Kellyco Rep just tried to steer me towards a Makro

[HighVDI]

I guess if I had a pile of stock on a shelf I paid for and people wanted something else not even made yet I'd push the stuff I want to move first!

 

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[smokeythecat]

I used to work in sales offices. I'll never do it again.

 

[flgliderpilot]

I want buy a detector from Cabelas, for me and it is just my personal opinion, dealers support our hobby, Cabelas does not, can't get any support from cabellas.

Dealers can only ship our as fast as they receive them and can only ship in small quantities if that is what they receive.

Dealers used to support our hobby, before internet forums. If dealers had the answers this forum wouldn't even exist.

When the dealer is telling you an equinox 600 only uses 3 frequencies in MultiIQ, that is not helpful.

 

[flgliderpilot]

It seems to me the salesman was trying to make a sale for something he had his hands on. On another topic, has anyone run the Equinox by an oscilloscope to see exactly what frequencies it's generating?

I tried it, and saw what looked like three primary square waves at different frequencies, and guessed they were utilizing two harmonics in addition to get 5. Not completely sure it's hard to examine 5 frequencies on top of each other on an oscilloscope. Someone with more experience and a better scope may be able to do it. My analog scope doesn't have memory. What was interesting is that I saw 5 distinct peaks where the square wave would ring down. So how they are processing these are anyone's guess.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Dealers used to support our hobby, before internet forums. If dealers had the answers this forum wouldn't even exist.

When the dealer is telling you an equinox 600 only uses 3 frequencies in MultiIQ, that is not helpful.

Either there was a misunderstanding on what was being asked or what was being said or sales rep was mixed up like many on the forums have been on what the 600 multi-iq is. I can't count how many times members have said the 600 only has 3 freqs in multi-iq 5,20,and 15. I have been correcting that misinformation for months and still am.

Dealers still support the hobby tremendously. Many, many people who detect are not on the forums or social media. Many people I have met while detecting who were also detecting when asked if they were on the forums replied no, didn't even know there were forums for detecting.

 

[vferrari]

I don't have a bus...I'm sure all the major manufacturer's have already reverse engineered the Equinox and Cruzer and will be coming up with something soon. Should be interesting. Let the hype wars begin.

Agreed. Actual competition and choices are a win-win for us detectorists.

 

[cudamark]

I want buy a detector from Cabelas, for me and it is just my personal opinion, dealers support our hobby, Cabelas does not, can't get any support from cabellas.

Dealers can only ship our as fast as they receive them and can only ship in small quantities if that is what they receive.

If both Cabelas and a detector dealer had the machine in stock, I would agree....buy from those who are in the detecting business. When the dealer has a backlog of orders and an unknown waiting period, and Cabelas has one in stock, guess who's going to get my business? The warranty comes from Minelab, not the seller, so, that shouldn't be a factor either way for someone who's used detectors before. Now if you're a newbie and need someone to show you how to operate one, find a local dealer.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

If both Cabelas and a detector dealer had the machine in stock, I would agree....buy from those who are in the detecting business. When the dealer has a backlog of orders and an unknown waiting period, and Cabelas has one in stock, guess who's going to get my business? The warranty comes from Minelab, not the seller, so, that shouldn't be a factor either way for someone who's used detectors before. Now if you're a newbie and need someone to show you how to operate one, find a local dealer.

That is why I said it was just my opinion, It took 4 weeks to get mine from dealer, could have got one in days from Cabellas but refused. I'm a vet too so I wanted the 15% discount, not 5%. I personally think ML is wrong to sell from Cabellas when they have customers who have prepaid months ago for the detector. Should have cleared the backlog of preorders first, many of them are long time ML customers.

 

[☠ Cipher]

A lot or all of what I'm going to say has probably already been said, but I don't always have the time to read through everything. First thing is the Equinox 600 is not hard to find. I bought one without breaking a sweat. I keep on top of when each model is up for sale by first come, first serve dealers and retailers and the 600 is usually readily available from either eBay, Amazon, Serious Detecting, Walmart, Cabelas etc. The second thing I would say with a high degree of confidence is that the Makro Multi Kruzer has nothing for the Equinox 600. In my opinion the Makro machines are a little late on the scene and will have to eventually reduce their prices to compete. There's a big difference in ability between a single selectable machine like the Multi-Kruzer and a single selectable with multi. True multi cannot be overrated when you get into highly mineralized areas. And yes, multi IQ is the same for the 600 and 800. The 600 cannot access 20 and 40 in single. No big deal at all as Multi-IQ is where the magic happens. Dealers know what many of us have been saying in the forums. Machines like the Kruzers, the MX Sport, and the AT line are going to plummet in value. For that matter many machines will, I believe even including the XP Deus. The Equinox is a blessing and a curse to dealers, and while it's availability is limited, believe they will try to get some of the competing machines gone.

 

[Cal_Cobra]

I have both the Makro Multi Kruzer and the EQ800. Both are very capable machines, so capable in fact that I've been selling off my other detectors as these two detectors will cover everything and anything I will ever detect (relics 60%, deep turf 25%, salt water beach 10%, and prospecting 5%).

There's no perfect detector, but for me, this is the perfect duo

 

[Jacza]

A lot or all of what I'm going to say has probably already been said, but I don't always have the time to read through everything. First thing is the Equinox 600 is not hard to find. I bought one without breaking a sweat. I keep on top of when each model is up for sale by first come, first serve dealers and retailers and the 600 is usually readily available from either eBay, Amazon, Serious Detecting, Walmart, Cabelas etc. The second thing I would say with a high degree of confidence is that the Makro Multi Kruzer has nothing for the Equinox 600. In my opinion the Makro machines are a little late on the scene and will have to eventually reduce their prices to compete. There's a big difference in ability between a single selectable machine like the Multi-Kruzer and a single selectable with multi. True multi cannot be overrated when you get into highly mineralized areas. And yes, multi IQ is the same for the 600 and 800. The 600 cannot access 20 and 40 in single. No big deal at all as Multi-IQ is where the magic happens. Dealers know what many of us have been saying in the forums. Machines like the Kruzers, the MX Sport, and the AT line are going to plummet in value. For that matter many machines will, I believe even including the XP Deus. The Equinox is a blessing and a curse to dealers, and while it's availability is limited, believe they will try to get some of the competing machines gone.

Like I said in another thread, multi frequency is not really new, ok it's gone cheaper with the Equinox, but it's not a 'must have' to make good finds. Machines like the Multi Kruzer have their own qualities, they are maybe better in single frequency mode like the Equinox is and you will not only run in Multi-IQ if there is high EMI or the soil is full of foil (then 20 and 40 khz will be your enemy).

 

[Cal_Cobra]

I have both the Makro Multi Kruzer and the EQ800 because there's no perfect, once size fits all detector out there.

I mainly relic hunt, and in California and Nevada we have a lot of funky soil to deal with, some areas are highly mineralized, heavy alkali soil, etc., it all depends on where your detecting and what your detecting for. For highly mineralized sites, and sites that give my VLF machines trouble (like the ones with heavy alkali soil), sure I can detect them with a VLF, but their handicapped (depth and TID). The EQ800 will help unlock these sites. For sites with mild or less mineralization, and heavy iron, then I'll likely use the Multi Kruzer.

For one I have a better selection of coils on the Multi Kruzer (I only have one big round 11" DD on my EQ800 at this point), which will help hunt in iron better. The Multi Kruzer has 6 coils currently available from the manufacturer (both concentric and DD's) and now Mars makes 5 coils for it as well, for some folks coil selection is important.

Eventually Minelab will release their 6" coil for the EQ, and it'll likely do pretty good in iron with that, but it looks like for the foreseeable future, we'll be running the 11" round DD EQ coil. Not sure what the hold-up is on the EQ coils, as it looks like the 6" will be coming next month and I'm sure it'll be a limited release as was the EQ800, so folks will likely be in a long queue to receive one, and who knows about their 15", we don't even have a price on it yet. And will anyone else, like CoilTek, make additional coils for it, or will it simply be limited to three coils? Only Minelab knows at this point.

Again, both have been great detectors for me, but like tools in your tool box, they have different applications for me and the sites I like to hunt. If you're simply a park hunter, then either machine would work fine for you, there's many folks having great success with both. If you have a lot of mineralization to deal with in your dirt, then the EQ may be the better choice for you, if your a salt water beach hunter, the EQ may be a better choice, if you're a relic hunter in iron infested sites, then the Multi Kruzer will be a better choice for you. Fresh water hunting, I'd pick the Multi Kruzer over the EQ at this point, if nothing else it has a better IP rating and more coils to choose from. The build quality on the Multi Kruzer is better IMO.

It all boils down to doing your homework, and selecting the right tool for the job.

 

[vferrari]

Price on the Equinox 6" coil is now being advertised as $180.

 

[cudamark]

That is why I said it was just my opinion, It took 4 weeks to get mine from dealer, could have got one in days from Cabellas but refused. I'm a vet too so I wanted the 15% discount, not 5%. I personally think ML is wrong to sell from Cabellas when they have customers who have prepaid months ago for the detector. Should have cleared the backlog of preorders first, many of them are long time ML customers.

I agree, Minelab should have filled prepaid orders first, and then supplied Cabelas, Walmart, Amazon, etc. I would prefer to deal with a true metal detecting company, but, Minelabs distribution methods are something the average detectorist like me has no control over. Even if the the detector stores could give a firm shipping date would have swayed me to stay the course and order from them, but, there was no such assurance and only vague guesses as to when they "might" receive a shipment. Even when they were informed that a shipment was coming, they didn't even know how many they were going to receive! The dealer might have 35 preorders dating back months, and receive 8. That to me is unacceptable. I'm not blaming the dealer, as they don't have much control over Minelab's production volume. I don't blame Minelab for being overwhelmed with orders that backlogged their production line. I do blame them for poor communication with their dealers, their inability to ramp up production when it was obvious they couldn't meet demand, and their failure to have wireless headphones, other coil options, and replacement parts available in a timely manner. That would be like buying a new model car and told "Yes, you can drive it in the rain, but, the windshield wipers aren't available yet, and the radio only gets AM, but, you'll be able to buy FM and a CD player sometime in the future". Gee, thanks.....

 

[flgliderpilot]

I guess if I had a pile of stock on a shelf I paid for and people wanted something else not even made yet I'd push the stuff I want to move first!

Not even made yet? Plenty of us have been buying these machines... if you really want one call around, other people have them in stock.

 

[flgliderpilot]

That is why I said it was just my opinion, It took 4 weeks to get mine from dealer, could have got one in days from Cabellas but refused. I'm a vet too so I wanted the 15% discount, not 5%. I personally think ML is wrong to sell from Cabellas when they have customers who have prepaid months ago for the detector. Should have cleared the backlog of preorders first, many of them are long time ML customers.

I seriously doubt these little shops ordered 500 machines up front. The backlog is not minelab's responsibility, it's a creation of the small retailer who wants the money up front, and keeps making small orders as the money comes in. Cabelas on the otherhand has more money, more locations, and therefore more "pull" to make them available.

Personally I love the waiting lists. Those on the list will be waiting for months, maybe even into summer, while I have been hitting the beach hard with my 800. When they finally get their machines and start trying to learn them I'll already have 100+ hours on mine and working fast.

 

[smokeythecat]

I love (not) how most, if not all of the detector manufacturers convince you that adding another accessory will make your machine zip through the trash and get the goodies. Just add more money. All the manufacturers are guilty of this. Oh, my. Time to get back outside and detect the hill between the 1880 house and the 1780 house.