Minelab Equinox 800

White Stash

Jr. Member
May 1, 2014
25
8
Lombard Illinois
Detector(s) used
MXT. Grey Ghost HPs, Garret pin point, 6 x 10 DD, 13" Ultimate 15" MAX
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hello all
Im thinking of buying this new Minelab. Equinox 800
Need opinions please.
I have used the E-Track, too confusing and screen display was poor.
I have an MXT great easy machine to use but I want a little more depth.
So, if you have any thoughts about the Eq.800 please let me know. Ja
 

Last edited:

Tpmetal

Silver Member
Jan 4, 2017
4,437
7,560
Western ny
Detector(s) used
equinox 800, Whites mx sport, Garrot carrot, bounty hunter time ranger
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
you won't gain a terrible amount of depth over the mxt unless you have hot soil. What you will gain is recovery speed and id, waterproof, light weight, and the multifrequency and ability to use different single frequencies, salt water capabilities.
 

smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
20,712
40,789
Maryland
🥇 Banner finds
10
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I agree with TPMetal. If you lived near an ocean it would be a wise choice, in Illinois, well maybe not so much. Try to find one at a dealer's and test drive it if you're considering buying it.
 

HIGHSTRUNG

Bronze Member
Feb 6, 2019
1,034
2,323
Camden SC
Detector(s) used
XP DEUS 9" HF Coil, Garret Pro-Pointer, MI-6 pinpointer
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Do it. Been using the AT Max and made the switch to the 800. So far very pleased.
 

A2coins

Gold Member
Dec 20, 2015
33,807
42,606
Ann Arbor
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
All about what you want gotta try em out alot of it is getting the coil over the target 800 is a good machine theres too many to go through what are you hunting for
 

smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
20,712
40,789
Maryland
🥇 Banner finds
10
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
A2coins is correct is that are a lot of machines out there that will the the job. Question is, what is YOUR particular job? Only you can answer. There is no magic wand out there.
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,419
30,082
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Unless you want to hunt gold nuggets, there is absolutely NO reason to buy the 800 over the 600. Like all machines, the Equinox has different coil options for different applications. If you are Landlocked, and only have FRESHWATER, buy a Garrett AT Pro. The coils are less expensive and the depth differences are minimal. :skullflag:
 

Escape

Bronze Member
Apr 4, 2009
1,643
1,881
Flip a coin if you're not sure.

giphy.gif
 

fella

Bronze Member
Oct 24, 2012
1,805
853
Wisc
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Why do you believe the ML Nox series (or any other machine for that matter) is going to give you more depth than your current MXT?

if you're just chasing a belief that you think there must be deeper coins just out reach of my machine, you're going to be bitterly disappointed.

My first "big" detector was the MXT Pro. Loved it! But I too bought into there must be deeper coins so my what flavor of the day detector will get me there journey started.
ML etrac? Nope!
Vx3/V3i? Nope!
AT Pro? Nope!
EX Deus? Nope!
Tesoro Vaquero? Nope!
T2? Nope!
CZ3D? Nope!

Did/do I ultimately like some of them better than my MXTP? Sure but I can't say any of em have proved to be any deeper or "better" than the MXT. Just different!
Want more depth? Try a bigger coil! (Whites D2 is a great coil for that machine)
my .02
 

ToddsPoint

Gold Member
Mar 2, 2018
5,309
12,676
Todds Point, IL
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I agree with TPMetal. If you lived near an ocean it would be a wise choice, in Illinois, well maybe not so much. Try to find one at a dealer's and test drive it if you're considering buying it.

Smokey, interesting that you mention my state. I have an AT Pro. What details make the 800 less suitable for IL? That fact we're landlocked? Gary
 

digger460

Silver Member
Sep 19, 2015
2,972
3,295
Southeast Grundy, Illinois
Detector(s) used
EQ600, EQ800 and a Carrot
Primary Interest:
Other
Smokey, interesting that you mention my state. I have an AT Pro. What details make the 800 less suitable for IL? That fact we're landlocked? Gary

The 800 won't find saltwater in Illinois. That's all I can think of as to why an 800 would not be a wise choice.:dontknow:
 

smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
20,712
40,789
Maryland
🥇 Banner finds
10
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Digger460 stated my point. There is no benefit for the equinox series because last time I checked you had no salt water beaches. Equinoxes struggle some in heavy iron.
 

Last edited:

digger460

Silver Member
Sep 19, 2015
2,972
3,295
Southeast Grundy, Illinois
Detector(s) used
EQ600, EQ800 and a Carrot
Primary Interest:
Other
"I have an MXT great easy machine to use but I want a little more depth."

I fell into the hype of the Equinox because it was supposedly deeper. And that was what I was hoping for when I got the EQ6. Would have gotten the 800, but didn't want to wait.

Whether it's deeper, or the tech in the box, I've dug alot more deeper silver. Especially on sites that I've pounded. That's as far as I'm going to go.:laughing7:

I'll make you an offer. Get the 800, and if you don't like it, I'll give you $799 for it, and you can keep the WM 08. I wish there was an EQ700. Custom settings without the WM 08.
 

digger460

Silver Member
Sep 19, 2015
2,972
3,295
Southeast Grundy, Illinois
Detector(s) used
EQ600, EQ800 and a Carrot
Primary Interest:
Other
Digger460 stayed my point. There is no benefit for the equinox series because last time I checked you had no salt water beaches. Equinoxes struggle some in heavy iron.

Sorry Smokey, didn't mean to be a smartbutt. All I was saying was, IMHO, there's more to the equinox then saltwater. Agree with you that it depends on "YOUR particular job". I just didn't agree on your "well maybe not so much" statement. To say there is no benefit for the Equinox series, is well.........


Ford vs Chevy.
 

Colonial78

Full Member
Nov 23, 2018
122
229
New England
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Forget the Equinox :sleepy2:....... get the Anfibio, more coils to choose from, better build quality, better in heavy iron............................
 

smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
20,712
40,789
Maryland
🥇 Banner finds
10
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Heck I still like the Tesoro’s. There is no one size fits all machine. Try a test drive if you can for any new machine. And I love my Chevy impala! The Beast!
 

Poor old tom

Jr. Member
Mar 22, 2018
28
41
Goldendale, Wa
Detector(s) used
MXT PRO x 2 - Equinox 800x2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Yep Ford vs Chevy I have two Eq 800s and two MXT pros. I have had DFX, origional MXT, Fisher gold bug, Minelab sovereign, Garrett AT max, and at 300. I have given all but the minelab 800s and MXT pros away to family. I am learning the 800s but they take a lot of effort to learn ( I am old, but Im slow) I have large and small coils on each machine, and I think that while the MXT s are easier to set up, the multiple freq on the 800s offer a lot variety in programability once I learn them. I cannot say that there is a noticable difference in depth. I do not like switching coils is the reason for two of each machine. I hve not had the 800 15 inch very long hoping the snow goes away soon so I can get out and work with it. Just my opinion, mileage may vary
 

Horst

Sr. Member
Apr 13, 2017
319
1,206
Germany
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800 + SDC2300
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
I can only tell from my experience. I got the Nox 800 just after Christmas and I started to hunt in Field 1 / 2 tone / recovery 6 / iron bias 4. In some areas I can max it out to gain 25 in some areas I go back to 18. This is my very first high tech machine besides my SDC2300 which will come back into play when I go to California in September. (I live in Germany) I find the Nox amazingly easy to handle. If you cross sweep and listen for consistent repeatable targets it is finding some real nice stuff. I use a check programm (user prog) as well. Field 1 same set-up as my regular Field 1 just limited to 10 KHZ. If in doubt I use this check program. If the numbers coming in higher I don't dig and pumping the coil over the target - if I receive iron sounds I don't dig. Gerry from Gerry's detectors put me on the right track. The Nox rocks won't say others don't but I know that the Nox is a hot detector for me. I do have lots to learn about the machine but that is big fun too.
 

Last edited:

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top