Is it true the CTX users are switching to the Equinox instead??

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

I have both and i like to hit any place first with the Equinox 800 and then go back and hit the really deep and hard to get stuff with my CTX 3030. They compliment each other very very well!

 

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[signal]

I was one of the first to get a CTX3030, I do love it. However I will be ordering a Equinox 800 tomorrow. The main reason is small gold. The Equinox can do 20khz or 40khz single frequency. To find very small gold items, you have to use a high frequency machine..........I learned this and now will be buying a Nox 800 with 6" coil. I have a test garden setup with gold studs and very fine small chains and I can't wait to see how the NOX 800 does on them.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I own both, CTX is much deeper.

 

[digger27]

I was one of the first to get a CTX3030, I do love it. However I will be ordering a Equinox 800 tomorrow. The main reason is small gold. The Equinox can do 20khz or 40khz single frequency. To find very small gold items, you have to use a high frequency machine..........I learned this and now will be buying a Nox 800 with 6" coil. I have a test garden setup with gold studs and very fine small chains and I can't wait to see how the NOX 800 does on them.

Back in April I was hunting my local 80 acre park for the 3247th time.
Great finds are few and far between but they are still here if you have patience and hunt this site as much as I have for the last several years.
I was bored and took the Nox out just to hunt for...anything.
I was in multi, 5 tones with the nickel area changed to high tones just in case and for a change had the standard coil mounted instead of my usual sniper just to be different.
I was digging only the most solid signals that day, I avoided everything that was jumpy but still came across and dug a bunch of very solid junk and trash, such is the life of a gold hunter.
Below you will see the amount of junk I dug that day, then all the solid 11-13 nickel targets I found and then the last one was a target that was a solid 12 and surrounded by trash on all sides but still hit solid from every direction despite the trash and using the bigger coil.
2.3 grams of 14k.
Will the Nox find small gold...for sure.
First gold with my Nox, pretty sure it won't be the last.

 

[bklein]

Take an EQ800 and test a few targets In the ground with sensitivity set just below crazy time. Use 50 tones. Do you make sense of what you hear without looking at the LCD? Now turn off sound and see if you make sense of targets with LCD alone.
Now try the same thing with a CTX.

 

[supertraq]

My bad

 

[Mirlen]

I still have my CTX 3030 and still use it and don't feel the need to 'update' to the NOX 800. I've also got the Deus if I want something with lightning fast speed/response and higher frequencies with the HF coil. The CTX is nice for the ID and how stable the signal is, it's just a bit heavy at times but not too bad. When I want something light and fast I grab the Deus.

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

I still have my CTX 3030 and still use it and don't feel the need to 'update' to the NOX 800. I've also got the Deus if I want something with lightning fast speed/response and higher frequencies with the HF coil. The CTX is nice for the ID and how stable the signal is, it's just a bit heavy at times but not too bad. When I want something light and fast I grab the Deus.

great post!

 

[Robinb]

I have both.

CTX any day in my opinion.
Yes the eq is lighter and much better pinpointing.

but the ctx is deeper, better information on target.
customisable
does not overload when in sea water ever 5 minutes.

 

[masterjedi]

I have both, the 800 and the CTX. The 800 sits at home in the corner. The CTX is King. The 800 is a beep and dig machine.

 

[Robinb]

I find the eq800 ok when I just do the sand on beach.

if I go in water the ctx3030 every time.

 

[JerV3]

I'll share a few thoughts.

I have both machines and use them both.

However after using the Nox for a bit I started to like it.

Lighter weight and faster recovery speed made it a joy to swing.

My CTX has been collecting dust. I will say this though. The CTX is a lot more stable on vdi numbers and handles emi way better.

The Nox is terrible with EMI.

Both are very good machines. Both will put keepers in the pouch.

I pulled 144 silvers last year with the Nox.

Jer

 

[jjack9977]

I have them both, and a V3i. I really like multifrequency machines in general and there are advantages to each platform. If I could only keep one between the Equinox and CTX, I’d have an awful hard time choosing. The disc tools on the CTX are fun and I love cherry picking with it. In the end though, the Equinox is more functional in more environments. It’s more versatile. Thankfully I don’t have to choose between them or any other multifrequency machine that comes our way. If it performs at the fringes I want it in my Arsenal to do the things it does best.

 

[crashbandicoot]

I haven't been out swinging at all this year and here we are turning "September" in 4 days from today.

I used the CTX for several years, then got the 800 and the CTX is gathering dust. I can't say either is more capable - it's just all in a days work kinda thing. I know the CTX changed the way I hunted. Maybe I haven't given the 800 the due it deserves. I can't take the hot weather anymore, and to me it seems like it's always hot now. Cooler weather will come, and I really do have to get out and do some danged swinging.

I'm lazy now, but I did get out for a 6 pack of cold beer just now - regardless of what they're calling a pandemic. My pandemic was that this morning I wanted a cold beer - and I did it The store was fairly empty, and NO ONE was wearing any kind of mask.

I don't know how I'll do it, but I'll let ya'll know if I die from Covid !!!

Haunt our machines and give us a message through our VDI screens.

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

I find the eq800 ok when I just do the sand on beach.

if I go in water the ctx3030 every time.

I find the CTX 3030 is a deeper machine for the beach. Equinox 800 is better on small jewelry.

 

[pulltabfelix]

I read in a couple of places that a since the Equinox has came out that there has been a switch to the Equinox by those that were using the CTX.

I could understand the only reason would be for the weight and portability of the EQ. But I see where people claim the EQ would pick up targets just as deep as the CTX could. Plus the faster recovery speed of the equinox in heavy trash areas.

Just wanted to see if this was true in the minelab user world. I had an equinox 600. It is a very light weight unit. I thought it was a good enough decent machine. I must admit though, I wish it were built better.

You will likely in a few weeks see me here more with some questions as a new CTX3030 owner.

I am seriously considering buying a CTX 3030. I have owned the Nox 800 for 3 years now. Not happy with it in relic hunting in metro Atlanta. Most of my civil war hunting sites are in metro Atlanta and that brings with it lots of modern trash.

Some have called the 800 in this environment a "beep and dig" detector. They are not far off in this observation modern trashy environment.

The depth gauge on the 800 is relative. Relative to what on some days I wonder.
From what I can tell the e-track and CTX 3030 screen is made for very good target ID'ing once you get the hang of it. Also a whole lot more discrim points to set up compared to the 800.

So it is time for me to start selling some other stuff on ebay to get the $$ needed for my new CTX-3030. I will sell my 800 but keep my Vanquish 440 for hitting the volleyball courts which have been productive for me and super easy to hunt.

 

[pulltabfelix]

Take an EQ800 and test a few targets In the ground with sensitivity set just below crazy time. Use 50 tones. Do you make sense of what you hear without looking at the LCD? Now turn off sound and see if you make sense of targets with LCD alone.
Now try the same thing with a CTX.

BKlein is telling the truth in my opinion. Yes there are people who can make sense of what the 800 is trying to tell you about a target with 50 tones. I was not one of those. I used my 800 for 3 years.

50 tones did not work for me because I have some high freq hearing loss. Jumpy ID's on the compacted 40 position TID did not work for me.

Two weeks of using the CTX3030 and I am in love with the 50 x 3 5 FE-CO matrix display and discrimination filters.
When I hit a coin, I know it is a coin by the audio and more importantly to me, the enhanced display and target trace does not lie to me much.

 

[pulltabfelix]

BKlein is telling the truth in my opinion. Yes there are people who can make sense of what the 800 is trying to tell you about a target with 50 tones. I was not one of those. I used my 800 for 3 years.

50 tones did not work for me because I have some high freq hearing loss. Jumpy ID's on the compacted 40 position TID did not work for me.

Two weeks of using the CTX3030 and I am in love with the 50 x 3 5 FE-CO matrix display and discrimination filters.
When I hit a coin, I know it is a coin by the audio and more importantly to me, the enhanced display and target trace does not lie to me much.

I have had more hunting time on the CTX lately and love it. Do I miss more targets than with the 800? Maybe some, but heck, I was missing targets with every detector I have ever owned.

I have confidence in my ability with the CTX that I never achieved with the 800. That was just me. I am not bashing the 800 in any way. Well it did go back to the factory once for water leaking into the display. Basically it just did not work with my hearing. I could not utilize 50 tones effectively which is a good skill to have with the 800. I have to use the Minelab swing harness with the CTX or just hunt for 20 minutes without it. I have created a pattern for my type of hunting and understand the settings and have them set for the type of trashy sites I hunt. Pretty much leaves me no doubt when it is calling a target a coin and pretty accurate on calling the depth. Got the pattern to also work with my Civil War relic hunting (I hope).

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

Pretty much leaves me no doubt when it is calling a target a coin and pretty accurate on calling the depth.

This is so true! When a CTX 3030 "locks on" to a coin-type target, even a deep, one you can almost bet the farm.

 

[metaldiggr]

I'm a huge CTX Fan! I got to use an EQ800 back in September at a farm permission, I'll never go back to a 2-digit VDI. I bought my CTX 3 years ago, an upgrade from an AT Pro. I absolutely love it! Back in August I was considering jumping ship to an EQ800, using one for a couple hours let me realize I'm using the best machine for the type of hunting I do. The GPS alone is huge for me. I hunt woods in the middle of nowhere, it's nice to download that data and formulate a strategy for the next time.

Interestingly, I stopped in here to see if there was word on new CTX model coming out.

Our Youtube channel is almost all CTX. I like to show the screen and what hit I'm getting. I find a lot of odd stuff - sash buckles, jewelry, brooches, plenty of old coins.

https://www.youtube.com/user/MetalDiggr/featured