectors has shown no significant trade-offs relative to the best single-frequency detectors and exceeded performance benchmarks in many important attributes, especially discrimination. And, for good measure, EQUINOX can also be operated as a single-frequency detector” While we could delve into this aspect further, many of our readers are likely more interested in what happens within the white Multi-IQ band itself, rather than single versus multi. What has Minelab developed new, and uniquely, with frequencies to give better performance across the whole range of targets for different conditions? The Multi-IQ transmit signal used in EQUINOX is a complex waveform where multiple frequencies are combined in a very dissimilar way than our proven BBS/FBS technology in Excalibur II / Safari / E-TRAC / CTX 3030 detectors. If you view the BBS signal amplitude on an oscilloscope, it looks something like this: In comparison, Multi-IQ looks something like this: Hence – Multi-IQ is not a derivative or evolution of BBS/FBS. Multi-IQ is a DIFFERENT method of simultaneous multi-frequency metal detection. We could also debate “simultaneous” versus “sequential” semantics; however the real detection ‘magic’ doesn’t happen with what is transmitted to and received from the coil alone. Remember, in Part 2, we discussed how frequencies are “combined AND processed” as being important for achieving better results? Let’s assess Multi-IQ for the different Detect Mode search profiles: Park 1 and Field 1 process a lower weighted frequency combination, as well as using algorithms that maximise ground balancing for soil, to achieve the best signal to noise ratio. Hence being most suited for general detecting, coin hunting, etc. Park 2 and Field 2 process a higher weighted combination of the Multi-IQ band while still ground balancing for soil. Therefore they will be more sensitive to higher frequency (low conductive) targets, but potentially more susceptible to ground noise. Beach 1 also processes a lower weighted combination, BUT uses different algorithms to maximise ground balancing for salt. Hence being most suited for both dry and wet sand conditions. Beach 2 processes a very low weighted frequency combination, using the same algorithms as Beach 1 to maximise ground balancing for salt. This search profile is designed for use in the surf and underwater. Gold 1 and Gold 2 process the higher weighted combination of the Multi-IQ band while still ground balancing for soil. However, they use different setting parameters better suited for gold nugget hunting. Will Multi-IQ technology really obsolete all single frequency detectors? We’ll continue the discussion in Part 4…

Why do you want the Equinox? Maybe I should say why I want the Equinox? For me it is the accumulation of years of detecting and knowing, that in most cases new technology brings new benefits to the hobby. For the past 20 years I’ve seen a huge leap in technology. Both the computer industry (actually had a computer business for 10 years) and of course metal detectors have excelled at a phenomenal rate. Faster CPU’s allow more data to be processed and analyzed, for both. Like most treasure hunters I’m looking for the so called edge that allows me to excel in the hobby. The presumed hunted out sites come alive with additional treasures. This adds more excitement and rewards as time is spent learning a new machine. Then, all of a sudden you believe in the detector you’re using and the finds seem to come with little if any effort on your part. Amazing, yes, humans have the ability to excel if they believe in something and detecting is no exception. Now I’d like to bring in a particular machine. The V3i when running three frequencies opened up many a site where I live. My buddy, who first purchased the V3i whipped me at every site when it came to finding silver, so his nickname became Fred Silverman, hence the phrase. We spent many hours comparing targets and the majority of the time my machine didn’t give as good an audio or ID than his. I had the best detector that could be bought “not mentioning the brand”, but that didn’t make a difference. Then I bought a V3i and sure enough it made a difference for me as well. Loved the machine, but for me it was too heavy to hunt long at a time and having neck problems prevented me from keeping the machine very long so I had to sell. Bought a Deus, super light weight, but even it couldn’t compete with my friends V3i, multi-frequency. We did side by side comparisons, over several months, but even the Deus in my area couldn’t compete, so I sold. Coming full circle, the Equinox has what I’m looking for: Multi-Frequency like the V3i Light weight like the Deus Extremely fast like the Deus Adjustability like the V3i and Deus Multi-tone like the Deus and V3i Better price point, cheaper than both Then I must add all the other features wireless and waterproof. Just how I feel

http://www.cabelas.com/product/MINELAB-EQUINOX-MTL-DETE/2671943.uts?slotId=0

Mr. Herschbach! How does the operating sensitivity of the air compare with the depth of detection plus the air gap? (in percent; with the same purpose and the same settings)

My question is 'What will this detector be best at?' (Maybe I'm repackaging the same question from another thread ... so many I haven't read them all. ) Minelab says: (Coming Soon) With innovative NEW multi-frequency technology, the EQUINOX Series redefines all-purpose detecting for the serious enthusiast. Equally adaptable for all target types and ground conditions, just set your detecting location and go! With the added functionality of Gold Mode, High Frequency 20/40 Hz., Wireless audio accessories and Advanced settings, the EQUINOX 800 offers extra versatility. Mitchel

On a Dutch forum a well known dealer expected the first small bunch Equinoxen at the end of this month.