Minelab 600 or minelab 800

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49er12

49er12

Bronze Member
Aug 22, 2013
1,238
1,627
Rolling Rock, Pennsylvania
Detector(s) used
Minelab xterra, Whites DFX, Notka Makro Simplex. Folks the price don’t mean everything, the question is are you willing to put in the time to learn the machine, experience will pay off I guarantee it.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Now there’s a 300.00 difference, come on I watch and watch many videos, on minelab and xpdeus machines, considering they are the best, that’s what the general users say. There’s entry level then those but I believe 600 or simplex with minor additional options would be absolutely fine. Think about it 1000.00 for a detector. Just seems a little steep.
 

ky keith

Jr. Member
Dec 23, 2008
62
44
Ft. Myers Florida/ Western N.C.
Detector(s) used
Equinox 600, Minelab Vanquish 540
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
If I may I see you use a notka makro simplex machine, that’s my current machine also. Would it be fair to compare the simplex to the 600, simplex 12 kilohertz I believe vs the 4-5-10-15 kilohertz minelab , appreciate your opinion
No, I own the Simplex and the Nox 600. The Simplex is a fine machine, but it's nowhere near as good as the Nox 600. Truthfully, my son has the Vanquish 540 and I believe I would rather have that than the Simplex, if only given the choice of one or the other
 

Xraywolf

Silver Member
Feb 28, 2005
3,576
4,360
MI USA
Detector(s) used
Ace 400, AT Pro, equinox 800, Simplex,Vanquish 540
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Buy the best you can afford, the 800 is a more capable machine with more features, get it unless you are in a legit $$ crunch.
Or wait until spring, don't imagine that there is much to detect in PA for the next few months, price may go up or drop who knows but you'll basically be wasting 3-4 months or warranty by buying now.
[I had one, never really used it and sold it]
 

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49er12

49er12

Bronze Member
Aug 22, 2013
1,238
1,627
Rolling Rock, Pennsylvania
Detector(s) used
Minelab xterra, Whites DFX, Notka Makro Simplex. Folks the price don’t mean everything, the question is are you willing to put in the time to learn the machine, experience will pay off I guarantee it.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Detecting in Pennsylvania far western specific, its cold as hell, but if your interested detecting along the lakes shores because the water is way down. Everyone should because the early settlers lived near these places and most of the time the foundations and other old roads, train tracks are under water. Honestly if you want old stuff all of you should consider I promise you will find old relics and coins you normally wouldn’t because of the water being low, thanks price is 300.00 to high currently even though our machines get used all year around, thankyou
 

brianc053

Hero Member
Jan 27, 2015
974
3,371
Morris County, NJ
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800
XP Deus 2
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
49er12, I watch a lot of this guy's video's: Metal Detecting NYC (his name is Merril, and he's a bit weird - but very honest and fun, to me at least). The reason I bring it up is that he has the Equinox 600 and he detects around other guys who have the 800 (a guy named "Phil the Nox" for instance), and last year he was comparing the performance of his 600 vs. Phi's 800. He swears that the 800 was getting more depth and somewhat better separation, though it wasn't scientific testing, and it could just be that Phil was more 'in tune' with the 800. If you watch his videos, don't get distracted by his crazy talk of the 'cat gods' - it's all for fun. And if you scratch below the strange surface I think Merril is a really sharp/smart guy.

I haven't used the Simplex, so I can't do a direct compare. However, I believe the MultiIQ technology on the Equinox (600 or 800) is a true differentiator. I have been experimenting with the Equinox in single-frequency in areas of high EMI, and the performance is poor compared to when it's in MultiIQ. I once accidentally left it in 10khz (I'd put it in that frequency under a power line, but forgot to go back to Multi once I was far away), and I still found a button in 10khz - but I wonder to this day what I missed.

And recently I invested in an XP Deus, about 2 weeks before the snow hit NJ. I got to use it on 3 hunts and I got it specifically for some iron-infested sites. Although the Equinox is an outstanding coin shooter and it's good in iron-infested sites, I was digging A LOT of iron signals that sounded like they should have been silver coins on the Equinox. In one of those same sites that I'd hit with the Equinox I pulled out 3 more buttons with the Deus in an hour of detecting while not digging as much false iron signals, so I think the Deus will do a little better at a few of my tough sites.

Finally, before Minelab raised the price on the 800 I would have argued that getting the 800 was the better deal. But now I think they made it easier to be satisfied with the 600 (and maybe that was why they adjusted the prices the way they did). If you can still get your military discount $550 for the 600 with headphones then that's a steal.
Oh, thank you for your service.

- Brian
 

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49er12

49er12

Bronze Member
Aug 22, 2013
1,238
1,627
Rolling Rock, Pennsylvania
Detector(s) used
Minelab xterra, Whites DFX, Notka Makro Simplex. Folks the price don’t mean everything, the question is are you willing to put in the time to learn the machine, experience will pay off I guarantee it.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Brian thanks your helpful, oh by the way I watch merril he’s funny but knowledgeable, stay in touch, xp deus best detector going once you learn it
 

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