Equinox 800 6" or 15" coil?

[EQ8]

Just looking for opinions on wether a 6" or 15" coil would be a better upgrade?
Thanks!

 

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[Donut]

All depends on your detecting locations.
15 is just a bigger than 11” and is good for large areas .
6” for tight trashy areas . Good luck with a 15” in a trashy area with trash every 6”.

Doug

 

[toasted]

Imo 15” is too heavy and 6” is just too small

 

[Donut]

Imo 15” is too heavy and 6” is just too small

I don’t have the 15” only because I can’t afford one. But if I had one I’d definitely have a carbon fiber shaft that has the screw in counter weight to offset the weight the coil. I do have the carbon fiber now and use the counterweight to off set the 11” and it really helps me and greatly increases my detecting time when I go.
Not every carbon fiber shafts are are available with the optional counter weigh but mine has it.
Your Friend Doug

 

[McKinney_5900]

I've bought my last coil larger than the general "factory coil" of 11 inches most detectors seem to come with. I am a believer that max depth with separation is 13 inches anyway. jm2c

 

[Donut]

I've bought my last coil larger than the general "factory coil" of 11 inches most detectors seem to come with. I am a believer that max depth with separation is 13 inches anyway. jm2c

depth is pretty much the same with the coils. They all produce the same signal and strength. I’ve found stuff pretty deep with the 6” and 11”
Doug

 

[McKinney_5900]

depth is pretty much the same with the coils. They all produce the same signal and strength. I’ve found stuff pretty deep with the 6” and 11”
Doug

Minelab developers seemed to have made the perfect match with the stock 11" coil, but then ML gave the 6" coil, which is without doubt, the best 6 inch coil I've ever used. The 15" coil is just overkill, heavier, and loss of separation.

 

[Donut]

Minelab developers seemed to have made the perfect match with the stock 11" coil, but then ML gave the 6" coil, which is without doubt, the best 6 inch coil I've ever used. The 15" coil is just overkill, heavier, and loss of separation.

Not really, all three are good coils and have their purpos.
6” tight cluttered places with trash.
11” more general area and able to cover more area in less cluttered areas.
15” large fields with less trash
In tight trashy areas I would ever think of even using the 11” or 15” coils because there could be 5 or more things under the coil. There is a limit on being able to separate close items and no coil can do that.

Doug

 

[EQ8]

Thanks for the trhoughtful replies.
I had been thinking about getting one or the other, but I guess I will save the $$.
Just seems like a lot of money when the stock coil apparently works just fine.
The only places near me that would be real trashy would already have been picked over pretty good.
Looking forward to getting the thing outside! Gets warmer here, then Winter comes right back.

 

[Donut]

If that area has been picked go their with the NOX, I’ll bet you’ll be surprised If you go over it carefully , remember they have remove some of the trash for you. There is never a site that has been picked out.
Today is not Yesterday it’s a new day.
Doug

 

[HighVDI]

Stock coil is the best all around coil. I don't see much more depth with the 15". Just a sore shoulder and less seperation....more coverage though.

 

[Donut]

I agree with Hi VDI
Everyone has their way of detecting and as long they have confidence they will find.
Doug

 

[McKinney_5900]

Not really, all three are good coils and have their purpos.
6” tight cluttered places with trash.
11” more general area and able to cover more area in less cluttered areas.
15” large fields with less trash
In tight trashy areas I would ever think of even using the 11” or 15” coils because there could be 5 or more things under the coil. There is a limit on being able to separate close items and no coil can do that.

Doug

I concretely stand by my last post.

 

[pulltabfelix]

I have Eq 800, stock, 15" and 6". rarely use anything but the 11" stock coil. I mostly Civil war relic hunt. Maybe if I got into a real trashy area with CW relics I might use the 6".
Minelab Engineers did a great job on the Equinox 11" coil.

Played with the 6" coil in a real trashy park and it is good for those real trashy areas around picnic tables.

 

[Donut]

Remember each coil had its purpose.
Each hunting sight are different .
Each detectorist detects different.
The coil you are most comfterable with is best for you.
I’m not gonna use a 6” in a large corn field unless it is full of trash.
I’m not gonna use a 15” around tot park.
If I only had one coil I’d use the 11” coil for General all purpose.
None of us are correct here.
us
Using the pinpoint with the pullback method seams to work beat as long as you start directly over the target or you will be doing a lot more digging.
Doug

 

[jmc24]

Minelab makes some of the best gold prospecting detectors, period! Hundreds of thousands of Aussies go fossiking in really mineralized dirt out in the middle of seriously nowhere. That 6" coil was probably made for those people and not necessarily for our USA detecting conditions. The 6" coil is incredible for shallow mineralized dirt over bedrock detector prospecting. The 11" can be overwhelmed by high mineralization even here in the US southwest goldfields and is just too big of a footprint for really small gold nugget detecting in bad dirt. In milder mineralized gold fields you can use any of the coils. They are all capable of hitting small gold if there isn't too much ground noise and hot rocks to deal with.

In thick shallow iron or aluminum trash, the 6" can do really well on good non-ferrous targets. It is way deeper than its size and if your Nox is setup for the detecting conditions, it will separate better than the 11" which is saying a lot. I actually swing it slower than the 11" to make the most of its size. The 6" coil really makes the Equinox feel very well balanced too. The 15" coil is way to heavy for me.

Jeff

 

[sprailroad]

I have used the heck out of the 6" coil, small parks, parking strips etc. I myself have no need for a 15", the 11 is just dandy.

 

[Sandancer]

I have limited experience with the Minelab 6" coil, but so far I am not impressed. First off it is really small, a true 6"diameter circIe . It does not seem to go any deeper, and it does not seem to separate signals well. Unless you will need it for extremely tight coil swing spaces I see no advantages.

 

[Donut]

I have limited experience with the Minelab 6" coil, but so far I am not impressed. First off it is really small, a true 6"diameter circIe . It does not seem to go any deeper, and it d
oes not seem to separate signals well. Unless you will need it for extremely tight coil swing spaces I see no advantages.

Yep is small for a reason , not gonna do a cornfield unless you are picking it apart in a small area.
Your settings could have something to do with depth. The nox puts the same signal to the 6” 11” and 15”.
Separation, it has a much tighter pattern so you have to tighten down your swing pattern and you are only working with 6” path from front to rear and not side to side because it’s a wedge signal DD coil.

Doug

 

[Minelab Matt]

I have had both and in my many many hours on the 6" and 15" coil.

6" suck.

15" 2 heavy, has absolutely ZERO depth improvement and CRAP in even moderately trash areas.

Trust me - don 't waste your money...stick with stock coil.

Matt