The Minelab Equinox 800 Metal Detector F.A.Q.s & Best Tips

Are you looking for a powerful metal detector that can do it all? The Minelab Equinox 800 might be a perfect choice! This detector is packed with features and can handle a wide range of terrains.

The Minelab Equinox 800 is a versatile metal detector used by beginners and experienced detectors alike. This detector is packed with features, making it an excellent choice for getting the most out of metal detecting.

The Equinox 800 may be challenging for beginner metal detectorists because it has abundant features. However, the user manual does a great job explaining how to use each feature.

When it comes to finding treasure, the Minelab Equinox 800 is a powerful tool. This metal detector handles various terrains and conditions, making it a versatile option for any treasure hunter.

In this blog post, we will look at the specs of the Minelab Equinox 800 and compare it to other popular detectors on the market. We will also discuss some of the pros and cons of this detector so that you can decide if it is right for you.

minelab equinox 800 reviews

The Minelab Equinox 800 Metal Detector Overview

The Minelab Equinox 800 is a multi-frequency metal detector that can operate at five different frequencies: 5, 10, 20, and 40 kHz. These options allow you to find many targets, including small items like coins and jewelry, larger relics, and gold nuggets.

The Minelab Equinox 800 also has a wireless audio option so that you can connect headphones or an external speaker for use in noisy environments.

This detector also features a waterproof design to use in the rain or even underwater. The control box can float, making it easy to retrieve if you drop it in water. The Minelab Equinox 800 also has a fast recovery speed, so you can search an area quickly and not miss any targets.

minelab equinox 800 waterproof metal detector

There are four different search modes on the Minelab Equinox 800: 

  • Beach/Saltwater
  • Field
  • Park/Playground
  • Gold

Beach/Saltwater Mode: This mode is for use in saltwater environments.

Field Mode: This mode is best in open, grassy areas with few obstacles.

Park/Playground Mode: This mode is for parks and playgrounds. It is ideal for finding small targets like coins and jewelry.

Gold Mode: This mode is perfect for prospecting and finding gold nuggets.

What Are The Equinox 800 Dimensions?

The Minelab Equinox 800 is a lightweight metal detector weighing just three pounds. The length of the device can be adjusted from 42 inches to 51 inches, so people of all heights can use it.

How Does The Minelab Equinox 800 User-Interface Work?

Minelab Equinox 800 User-Interface

The Minelab Equinox 800 has a user-friendly interface with an easy-to-read LCD screen. The screen displays information about the detected target, including the depth and type of metal.

There are also buttons on the control panel that allow you to adjust the settings and search modes.

Equinox 800 Coils

The best coil for Equinox 800 is the EQX 15″ DD coil model. The standard model comes with an 11″ DD EQX Smart. Depending on your needs, there is also the 6″ SmartCoil and the 17″ DD Smart Coil.

The 15″ Coil from Minelab

Minelab 15 DD Smart Coil (Equinox)

The Minelab’s 17″ Coil

Minelab 17 DD Smart Coil

The 6″ Smart Coil

Minelab 6 DD Smart Coil

The Minelab Equinox 800 coil is interchangeable, so you can purchase additional coils and swap them out as needed. This ability is convenient if you want to search in different areas or need a coil with a different size or shape.

The Minelab Equinox 800 also features a built-in GPS to keep track of your location and mark areas of interest. The GPS can also create waypoints to easily find your way back to a site if you get lost.

The Minelab Equinox 800 is a versatile metal detector for various environments. This detector can find targets in the sand, soil, or even underwater. It is a great choice for mineralized soil because it has a wide range of frequencies.

How Deep Can The Minelab Equinox 800 Detect Under Ground?

The Minelab Equinox 800 can detect larger targets up to 12 inches deep. This depth range is about average for a metal detector. However, soil condition, coil size, and target size are the three main factors for how deep a metal detector will detect.

The Minelab Equinox 800 is not a depth-finding instrument. If you want to find large nuggets, you may want to search pulse induction detectors from Minelab or other brands.

If you want to find deeper targets, you may need to purchase a specialized coil or use the best metal detecting pinpointer devices to help locate the target once after initial detection.

equinox metal detector

How Deep Can The Minelab Equinox 800 Be Submersed Underwater?

The Minelab Equinox 800 can be submerged up to three meters, about nine feet. This depth range is suitable for searching in shallow water or wet sand. If you want to search in deeper water, you may want to check out the post: 8 Underwater Metal Detector Options.

How Long Does The Minelab Equinox 800 Battery Last?

The Minelab Equinox 800 uses a Lithium-ion battery. This type of battery is known for being lightweight and long life. The average battery life is around 12 hours. It also includes a USB charging cable with a snap-on magnetic connection in the package of EQUINOX Series detectors.

What Comes With The Minelab Equinox 800?

The Minelab Equinox 800 comes with a carrying case, an instruction manual, and a three-year warranty from KellyCo.

What Headphones Work Best With The Minelab Equinox 800?

The best headphones for the Minelab Equinox 800 are the Bluetooth Minelab apt-X Low Latency Wireless Headphones. These headphones have a built-in microphone, so you can use them for detecting and making phone calls.

The Minelab Equinox 800 also works with any Bluetooth headphones with the apt-X Low Latency codec. This codec gives you the best sound quality and minimizes wireless headphones’ delay. For more headphone options based on your budget or needs, check out the post: 6 Best Metal Detecting Headphones For Land Or Water.

Is The Equinox 800 Good For Gold Prospecting?

The Minelab Equinox 800 is an excellent choice for gold prospecting. This detector can find small nuggets of gold in mineralized soil.

The Minelab Equinox 800 is suitable for gold prospecting because it has various frequencies. This feature means that you can adjust the settings to find smaller pieces of gold in mineralized soil.

Metal detecting for gold is challenging because gold is a small, dense metal, and there can be a lot of interference from other metals in the ground, making it difficult to find small pieces of gold.

Gold prospecting is challenging because gold is often in areas with high mineral content. The Minelab Equinox 800 has two unique gold modes to find small pieces of gold in mineralized soil.

The Gold Modes are similar to threshold-based all-metal modes on most VLF nugget detectors, with a critical distinction. The target id number displays strong targets, and each target id number can configure to acknowledge or deny it.

The Gold Mode is a hybrid mode that has more discrimination capability than is offered by all-metal threshold modes.

The default setting is multi-frequency, which offers 40 kHz and 20 kHz single frequencies. Multi is the most sensitive to gold compared to other settings, but it reacts more strongly to the poor ground and hot rocks than others.

The objective is for the EQUINOX to work well in Multi, but if lousy soil or hot rocks make that impossible, moving first to 40 kHz and then 20 kHz will reduce the reaction of the ground and hot stones.

The Equinox 800’s sensitivity ranges from 1 to 8. These settings will help smooth recovery time when detecting gold. The default settings for Gold Modes 1 and 2 are 6 for Gold Mode 1 and 4 for Gold Mode 2.

Higher settings decrease the sharpness of ground and hot rocks audio responses. Lower settings improve gold signals and make heat rocks and poor ground more apparent.

The objective is to find settings that minimize and smooth out ground responses without reducing gold signals. These two dynamics require patience, as there can be no exact setting due to conditions; instead, it’s a question of finding a desirable medium between the two.

Some detectorists may prefer stabilizing the detector as much as possible, while others may want higher settings that demand greater attention to audio frequencies and interpretation.

If you are newer to detecting, start by adjusting the multi-frequency settings to use the full spectrum so you can learn your detector’s tones and find all the treasure, not just the gold.

is the Equinox 800 good for gold

What’s The Difference Between The Equinox 600 And 800?

The main difference between the Minelab Equinox 600 and 800 is that the 800 is a multi-frequency device while the 600 is a single-frequency device. The Minelab Equinox 600 can only operate at one frequency, 25 kHz. The 800 can operate at five different frequencies:

The single-frequency of the 600 limits the types of targets you can find. The multi-frequency capability of the 800 gives you the ability to find a broader range of targets. The Minelab Equinox 800 also has a wireless audio option and is waterproof, while the 600 does not have these features.

The coils on the Equinox 800 are interchangeable, so you can purchase additional coils and swap them out as needed. The Minelab Equinox 600 does not have this feature. Additionally, the Minelab Equinox 800 also has a built-in GPS, while the 600 does not have this feature.

What Are The Similarities Between The Equinox 600 And 800?

The Minelab Equinox 600 and 800 are metal detectors for various environments. They are both lightweight and easy to use. They both have a fast recovery speed, so you can search an area quickly and not miss any targets.

The standard coils that come with the detectors are:

  • 11″ DD coil for the 800
  • 12″ DD coil for the 600

Also, both detectors have a display screen showing information about the target, such as depth and conductivity. The Minelab Equinox 600 and 800 are good metal detectors, but the 800 is better if you want a multi-frequency device with valuable upgraded features.

Minelab Equinox 800 Vs. Garret AT MAX

Garrett is an American company, and the AT Max is made in the USA. The Minelab Equinox 800 is made in Australia by Plexus Corp, USA. The AT Max has a two-year warranty. The Minelab Equinox 800 has a three-year warranty.

The Garrett AT Max features an S-shaft design. Some people prefer this grip over a straight shaft style, such as the Equinox 800. The Minelab Equinox 800 is a multi-frequency device, while the Garrett AT MAX is a single-frequency device. The Minelab Equinox 800 can operate at five different frequencies. The Garrett AT MAX can only operate at one frequency, 15 kHz.

The multi-frequency capability of the 800 gives you the ability to find a wider range of targets. The single frequency of the AT MAX limits the types of targets you can find.

The AT Max is available with nickel-cadmium, alkaline, lithium primary batteries, or nickel-metal hydride rechargeable batteries. The Minelab Equinox 800 uses lithium-ion batteries.

The Garrett AT Max is waterproof up to a depth of ten feet. The Minelab Equinox 800 is waterproof up to a depth of three meters, or about nine and a half feet. So, if you are looking for a metal detector to use in shallow water, either the Garrett AT Max or the Minelab Equinox 800 would be a good choice.

The AT Max has a TON of aftermarket coil options available. The coils on the Equinox 800 are also interchangeable, so you can purchase additional coils and swap them out as needed. The Minelab Equinox 800 also has a built-in GPS, while the Garrett AT MAX does not have this feature.

The learning curve with the AT Max will be far easier than with the Equinox 800. The Minelab Equinox 800 is $999. The Garrett AT MAX typically sells for $699.

Both metal detectors are multi-terrain for use in various environments. They are both lightweight and easy to use. They have a fast recovery speed, so you can search an area quickly and not miss any targets. The Minelab Equinox 800 and Garrett AT MAX are good metal detectors, but the 800 is better if you want a multi-frequency device with valuable upgraded features.

Where Can I Buy a Minelab Equinox 800 Bundle?

minelab equinox 800 bundle

You can purchase the Minelab Equinox 800 on Amazon. The price of the device varies depending on which bundle you choose. The essential bundle includes the metal detector, carrying case, and a warranty.

The deluxe bundle includes the metal detector, carrying case, wireless headphones, an extra battery, and a warranty. The ultimate bundle contains the metal detector, carrying case, wireless headphones, an extra battery, and a coil cover.

You can also purchase the Minelab Equinox 800 from Kellyco.com. The prices for the bundles are the same as on Amazon. However, Kellyco offers a three-year limited warranty on the Minelab Equinox 800. They also offer free shipping on orders over $99 and have a price match guarantee.

You can also contact Kellyco customer service for help with choosing the best metal detector or bundle for your needs. They are available by phone, chat, or email. To view the options or ask further questions from their support team about the different Minelab Equinox 800 Bundles, click HERE.

The Minelab Equinox 800 is a good investment if you are serious about metal detecting. It is a versatile machine that can find a variety of targets.

It features a multi-frequency design to find a wide range of targets. The wireless audio option is excellent for use in noisy areas, and the waterproof design means you can use this detector in the rain or even underwater.

The Minelab Equinox 800 is great for beginners and experienced users alike. It is easy to use, has a fast recovery speed, and features a variety of advanced options.