Manticore Vs 800-first Few Beach Hunts

[TroyLPN]

I've had my Manti for a couple weeks now after running an 800 for 4 years.  Yes, I had to order from Cabela's.  I haven't been out with it as much as I'd like-work, life etc.  I probably have about 25 hours on it so far.

What I don't like-

Not much.

It was pricey, but we already knew that.  Was it worth that $1600 price tag?  The jury is still out on that one. Ask me in about 6 months.

That target trace doesn't seem to be particularly useful for me, at least on iron identification.  I've always hunted "by ear". Seems like every time I glance down at it I kinda already know what it will look like because it's already "told" me through the headphones.

I don't think it's handling EMI as well as I had hoped.  Not a huge deal as we don't have many cellphone towers in my favorite spots.

It seems to be constructed for male/long-armed people, which I am not. When I have the arm cuff all the way down to make it comfortable to swing the top of the shaft kinda bumps my elbow. My buddies say it's because I swing like a girl. Whatever. 😅  The screws holding the pod on there aren't regular screws-they look like they need one of those tiny little allen wrench things you get for assembling boxed furniture. I think when I find one that will work and move the pod up on the shaft a couple inches, then adjust the lower cam-locks accordingly it will "fit" me better. 1st photo.  If anybody has a clue what I need for this please let me know.

It does false on iron, especially the deeper stuff.  No way to sugarcoat that. I just do my usual "rotate 90 degrees and if I get a clean signal both ways dig it".   I'm finding that many times when I think it's falsing and I dig there are actually 2 targets in the hole.  I got a mercury dime right next to an iron bolt 2 days ago!

What I like-

It was extremely easy to transition to from an 800. The menu is easy enough for a beginner but has enough customizition options to make a seasoned detectorist happy.

The build quality is much better, it's better balanced and I'm no longer afraid to hose down my detector when I'm done. Yay.

The recovery speed is much faster and target separation is way better. Those trashy, iron-infested areas where I had to slow way down with my Nox to hear every target I can now plow right through without feeling like I might be missing something.

I'm not sure what MineLab did different with this machine, but there's no doubt in my mind that it does go deeper than an Equinox.  Example. 1st hunt-it got a tiny 10K gold chain bracelet that I'm pretty sure was about 4-6 inches down...in the rough surf. (2nd photo) I don't believe my 800 would have gotten it, what do my fellow Noxians think? I guess the easist way to explain the difference is this.  You know when you're swinging your 800 in the sand and you hit a tiny little target that rings up a 1-6?  And you get it in the 1st scoop nearly every single time?  I'm finding with my MC that many times it's takiing 2 or even 3 scoops to get those tiny targets out.  Which is a good thing because sometimes they're tiny little 10K bracelets. 😁

My verdict so far. Equinox 800's big brother-on steroids.

[TampaBayBrad]

Thanks for the report. I do the same as you: "I just do my usual "rotate 90 degrees and if I get a clean signal both ways dig it". 

After 4 years on a Nox, I'll believe your verdict as the truth. 👍

[Dan(NM)]

"It seems to be constructed for male/long-armed people, which I am not. When I have the arm cuff all the way down to make it comfortable to swing the top of the shaft kinda bumps my elbow. My buddies say it's because I swing like a girl. Whatever. 😅  The screws holding the pod on there aren't regular screws-they look like they need one of those tiny little allen wrench things you get for assembling boxed furniture. I think when I find one that will work and move the pod up on the shaft a couple inches, then adjust the lower cam-locks accordingly it will "fit" me better. 1st photo.  If anybody has a clue what I need for this please let me know."

Thank you for the review.

In regards to adjusting the control pod, it can't be moved easily. The bottom part of the pod is attached to the shaft, I would assume, epoxy. I suppose you could try to soften the glue with a hair drier and reposition it. If you don't re-glue it, it may not stay in place. The Nox's had a pin in the pod that went into a hole in the shaft to stabilize it. It may be worth the trouble to make it more comfortable for you to swing.  I measured the allen wrench I used to dismantle the pod, it's 3mm.

 

[GB_Amateur]

One minus for carbon fiber is that it's not easy to work with.  Simple things like drilling holes, not so difficult working with metal, is a tricky thing.  Maybe our resident shaft guru @steveg can chime in with suggestions.

[abenson]

I'm really liking mine for beach work and yes it is deeper than the Equinox at my beach by a good 2 inches or more. I have not dug much iron with it at the beach. Took it to a nail infested site yesterday and didn't notice it falsing any worse than the 800 would have. Pulled a silver Roosevelt dime than gave a perfect trace and ID at about 4 inches. When I went back over the hole there was iron in it. Deep iron at parks is what worries me, as I have dug a few deep nails I thought were coins. Need more time at a park before I pass judgment though.

[strick]

14 minutes ago, abenson said:

 Deep iron at parks is what worries me, as I have dug a few deep nails I thought were coins. Need more time at a park before I pass judgment though.

It loves roofing nails and short thick rusty bolts with  big head. They will read right on the centerline sometimes. 

strick 

[Hunterjunk]

Good first up report . Definitely noticing greater depth here on my heavily hunted beaches compared to the Nox .

[TroyLPN]

6 hours ago, Dan(NM) said:

 

In regards to adjusting the control pod, it can't be moved easily. The bottom part of the pod is attached to the shaft, I would assume, epoxy. I suppose you could try to soften the glue with a hair drier and reposition it. If you don't re-glue it, it may not stay in place. The Nox's had a pin in the pod that went into a hole in the shaft to stabilize it. It may be worth the trouble to make it more comfortable for you to swing.  I measured the allen wrench I used to dismantle the pod, it's 3mm.

 

Thank you!  I didn't think it would be any more difficult to take off/reposition than my Nox was.  I know I did it because MineLab had to replace my pod for me and all they sent was the pod in a box.  I don't remember much about it but I'm sure I got the old one off somehow.  Does anybody know if it will void my warranty if I try it on my MC?

 

[TroyLPN]

5 hours ago, strick said:

It loves roofing nails and short thick rusty bolts with  big head. They will read right on the centerline sometimes. 

strick 

And those tiny little copper? nails.  Of which my beach has a bazillion.  And I've personally dug about half of those in the past 4 years. 😁

[okara gold]

Equinox 800 on steroids. 😆 I said those exact words to myself today. It is punching deeper than my retired Nox, and definitely more sensitive on tiny bits of non ferrous targets at depth. So far for me it’s seems to be opening up deeper beach targets. I’m having very little problems with ferrous falsing. At this time all I’m hunting is the beach.