AT Gold vs Equinox 800

Iffy Signals

Sr. Member
Sep 17, 2018
484
730
Rhode Island
Detector(s) used
Current-Deus & Equinox 800. Past - CTX, F75, AT Pro/Max, F44, Patriot.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I wish they were. Garret comes out with something comparable and im on board.. Would like to have the next high tech from the USA. There customer service is awesome.. were getting killed by France and Australia.
 

Calabash Digger

Gold Member
Apr 18, 2016
5,300
11,756
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
XP DEUS II ,XP DEUS, EQUINOX 800, EXCALIBUR II,
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I come from the land down under where the men are six feet tail and full of thunder.....Just had a flashback..:headbang:
 

Beavertail

Full Member
Nov 24, 2013
164
95
Sebastian, Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX 3030, minelab equinox 800, e-trac,xterra 305, xterra 705, coiltek wot 7.5-18.75 kHz.
Smokey I’ve been known to find a little silver now and then
 

smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
20,714
40,795
Maryland
🥇 Banner finds
10
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Just wondered if you did beaches, or prospecting for the gold in the GA hills, Civil War or Rev War relics, you know, that kind of thing. I prefer relics and the gold around here isn't big enough to ring up on a machine.
 

Beavertail

Full Member
Nov 24, 2013
164
95
Sebastian, Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX 3030, minelab equinox 800, e-trac,xterra 305, xterra 705, coiltek wot 7.5-18.75 kHz.
I do a little bit of everything. I love relics and trade material in Alabama. I hunt gold in Georgia and I hunt beaches in Florida. I also never travel anywhere without a small minelab arsenal
 

Beavertail

Full Member
Nov 24, 2013
164
95
Sebastian, Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX 3030, minelab equinox 800, e-trac,xterra 305, xterra 705, coiltek wot 7.5-18.75 kHz.
I’m actually heading to Lynchburg VA as we speak. Wish me luck!!
 

smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
20,714
40,795
Maryland
🥇 Banner finds
10
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Good luck! I'm hunkering down for the snow tomorrow. Getting a new house made for my hens. It's almost done but I'm waiting a couple hours as it 17 degrees outside right now. Had a decent hunt yesterday, its a CW hunt in VA. Got a few nice things. Will try to get pics up today.
 

kajunoutlaw

Jr. Member
Jun 3, 2014
68
37
Texas
Detector(s) used
Ace 350 / F75 LTD2/ AT MAX/ Multi Kruzer/ Nox 800

Have used many detectors.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
A2Coins

Then why do you have an At Max on your profile. Wow ya cant make this stuff up Really jeeeeze o weeeeze look at the garrett forum we all have tools we use foe hunting Ive found tons of silver gold relics with my at I sold some gold tp pay for a 1300 water heater and still have some left. Im happy with it.. I use other machines as well also the lighted screen helps at night when thats mostly the time I have to hunt. paying for kids in College and all gotta work all the time.Glad you got the 800 and love all the finds youve posted Its about having fun and the cool stuff we find and hope to find. Happy hunting all. Tommy





Clearly, you missed the sarcasm in my post and obviously wasn't directed to you. Glad you were able to purchase a new water heater though it sounds like a cold shower may be in order.
 

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kajunoutlaw

Jr. Member
Jun 3, 2014
68
37
Texas
Detector(s) used
Ace 350 / F75 LTD2/ AT MAX/ Multi Kruzer/ Nox 800

Have used many detectors.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Kajunoutlaw, if you look at the "banners" above, the Confederate plate on the far left was found with an AT Pro recently. I was standing 10' away when it was found. Soooo...that question is answered. I also did well but we were really working a small part of a field and it was on "his" side.

One thing of note, I don't waste my time in overly hunted parks. You do need an "edge" there, if you can ever get one, but, again, until technology changes again, that "edge" will disappear in a few hours as other people with "your" machine have already hit it. I noticed about 5 new Equinox's in my MD club in the same park(s). The "edge" is now history.

It's location, location, location. I was looking at three new properties just today. Guys, just get away from the computer and go dig. My next dig is in about 36 hours. Then another flight to dig, then a beach, then another flight, then the ground will be warm here. It tried to thaw today. Didn't quite make it past 2" deep though. There are days I wish I could find a machine that would really show me something, but for now that day has come and gone.

Smokey I'm surprised you missed the sarcasm in my post.
 

smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
20,714
40,795
Maryland
🥇 Banner finds
10
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Oh, it was an interesting time. I just sold a piece of real estate, and part of the deal was I had to remove a HUGE heavy treehouse a neighbor had put there. My buddy and I did that and it took 8 man hours to do it, during the snow. It was a pretty tough job. Danged thing was nailed together and we had to use crowbars and sawzalls to get it apart. And then take part of it to the dump. Neighbor had no permission to even put it there. So I was preoccupied and now a funeral for someone else.

I could have missed a tyrannosaurus rex outside eating my car this week!
 

Slowtaknow

Sr. Member
Oct 27, 2015
375
435
Kannapolis nc
Detector(s) used
Fisher f2, Tesoro vaquero, Nokta Simplex, Garrett Csi 250, whites gold master 2.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I agree with Calabash, if your saying the AT Pro and the Equinox 800 are essentially the same they are not the same thing.

He meant pro to gold i think, the max is the one that stands apart from what i have read.
 

signal_line

Silver Member
Nov 14, 2011
3,601
1,835
Detector(s) used
XP Deus
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The thought just occurred to me this whole AT Gold comparison thing is a decoy. I suspect there is new detector out there that gives the ML a run for it's money--I mean cost less, easier to use, compact, super fast, etc. After all, why would anyone want to compare a seven year old detector to a new one that costs hundreds more? I ain't no psychiatrist to say what that is but there must be some reason.
 

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Calabash Digger

Gold Member
Apr 18, 2016
5,300
11,756
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
XP DEUS II ,XP DEUS, EQUINOX 800, EXCALIBUR II,
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Its a conspiracy ……….lol . AT MAX retails for 849.00
 

Calabash Digger

Gold Member
Apr 18, 2016
5,300
11,756
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
XP DEUS II ,XP DEUS, EQUINOX 800, EXCALIBUR II,
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
He meant pro to gold i think, the max is the one that stands apart from what i have read.

It doesnt stand apart it is just a repackage market deal... same ole same ole market crap...
 

Iffy Signals

Sr. Member
Sep 17, 2018
484
730
Rhode Island
Detector(s) used
Current-Deus & Equinox 800. Past - CTX, F75, AT Pro/Max, F44, Patriot.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Stands alone is right. AT Max was the worst purchase i have made in Metal detecting. Was pissed at myself for selling the pro to get it. Tones are god aweful, called garrett because i really thought i had a bad one. Crackly audio thought my speaker was busted. Its just my opinion but come on people the stuff out there you can get now for the price of the Max is unreal with many more on the way. Multi Freq, recovery speed, iron volume. All very important features you need. Unless you dont idk..
 

HighVDI

Silver Member
Feb 16, 2017
2,765
4,594
Pa
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Stands alone is right. AT Max was the worst purchase i have made in Metal detecting. Was pissed at myself for selling the pro to get it. Tones are god aweful, called garrett because i really thought i had a bad one. Crackly audio thought my speaker was busted. Its just my opinion but come on people the stuff out there you can get now for the price of the Max is unreal with many more on the way. Multi Freq, recovery speed, iron volume. All very important features you need. Unless you dont idk..

Well said and really sums it up. Doesn't mean you can't go dig up some nice finds with a max or gold, it just means there's more capable options for the money out there now. IMO, the Max should retail at $550.00. If it were not waterproof more like $400.00. But....that's JMO.
 

Calabash Digger

Gold Member
Apr 18, 2016
5,300
11,756
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
XP DEUS II ,XP DEUS, EQUINOX 800, EXCALIBUR II,
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
That's a fair assessment guys... It really is. I know some have not figured it out yet but they will.
 

Opie

Sr. Member
Aug 27, 2013
274
173
Primary Interest:
Other
Honestly, you can't openly compare "any" unit against another, their all specialist designs to keep you buying a new detector. You can compare a general function like a prospecting mode or a relics mode or even same units going head to head in single frequency modes using different single frequencies. My first response was to say "Yes" you can compare an AT-Gold to an Equinox 800 and they compare similar in function, but only in "gold prospecting mode" but the AT-Gold is a budgeted "Gold" machine, its primary design was not relic hunting, its an added marketing option that its higher frequency 18 kHz is able to hit smaller targets easier than say a 7.5 kHz machine, so just like the Fisher F-19 or the Teknetics G2 (both rebranded Goldbug machines) it was given the do all moniker, which was really goofy considering Garrett already had the AT-Pro rolling in popularity. Regardless if you hate Garrett's AT series or not, its the machines that caused the industry to make sure water proofing was an almost standard option. The At Max to me is the blending of the pro and gold models then adding the new wireless technology.
New models are in the works for both Garrett and First Texas products but let us first hope they both don't go the way of Tessoro, many people who worked hard to make the toys we use were laid off these last few years so we need to support our locally made items for our sport, weather its a shovel, boots or a machine. Now it cost money to design a completely new detector and the fact that a 20 year old MXT design can still compete in 2019 should tell you how difficult it is to make an even more amazing machine, and in those 20 years the best we get is multi frequency, faster recovery speed and water proofing, (Something we started to see some 25 years ago) Wireless technology both on the coil and in the headphones is the latest break through on the retail release side anyway. More depth has constrains both from the science and physics placed on the process of VLF machines. Anyway, most who know me here know I don't wade into the compare units pool because of what I do, the arguments will continue and I'm a lover not a fighter,,,,lol
Good Luck!
Stay Gold!
Opie
 

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