Equinox 900

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old hand said:
Has any members used or have a new equinox 900 as yet how do you find them regards john
Click to expand...
I've already got an 800 so am waiting for the Manticore to become readily available as I can't see any significant advancements (for me) in the 900.

Not that this really answers your question.
 
I look forward to checking out the EQ900. The 119 discrimination segments (compared to 49) and faster processor sounds great to me. Having an EQ800, I like to be able to use my existing coils and I can see with the 10x5 Coiltek coil seeing it more useful at the goldfields when I can get there. Bluetooth and headphone differences like no WM08 module support (I use these all the time...tho my Grey Ghost Amphibian II EQ wired headphones get alot more use nowadays since they sound so good) may keep me from the new detectors. Guess I wait until my EQ800 dies and then I will make a decision on what to do.

Would love to see EMI comparisons between the EQ800, EQ900 and Manticore tho. I did find EMI is such a crappy thing nowadays to deal with even on the beaches where even someone with a mobile walking by will cause some feedback. Don't even get me started on alarm systems and lifeguard radios...I had to stop using a PI in places on beaches where you even come close to any of these EMI sources.
 
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Operationally, like menu, settings etc the 900 is pretty much the same as the 800. The improvements made to the 900 (and 700) are many:

- Better arm rest
- Different handle design - feels much better to me
- Shaft is a big improvement. Lighter and folds down smaller
- Red backlight as well as backlit keypad.
- Coil wings on the 11" look like a big improvement
- The control pod design looks beefed up - probably part of the improved waterproof rating.

Performance wise, the two differences are:

1. Wider target ID range.

2. Depth Pitch audio option.
The dP (depth pitch) option is basically like the VCO audio modes on other machines. Larger/shallower targets increase the tone pitch of the signal. I have used that a lot for either focusing on shallow recent drops, OR ignoring shallow junk and listening for the mellower deeper targets, so this is a very welcome addition on the new Equinox's. Also means that on the Equinox 700 (without a dedicated gold mode), you can enable dP audio in relic mode, and this will be similar to what you'd expect to hear from a traditional "gold" or prospecting mode.
 
PhaseTech said:
Operationally, like menu, settings etc the 900 is pretty much the same as the 800. The improvements made to the 900 (and 700) are many:

- Better arm rest
- Different handle design - feels much better to me
- Shaft is a big improvement. Lighter and folds down smaller
- Red backlight as well as backlit keypad.
- Coil wings on the 11" look like a big improvement
- The control pod design looks beefed up - probably part of the improved waterproof rating.

Performance wise, the two differences are:

1. Wider target ID range.

2. Depth Pitch audio option.
The dP (depth pitch) option is basically like the VCO audio modes on other machines. Larger/shallower targets increase the tone pitch of the signal. I have used that a lot for either focusing on shallow recent drops, OR ignoring shallow junk and listening for the mellower deeper targets, so this is a very welcome addition on the new Equinox's. Also means that on the Equinox 700 (without a dedicated gold mode), you can enable dP audio in relic mode, and this will be similar to what you'd expect to hear from a traditional "gold" or prospecting mode.
Click to expand...
For the wider target range, would you say you're picking up less trash (bottle caps, etc..) compared to the older equinox such as the 800? I'm quite interested to know how easier it is to diffentiate between target ID's with the newer model now.
 
An expanded target ID range will always give more separation between good and bad targets, but it still comes down to how you use it, do you notch, and what amount of bouncing ID's do you ignore? At the end of the day, a narrower target ID is more suited to beginners due to more stable ID's, and a wider target ID range is ultimately more versatile for experienced operators.
 
It sounds to me that the 900 is the machine the 800 should have been. For my type of detecting here in the UK, I don't think the 900 offers enough improvements to tempt me to upgrade from my 800, but I am very interested to see what the Manticore offers.

From the little I have seen so far, I have a feeling that the Manticore will be an excellent coin shooting machine or if you want to notch out certain trash, but I don't see that being a huge improvement over the 800 for relic hunting here in the UK...That said I am keeping an open mind, and it will be interesting to see how it performs in the real world away from YouTube Sponsors ect...
 
Pete E said:
In what way?
Click to expand...
It's better iron rejection for starters that blew me away ... don't forget it's all new from the ground up . Faster processinhhhg speed . Depth and swing speed on targets is about the same as the 800 .. I like the new vdi range .. I've got to get more time on it . But it's iron rejection is awesome . I've put nails on a 10 cent buried it at 4" and the 800 can't pick out the coin but the 900 does .. but if you have 2 nails and make a cross pattern with them the 900 sort of gets it but tried with a 14k white gold ring and got nothing .. so far it's better than the 800 .. in a month's time I'll post up my views on it . But it wont be a final view of it as ive gotta try that 6" coil sooner or later and see how its seperation on targets is in trashy ground and ill most likely try around cue area near the tip about mid year ..
 
stalker said:
It's better iron rejection for starters that blew me away ... don't forget it's all new from the ground up . Faster processinhhhg speed . Depth and swing speed on targets is about the same as the 800 .. I like the new vdi range .. I've got to get more time on it . But it's iron rejection is awesome . I've put nails on a 10 cent buried it at 4" and the 800 can't pick out the coin but the 900 does .. but if you have 2 nails and make a cross pattern with them the 900 sort of gets it but tried with a 14k white gold ring and got nothing .. so far it's better than the 800 .. in a month's time I'll post up my views on it . But it wont be a final view of it as ive gotta try that 6" coil sooner or later and see how its seperation on targets is in trashy ground and ill most likely try around cue area near the tip about mid year ..
Click to expand...
Cheers that's for that!

I have my eye on the Manticore, but it's sounds like the 900 is worth considering also...I presume the 800 coils are not compatible with the 900?
 
Pete E said:
Cheers that's for that!

I have my eye on the Manticore, but it's sounds like the 900 is worth considering also...I presume the 800 coils are not compatible with the 900?
Click to expand...
On the contrary, the new coils for the 900 are supposedly an improved design, but Minelab has said that all Equinox coils are compatible.
 

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