Initial thoughts of the 600

RelicMedic

Bronze Member
Apr 4, 2013
1,626
3,048
Canada
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab pro find 35

Minelab Equinox 600

Minelab Excalibur II

Minelab E-Trac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well, I took it on its maiden voyage this morning to a shoreline that has produced some decent finds. I ran it:
Field 2
Multi frequency
Iron bias 1
Sensitivity 20
Threshold just audible
Recovery speed 3
I can say this: if there is a button hidden anywhere at my cellar hole sites, the Nox is going to find them! Man it hits hard on mid and low conductors!!! Even the smallest piece is no match for it. It sniffed out a button shank, without the button! I got the coil over a few high conductors as well (brass gas fitting handle) and it was loud and clear. The tones are much different than what I'm used to with the Etrac, but eventually my ears will get accustomed to it. It seems to be very well balanced and I could easily swing this thing all day. I didnt experience the shaft wobble, as described by other users. The display is easy to see and the menu is very straight forward. The only thing that I'm not too fond of, is the shaft build. I like the locking mechanism on the etrac much better than the push pin style.
This was pretty interesting: We tried a nail test, using 4 big square nails and a copper. His CTX only hit it one way, and was so scratchy when it did hit, that he said he wouldn't have dug it. The Nox nailed it in all directions. We replaced the copper with a thin, beach abused Canadian silver 5 cents (size of a US half dime) and positioned it in the middle of the nails. Neither detector hit it, no matter what settings we tried. I moved the nails out, about 2-3" from the coin, and the Nox saw it in both directions. The CTX didn't. The proof is in the pudding! I can't wait for this snow to melt so I can try it at my pounded sites. I have a feeling it's going to be a great year!!
 

sandmartin

Sr. Member
Feb 20, 2015
296
284
Scarborough, England
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 900.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Well, I took it on its maiden voyage this morning to a shoreline that has produced some decent finds. I ran it:
Field 2
Multi frequency
Iron bias 1
Sensitivity 20
Threshold just audible
Recovery speed 3
I can say this: if there is a button hidden anywhere at my cellar hole sites, the Nox is going to find them! Man it hits hard on mid and low conductors!!! Even the smallest piece is no match for it. It sniffed out a button shank, without the button! I got the coil over a few high conductors as well (brass gas fitting handle) and it was loud and clear. The tones are much different than what I'm used to with the Etrac, but eventually my ears will get accustomed to it. It seems to be very well balanced and I could easily swing this thing all day. I didnt experience the shaft wobble, as described by other users. The display is easy to see and the menu is very straight forward. The only thing that I'm not too fond of, is the shaft build. I like the locking mechanism on the etrac much better than the push pin style.
This was pretty interesting: We tried a nail test, using 4 big square nails and a copper. His CTX only hit it one way, and was so scratchy when it did hit, that he said he wouldn't have dug it. The Nox nailed it in all directions. We replaced the copper with a thin, beach abused Canadian silver 5 cents (size of a US half dime) and positioned it in the middle of the nails. Neither detector hit it, no matter what settings we tried. I moved the nails out, about 2-3" from the coin, and the Nox saw it in both directions. The CTX didn't. The proof is in the pudding! I can't wait for this snow to melt so I can try it at my pounded sites. I have a feeling it's going to be a great year!!

I am just getting to grips with my new 600 too, a couple of things I already know for sure is. it's very sensitive, picks up the tiniest items, and it's very deep!
 

sky355

Full Member
Jul 24, 2012
145
74
Littleton Colorado
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 600
Fisher F22
Vibra tector 740
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Just had a Bomb Cyclone of Snow here in Denver. Cannot wait to get out with my 600. Haven't had a chance to get out with it yet since getting it 2 weeks ago. Cant wait to see what I find with it.
 

RustyGold

Gold Member
Aug 16, 2013
9,372
10,901
Southern California
Detector(s) used
XP Deus I & II
Xterra Pro
Primary Interest:
Other
Having a 600 delivered this Friday and I’m looking forward to taking it to the beach along with it’s big brother the 800 and see how they do when compared.
I’m hoping to relegate the 600 to water detecting and as a backup.
Good luck everyone!
 

RustyGold

Gold Member
Aug 16, 2013
9,372
10,901
Southern California
Detector(s) used
XP Deus I & II
Xterra Pro
Primary Interest:
Other
Just had a Bomb Cyclone of Snow here in Denver. Cannot wait to get out with my 600. Haven't had a chance to get out with it yet since getting it 2 weeks ago. Cant wait to see what I find with it.


Sorry you’re snowed in for now. Soon you’ll get to take the 600 for a spin. Good luck!
 

JoeInMO

Jr. Member
Jan 12, 2019
42
66
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800 - White's DFX
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well, I took it on its maiden voyage this morning to a shoreline that has produced some decent finds. I ran it:
Field 2
Multi frequency
Iron bias 1
Sensitivity 20
Threshold just audible
Recovery speed 3
I can say this: if there is a button hidden anywhere at my cellar hole sites, the Nox is going to find them! Man it hits hard on mid and low conductors!!! Even the smallest piece is no match for it. It sniffed out a button shank, without the button! I got the coil over a few high conductors as well (brass gas fitting handle) and it was loud and clear. The tones are much different than what I'm used to with the Etrac, but eventually my ears will get accustomed to it. It seems to be very well balanced and I could easily swing this thing all day. I didnt experience the shaft wobble, as described by other users. The display is easy to see and the menu is very straight forward. The only thing that I'm not too fond of, is the shaft build. I like the locking mechanism on the etrac much better than the push pin style.
This was pretty interesting: We tried a nail test, using 4 big square nails and a copper. His CTX only hit it one way, and was so scratchy when it did hit, that he said he wouldn't have dug it. The Nox nailed it in all directions. We replaced the copper with a thin, beach abused Canadian silver 5 cents (size of a US half dime) and positioned it in the middle of the nails. Neither detector hit it, no matter what settings we tried. I moved the nails out, about 2-3" from the coin, and the Nox saw it in both directions. The CTX didn't. The proof is in the pudding! I can't wait for this snow to melt so I can try it at my pounded sites. I have a feeling it's going to be a great year!!

I would like to hear the results of your Canadian silver test if you increase the Recovery Speed to 5 or 6. Your test speed of 3 really dampens the ability of the Nox to recover from the nails and see the silver.

One of the huge advantages of the Nox and other new detectors are not just the multi-frequency, but also the much, much, faster processors. I'm not bashing on any brand, but for example the software on the V3i is probably better than the Nox, but the V3i is crippled by slow, out of date signal processors and system processor.

The slow Recovery Speed you used does help in single target depth, but you give up discrimination such as in your test.

Thanks for posting the info!

-Joe
 

OP
OP
RelicMedic

RelicMedic

Bronze Member
Apr 4, 2013
1,626
3,048
Canada
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab pro find 35

Minelab Equinox 600

Minelab Excalibur II

Minelab E-Trac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I would like to hear the results of your Canadian silver test if you increase the Recovery Speed to 5 or 6. Your test speed of 3 really dampens the ability of the Nox to recover from the nails and see the silver.

One of the huge advantages of the Nox and other new detectors are not just the multi-frequency, but also the much, much, faster processors. I'm not bashing on any brand, but for example the software on the V3i is probably better than the Nox, but the V3i is crippled by slow, out of date signal processors and system processor.

The slow Recovery Speed you used does help in single target depth, but you give up discrimination such as in your test.

Thanks for posting the info!

-Joe

I would increase the recovery speed if I had the choice. I'm using the 600, not the 800. The 600 only goes up to 3
 

JoeInMO

Jr. Member
Jan 12, 2019
42
66
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800 - White's DFX
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I would increase the recovery speed if I had the choice. I'm using the 600, not the 800. The 600 only goes up to 3

SORRY! My mistake... I had the NOX 800 in my mind and not the 600. So you were effectively at a Recovery Speed of 6 on the 800. That should be plenty fast.

-Joe
 

Happa54

Full Member
Feb 20, 2016
130
321
Los Angeles
Detector(s) used
EQX 800
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I hunt extremely trashy parks and lot sites in Los Angeles and the 600 is a hyper machine. Recovery speed of 3 on it is plenty fast no matter the conditions. I'm always in multi, 50 tones and zero IB.
 

dirtlooter

Gold Member
Jun 5, 2014
8,889
13,497
mid western ARK
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus with 9"LF and 9" HF Coils and 600 Equinox with stock and 6" coils
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
you will love it as you get it figured out. darn good machine for the money
 

Acquisitor

Sr. Member
Jan 6, 2011
302
126
I wish I had some fine gold chains and earrings to test how much higher FE bias affects these targets. Grrr! Cant find a video on youtube with these tests either. If someone has one then please consider sharing it
 

vferrari

Silver Member
Jul 19, 2015
4,910
8,377
Near Ground Zero for Insanity
Detector(s) used
XP Deus with HF/x35 Coils and Mi6 Pinpointer/ML Equinox 600/800/ML Tarsacci MDT 8000 GPX 4800/Garrett ATX/Fisher F75 DST/Tek G2+/Delta/Whites MXT/Nokta Simplex/Garrett Carrot
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Iron bias likely won’t affect the response on those targets alone, but if you put them in the proximity of iron targets you will likely find they get masked with moderate to high iron bias settings.
 

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Acquisitor

Sr. Member
Jan 6, 2011
302
126
Iron bias likely won’t affect the response on those targets alone, but if you put them in the proximity of iron targets you will likely find they get masked with moderate to high iron bias settings.

Thanks a lot. Thats great info.
 

sandmartin

Sr. Member
Feb 20, 2015
296
284
Scarborough, England
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 900.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I hunt extremely trashy parks and lot sites in Los Angeles and the 600 is a hyper machine. Recovery speed of 3 on it is plenty fast no matter the conditions. I'm always in multi, 50 tones and zero IB.

How are you finding 50 tones? I tried it for 10 minutes yesterday, boy there's a lot of info! Went back to 5 tones but may try again, guess it needs some time.
 

OP
OP
RelicMedic

RelicMedic

Bronze Member
Apr 4, 2013
1,626
3,048
Canada
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab pro find 35

Minelab Equinox 600

Minelab Excalibur II

Minelab E-Trac
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I can't do 50 tones. It's just too hard on the head for me lol.
 

Happa54

Full Member
Feb 20, 2016
130
321
Los Angeles
Detector(s) used
EQX 800
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
How are you finding 50 tones? I tried it for 10 minutes yesterday, boy there's a lot of info! Went back to 5 tones but may try again, guess it needs some time.

I was already locked into 50 tones since coming from a Minelab Safari. Same tones as Etrac and Explorer too. I just lower volume on iron in the horseshoe mode so the non-ferrous sounds come in loud. I couldn't hunt in any other tone setting except 50.
 

fuzzymaster

Jr. Member
Jan 31, 2017
42
73
North Central Oh
Detector(s) used
tesoro vaquero
Equinox 600
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Im another that cannot take 50 tones. But I came from a Tesoro, so I have a good excuse. :laughing7: Also since switching to Field 2 Ive done much better on coins.
 

vferrari

Silver Member
Jul 19, 2015
4,910
8,377
Near Ground Zero for Insanity
Detector(s) used
XP Deus with HF/x35 Coils and Mi6 Pinpointer/ML Equinox 600/800/ML Tarsacci MDT 8000 GPX 4800/Garrett ATX/Fisher F75 DST/Tek G2+/Delta/Whites MXT/Nokta Simplex/Garrett Carrot
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
50 tones was natural to me coming from Deus but I also use 5 tones and even 2 tones under done circumstances. 50 tones is definitely an acquired taste and not for everyone and also not necessary to be successful with Equinox.
 

vferrari

Silver Member
Jul 19, 2015
4,910
8,377
Near Ground Zero for Insanity
Detector(s) used
XP Deus with HF/x35 Coils and Mi6 Pinpointer/ML Equinox 600/800/ML Tarsacci MDT 8000 GPX 4800/Garrett ATX/Fisher F75 DST/Tek G2+/Delta/Whites MXT/Nokta Simplex/Garrett Carrot
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
...And regardless if you have it set up for 2, 3, 5 or 50 tones, the important thing to learn is tone quality. Tone Pitch roughly tells you ferrous vs. non-ferrous, low conductor, mid conductor, high conductor like visual target ID number. But tone quality and the nuances associated with it such as breaking/distorted tone, hollow tone, sharp tone, long tone are the clues that tell you more about the nature of the target and the probability of whether you are swinging over a button, coin, nail, can, or irregularly shaped piece of junk. More important to learn than trying to force yourself to use 50 tones.
 

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