It se4ms fitting that the 'other' Multi-IQ series ought to be brought up more often here. There are a lot of folks in this great sport who have an interest in more modern technology, but their budget holds them back from buying the higher-dollar Equinox pair of detectors. I held off for a couple of years, just bought an 800, and am now going to sell it because I prefer my two Vanquish 540's. I've owned a lot of BBS and FBS models in years gone by, and while the Equinox 800 isn't a bad-looking or uncomfortable unit, the Vanquish series caught my eye so I gave it a try.
I bought the V-540 Pro Pack because I wanted the extras that came with it, especially the two search coils and wireless headphones. Figured it might have an issue or two but also thought I'd give it a fair shot at proving itself afield in some trashier sites I prefer to hunt. Had a glitch, but also impressed me with both coils. I prefer the 5X8 DD as it makes a really nice 'fit' in my Detector Outfit, but while I seldom use an 'old-fashioned' standard coil or larger-size coil, the 9X12 DD impressed me when I hunted a big grassy park, a plowed fields and some grassy rangeland. I liked it so much that I bought a 2nd new V-540 Pro Pack just to keep each of those search coils mounted and ready to grab-and-go.
It was after using the V-540 a couple of months that I finally bought an Equinox 800 and 6" DD coil. I really like smaller-size coils and the 6" was going to be a good match-up for the places I search the most. I used the factory default settings, and then I made a few adjustments to try and duplicate the performance of the V-540 to do some side-by-side comparisons. I've owned the Eq-800 for about two weeks, but I set it aside after less than an hour hunt-time at a ghost town because it just didn't work as well as what I already prefer for those iron-troubled sites. It was actually just a 45 minute search, but before I swapped to a proven-performer, I wanted to give my V-540 w/5X8 DD a chance to hunt over the same trails I had just travelled with the EQ-800 w/6" DD. You know what happened? I liked it better! The 540 w/5X8DD handled the shards of rusty tin better. I found some suspended buckles, one being sterling silver, and a few smaller-size non-ferrous targets in the first 3o minutes, and all in the same area I had just hunted with the Equinox. Same day, same weather, same site, and a small , narrow 'trail' I walked through the sage-covered hillside.
I respond on different forums where the Vanquish series of three models are discussed, but it seems like there is a lot of emphasis on the Equinox models and perhaps that's because I lot of readers might not have yet experienced the lower-price Multi-IQ Vanquish line? If so, I just want to make a suggestion, and this is coming from a very Avid detectorist with over 55 years of devoted detector use, to try and check out a Vanquish. I know that for the $$$ the lower-end V-340 is maybe a good pick for some folks, but I encourage serious thinking hobbyists to make a move for the top-end Vanquish, the 540 Pro Pack, to get a 2-coil package, Minelab's ML-80 wireless headphones, NiMH rechargeable batteries and a control housing weather cover. All t a very affordable price. Minelab made a very deliberate move to tackle the lower-end of the detector market, and they have done so with a very good-working model in a very comfortable physical package.
Just my opinions and encouragements,
Monte
I bought the V-540 Pro Pack because I wanted the extras that came with it, especially the two search coils and wireless headphones. Figured it might have an issue or two but also thought I'd give it a fair shot at proving itself afield in some trashier sites I prefer to hunt. Had a glitch, but also impressed me with both coils. I prefer the 5X8 DD as it makes a really nice 'fit' in my Detector Outfit, but while I seldom use an 'old-fashioned' standard coil or larger-size coil, the 9X12 DD impressed me when I hunted a big grassy park, a plowed fields and some grassy rangeland. I liked it so much that I bought a 2nd new V-540 Pro Pack just to keep each of those search coils mounted and ready to grab-and-go.
It was after using the V-540 a couple of months that I finally bought an Equinox 800 and 6" DD coil. I really like smaller-size coils and the 6" was going to be a good match-up for the places I search the most. I used the factory default settings, and then I made a few adjustments to try and duplicate the performance of the V-540 to do some side-by-side comparisons. I've owned the Eq-800 for about two weeks, but I set it aside after less than an hour hunt-time at a ghost town because it just didn't work as well as what I already prefer for those iron-troubled sites. It was actually just a 45 minute search, but before I swapped to a proven-performer, I wanted to give my V-540 w/5X8 DD a chance to hunt over the same trails I had just travelled with the EQ-800 w/6" DD. You know what happened? I liked it better! The 540 w/5X8DD handled the shards of rusty tin better. I found some suspended buckles, one being sterling silver, and a few smaller-size non-ferrous targets in the first 3o minutes, and all in the same area I had just hunted with the Equinox. Same day, same weather, same site, and a small , narrow 'trail' I walked through the sage-covered hillside.
I respond on different forums where the Vanquish series of three models are discussed, but it seems like there is a lot of emphasis on the Equinox models and perhaps that's because I lot of readers might not have yet experienced the lower-price Multi-IQ Vanquish line? If so, I just want to make a suggestion, and this is coming from a very Avid detectorist with over 55 years of devoted detector use, to try and check out a Vanquish. I know that for the $$$ the lower-end V-340 is maybe a good pick for some folks, but I encourage serious thinking hobbyists to make a move for the top-end Vanquish, the 540 Pro Pack, to get a 2-coil package, Minelab's ML-80 wireless headphones, NiMH rechargeable batteries and a control housing weather cover. All t a very affordable price. Minelab made a very deliberate move to tackle the lower-end of the detector market, and they have done so with a very good-working model in a very comfortable physical package.
Just my opinions and encouragements,
Monte