In this review, we have two Minelab metal detectors – Equinox 700 and Equinox 900. Here you will learn how they differ from previous models, if they are worth the money and whether you want your metal detector to have a spotlight.
Contents
Conclusion
As I wrote below, this device has been restyled, renewed, and improved, but this is in no way a new metal detector. If XP designed Deus 2, despite all its visual similarities with Deus 1, this is a completely new metal detector. And vice versa. If Minelab designed a new Equinox 900, despite its visual discrepancies with Equinox 800 – this is an old metal detector.
Minelab has done its best and even more to get higher sales than Nokta Makro Legend. But just because Nokta Makro Legend offers the same, but for a lower price, the sales drop. Minelab should renew the product line, get their customers interested, and, this way, make them share their money.
Should I switch my Equinox 800 to a new 900? If it meets all your needs, then definitely no. If not, I suggest considering Minelab Manticore as an option. Minelab Manticore at least offers new approaches, and it is an upgraded version of 800. If you are looking for a completely new experience, then I suggest reading Deus 2 review. This device is really worth the money.
- SIMULTANEOUS MULTI-FREQUENCY. Choose between 6 single frequencies when you have…
- FULLY WATERPROOF. Don’t stop your search at the beach or the bank. This metal…
- 4 MODES. Easily select from Park for high-trash areas, Field for coins and…
- Bundle Includes: Minelab Equinox 900 Multi-Purpose Lightweight and Waterproof…
- The Multi-IQ Advantage: Minelab’s revolutionary Multi-IQ technology combines…
- Lightweight Design: Comprising lightweight 3-piece carbon-fiber shafts, Equinox…
Last update on 2024-04-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / Source: Amazon Affiliates
History of the Metal Detector
In December 2022, Minelab announced a new metal detector expected to appear simultaneously with Minelab Manticore. And rather unexpectedly, these were Minelab Equinox 700 and Minelab Equinox 900. New Minelab Equinox 700 and Minelab Equinox 900 continue the product line with a basic technology Multi-IQ (multifrequency metal detectors). The market launch of the new Equinox version is expected in the first half of 2023.
Metal Detector Purpose
Minelab Equinox 900 is a multipurpose and multifrequency ground and underwater metal detector. Due to a special mode and two high operation frequencies, it also perfectly works for gold nuggets metal detecting. It offers not only simultaneous usage of operation frequencies but also selecting one frequency (Multi – IQ).
Review
For those who don’t like longreads: Equinox 700 is the same Minelab Equinox 600, and Equinox 900 is Minelab Equinox 800 with some additions. If you’d like to read a detailed review, I recommend reading Equinox 800 review. The thing is that these metal detectors have such insignificant discrepancies (I’d say it’s rather minor) that there is no point in writing a review.
The shaft
The device has a carbon fiber shaft with a new armrest. This is the only essential improvement, I must say. However, the old one wasn’t that bad; the new shaft is definitely better. Besides, now it is made of carbon fiber which makes it light weighted and more reliable.
Now Equinox 900 shaft is not built up from the components, and it is foldable. It reminds me of Nokta and Deus 2 a bit (however, its shaft has a different design).
Also, the armrest was changed. It rolls along the bearing slide to the length the user needs. This is convenient and looks nice. Usually, the length is set when you buy the device and then adjusted by the owner.
The search coil
Search coils weren’t changed. They have remained the same. Minelab Equinox 900 is supplied with two search coils 11 and 6 inches.
Headset
Wireless Minelab ML 85 headset is exactly the same as the one Equinox 800 has. However, while Equinox 600 had wired headphones in its package set, Equinox 700 is equipped with a wireless Minelab ML 85 headset.
Battery
The device has a Li-Ion battery that provides an autonomous running time of 8 hours. It is the same that previous versions had.
Waterproofness
Equinox 800 and 600 had issues with leak integrity (many of them had leaks that disaffected users who like beach metal detecting). Considering the fact that Equinox 900 submerging depth has increased by 2 meters (from 3 m to 5 m), the issue was resolved.
Control unit
A red backlit for the display and keyboard was added (as it is in Minelab Vanquish 540) with three adjustment levels. I don’t consider this change important since it won’t influence the metal detector performance and its capability of detecting targets in any way.
Search modes
The device search modes number hasn’t changed. The older model still has more search modes. However, some characteristics have changed. VDI scale is now from -19 to 99. This is quite convenient but not that essential. Basically, all targets with negative VDI are ferrous.
The device has an improved target differentiation – iron bias setting and target detection speed ensure the successful distinguishing of ferrous rubbish and valuable finds.
The metal detector has an embedded flashlight and vibration response. This is really funny. The idea was definitely borrowed from another company, and I was using it with Nokta Impact. Vibration response is good for beach metal detecting, and its value is rather doubtful for ground treasure hunting. As for the flashlight, it’s good if the device has it, and it’s ok if not. You can use your smartphone as a flashlight.
Minelab Equinox 700 vs Equinox 900 comparison table
| Model | EQUINOX 900 | EQUINOX 700 |
| Application | Coin, Relic, Jewellery & Beach | Coin, Relic, Jewellery & Beach |
| Technology | Multi-IQ | Multi-IQ |
| All-Metal Shortcut | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Search Profiles | 8 | 6 |
| User Profile Button | Yes | No |
| Waterproof | 5m (16 ft) IP68 | 5m (16 ft) IP68 |
| Operating Temperature Range | -10 to +40 degrees celcius (+14 to +104 degrees fahrenheit) | -10 to +40 degrees celcius (+14 to +104 degrees fahrenheit) |
| Storage Temperature Range | -20 to +70 degrees celcius (-40 to +158 degrees fahrenheit) | -20 to +70 degrees celcius (-40 to +158 degrees fahrenheit) |
| Frequency | Multi, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40 | Multi, 4, 5, 10, 15 |
| Coil (standard) | EQX11 11″ Double-D coil with skid plate, EQX06 6″ Coil with skid plate | EQX11 11″ Double-D coil with skid plate |
| Audio Output | In-built loudspeaker, Wired 3.5 mm (1/8″) headphones, Wireless headphones | In-built loudspeaker, Wired 3.5 mm (1/8″) headphones, Wireless headphones |
| Headphones Supplied | Minelab ML 85 Low Latency wireless headphones | Minelab ML 85 Low Latency wireless headphones |
| Visual Display | Monochrome LCD | Monochrome LCD |
| Display and Keypad Backlight (red) | Off, High, Medium, Low | Off, High, Low |
| Flashlight | On, Off | On, Off |
| Vibration | On, Off per Tone Region | On, Off with separate Ferrous Control |
| USB Connectivity | Yes | Yes |
| Memory | Yes | Yes |
| Detect Modes | Park, Field, Beach, Gold | Park, Field, Beach |
| Discrimination | 119 segments | 119 segments |
| Ground Balance | Auto, Manual, Tracking | Auto, Manual, Tracking |
| Pinpoint | Yes | Yes |
| Sensitivity | 1 to 28 | 1 to 25 |
| Noise Cancel | Auto (19 Channels), Manual | Auto (19 Channels) |
| Threshold level | 0 to 25 | 0 to 25 |
| Threshold pitch | 0 to 25 | 0 to 25 |
| Target Volume Adjust | 0 to 25 | 0 to 25 |
| Target Identification (TID) | 119 segment notch discrimination: Ferrous: -19 to 0 I Non-ferrous: 1 to 99 | 119 segment notch discrimination: Ferrous: -19 to 0 I Non-ferrous: 1 to 99 |
| Target Tones | 1,2, 5, All Tones (At), Depth (dP) | 1,2, 5, All Tones (At), Depth (dP) |
| Tone Break | Ferrous, Non-ferrous (t1, t2, t3, t4) | Ferrous (T1) |
| Tone Pitch | All tones adjustable: 0 to 25 | Tone 1 adjustable: 0 to 25 |
| Tone Volume | All tones adjustable: 0 to 25 | Tone 1 adjustable: 0 to 25 |
| Recovery Speed | 1 to 8 | 1 to 3 |
| Iron Bias | 0 to 9 | 0 to 3 |
| Depth Indicator | 5 levels | 5 levels |
| Battery | 3.7V/5100 mAh Internal Lithium-lon battery | 3.7V/5100 mAh Internal Lithium-lon battery |
| Length | Collapsed: 61 cm (24 in) – Extended: 144 cm (56.7 in) | Collapsed: 61 cm (24 in) – Extended: 144 cm (56.7 in) |
| Weight | 1.27 kg (2.8 lbs) | 1.27 kg (2.8 lbs) |
| Warranty | 3 years control box and coil | 3 years control box and coil |
Minelab Equinox 800 vs Minelab Equinox 900
| Model | EQUINOX 900 | EQUINOX 800 |
| Application | Coin, Relic, Jewellery & Beach | Coin, Relic, Jewellery & Beach |
| Technology | Multi-IQ | Multi-IQ, 5F×8, Wi-Stream, Bluetooth, aptX™ Low Latency |
| Custom Search Profiles | 8 | 8 |
| User Profile Button | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | 5m (16 ft) IP68 | 3m (10-feet) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -10 to +40 degrees celcius (+14 to +104 degrees fahrenheit) | -10 to +40 degrees celcius (+14 to +104 degrees fahrenheit) |
| Storage Temperature Range | -20 to +70 degrees celcius (-40 to +158 degrees fahrenheit) | -20 to +70 degrees celcius (-40 to +158 degrees fahrenheit) |
| Frequency | Multi, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40 | Multi, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40 |
| Coil (standard) | EQX11 11″ Double-D coil with skid plate, EQX06 6″ Coil with skid plate | 11-inch Double-D Smart coil with skidplate |
| Audio Output | In-built loudspeaker, Wired 3.5 mm (1/8″) headphones, Wireless headphones | In-built loudspeaker, 3.5mm (1/8″) headphones (included) |
| Headphones Supplied | Minelab ML 85 Low Latency wireless headphones | Bluetooth and aptX™ Low Latency headphones (non waterproof) |
| Visual Display | Monochrome LCD (red) | Monochrome LCD with backlight |
| Display and Keypad Backlight | Off, High, Medium, Low | Low, Medium, High, Off |
| Flashlight | On, Off | No |
| Vibration | On, Off per Tone Region | No |
| USB Connectivity | Yes, via USB connection (Windows and OSX) | Yes, via USB connection (Windows and OSX) |
| Memory | Yes | Yes |
| Detect Modes | Park, Field, Beach, Gold | Park, Beach, Field, Gold |
| Discrimination | 119 segments | 50 segment (Ferrous: -9 – 0, Non-ferrous: 1 – 40) |
| Ground Balance | Auto, Manual, Tracking | Auto | Manual |
| Pinpoint | Yes | Yes |
| Sensitivity | 1-28 | 1–25 |
| Noise Cancel | Auto (19 Channels), Manual | Auto, Manual (-9 to 9) |
| Threshold level | 0 to 25 | 0 to 25 |
| Threshold pitch | 0 to 25 | 0 to 25 |
| Target Volume Adjust | 0 to 25 | 0 to 25 |
| Target Tones | 1,2, 5, All Tones (At), Depth (dP) | 1, 2, 5, 50 |
| Tone Break | Ferrous, Non-ferrous (t1, t2, t3, t4) | Ferrous | Non-ferrous |
| Tone Pitch | All tones adjustable: 0 to 25 | Ferrous | Non-ferrous |
| Tone Volume | All tones adjustable: 0 to 25 | Ferrous | Non-ferrous |
| Depth Indicator | 5 levels | 5 levels |
| Battery | 3.7V/5100 mAh Internal Lithium-lon battery | In-built rechargeable Lithium-ion battery |
| Length | Collapsed: 61 cm (24 in) – Extended: 144 cm (56.7 in) | 1440 mm (56.7″) |
| Weight | 1.27 kg (2.8 lbs) | 1.34 kg (2.96 lbs) |
| Warranty | 3 years control box and coil | 3 years control box and coil |
Minelab Equinox 900 vs Minelab Manticore
| Model | Minelab Manticore | Minelab Equinox 900 |
| Detect Modes (Customisable) | All-Terrain (5), Beach (4), Goldfield (1) | Park, Field, Beach, Gold |
| Operating Frequencies | Multi-IQ+, 5 kHz, 10 kHz, 15 kHz, 20 kHz, 40 kHz | Multi, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40 |
| Noise Cancel | Auto, Continuous Auto, Manual (-9 to +9) | Auto (19 Channels), Manual |
| Ground Balance | Auto, Manual, Tracking | Auto, Manual, Tracking |
| Sensitivity | 1 to 35 | 1 to 28 |
| Target Identification | Conductive: 0-99 with ferrous indication | 119 segment notch discrimination: Ferrous: -19 to 0 I Non-ferrous: 1 to 99 |
| 2D ID Map | Two-Dimensional ID Map System with Target Trace | No |
| Target Tones | 1, 2, 5 – Tone | 1, 2, 5 – Region All Tones | 1,2, 5, All Tones (At), Depth (dP) |
| Target Volume | 0 to 25 | 0 to 25 |
| Target Pitch | 1 to 50 | 0 to 25 |
| Ferrous Volume | 0 to 25 | No |
| Ferrous Pitch | 1 to 50 | No |
| Audio Themes | Normal, Enhanced, Continuous Pitch | No |
| Volume Profiles | Simple, Medium, Rich | No |
| Threshold Level | 0 to 25 | 0 to 25 |
| Threshold Pitch | 1 to 50 | 0 to 25 |
| Recovery Speed | 0 to 8 | 1 to 8 |
| Ferrous Limits | Upper: 0 to 14 | Lower: 0 to 9 | No |
| Ferrous Limits Custom | 1 to 4 | No |
| Shortcuts | Soft Keys: 2 (Action Bar), 1 (User Button) | All-Metal Shortcut |
| Depth Indicator | 5 levels | 5 levels |
| Shaft System | 3-piece highly collapsible carbon-fibre | 3-piece highly collapsible carbon-fibre |
| Extended Length | 1440 mm / 56.7 inch | 1440 mm / 56.7 inch |
| Collapsed Length | 630 mm / 24.8 inch | 630 mm / 24.8 inch |
| Weight | 1.3 kg / 2.9 lb | 1.27 kg (2.8 lbs) |
| Standard Coil (M11) | 11-inch round Double-D coil with skidplate (waterproof to 5 m / 16 ft) | EQX11 11″ Double-D coil with skid plate, EQX06 6″ Coil with skid plate |
| Audio Output | Speaker | 3.5 mm (1/8″) headphones | Wireless low latency headphones | In-built loudspeaker, Wired 3.5 mm (1/8″) headphones, Wireless headphones |
| Headphones (Included) | Minelab ML-105 wireless low latency headphones (non waterproof) | Minelab ML 85 Low Latency wireless headphones |
| Display | Colour LCD | Monochrome LCD |
| Display Backlight | Manual (1 to 10), Auto Adjust | Off, High, Medium, Low |
| Keypad Backlight | On, Off | Off, High, Medium, Low |
| Flashlight | Low, Medium, High, Off | On, Off |
| Handgrip Vibration | On, Off | On, Off per Tone Region |
| Battery | Internal rechargeable Lithium-ion battery | 3.7V/5100 mAh Internal Lithium-lon battery |
| Battery Runtime | Approx. 9 hours | Approx. 9 hours |
| Battery Charge Time | Approx. 7 hours | Approx. 7 hours |
| Waterproof | Waterproof to 5 m / 16 ft, IP68 | Waterproof to 5 m / 16 ft, IP68 |
| Key Technologies | Multi-IQ+ (High Power Simultaneous Multi-Frequency) | Multi-IQ |
| Included Accessories | USB Charging Cable, 5x Screen Protectors, 3.5 mm Headphone Audio Cable, Headphone Case | Getting Started Guide, Screen Protector (English), Charging Cable |
| Software Upgradable | Yes, via USB connection (Windows or Mac OS compatible) | Yes, via USB connection (Windows or Mac OS compatible) |
| Warranty | 3 years | 3 years |
Minelab Equinox 900 vs Deus 2
| Model | Minelab Equinox 900 | XP Deus 2 |
| Company | Minelab | XP |
| Year | 2022 | 2021 |
| Application | Coin, Relic, Jewellery, Beach | Coin, Relic, Jewellery, Beach, Underwater |
| Technology | Multi-IQ, 5Fx8, Wi-Stream, Bluetooth, aptX™ Low Latency, Iron Bias | FMF |
| Frequency | Multi, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40 | Simultaneous Multi Frequency or between the 49 single frequencies from 4 to 45 kHz |
| Detect Modes | Park, Field, Beach, Gold | 12 preset (12 custom) |
| Discrimination | 119 segments | Hodograph XY |
| VDI | -19 – 100 (iron -19- 0) | 0-99 (10 iron) |
| Pinpoint | Yes | Yes |
| Ground Balance | Auto, Manual, Tracking | Tracking, Grab, Manual |
| Threshold | Yes | Yes |
| Iron volume | Yes | 0-6 |
| Tones | 1,2, 5, All Tones (At), Depth (dP) | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Pitch and Full Tones 1 and 2 + EXPERT modes |
| Silencer | No | 0-7 |
| Target Volume Adjust | 0-25 | 0-10 |
| Sensitivity | 1-28 | 1-99 |
| Depth Indicator | 5 levels | Yes |
| Reactivity | 1-8 | 9 levels (0/0.5/1/1.5/2/2.5/3/4/5) |
| Backlight | 0-2 | 20 levels adjustable |
| Flashlight | Yes | No |
| Headphones Supplied | Minelab ML 85 Low Latency wireless headphones | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | No |
| Vibration | On, Off per Tone Region | No |
| USB Connectivity | Yes | Yes |
| Clock | No | Yes |
| Waterproof | 5 m (16 ft) IP68 | 20 m (66 ft) IP68 |
| Length | Collapsed: 61 cm (24 in) – Extended: 144 cm (56.7 in) | Collapsed: 58 cm (23 in) – Extended: 130 cm (51.18 in) |
| Weight | 1.27 kg (2.8 lbs) | 750-815 g |
| Battery | 3.7V/5100 mAh Internal Lithium-lon battery | Remote/Coil: 700 mAh – Headphones: 320 mAh |
| Coil (standard) | Minelab EQX 11 DD | XP 22.5 FMF |