Bad points about the Equinox series

[chub]

I have a feeling this may be a short thread....

Everything about the Equinox seems positive so far

Anyone have any complaints or buyers remorse or something you would change?


Chub

 

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[birdman]

Youtuber Gigmaster has a video showing a chatter issue his nox is having but other then that he has nothing but good things to say about it. I ordered mine a few days ago because the overwhelming positives from field test .

 

[Terry Soloman]

The Equinox has not been in peoples hands long enough to really know what is good or bad. I LOL watching some of the videos people have rushed to get on YouTube with. They have not even had time to learn the machine properly, don't do a noise cancel, or even ground balance the unit! I've had mine around 10-days, and have been able to get out only twice with it. It will take at least 25-hours on the headphones for an experienced user to become acquainted with everything the Equinox offers the user.

Give it a few more weeks, and wait for some REAL experts to tell you what the machine is about.

 

[smokeythecat]

Terry is 100% correct. I am sure it is a good machine, I am also sure a skilled detectorist can beat someone with an EQ hands down if they rush and rush and rush and don't learn the machine. Don't rush it. Do it right. No one gets "points" for being the first person to put something up on youtube.

 

[masterjedi]

The nail test said it all :/ Sorry EQ...

 

[Terry Soloman]

The nail test said it all :/ Sorry EQ...

"Nail" tests are completely bogus - period. Any metal detectorist worth their salt knows this from experience.

 

[vferrari]

Amen. Terry.

Not saying the Equinox is great as I don't have one yet, but nail tests and most air tests, and even some test garden tests cannot really tell you much for ANY new machine.

If you have a detector you know and like, go on a REAL detecting session (preferably multiple under different site conditions and primary targets) with someone who owns or posses the detector you want to evaluate who has a similar detecting skill set as you. You both swing your respective detectors and when someone gets a hit (both potential trash or treasure) ask the other person to come over and investigate. Don't even point right at the target, ask them to swing in the general area and see if they can pick it up. Then dig the target and see what you think. Compare the performance of your existing go to detector against the new kid and decide.

Better yet if you can get a dealer to let you have a demo for 20 to 30 hours before you buy, then that is your best bet. (And a highly unlikely scenario at the moment - LOL)

Hunt videos, test videos, etc can basically just roughly tell you whether the new kid has legs or is a bust, not much more. And many can just flat out be manipulated to leave whatever impression the video creator wishes.

Do your homework, but you short change yourself if you make any buy/not buy decision solely based on a video.

I have seen enough in the specs, good and bad and first hand testimonies from folks who detect under similar conditions as I plan to take A CHANCE on the Equinox. I won't know for sure until I can do that bake off with Smokey or another proficient Deus user and make my final decision. I still plan on keeping the Deus for now.

 

[GreenMeanie]

Because there is no need to noise cancel if you don't have noise. Also with minelabs no need to ground balance if not needed either the reason it is default 0.

The Equinox has not been in peoples hands long enough to really know what is good or bad. I LOL watching some of the videos people have rushed to get on YouTube with. They have not even had time to learn the machine properly, don't do a noise cancel, or even ground balance the unit! I've had mine around 10-days, and have been able to get out only twice with it. It will take at least 25-hours on the headphones for an experienced user to become acquainted with everything the Equinox offers the user.

Give it a few more weeks, and wait for some REAL experts to tell you what the machine is about.

 

[digger460]

I watch the vids now just to learn the controls.

Some of them you can really tell they wanted to be #1. Just terrible.

 

[smokeythecat]

Vferrari is correct, and the bake off is coming soon.

 

[vferrari]

Because there is no need to noise cancel if you don't have noise. Also with minelabs no need to ground balance if not needed either the reason it is default 0.

From the manual:

"1. Turn On Press the Power button on the side of the control panel.

2. Select a Detect Mode Select the optimum Detect Mode Search Profile for your detecting location. (EQUINOX 800 shown). See 'Detect Modes' on page 22 for more information on how to choose the most suitable Detect Mode.

3. Noise Cancel Select Noise Cancel from the Settings Menu, then press to initiate an Auto Noise Cancel. This will take approximately 8 seconds to complete.

4. Begin Detecting! Press to return to the Detect Screen, and begin detecting!

Note: If excessive ground noise is heard after performing the Quick Start steps, carry out the Ground Balance procedure (page 40). If excessive noise is still being experienced try adjusting the Sensitivity to a lower level to reduce noise (page 34)."

People complaining about excessive noise, ground Noise, or lack of target sensitivity on video have no credibility with me unless they show or state they have done these basic steps, and have done them correctly. (E.g., noise cancel is instructed to be done with the coil off the ground).

I think that was Terry's point.

If you can get away without doing the above and have a great detecting experience then awesome. The ML detector police are not going to arrest you for not following instructions.

And not trying to convince anyone the Equinox is all that. If people have already made up their minds, pro or con, without swinging it, then alright by me. I don't personally care about ML's bottom line and frankly when you get right down to it, it is not in my best self-interest to try and convince folks to go Equinox.

 

[GreenMeanie]

And if you read the manual more it says not needed too.
I also said not needed if no noise if there is noise yeah you would need to noise cancel.
I have used Minelabs most of my life from BBS to FBS2 And there has only been a few times I had to noise cancel or ground balance but I am from New England so location makes a difference.
Would it kill you to hit noise cancel each time NO but I know it is not needed if you don't hear chatter and no need to GB if the machine is running stable.

From the manual:

"1. Turn On Press the Power button on the side of the control panel.

2. Select a Detect Mode Select the optimum Detect Mode Search Profile for your detecting location. (EQUINOX 800 shown). See 'Detect Modes' on page 22 for more information on how to choose the most suitable Detect Mode.

3. Noise Cancel Select Noise Cancel from the Settings Menu, then press to initiate an Auto Noise Cancel. This will take approximately 8 seconds to complete.

4. Begin Detecting! Press to return to the Detect Screen, and begin detecting!

Note: If excessive ground noise is heard after performing the Quick Start steps, carry out the Ground Balance procedure (page 40). If excessive noise is still being experienced try adjusting the Sensitivity to a lower level to reduce noise (page 34)."

People complaining about excessive noise, ground Noise, or lack of target sensitivity on video have no credibility with me unless they show or state they have done these basic steps, and have done them correctly. (E.g., noise cancel is instructed to be done with the coil off the ground).

I think that was Terry's point.

If you can get away without doing the above and have a great detecting experience then awesome. The ML detector police are not going to arrest you for not following instructions.

And not trying to convince anyone the Equinox is all that. If people have already made up their minds, pro or con, without swinging it, then alright by me. I don't personally care about ML's bottom line and frankly when you get right down to it, it is not in my best self-interest to try and convince folks to go Equinox.

 

[vferrari]

Yeah, I think we are in violent agreement. The point is don't post noise or lack of sensitivity as a bad point here if you haven't done the above basic setup.

The other thing Terry may have been driving at is that people videoing themselves turning it on and going may imply they are not familiar with the basics, haven't really learned the machine, and you should take whatever conclusions they are trying to prove with a grain of salt because they really may not know what they're doing. Unless I know who they are, if they are not following or commenting on why they are not following basic setup protocol, I just move on.

 

[GreenMeanie]

Yeah but Minelab always said they are a Turn On and Go Detector if I remember right that was one of their selling points for the longest time lol.
I watched a lot of the Youtube videos too there is a lot of excitement in the videos but doesn't mean they need to noise cancel or ground balance. And when did people start calling recovery -->reactivity? That is the only thing I seen people complaining about lack of depth with a high speed recovery running.

 

[Iron Buzz]

Youtuber Gigmaster has a video showing a chatter issue his nox is having but other then that he has nothing but good things to say about it. I ordered mine a few days ago because the overwhelming positives from field test .

I watched that last night. My Deus used to do this before I upgraded the software to 4.0. It would randomly just start to go crazy, then for no reason (or because I rebooted it) it would stop. Hopefully this can also be fixed with a software update (if it is not just unique to Gigmaster's machine)_

 

[smokeythecat]

Yeah but Minelab always said they are a Turn On and Go Detector if I remember right that was one of their selling points for the longest time lol.
I watched a lot of the Youtube videos too there is a lot of excitement in the videos but doesn't mean they need to noise cancel or ground balance. And when did people start calling recovery -->reactivity? That is the only thing I seen people complaining about lack of depth with a high speed recovery running.

If that is correct, and if I'm reading this correctly, if you lose depth with high speed recovery running, why bother with it at all? Not saying anything else.

 

[vferrari]

Yeah but Minelab always said they are a Turn On and Go Detector if I remember right that was one of their selling points for the longest time lol.
I watched a lot of the Youtube videos too there is a lot of excitement in the videos but doesn't mean they need to noise cancel or ground balance. And when did people start calling recovery -->reactivity? That is the only thing I seen people complaining about lack of depth with a high speed recovery running.

So turn on and go means don't read the simple quick start instructions?

Reactivity is Deus terminology. At one point ML was even using it in its early Equinox literature.

The ability to adjust recovery is a great feature that allows you to trade off depth vs. ability to separate keepers from trash. No free lunch.

Depth isn't everything, but it's hard to tell a CTX 3030 owner that. Lol.

 

[smokeythecat]

I understand the CTX3030 is one of the best machine Minelab ever made.

 

[Rookster]

I would say all the steps you have mentioned are true with any quality machine. It just takes time in the field with the machine to let the detector tell you how it will run correctly. The only thing I'm waiting on is maybe a bug or two that Minelab has to work out..I truly think this machine is on the right track. I Can't wait to see more results and reviews from preorder buyers. Good luck to all.

 

[tnsharpshooter]

For the loot, Equinox 800 best detector made ever by anyone. With the wireless, headphone module and wateproofing and PERFORMANCE!

Can find any types of targets.

I have 45 hours in the field, 22 hours testing. Have owned 2 CTXs, have 3 Deus, had f75, Makro racers 1 and 2, Nokta Impact, 2 etracs, XS explorer, aka signum and sorex, detecth chaser, deeprech warrior, white's v3i, rutus alter 71.

Hard to beat the Nox for a one detector setup.
Hunts modern trash and iron, beaches, salt water, seems to perform in higher mineralization.

What else compares??
I see nothing.