Hopefully Minelab Gets It Right

[Chase Goldman]

4 hours ago, Judy said:

Ha ha Distraught is a bit of an over the top statement . I don't take it that seriously but I am a person who sees black and white only . Make the thing and advertise it then . Otherwise there are other motives of probably trying to stop people buying other brands . And yes I know all companies do it but I don't respect that type of hype from anyone . Thanks for reminding me of the E Trac as I didn't think about it . Lots of googling going to happen tonight . Anyway I can buy one in 6 months once the hype is over and I see  reviews about it . I don't think all the treasure will be gone by then . 

When someone posts that they are afraid of being heartbroken by a metal detector, it doesn't require that much of a logical leap to get to "distraught". Lol.  Minelab is not doing anything whatsoever different from any other new electronics manufacturer does to generate hype be it Samsung, Apple, Tesla, Garrett, or Minelab.  It's called Marketing to generate hype and it gets some folks really excited and others really frustrated, unfortunately.  Enough of that.  What I really want to do is make a recommendation now that I know detector weight is a prime consideration.

If weight is the issue, then I DO highly recommend the Deus.  It can literally be swung ALL DAY.  I know a detectorist with severe arthritis and they rekon the Deus has added perhaps 2 or 3 more years to their ability to detect.  The new HF coils are incredible (and light).  I own a Deus and do not intend to give it up even if I get and love the Equinox.  The Equinox is lighter than most but will still weigh a full pound more than the Deus (which translates to 1/2 the weight of the Deus and makes a huge difference in personal comfort). If anything, if weight and balance are important, I DO NOT recommend any Garrett AT series detector.  They are good workorse detectors but weight and weight distribution are not their forte.  You don't have to be Popeye to swing them but if you have shoulder arthritis or back problems you will need a harness which to me is an encumberance that can be avoided with other detector choices such as Deus.

HTH.

[Nuke em]

3 hours ago, Chase Goldman said:

When someone posts that they are afraid of being heartbroken by a metal detector, it doesn't require that much of a logical leap to get to "distraught". Lol.  Minelab is not doing anything whatsoever different from any other new electronics manufacturer does to generate hype be it Samsung, Apple, Tesla, Garrett, or Minelab.  It's called Marketing to generate hype and it gets some folks really excited and others really frustrated, unfortunately.  Enough of that.  What I really want to do is make a recommendation now that I know detector weight is a prime consideration.

If weight is the issue, then I DO highly recommend the Deus.  It can literally be swung ALL DAY.  I know a detectorist with severe arthritis and they rekon the Deus has added perhaps 2 or 3 more years to their ability to detect.  The new HF coils are incredible (and light).  I own a Deus and do not intend to give it up even if I get and love the Equinox.  The Equinox is lighter than most but will still weigh a full pound more than the Deus (which translates to 1/2 the weight of the Deus and makes a huge difference in personal comfort). If anything, if weight and balance are important, I DO NOT recommend any Garrett AT series detector.  They are good workorse detectors but weight and weight distribution are not their forte.  You don't have to be Popeye to swing them but if you have shoulder arthritis or back problems you will need a harness which to me is an encumberance that can be avoided with other detector choices such as Deus.

HTH.

It would depend on budget and where Judy is detecting whether a Deus is best . Its not best for the beach and isn't waterproof and is also a lot more expensive , in the UK up to £250 more expensive for a full machine.

If you are very used to Minelab the tones of the Deus and i think lack of target info can slow you down . In a way its a race between 2 tortoises . Deus - detect fast come across targets not knowing what they are and dig all or Buy ET and detect slow and come across targets and have a pretty good idea what they are . I bet in a race it would be a dead heat . The Deus loves coke and hot rocks too.

Saying that the Equinox might like them too . I think wait for the Equinox , its not long now aarrgh I think ??

I agree on everything about Garretts , awful weight and balance . 

[Chase Goldman]

 

1 hour ago, Nuke em said:

It would depend on budget and where Judy is detecting whether a Deus is best . Its not best for the beach and isn't waterproof and is also a lot more expensive , in the UK up to £250 more expensive for a full machine.

If you are very used to Minelab the tones of the Deus and i think lack of target info can slow you down . In a way its a race between 2 tortoises . Deus - detect fast come across targets not knowing what they are and dig all or Buy ET and detect slow and come across targets and have a pretty good idea what they are . I bet in a race it would be a dead heat . The Deus loves coke and hot rocks too.

Saying that the Equinox might like them too . I think wait for the Equinox , its not long now aarrgh I think ??

I agree on everything about Garretts , awful weight and balance . 

100% agree with you on all points.  If you saw my previous post I tried to dissuade her from Deus and Garrett (who she said she was considering as alternatives out of frustration with the Equinox rollout) for those very points and instead consider Etrac.  Once she acknowledged weight was a significant driver with you that’s when I pointed her back to Deus.  I also think First Texas machines (Fisher F75 and Teknetics T2) are well balanced for their weight, have an awesome user interface and feature set, fair priced, and perform great though not waterproof.  Problem is making recommendations for her without a clear picture of her detecting habits and what she wants most out of a detector.  I got the feeling she was interested in Equinox mainly because it was being marketed as a light weight machine vs. it’s other key features (MultIQ, fast recovery time, and waterproof).

[Nuke em]

2 minutes ago, Chase Goldman said:

 

100% agree with you on all points.  If you saw my previous post I tried to dissuade her from Deus and Garrett (who she said she was considering as alternatives out of frustration with the Equinox rollout) for those very points and instead consider Etrac.  Once she acknowledged weight was a significant driver with you that’s when I pointed her back to Deus.  I also think First Texas machines (Fisher F75 and Teknetics T2) are well balanced for their weight, have an awesome user interface and feature set, fair priced, and perform great though not waterproof.  Problem is making recommendations for her without a clear picture of her detecting habits and what she wants most out of a detector.  I got the feeling she was interested in Equinox mainly because it was being marketed as a light weight machine vs. it’s other key features (MultIQ, fast recovery time, and waterproof).

I did not see your last post , missed it . Fishers are good but i dont like their build quality but they are good machines to use . 

I recommend Judy waits .  

[Steve Herschbach]

Judy, if you are actually interested in waiting for the Equinox then perhaps just break out that Sovereign and take it for another spin? If not, there are many alternatives available on the market.

Lets be real about timelines. From the December 21st official Minelab release date announcement:

“Minelab is pleased to announce that the new EQUINOX Series of detectors is expected to be available for purchase worldwide from late January, 2018 onwards*.

Since we first announced EQUINOX at Detectival in September, there has been unprecedented market interest in this product range.

Volume production of detectors has started and will continue at a rapid rate across December and into the new year. Detectors are expected to be delivered to our sales channels in late January, subject to transportation scheduling.

Customers who have pre-ordered detectors should thus expect to start receiving them from late January.

We appreciate everyone’s patience in waiting for EQUINOX to be released and your ongoing interest.

*Initial availability will be limited in all regions due to the very high pre-release demand. Please contact your local dealer for specific price and availability information. We will be doing our best to get detectors into the hands of our valued customers as soon as we possibly can.”

Here is the key phrase:

“Detectors are expected to be delivered to our sales channels in late January, subject to transportation scheduling. Customers who have pre-ordered detectors should thus expect to start receiving them from late January.”

People tend to use the most optimistic interpretation of such notices. I always assume the worst. The notice tells me Minelab has until January 31 to “deliver to the sales channel” - in other words, to start shipping product. Seen in that light “start receiving them from late January” is an awkward way of saying “after late January” which translates into..... wait for it...... February! Then, as they note with the asterisk, high demand and rationing to dealers is likely to delay that.

If that wait is unappealing there are many detectors under 3 lbs on the market that might serve depending on your own needs and desires in a detector. Several have been mentioned here already. One possibility is to grab one of the many excellent deals on barely used detectors with remaining warranty now appearing for sale on the internet. Then at least you can sell later for near what you paid, something I have done quite a few times. It is quite possible to get a good buy on a like new detector with warranty, use it a few months, and then sell it again with remaining warranty for more than you paid for it!

[Nuke em]

Didn't know she had the Sovereign . If i had that i would hip mount the box . Though that makes it a bit coil heavy if using the S stem.

[Judy]

Hi all , Here are my habits . I use the 5000 on the beach ( goes so deep it makes even the Sovereign seem a toy ) I love the 5000 as it then comes to the bush where we detect historic pub sites and  love to tell you all that I got a 1890 gold sovereign and the only reason was the 5000 . To have a look at it you can go to my Instagram QTeeKids and it's about 3/4 the way down the page . The tuft  grass was so thick you could not put a coil close to the ground so I ran it over the top which was about 8" above ground level and that beautiful sound just rang out . And about 8" into the ground in a round ball of dirt  out it popped .  Doing parks is the main role for my next detector . I always hip mount the GT I just want to pick up a light detector without connecting up . Plus id like a meter reader ( whatever the technical name is I'm not sure ) Detecting has always been about listening to target noises to know what it is so I guess laziness is creeping in  . The other reason the Equinox drew my attention was it singling out good targets.  As you know these old sites where the old buildings  were the  metal is in thick . At present I use the 5000 with 10x5 dd and if you go very slow you can pick up a good target but man alive I only do an hour at a time as you need to concentrate . I only have another brand larger coil on the sovereign seeing Minelab doesn't sell them now and I don't want to spend more on a small coil . I want to spend my money on an update . Thanks for everyone's useful knowledge you are sharing