Getting started, which machine?

gdwtvb

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Jun 29, 2021
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9
Good afternoon,

I'm 53 and live in a house built in the 1870's continuously in my family for over 70 years in a small iron mill town in Western NY on the shore of Lake Erie. We moved here about five years ago. Judging from the amount of iron trash I've gotten out of the ground just doing the odd gardening, I doubt anyone has ever searched here. (I've also found multiple marbles, game pieces, small pottery pieces, and even a nice glass bead.) I will get plenty of practice in no time just with my own and my local family member's yards.

I've wanted to metal detect off and on for decades, but one thing or another always held me back. I'm finally ready to take the plunge. Knowing myself, I'll be all in for a year or two and then it will become something I will occasionally come back to for months at a time before turning to another hobby like photography. I like to buy quality gear and I take care of it. I will undoubtedly be doing some detecting on the lakeshore, local parks, as well as taking it to South Carolina beaches where my parents live, as well as some farms near Nashville when visiting my son.

My max budget is around one grand. The two main detectors I'm looking at are the Garrett AT max and the Minelab Equinox 800. The only thing that bothers me about the Minelab is the proprietary rechargeable battery. I can foresee three years from now being frustrated with a dead battery and hard to find replacements. (I just upgraded my camera after over a decade with the same cannon body.) I've already started watching videos and will probably download and read the manuals even before I make a final decision. I want gear I won't outgrow.

My main quarry will be old coins, hopefully silver, and iron relics. While I don't expect to be searching obsessively for gold, that will be mainly what I will be looking for on the shore. I am excited to hear any thoughts or suggestions.

Grizz
 
The minilab equinox is a great detector, the At max will not work at beaches, but exceeds at coin shooting (this is what I've read, I don't have the max).

My equinox was given to me by a member who used up the warranty (3 years) and my battery is still going strong.

Josh
 
Those are both good choices.

The AT Max will work on saltwater beaches, but nowhere near as well as the Equinox. In most cases, your AT Max will be nosier and chattier than the Equinox and won't go as deep. Additionally, the AT Max will require you to ground balance often when you shift in where you hunt (from wet sand to the water, then back to the dry sand).

The Equinox's battery, from what I've seen online, holds up fairly well over time. Replacement batteries seem to be available on a limited basis and swapping out the battery yourself isn't too difficult. From what I can tell, the cell isn't common like an 18650, but it's not some super duper rare cell that only Minelab sells.

Each detector has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, I love how my AT Max uses AA cells (NiMH and alkaline both work) uses an S-shaft and is actually waterproof. The Equinox is also waterproof, but tends to leak far more often than the AT Max. In other words, its waterproofness is a bit less reliable than the AT Max. But the simultaneous multi-frequency (SMF) of the Equinox is not some marketing gimmick and is the real deal.

I've used both the AT Max and the Vanquish 540 (which uses the same SMF tech as the Equinox) and I can tell the difference that SMF makes. And I have observed what many others have observed in soil: the AT Max and Vanquish/Equinox will often both be able to detect a target at depth, but the SMF will allow the Vanquish or Equinox to more accurately ID it. For example, the AT Max might read a deep silver coin as a piece of iron while the Equinox reads it as silver or at least a mid-conductor (like a nickel).
 
I have owned an AT Max, AT Gold and AT Pro. I still own two Equinox 800s and have also owned the Equinox 600, Vanquish 540, 440 and 340.

The AT Max is an excellent detector. Its waterproofing is excellent. Its depth and available features are also excellent for a single frequency detector. As mh9162013 has discovered, the AT Max can be tough to tame and makes plenty of chatter due to its very high gain settings. As a first ever detector……..I just don’t know how smart that would be. I would probably recommend the Garrett APEX instead since it has even more features (except for waterproofing) is less volatile and also has simultaneous multi frequency operation which makes it an excellent beach detector. It is a high end entry level detector whereas the AT Max is a high end mid level detector.

The Equinox 800 and 600 are also excellent detectors with far more adjustable and important features than the AT Max.

Despite what was said by mn9162013, I have never had a leaking issue with any of the Equinox detectors I have owned (5 total). I did have a leaking problem with an AT Pro earlier in my detecting life. I am not making a comparison here about which detector I would trust in gentle, fairly shallow water since I would trust both the Garrett AT series and the Equinox. In more turbulent water, I would prefer to use a different detector that is specifically made for regular underwater detecting. There are people who regularly use an Equinox for submerged saltwater and freshwater hunting in more extreme conditions simply because it performs very well and because of its excellent beach hunting features. I do not believe that Minelab had that kind of detecting in mind when they designed the Equinox control pod and its thin eared coils, but that is my opinion not fact.

Also, the Equinox employs a much more feature rich and advanced version of Multi IQ compared to the Vanquish models from my experience using both series of detectors.

The Equinox batteries will not be difficult to replace by anyone with some practical experience. For those that would like it done by a professional………Minelab USA has already stated that they will perform this service. I have owned five Equinox detectors and two of them are now out of warranty and still operate perfectly. If you have a problem during the 3 year warranty, you are covered. If the battery stops working after the warranty expires Minelab will also help you.

As far as which would I chose considering all of your hunting scenarios………the Equinox 600 or 800.
 
The Equinox 600 should do everything you want. You don't sound like you will be looking for gold flakes so the 800s higher frequencies will be a $$$ waste. If you expect to have other hobbies to to make detecting intermittent, the 600 will be more logical for the cost saving. Jm2c.
 
The Equinox 600 should do everything you want. You don't sound like you will be looking for gold flakes so the 800s higher frequencies will be a $$$ waste.

I hear this a lot.

From everything I have experienced in over 4000 hours with the Equinox 600 and 800 and with 500 hours gold prospecting with both, I can tell you for a fact that Park 2 and Field 2 (which have higher frequency weighting for smaller, deeper and partially masked targets) using Multi, set up the same on the 600 and 800 with the same coil will find exactly the same very small gold nuggets and very small micro gold jewelry equally well. In fact, in all of those hours of use, I have never had to use the 20 or 40 kHz single frequency setting on my 800s for gold prospecting. Now, the 600 not having the two Gold modes which are by far the most powerful and deepest modes used with the multi setting, is in my opinion a big loss for the end user.

So, 20 and 40 kHz are definitely used the same for the Park, Field and Beach modes on the 600 and 800 when using the multi frequency setting and Park 2 and Field 2 on both detectors will hit same the extremely small low, mid and high conductor targets.
 
"I want gear I won't outgrow. "


Grizz



Just that one sentence tells me that if your choice was between the Equinox 600 and the AT Max.......its close but i would go with the 600.

If your choice was between the Max, the 600 and 800.......it's an easy choice. It will take a long time to outgrow the 800 and all of its amazing settings and it will most likely receive software updates online a few more times too.
 
Thanks for all the replies! I'll look at the Minelab 600 as well.

Grizz
 
One thing I will say about the Equinox is there have been quite a bit of complaints about the the flimsiness of the shaft and coil ears. There is quite an aftermarket for these things.

I'm not saying you will have these problems, and I imagine most Equinox users do not, but it is something to be aware of and to research. It is just a cost of ownership issue.

Also research aftermarket coils for all machines you are considering. That is possibly the best way to not outgrow a machine.

New detector technology will always be around the corner, so every machine everyone owns will be obsolete in their lifetime. But I like the attitude of not outgrowing the machine. I still have yet to outgrow my ancient E-Trac (aftermarket coils, aftermarket batteries), so it is possible. Perhaps better to become an expert with one machine than always buying the supposed latest and greatest and having to start from square 1.

One final comment on the Equinox -- I personally find it difficult to tell deep iron from deep coins. This is easy on the E-Trac. I have not used the Garrett. There are plenty of You Tube videos on telling deep iron on the Equinox, so you may want to check them out if that machine is your choice, and you end up frustrated.
 
Well I second the minelab 600. I have had a couple. I do believe no doubt that it is one of the best ergonomic metal detectors I have ever used. I think the display is nice and big as well.

It finds coins very good. And should do well at the beach at your parents.

I would not shy away from the internal battery either. It last a decent good bit out in the field.

The drawback for the equinox in my opinion is that the cam locks on the shaft are hit and miss. I have had one that would not tighten down good in which the lower shaft wobbled a bit and also the ears on the coils where it attaches to the lower shaft are thin and not very strong or robust.

If I may suggest another thing, If your going to be looking on inland fields and farms for the most part, I myself would consider an XP ORX as well.

Now it isnt water proof and it doesn't run in multi frequency either. However there are a lot of frequencies to choose from to detect with. You have 28 with the white High frequency coil and also you have 35 with the black X35 coil.

The XP units are one of the fastest units out on the market which equates to searching in high iron and trashy sites such as you have described on your home fields.

It is also the lightest unit market on the market. They detect deep too.

They too have internal rechargeable batteries. However unlike the minelab equinox, they are much easier to replace when needed.

If you can replace a battery in the old cordless phones back when people used land lines, it is almost as easy except you just take out a few screws.

The battery will last for several outings on one charge.

Anyways, just something to think about.

I made a little video with my ORX to try to help identify the steel bottle caps compared to the US quarter.

Here it is if you wish to take a look

https://youtu.be/A3MpTB5wjEE
 
bounty hunter cost is cheap under $100
if you find out the hobby is not for you then you will be out limited money
stay away from minelab cost is $600- + up
it is not the machine it is the hunter as the old saying goes PUT your coil over it
don't let any of these people tell you any thing else...
 
One thing I will say about the Equinox is there have been quite a bit of complaints about the the flimsiness of the shaft and coil ears. There is quite an aftermarket for these things.

I'm not saying you will have these problems, and I imagine most Equinox users do not, but it is something to be aware of and to research. It is just a cost of ownership issue.

Also research aftermarket coils for all machines you are considering. That is possibly the best way to not outgrow a machine.

New detector technology will always be around the corner, so every machine everyone owns will be obsolete in their lifetime. But I like the attitude of not outgrowing the machine. I still have yet to outgrow my ancient E-Trac (aftermarket coils, aftermarket batteries), so it is possible. Perhaps better to become an expert with one machine than always buying the supposed latest and greatest and having to start from square 1.

One final comment on the Equinox -- I personally find it difficult to tell deep iron from deep coins. This is easy on the E-Trac. I have not used the Garrett. There are plenty of You Tube videos on telling deep iron on the Equinox, so you may want to check them out if that machine is your choice, and you end up frustrated.

This is a great point. The AT Max has A LOT OF aftermarket coils to choose from. While I don't necessarily think the OP should get the AT Max over the Equinox 600/800, the ability to tinker and play with new coils is a factor to consider, however small it might be...
 
i own an equinox 800, good unit. you may also want to look at the anfibio multi. i own one and use it quite a bit as i leave it in my vehicle.
 
Good afternoon,

I'm 53 and live in a house built in the 1870's continuously in my family for over 70 years in a small iron mill town in Western NY on the shore of Lake Erie. We moved here about five years ago. Judging from the amount of iron trash I've gotten out of the ground just doing the odd gardening, I doubt anyone has ever searched here. (I've also found multiple marbles, game pieces, small pottery pieces, and even a nice glass bead.) I will get plenty of practice in no time just with my own and my local family member's yards.

I've wanted to metal detect off and on for decades, but one thing or another always held me back. I'm finally ready to take the plunge. Knowing myself, I'll be all in for a year or two and then it will become something I will occasionally come back to for months at a time before turning to another hobby like photography. I like to buy quality gear and I take care of it. I will undoubtedly be doing some detecting on the lakeshore, local parks, as well as taking it to South Carolina beaches where my parents live, as well as some farms near Nashville when visiting my son.

My max budget is around one grand. The two main detectors I'm looking at are the Garrett AT max and the Minelab Equinox 800. The only thing that bothers me about the Minelab is the proprietary rechargeable battery. I can foresee three years from now being frustrated with a dead battery and hard to find replacements. (I just upgraded my camera after over a decade with the same cannon body.) I've already started watching videos and will probably download and read the manuals even before I make a final decision. I want gear I won't outgrow.

My main quarry will be old coins, hopefully silver, and iron relics. While I don't expect to be searching obsessively for gold, that will be mainly what I will be looking for on the shore. I am excited to hear any thoughts or suggestions.

Grizz

hey im east of you on the boarder. I am guessing you are in fredonia area? or more north. I have an equinox and it works well around here.
 
hey im east of you on the boarder. I am guessing you are in fredonia area? or more north. I have an equinox and it works well around here.

Inside the Dunkirk City limits, just north of Fredonia. :D

I've pretty well decided on the Equinox, I just need to wait about a month until the cash is available.

Grizz
 
i reccommend coil stiffeners for the 11” and the 15” if you decide to get a larger coil. contact torquemaster
 
Inside the Dunkirk City limits, just north of Fredonia. :D

I've pretty well decided on the Equinox, I just need to wait about a month until the cash is available.

Grizz

let me know if you need some help figuring it out when you get it. always down to dig some holes.
 
I'm also partial to minelab. Started with Garrett AT and barely used it before I switched to an Etrac. I thought I would be a gold/relic hunter but quickly learned silver coin turf hunting was what I enjoyed. Etrac is a joy to hunt with; it's tones, discrimination, I.D. , depth.

It's been so reliable for my purposes it's hard to make the switch to equinox. Although many have and are happy with the switch. Equinox is lighter, waterproof, separates faster in trash, better on gold, unmasking capabilities.

You may want to think about other accessories too. Like a pinpointer, diggers, finds pouch, knee pads. Welcome!
 
The AT MAx is not a great machine for most beginners. Its a solid machine, but can be squirelly and hard to learn as its tuned to be overly sensitive and can cause a lot of instability and chatter which can be frustrating until you get used to it, so the learning curve is something to consider. I would not worry about the Minelab battery as its Lithium Ion and wont go bad just sitting around. You can also get a power bank like you use on your computer and use that to run your machine, even if the Minelab battery is dead/uncharged. And theres also the RNB Powernox battery pack which does the same thing.
 
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