I've had my 800 since last September. I probably have about 150 field hours on it, mostly in trashy parks but I am far from an expert on it. I read the manual, and watched a couple of youtube vids to help me understand how to adjust the advanced settings, recovery speed , iron bias and how to change the tones, and notch out the junk. I am still using Park 1 in 5 tones 90% of the time. No amount of time fiddling with the settings can replace actual time in the field. I recently had my best day ever on silver coins (4). I have found 13 of my 16 total silver coins with the Equinox in the same heavily detected, trash filled park. Prior to getting my 800, other than a mountain of junk and some shallow clad, I had found only 2 silver dimes, both of them in the same private yard.
My current Equinox 800 settings are as follows:
software version 1.75, multi freq and tracking ground balance on.
Sensitivity 20-23 depending on EMI and soil mineralization, recovery speed at 5-7 depending on trash density and Iron bias set at 3. I notch out all iron, (-9-0) so I don't hear it at all, all non ferrous below 11 is audible but in low volume (5) and a low tone (2). Numbers 11-13 are louder and higher (volume and tone both set at 12). Numbers 14-21 are audible but set back at volume 5 and tone 2. Numbers 22 and higher are set at 25 and 25 ( loudest and highest).
I dig every repeatable 11-13 , most are pulltabs or beaver tails but every nickel I have found has been a semi solid repeatable 13. I rarely dig anything 14-21 unless it is deep and repeatable but it is still almost always junk. Anything over 22 screams at you. 22- 25 is usually a copper memorial or wheat penny, 25-28 is a dime or silver ring, 29-33 is a quarter or aluminum screw cap. I have only dug 2 clad halves, both were solid 32s. For me, anything higher than 33 has been a crushed aluminum can or a sprinkler head.
With these settings, I avoid most trash and zinc pennies, I can pick though the trash with the stock 11 inch coil reasonably well. I am also missing gold and no doubt, some cool non ferrous rings and trinkets, but this works for me on silver, and still allows me to hear most everything else and decide to dig or not.
Good luck and I hope this helps.