Need help upgrading. Equinox or...........

[HoboFett]

I live in South Texas right on Padre Island. I'll be hunting a LOT on the saltwater beaches, but also in area parks, historical sites (with permission, of course)... so I'm looking to upgrade to a good multi frequency machine.

I know there is a lot of love here for the Equinox, but what other recommendations to y'all have that compete with the nox? I'm not all that crazy about the special charging cable and non-replaceable battery. That's a recipe for my forgetful butt ending up SOL when I want to hunt. So something multi frequency with regular ole batteries would be preferable.

I'm particularly looking for Multi-Frequency recommendations at or below the Equinox 600 price point. Homeboy isn't Scrooge McDuck swimming in a gold coin vault over here. Hahaha.

 

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[cudamark]

You can charge the Equinox while you detect if needed, so, don't let that stop you from getting one of the best detectors on the market today. There really isn't anything else that's as good on a salt water beach in that price range and with discrimination.

 

[HoboFett]

My issue is more with the cable than anything. If it had a standard USB type C or mini usb, I probably wouldn't care. I'm not crazy about rechargeable batteries that will eventually go bad either, but that proprietary connection (with any device) just drives me nuts. Leave home without the cable? Screwed. Cable goes bad? Screwed. Sure... order a new cable. But till it comes in: Screwed. Changing out AA batteries may be more costly in the long run, but I'll always be able to power the machine up.

But, performance outweighs those gripes. That's why I came here to ask before I dropped that kind of money. If there is something just as good as the nox, but with regular batts (or more standard charging cable connections) I'd go that route... but if there is no competition for Nox in the price range, then I'll bite the bullet.

 

[cudamark]

The rechargeable batteries ARE user replaceable, though I haven't heard of any problems with them yet. After they get out of warranty, I would expect there to be some aftermarket batteries on the market. Mine has been working flawlessly now for about 9 months. I got the 800 which has two magnetic charging cables and another for the headphones, which uses a very common cable that is the same as many cell phones. All have a standard USB plug on the power source end. Once you're in the habit of recharging after every hunt, it becomes second nature. Get some spare cables if you're really worried about it. I have a backup detector to use if there is any down time with the Nox.

 

[HoboFett]

I hear ya.... I very well may end up with the nox, unless someone here has alternatives to suggest.

Proprietary connections are just a pet peeve of mine. Most of the tech world finally got the hint that consumers don't like that. Except for Apple, they are all starting to standardize. With one cable I can plug in my cell phone, my wife's cell, my tablet, GoPro, VR camera, electronic cigarette, portable hard drives, powerbanks, on and on. And if I forget/lose my cable then the odds are incredibly good that someone else in the room has one that will fit. Every industry standardizes their cables now. It just makes sense. Even devices that won't be constantly connected and disconnected are universal. When was the last time you saw a TV that used a proprietary input cable rather than standard HDMI?

The reason for the proprietary connection is, as you said, "Get some spare cables if you're really worried about it." As of right now there is only one manufacturer of that cable. Minelab. It's a nickle and dime tactic. I'll still bite the bullet if it's the best detector under $1,000, though. b they can't be the only game in town at this price point. That's why I'm looking for insight from the pros here. And I really appreciate your input. That's one tick on the Nox column.

 

[smokeythecat]

Just make sure you have a backup machine. The rechargeable battery should last for years.

 

[laidback4sho]

The Equinox has my vote for sure.

 

[Tahts-a-dats-ago]

For me personally the rechargeable battery (in the Nox) isn’t an issue, but given your expressed concerns I’ll mention two possible alternatives for your consideration.

Nokta is currently working on a multiple frequency machine. No word on when it will be released though, and there aren’t any details on its capabilities. I suspect it will be a highly capable machine, but that is nothing more than a guess on my part. I also suspect it will have an internal rechargeable battery.

The other potential option is a used V3i (or a V3).

A good clean unit can be found for roughly the price of a new Nox. If you’re really lucky it will still have some warranty left.

The V3i is heavier though and not waterproof. Having never used a Nox, I’m going to guess that the Nox has a much faster recovery speed.

Considered a curse by some, and a blessing by others; the V3i is highly customizable. Nearly everything can be changed – sometimes to the detriment of performance if the user is not careful.

User created programs can be saved quite easily. It is also quite simple to revert changed stock programs back to their stock state (in case too much was tweaked).

There are base programs that do ok – a little tweaking can make them very effective in a variety of conditions. The V3i can be a turn on and go machine – or it can be a tweak to your heart’s content machine. The choice is up to the user.

Target information is fantastic – the best of any machine that I am aware of. The screen itself is amazing (again, the best of any machine I’m aware of).

Battery life is so-so compared to most machines. It’s enough for a full day’s hunt (fresh batteries) but not much more than that. Either rechargeable, or AA batteries can be used. I believe there is still a battery kit (longer run times) that can still be purchased (I never bought one – as the battery life is fine for my use).

You can hunt in all three frequencies at once, or choose any one of the three frequencies.

I generally prefer the mixed mode stereo mode – iron in one ear and good targets in the other. It takes a bit to get used to, but it tells the user what is in the ground and it lets me hear the little squeaks of a good target that is masked.

A different tone can be selected for every target ID – meaning I can give a high tone to any target ID I want. This makes cherry picking while in all metal mode very easy.

I think a slow swing is the key to using a V3i. It can be set up with a faster recovery speed, but I actually prefer a slow, methodical, swing speed.

Coil choices are very good.

For some the ground tracking (V3i) is a bit suspect in highly mineralized soil. As a result many V3i users recommend locking the ground tracking and ground balancing the machine as the soil changes. I have not experienced such an issue, but the soil I hunt in tends to be fairly moderate.

The menu system can be a bit confusing at first; there are menus and sub-menus. After a bit of time the menu system becomes simple to use and rather intuitive. The most used sub-menus can be instantly accessed from the main screen.

I think both machines (V3i and the Nox) will have advantages and disadvantages. A potential buyer will have to decide which machine best fits their needs/wants. For me the V3i is the better choice. I’m in the minority though.

 

[against the wind]

If you want something that meets your criteria, has a few more bells and whistles, and is just a little bit more expensive, then bite the bullet, and go for the Equinox 800.

 

[HoboFett]

That V3 looked promising, but I didn't find a used model in my price range on the couple places I looked. It took some convincing to get the wife to approve of a $600+ purchase for a hobby.... so there's a time issue. I gotta drop the cash before she changes her mind. You married guys know how it is. Hahahaha.

So I am going with the Equinox 600. I liked the 800, but the bells and whistles didn't justify the extra price in my particular situation and where I'll be hunting. I'm fine with the lion battery, but I know that proprietary cable is going to annoy me. BUT, it'll be an acceptable level of annoyance, I'm sure. Especially when I start pulling pieces of eight out of the surf on Padre Island. Hahahahaha.

 

[haxor]

The reason, I'd think, for the wack-a-do charging cable is to make a *reliable* waterproof connector.

 

[smokeythecat]

Another possibility is a PI machine, however, that comes with a whole extra set of problems.

 

[HoboFett]

The reason, I'd think, for the wack-a-do charging cable is to make a *reliable* waterproof connector.

A cheaper waterproof connector, maybe. That makes it a win/win for Minelab, but not so much for the consumer. They save some pennies on the connection design and get extra cash from the extra cables they get to sell exclusively. I understand the magnetic connector for things like smart watches where the device is small and the need to save space is important, but the equinox has plenty of surface area on the back.

I am a video producer and have worked with many low and extremely high end underwater cameras. None of them use wacky magnetic connections for any of the cables. Even low end, like the GoPro which is water proof much deeper than the equinox (33ft vs 10ft) has no magnetic connections. The Usb type C connector is housed behind a waterproof door.

Another issue is with those contact points. Exposed like that the surface can chip or get a bit of corrosion on them and then you don't get a solid connection so no more charging. I had that happen with a smart watch after a couple years. Hide the connection behind a waterproof door and it's protected. I wish Minelab would have gone with that design, making it much more universal and user friendly, but it is what it is. The Pros far outweigh the cons. It's annoying, but it didn't stop me from buying one this morning. LOL.

 

[HoboFett]

I've seen a couple people using a solar power bank attached to the equinox. That's definitely something I think I might do. Then, since I won't be doing any fully submerged hunting, I can just leave the cable connected and unplug the power bank side for charging. That'll keep the contact points on the Nox protected and prevent me from losing the cable. I can't wait to get out and hunt with this thing!

 

[A2coins]

great info good luck

 

[A2coins]

Welcome also from Mi. Tommy

 

[McKinney_5900]

I just bet that someone in China is already back-engineering the cable as we speak. For the cable's purpose, it should be fairly easy make, and make money.

 

[McKinney_5900]

Just stick with the 600, pay the price on a second charge cable(under $30), pack a power bank for re-charging between hunt spots in the field, BUT...I have never come close to draining the battery in my 600 yet.

I have owned a Whites V3i for 10 years, and will keep it, the V3i has some keen features. Depth and separation ain't two of them IMHO. The V3i confuses itself with too many settings changes. Another thing about the V3i is it's battery drain. The Nox kicks the V's butt.

The 600 has been an excellent machine since getting it in May! I'll maybe even add a second 600 sometime when the prices get especially competitive, assuming that another wonder-machine is not developed. The Equinox 800 had my attention at first, being I owned the Whites V3i. For the price, my being a non-gold nugget hunter...the 600 is a very good choice.

Good luck!