Minelab Equinox vs Minelab Safari

[BrettCo124]

Hey all,

So I’ve about plastered questions on the ctx abilities all over this forum, but now I’d like to get all of your opinions on how to Equinox will handle versus the Safari. I absolutely love the safari, and besides the waterproof part, Id love your professional opinions on the comparison between the two.

I have ZERO complaints on the safari, but it really is my first higher end machine. I don’t know too much jargon yet on this hobby as far as technology goes, although I’ve been detecting for quite a while and I should definitely learn.

What are your thoughts? I’m in the market for a new machine. It wouldn’t necessarily replace my safari, but it may make a good brother to it

Thanks all.

BrettCo

 

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[BrettCo124]

Thanks for everyone’s input on the machines.

 

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[☠ Cipher]

What the Equinox does is not entirely new. It exists already on the Whites V3i and VX3. Those too can select from individual frequencies or run simultaneously. The Equinox will be waterproof and has 3 more frequencies to choose from, but also will not have a spectrograph and as much access as the V3i does to the settings that make a machine tick. FBS is a bit overhyped and is a bit of a marketing ploy. Most of the frequencies FBS machines claim to run (28) appear to be harmonic and not actually of any real world benefit. FBS machines do not actually send, receive and process 28 usable frequencies. Minelab still has yet to explain how if the range of FBS frequencies reach up to 100khz, how come they are so poor on small gold. Additionally, although Minelab claims the Equinox will obsolete single frequency machines, that is doubtful. There's still a such thing as "the right tool for the job." A machine and coil tuned for a specific hunting application and ground condition will still outdo a machine and coil that try to do it all. Machines that run multiple frequencies divide their power up among them. A single frequency machine puts all that punch behind one.

 

[BrettCo124]

Thank you! This is very useful information. I’m not sure either if the Safari is running 28 frequencies, but I’ve had nothing but luck with it, so it works for me!

Your response definitely raises questions. All in all, I’m still pretty curious about the equinox, as are a lot of people.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Bottom line for me, I don't care HOW FBS does what it does. All I know and all I care about is that it does it so well. It's not a gold hunter but it slays silver like none other!

 

[☠ Cipher]

I think it's very important if you want to excel in the hunt and get the most out of every machine, to have the best understanding you can of how they work. Yes, more and more you can allow it to do some of the work for you, but having a thorough understanding of all the features and what they do helps you decide how to tune your machine to run at peak in various conditions. And most of this stuff is universal. Once you understand what threshold does, for example, you carry that over to the next machine. One of the reasons you'll hear a lot of people say it takes them years to really get good at a particular machine is because they haven't taken themselves to school on all the universal features and technology that apply across the board. Once you have a thorough understanding of that, it should take only a short time to become proficient at any machine.

 

[☠ Cipher]

I do expect the Equinox to be superior to the Safari at everything except possibly wet salt beaches or other highly mineralized ground. I have almost no doubt it will be superior to the XP Deus. Just the fact that it allows you to run frequencies individually or collectively, simultaneously gives it an edge. It is like the best of a Safari and XP Deus in one machine and waterproof. I look forward to trying one. It might just talk me out of my V3i. Haven't found a machine yet to do that.

 

[Normsel]

Sounds awesome but what does it do to E-trac and CTX sales.. If it is so great would they upgrade the high end detectors.. When it come to technology explanations I am a dummy

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

3030 does transmit 28 freq between 1.5-100khz.

Impoasible to compare 2 machines when one hasn't even been released yet.

 

[sprailroad]

Brett, same as you, I most often use the Safari I have, and have done well with it, and again, same as yourself I have a real interest in the EQ 800. I'll WILL keep the Safari, but I really do like the thought of having options, like the multi-freq.,, or single freq., say "5" for perhaps deeper silver. 5, 10, 15, 20 & 40? will I use all of them as a single freq.?, most likely not, but just being able to appeals to me. Cipher pointed out the Whites V3's, nothing wrong with those either, but I have never had one. The Whites and higher end? Minelabs all have graphs, bars, Fe content infro. etc., all very good stuff, and guys love 'em. I am more of a "sound" fella, and use the screen infro. as a reference. And also the price point, I believe there will be ALOT of bang for the buck on these two new Minelabs. Time is on our side though, I would like to see and read what the fella's on T-Net have to say after they receive and use them, I believe they will give some really great feedback to share with us. And of course waterproof doesn't hurt either, just in case...............