6" Equinox coil on X-Terra Pro first impressions

[atomicscott]

Hi Everybody!
I tend to hunt in a lot of trashy fields, usually with a lot of debris from old houses. Been finding some goodies at the old home site/plowed field I have been hitting since I got my X-Terra Pro, but getting frustrated with mostly wheats and no silver. I decided to buy the 6" Nox coil and had a chance to try it out today. The coil is super light! I noticed it hits hard on smaller objects and I did not dig as big or as much trash in general as it is easier to size up objects I feel. I was gridding the same spots I did the last 2 days that I got skunked on with the stock coil. Was shocked to find my first silver Washington Quarter and just a few feet away a 1944 wheat! So I dug 3 coins I missed with the stock coil. I am convinced this is a great coil for trashy sites! Just thought I would share. If anyone is thinking of getting this coil, don't hesitate! Now I just need to go back over all the grids I hit with the stock coil! HH, Scott

 

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[diamonddave]

So I dug 3 coins I missed with the stock coil.

Congrats on the silver! Do you see any improvement in target VID numbers stabilizing with the 6" coil? I have noticed mine can get pretty jumpy with the stock coil. Doesn't seem to ID on the display as solid as my V540 but the tones are great.

 

[atomicscott]

Congrats on the silver! Do you see any improvement in target VID numbers stabilizing with the 6" coil? I have noticed mine can get pretty jumpy with the stock coil. Doesn't seem to ID on the display as solid as my V540 but the tones are great.

On these particular coins, it was very stable, staying within 3-4 numbers which to me says "dig me"!

 

[KSDirtfisher77]

Hi Everybody!
I tend to hunt in a lot of trashy fields, usually with a lot of debris from old houses. Been finding some goodies at the old home site/plowed field I have been hitting since I got my X-Terra Pro, but getting frustrated with mostly wheats and no silver. I decided to buy the 6" Nox coil and had a chance to try it out today. The coil is super light! I noticed it hits hard on smaller objects and I did not dig as big or as much trash in general as it is easier to size up objects I feel. I was gridding the same spots I did the last 2 days that I got skunked on with the stock coil. Was shocked to find my first silver Washington Quarter and just a few feet away a 1944 wheat! So I dug 3 coins I missed with the stock coil. I am convinced this is a great coil for trashy sites! Just thought I would share. If anyone is thinking of getting this coil, don't hesitate! Now I just need to go back over all the grids I hit with the stock coil! HH, Scott

Atomic have you had the chance to get anymore time under your belt with the 6" equinox smart coil on the new X-Terra Pro? I'm curious how it runs in 5Khz & what it allows you with your sensitivity adjustments? Does it try to overload/unstable? Thanks. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

[KSDirtfisher77]

Atomic have you had the chance to get anymore time under your belt with the 6" equinox smart coil on the new X-Terra Pro? I'm curious how it runs in 5Khz & what it allows you with your sensitivity adjustments? Does it try to overload/unstable? Thanks. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Ok I would like to add to this thread, I just got my 6" equinox smart coil. It's a little coin magnet, its like a lil hand on the end of your detector just picking the coins off the ground. It was super stable in park 1, sensitivity at 20, recovery of 2, 5 tones, running at 5khz. TID/VDI #'s were super stable. The 4" copper pennies I.D. at 82 I dug a 1930 wheat penny at 8" & it I.D. at 80-82. I think the equinox coils on the X-terra Pro will settle the TID/VDI down a lot. Now I need 10x5 Coiltek!!!

 

[bigtim1973]

Yes the 6 inch eq coil seems to be good on the xterra pro. I also tried out my 11 inch eq900 coil on it and it definitely settled the numbers down some.


I have the little coiltek 10x5 coming today. I am curious at how it will be on it too.

 

[KSDirtfisher77]

Yes the 6 inch eq coil seems to be good on the xterra pro. I also tried out my 11 inch eq900 coil on it and it definitely settled the numbers down some.


I have the little coiltek 10x5 coming today. I am curious at how it will be on it too.

Let me know how the coiltek 10x5 does on the X-terra Pro, I would like to hear. I've heard some of the x-terra pro's & coiltek 10x5 are not working for some people. Overloads in 5khz or requires a low sensitivity setting. I think Minelab knocked it out of the park on the X-terra Pro for a cheap metal detector. I've been following a few others sites/people to see what they think. Thanks.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Congrats on the finds !

Yes, small coils rock - they isolate good targets in junk like a laser - great in overgrown areas - lighter weight, etc.
I used a 6" coil non-stop on my E-Trac for more than 5 years - countless good finds - lot's of 7" Dimes.
The only downside is less ground coverage in a clean/open area and some loss of depth.

Good Hunting !

 

[bigtim1973]

Let me know how the coiltek 10x5 does on the X-terra Pro, I would like to hear. I've heard some of the x-terra pro's & coiltek 10x5 are not working for some people. Overloads in 5khz or requires a low sensitivity setting. I think Minelab knocked it out of the park on the X-terra Pro for a cheap metal detector. I've been following a few others sites/people to see what they think. Thanks.

Ok well this is my opinion of my new coiltek 10x5 coil compared to the 6 inch coil from minelab on the xterra pro.

From what I have tried so far in my own test garden, the coiltek 10x5 works fine in all 3 frequencies on the xterra pro.

What it does lack though is hitting my 8 inch buffalo nickle as well as the 6 inch eq coil.

It can see a 4 inch silver dime on edge surrounded by 3 rusty square nails and a modern rusted galvanized steel roofing nail.

Although target ID is not correct between both coils on either the 8 inch buffalo and the dime on edge with nails, both coils can pick out the dime well but the eq06 coil hits the deep nickle better.

On a 6 inch modern clad quarter both coils sounded off with similar results.

With that being said on the xterra pro you are only getting a little bit more cover per swing.

Even with the numbers bouncing tendency of the xterra pro, the 10x5 coiltek just does not do as well as the equinox coil.

It does work, and it works pretty good. You can cover a bit more ground with it compared to the 6 inch coil.

But, if someone would ask me now which one would I get, I would say get the eq06 coil for your xterra pro.

When I put it on my eq900 the 10x5 coil is very sensitive to emi. I have to run my sensitivity down below 20. I tried the noise cancel thing several times too and only lowering the sensitivity would calm it down.

With the eq06 coil on the eq900 the emi is no issue and the sensitivity can be ran up to 22 with no emi issues.

Both test were done with all 3 frequencies on the xterra pro for those who are interested in knowing. Also, I live in a semi rural setting too.

The xterra pro seems to run the coiltex coil more stable compared to my eq900. This is also a characteristic of single freq use vs the multi IQ frequencies.

I think the minelab coils have better shielding in their coil compared to the coiltek coil as the eq06 coil seems thicker when placed flat side by side to each other.

Now these are my own results. In the woods or out in the country and such, I am sure the coiltek cool will run more stable with a higher sensitivity setting.

But, inside a city park and similar areas the coiltek coil will be more erratic to wifi and other emi interference while used on the xterra pro.

 

[KSDirtfisher77]

Ok well this is my opinion of my new coiltek 10x5 coil compared to the 6 inch coil from minelab on the xterra pro.

From what I have tried so far in my own test garden, the coiltek 10x5 works fine in all 3 frequencies on the xterra pro.

What it does lack though is hitting my 8 inch buffalo nickle as well as the 6 inch eq coil.

It can see a 4 inch silver dime on edge surrounded by 3 rusty square nails and a modern rusted galvanized steel roofing nail.

Although target ID is not correct between both coils on either the 8 inch buffalo and the dime on edge with nails, both coils can pick out the dime well but the eq06 coil hits the deep nickle better.

On a 6 inch modern clad quarter both coils sounded off with similar results.

With that being said on the xterra pro you are only getting a little bit more cover per swing.

Even with the numbers bouncing tendency of the xterra pro, the 10x5 coiltek just does not do as well as the equinox coil.

It does work, and it works pretty good. You can cover a bit more ground with it compared to the 6 inch coil.

But, if someone would ask me now which one would I get, I would say get the eq06 coil for your xterra pro.

When I put it on my eq900 the 10x5 coil is very sensitive to emi. I have to run my sensitivity down below 20. I tried the noise cancel thing several times too and only lowering the sensitivity would calm it down.

With the eq06 coil on the eq900 the emi is no issue and the sensitivity can be ran up to 22 with no emi issues.

Both test were done with all 3 frequencies on the xterra pro for those who are interested in knowing. Also, I live in a semi rural setting too.

The xterra pro seems to run the coiltex coil more stable compared to my eq900. This is also a characteristic of single freq use vs the multi IQ frequencies.

I think the minelab coils have better shielding in their coil compared to the coiltek coil as the eq06 coil seems thicker when placed flat side by side to each other.

Now these are my own results. In the woods or out in the country and such, I am sure the coiltek cool will run more stable with a higher sensitivity setting.

But, inside a city park and similar areas the coiltek coil will be more erratic to wifi and other emi interference while used on the xterra pro.

Thanks bigtim I appreciate your testing & reports. I'm glad I bought the 6" eqx06 1st it just seems to be a nice little coil. May I ask what kinda TID/VDI #'s were you seeing on you 8" nickle test? What were the #'s on the xterra pro over your new equinox 900 with the 6" coil on your 8" nickle test? Thanks a bunch.
I'm so glad minelab went to the expanded TID/VDI #'s kinda like the good old whites machines. Lmao this xterra pro is already making me think I need the equinox 900 or the Manticore.

 

[bigtim1973]

Thanks bigtim I appreciate your testing & reports. I'm glad I bought the 6" eqx06 1st it just seems to be a nice little coil. May I ask what kinda TID/VDI #'s were you seeing on you 8" nickle test? What were the #'s on the xterra pro over your new equinox 900 with the 6" coil on your 8" nickle test? Thanks a bunch.
I'm so glad minelab went to the expanded TID/VDI #'s kinda like the good old whites machines. Lmao this xterra pro is already making me think I need the equinox 900 or the Manticore.

Ok on the 8 inch buffalo nickle the vdi on the xterra up averages bouncing around in the 60s mostly but pinging up into the 80 depending on swing speed and angle. There is some small bits of iron trash in the hole as well.

The equinox stays in the 50s to 60s range in single frequency but 4 and 5 is not all that impressive.

In multi IQ the correct ID of 27 28 and stays consistent.

On the quarter at 6 inches they both ring out in the mid 80s to 90s in single freq same on multi IQ with the eq900.

If you go look in the brands comparison area if the forum you can see I did kind of a side by side spec break down between the manticore and eq900.

I am not trying to deter anyone from getting the manticore but the specs line up pretty similar between the 2 units. For the money not saying a 1060.00 unit depending on where you buy it is cheap but, it is the better deal between the 2.

I liked the original equinox 600 but I did not like the condensed target numbers. Some guys do. That's why I sold it.

Went with xp stuff for about 3 years and now back to the equinox 900 because of the expanded numbers as well.

I used to swing whites for a very long time too. So I too like this scale.

If you want the maticore by all means get it. But on paper the eq900 stacks up pretty well against it.

I really like mine.

 

[Minrelica]

I do a lot of woods detecting and I figured my Nox 6" would be great on the X-Terra Pro. I tried it out for the first time a couple weeks ago and I found a 3 cent nickel so I have to say it works great. I think it will do just fine for future hunts and it doesn't get hung up every 10 seconds. I like it..

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

Great post! The Minelab X-TERRA PRO is a sleeper for sure!

 

[RustyGold]

I bought the 6” coil when I purchased the Xterra and put it away and this thread reminded me I had it.
Got to try it out. Thanks for the reviews!

 

[McKinney_5900]

Does the Equinox coils fit in the Exterra Pro lowers? Mainly, will the lowers from the Nox 600 and 800 slide into the Exterra or will I need new lower rods?

 

[bigtim1973]

The coil will attach but the lower rod will not work. You will need a lower rod from the vanquish for the xterra pro

 

[McKinney_5900]

The coil will attach but the lower rod will not work. You will need a lower rod from the vanquish for the xterra proI tried the 6" from the Equinox

I did install the 6" with the Nox lower, and, just today, I mounted the 10x5 Detech on the Xterra for testing, using the lowers from the Equinox units. They work. If worse came to worse and I found that they moved in actual swinging, bumping into any obstacles, and they moved, I am not against a wrap of cellophane tape right at the actual joint hookup. I can work with the lowers from the Nox 600 and 800 though.

The 10x5 Detech coil is interesting in my brief testing here in my established coin garden on the Xterra. I hope that Minelab doesn't hammer us on the price of the lowers for the Manticore and Xterra. I am not holding my breath on that one.

 

[atomicscott]

Atomic have you had the chance to get anymore time under your belt with the 6" equinox smart coil on the new X-Terra Pro? I'm curious how it runs in 5Khz & what it allows you with your sensitivity adjustments? Does it try to overload/unstable? Thanks. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Hey Brother, I know this has been awhile, but the 6" Nox coil is a keeper. I don't see much reason to use the stock coil unless I find a huge open field with little trash Laser focus, accurate ID and very good depth for such a tiny coil. Not to mention the light weight!