Guys its a Minelab! Its going to do the job....

[LS hunter]

Simply put it's a Minelab it is going to perform as stated and as all the detectors Minelab has produced before Equinox.
Most of us here or seasoned hunters and as season hunter we have all used a wide range of detectors right!
and look where you are reading this post Yep the minelab section and why because we know they're detectors produced finds and they perform are we wouldn't even be on this section of the forum..
Just relax and wait for the Equinox to be released.... and Minelab thanks for all the great finds and keep up the good work..
...Thx Greg....

 

[GONEHUNTIN]

I am very excited about this detector as well! As a ctx owner I am looking for a all around detector that I can keep in my truck and also buy my wife one. I might even trade my ctx for two of these things if it turns out to be a decent unit. I love the ctx but I don’t detect enough for the price. Anyways I just got up with minelab about the updates to this unit and they said there were not any planned updates for this detector at this time. This was kinda of a bummer to me but I thought about the ctx, it can be updated but they haven’t realease many performance enhancing updates for it. I hope this changes because I would love to see stuff added to this unit afterwards...

 

[AustinEd]

I have already ordered mine. I just hope they are shipped in time for Christmas.

 

[doc holiday232]

Just hope it doesn't break-----------and you have to depend on ML to fix it.

 

[bugg]

n/t

 

[sgoss66]

Just hope it doesn't break-----------and you have to depend on ML to fix it.

Minelab has opened a new repair center in the U.S., in Pennsylvania. I have an Explorer on the fritz, and I just sent it to the new center. So far, I'm highly impressed with their professionalism, communication, and promptness regarding getting my repair started. The detector is en-route, so I'm not sure how it will turn out in the end, but I do know that they were willing for me to overnight it to them, get it on the bench immediately upon receipt, and then overnight it back -- to have total turn-around time on my repair occur within just a few days. I declined that, as FedEx overnight shipping would have cost $150 to get it there, but nonetheless, just that being an OPTION is pretty impressive.

Hopefully, this is indicative of Minelab stepping up their repair game, which would ease some concerns on those of us interested in an early-release Equinox...

Steve

 

[Charles (Upstate NY)]

Okay but if the Equinox has moved beyond FBS to the next level, how soon before Minelab comes out with a new flagship in the Etrac/CTX price ranges using this technology?

 

[sgoss66]

Not sure, Charles. I'm really wondering if those days are not gone...$2500 for a detector? I am wondering if there isn't too much competition now, QUALITY competition, such that a lower price point is more to be expected now...

Steve

 

[Charles (Upstate NY)]

Not sure, Charles. I'm really wondering if those days are not gone...$2500 for a detector? I am wondering if there isn't too much competition now, QUALITY competition, such that a lower price point is more to be expected now...

Steve

Certainly possible, Minelab makes a boat load of money on their gold detectors, gold prospectors will pay almost anything $7000-$8000 for a detector goddamn. But $2,500 to $899 man that's a big drop. Okay maybe flagship in the $1,500 price range, color screen? I'm more interested in the technology moving beyond FBS.

 

[Wayfarer]

It's not just competition, although that's certainly part of it. Technology has rapidly advanced in the last 7-8 years since the CTX and other top detectors have been released. Processor power, DSP, programming, digital RF processing, miniaturization, all have made huge leaps since the last round of top detectors were developed. Just look at smart phones over the last 10 years.

There's no reason NOT to expect these technological advancements to make their way over to detectors. And the release of a $899 detector that does the same or more than what a $2,000 detector was able to do 7 years ago. The CTX guys heads are spinning over the possibility of a better machine coming out that costs a fraction of what their machines cost. Hey, I sympathize. I dropped $1,500 not too long ago on a White's V3i that will be worth a third of that when the Equinox comes out...if it's indeed what it is billed to be. But that's how technology works, and progress marches on to everyone's benefit. The fact that this is a whole new technology, really leads me to believe this will be an improvement over FBS.

Charles, I agree with you that Minelab will probably release a new flagship based on the the new Multi-IQ technology but with all the bells and whistles like target trace and color screen. They'd probably like to have the EQ out for a year or two to see what tweaks need to be made and then incorporate that into the new top end detector. So the CTX guys probably still have a year or so before they need to toss their detectors!

 

[Charles (Upstate NY)]

Is there any information on what Multi-IQ is?

 

[sgoss66]

Not sure, Charles. I'm really wondering if those days are not gone...$2500 for a detector? I am wondering if there isn't too much competition now, QUALITY competition, such that a lower price point is more to be expected now...

Steve

Certainly possible, Minelab makes a boat load of money on their gold detectors, gold prospectors will pay almost anything $7000-$8000 for a detector goddamn. But $2,500 to $899 man that's a big drop. Okay maybe flagship in the $1,500 price range, color screen? I'm more interested in the technology moving beyond FBS.

I should have clarified. They can charge more for the gold detectors, because of the price of gold...you find a few ounces, you've paid for the machine. But for a HOBBY machine?

Yes, I could see a flagship, color screen, Multi-IQ, etc. at $1499...but $2500?

Steve

 

[sgoss66]

It's not just competition, although that's certainly part of it. Technology has rapidly advanced in the last 7-8 years since the CTX and other top detectors have been released. Processor power, DSP, programming, digital RF processing, miniaturization, all have made huge leaps since the last round of top detectors were developed. Just look at smart phones over the last 10 years.

There's no reason NOT to expect these technological advancements to make their way over to detectors. And the release of a $899 detector that does the same or more than what a $2,000 detector was able to do 7 years ago. The CTX guys heads are spinning over the possibility of a better machine coming out that costs a fraction of what their machines cost. Hey, I sympathize. I dropped $1,500 not too long ago on a White's V3i that will be worth a third of that when the Equinox comes out...if it's indeed what it is billed to be. But that's how technology works, and progress marches on to everyone's benefit. The fact that this is a whole new technology, really leads me to believe this will be an improvement over FBS.

Charles, I agree with you that Minelab will probably release a new flagship based on the the new Multi-IQ technology but with all the bells and whistles like target trace and color screen. They'd probably like to have the EQ out for a year or two to see what tweaks need to be made and then incorporate that into the new top end detector. So the CTX guys probably still have a year or so before they need to toss their detectors!

Some very good points, Wayfarer...

Steve

 

[Charles (Upstate NY)]

Not sure, Charles. I'm really wondering if those days are not gone...$2500 for a detector? I am wondering if there isn't too much competition now, QUALITY competition, such that a lower price point is more to be expected now...

Steve

Certainly possible, Minelab makes a boat load of money on their gold detectors, gold prospectors will pay almost anything $7000-$8000 for a detector goddamn. But $2,500 to $899 man that's a big drop. Okay maybe flagship in the $1,500 price range, color screen? I'm more interested in the technology moving beyond FBS.

I should have clarified. They can charge more for the gold detectors, because of the price of gold...you find a few ounces, you've paid for the machine. But for a HOBBY machine?

Yes, I could see a flagship, color screen, Multi-IQ, etc. at $1499...but $2500?

Steve

That's why I switched to hunting beaches for gold, beach silver pays for the fuel and the gold has paid for my machines many times over. After spending the time and money digging a lot of Barber silver and Mercs, a ridiculous number of wheats and Indians, after the excitement wore off, honestly they are just not worth much unless they are a key date. You know who ruined it, Dave Z. I was happy digging Barbers until one day Dave Z made fun of me for digging $2 Barbers and showed me the hammered 1600's silver he dug recently.

 

[Champ Ferguson]

.....So the CTX guys probably still have a year or so before they need to toss their detectors!

If the NextGen comes out and obsoletes my CTX, I will GLADLY retire all my machines and use it! I'm not from Missouri, but I gotta see it before I do all that.

Tech marches on and tomorrow's hands down Best Machine will be poo poo'd on by day after tomorrow's Better Machine.

 

[sgoss66]

That's why I switched to hunting beaches for gold, beach silver pays for the fuel and the gold has paid for my machines many times over. After spending the time and money digging a lot of Barber silver and Mercs, a ridiculous number of wheats and Indians, after the excitement wore off, honestly they are just not worth much unless they are a key date. You know who ruined it, Dave Z. I was happy digging Barbers until one day Dave Z made fun of me for digging $2 Barbers and showed me the hammered 1600's silver he dug recently.

I hear you, Charles, but I will NEVER weary of digging old coins -- especially silver ones. If I ever reached your level of expertise, I could see dedicating more time to jewelry hunting -- stuff that I would sell purely for the "profit" of it. But I have never sold a coin find; I love coins, and so finding them is more than just the $$ for me; I love building my "collection." I just wish I were better at it!

Steve