Over used subject, but which is better??

[monkeys uncle]

ML Equinox 800 or ML ETrac? Have the latter...may want the former. Please tell me why I should or should not make the switch. TIA and all replies are welcome.

PS - I typically am a dry land (north TX) 'dirt digger' and chase silver currency and gold jewelry. Someday...I'll make it to the beach.

 

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[SusanMN]

An Equinox would be much lighter.

 

[SD51]

I would miss the "Ferrous" number being displayed.

 

[ToddsPoint]

I bought an 800 and can't find squat with it. New operator, marginal locations, all adds up to finding nothing. I'm having better luck with the AT Pro. Gary

 

[pepperj]

I bought an 800 and can't find squat with it. New operator, marginal locations, all adds up to finding nothing. I'm having better luck with the AT Pro. Gary

Take both machines out for a hunt.( I know its a pain in the arse lugging shovel, two machine out onto a site, and actually doing the comparison )
Use the AT Pro-get a signal that you are confident knowing is of a non-ferrous nature-get the 800 and see if it will pick it up. It's the only way of knowing for sure if it's lack of targets/operator knowledge/machine.

 

[bigscoop]

OK, you are facing the same situation I’ve found myself in, which is why I purchased the Nox 800 despite my doubts. I primarily hunt/chase gold and silver jewelry and silver coins on the beaches and in the water, but in recent months have been confined to land hunting while in pursuit of these items. So, I wanted a land machine for this purpose, previously using a Sov. Gt with digital meter and also my Excal, the Sov being a long time favorite and excellent machine for this pursuit.

Having said all the above and having spent a great deal of time with the Nox in this same pursuit I can tell you this much, for sure. The Nox is a good machine but it’s not a great machine, and here’s why. First, it has very narrow discrimination capabilities, this being obvious by its very compressed VDI scale, just -9 through 40, with 9 of these being the ferrous side, which leaves only 40 for the non-ferrous side, so there isn’t a very broad non-ferrous discrimination range. Keep this in mind.

The audio consist of just standard tones VS true variable tones that also provide additional target information, this further reducing the user’s ability to analyze target returns.

The problem with the Nox as a silver and gold jewelry machine is directly related to its very narrow discrimination capabilities and its factory default settings that you will have no control over, this all going back to that very narrow VDI scale. Gold jewelry has always presented a unique problem due to its inconsistent composition and its inconsistent size and shape, these factors having always allowed this jewelry to appear just about anywhere on the non-ferrous scale. But now, with the Nox, you face this same thing with silver jewelry as well, the size and shape of the item playing more heavily in how these items will get classified on the Nox, conductivity not being the priority factor. So now the various sizes and shapes of these items have a drastic effect on where they will appear on the NOX VDI scale.

The machine does excellent on silver coins, however, due to their consistent size, shape, and conductivity. But, because of the machine’s very narrow discrimination scale these same general readings will also frequently be shared with their clad cousins, size and shape being the priority.

So here’s what I can tell you. Is the Nox 800 a better machine for our pursuit? No, it is no better or worse, what it lacks in some areas it can, at times, make up for it in others. Just don’t buy it expecting too much because for all of it’s tech advances it has also had to make some sacrifices in other areas in order to provide those features. It is a good machine but just don’t expect too much.

 

[Centsless Detecting]

I really enjoy my nox. Never used an e-trac tho. Yeah could the vdi scale be longer? sure could. I like to think we are all trash diggers first then treasure hunters second. Dig those good and iffy signals and you will be rewarded from time to time. Dont forget if it isn't in the ground you won't find it!

 

[monkeys uncle]

OK, you are facing the same situation I’ve found myself in, which is why I purchased the Nox 800 despite my doubts. I primarily hunt/chase gold and silver jewelry and silver coins on the beaches and in the water, but in recent months have been confined to land hunting while in pursuit of these items. So, I wanted a land machine for this purpose, previously using a Sov. Gt with digital meter and also my Excal, the Sov being a long time favorite and excellent machine for this pursuit.

Having said all the above and having spent a great deal of time with the Nox in this same pursuit I can tell you this much, for sure. The Nox is a good machine but it’s not a great machine, and here’s why. First, it has very narrow discrimination capabilities, this being obvious by its very compressed VDI scale, just -9 through 40, with 9 of these being the ferrous side, which leaves only 40 for the non-ferrous side, so there isn’t a very broad non-ferrous discrimination range. Keep this in mind.

The audio consist of just standard tones VS true variable tones that also provide additional target information, this further reducing the user’s ability to analyze target returns.

The problem with the Nox as a silver and gold jewelry machine is directly related to its very narrow discrimination capabilities and its factory default settings that you will have no control over, this all going back to that very narrow VDI scale. Gold jewelry has always presented a unique problem due to its inconsistent composition and its inconsistent size and shape, these factors having always allowed this jewelry to appear just about anywhere on the non-ferrous scale. But now, with the Nox, you face this same thing with silver jewelry as well, the size and shape of the item playing more heavily in how these items will get classified on the Nox, conductivity not being the priority factor. So now the various sizes and shapes of these items have a drastic effect on where they will appear on the NOX VDI scale.

The machine does excellent on silver coins, however, due to their consistent size, shape, and conductivity. But, because of the machine’s very narrow discrimination scale these same general readings will also frequently be shared with their clad cousins, size and shape being the priority.

So here’s what I can tell you. Is the Nox 800 a better machine for our pursuit? No, it is no better or worse, what it lacks in some areas it can, at times, make up for it in others. Just don’t buy it expecting too much because for all of it’s tech advances it has also had to make some sacrifices in other areas in order to provide those features. It is a good machine but just don’t expect too much.

Thank you for the very informative response/feedback. Much appreciated. May just stick with the Etrac. What I (we-all of us) need is BETTER, VIRGIN sites AND LESS TRASH!!!!!