Complete Minelab Equinox 800 Review 2023

The Mindlab Equinox 800 Review

Here we take an in-depth look at the Minelab Equinox 800. This is a fantastic detector that will suit beginners as well as seasoned metal detectorists. Jam pack with all the technology you will ever need with the added bonus of the Gold Mode, only found in more expensive machines.

When the Minelab Equinox 800 was released in 2017, it made a real impact on the world of metal detecting. Many people were amazed at the number of features that Minelab had crammed into the Equinox 800 for the price.

This lightweight detector had features such as being waterproof to 10 feet, a sophisticated multi-frequency operation, built-in wireless headphone capability, and much more. And all of this at an incredible price.

In fact, all of the Equinox detectors have been built to compete with the high-end professional metal detectors on the market, such as the XP Deus II,  but with a budget-friendly price point.

And what they have done with the Minelab Equinox 800 is to develop an all-terrain, multi-purpose machine, which is ideal for brand new detectorists as well as seasoned detectorists everywhere.

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So let’s delve deeper in this, the Minelab Equinox 800 Review:-

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Appearance

The Minelab Equinox 800 is a great-looking machine. Very similar in looks to the Equinox 600, but this model has a few more tricks and features under the hood.

With its rugged and lightweight design, this detector will allow you to enjoy long detecting sessions in any environment.

One problem people find with some lightweight detectors is that all the weight winds up in the coil, making them a little nose heavy and uncomfortable to use. Not so with the 800. The lower rod can be extended a long way to accommodate taller people.

Ergonomically the closer you get to your natural stance, with your arms by your sides, the better and if this involves extending the shaft out more, the guys at Minelab thought of this.

 Because this machine allows you to place counterweights into the pre-designed slots, to get the balance just right and make your experience a lot more comfortable.

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The Display

The large crisp LED display is impressive and is very easy to read. The screen features large Target ID numbers so you can tell at a glance, with all the information right there, what your target is.

Another big plus is the LED is backlit, making it much easier to read in different light conditions, or if your eyesight is not as good as it used to be.

The buttons on this unit are very easy to use and they are also very responsive to the touch.

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Assembly

With the help of the manual, setup is really straightforward. First, you attach the EQX 11″ Double-D Smart Coil to the lower shaft. Then it is a matter of assembling the shafts, attaching the armrest, and finally connect the coil.

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“This is a complicated machine, but once you learn the language of the detector it’s the best one I have ever bought. For the money it’s immaculate!“

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The detector DOES NOT come with a power source. You will get a USB cable that connects to the lithium battery.  Minelab recommends a 5V 2Amp charger. This recommended power supply will charge the batteries to full capacity in around 12 hours, but if using a lower rated power supply, the charging time will be increased.

Just make sure you read the relevant part of the manual concerning charging of the unit.

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Simple to Use

One thing that impressed us while carrying out this Minelab Equinox 800 review is that, for a very advanced machine, it can be very easy to use.

Switch it on, perform a simple noise cancellation, choose the environment you find yourself in and off you go.

After a little study of the manual, you will quickly become to read the display and start identifying the targets, without having to dig up everything that sets the machine off.

And with its extremely responsive User Profile button, it allows the user to jump from one detect mode to another. For example, if you want to get from Park mode to Beach mode, you can program this to be a one press of the button.

The 800 also has a Low, Medium, High, or Off backlight setting should you want to conserve battery life.

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Multi-IQ multi-frequency technology

As we’ve said this detector is great for both beginners and more experienced detectorists  And although this machine can be simple to use for the newcomer, it has also been designed for the more seasoned seekers as well.

The technology built into this model is stunning. The Multi IQ multi-frequency tech enables you to operate across the full spectrum of frequencies all at the same time. Basically, this means that you are far less likely to miss anything when searching.

This technology operates at 5kHz, 10kHz, 15kHz, 20kHz, and 40kHz and all of these settings simultaneously. Why is this important? Well when we utilize the 20kHz, this is in the range that we use to hunt for gold. While the 40kHz band is optimal for gold nuggets. This makes this detector great for searching for gold.  

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The Minelab Equinox 800 Gold Mode.

The gold mode setting on this machine is designed to help us find gold nuggets in mineralized ground. It achieves this by using different audio processing so that target responses both in pitch and volume. If gold prospecting is something that is on your to-do list, this Minelab Equinox 800 is the one for you.

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The Detect Modes

Park Mode:-

This is the default mode that you should be using if you are a beginner. This gives you great performance in high trash recreational environment and is the most versatile for general coin and treasure hunting.

Field Mode:-

This mode will help specialist detectorists find the widest range of targets. This setting is ideal for finding fine jewellery and artefacts. And with the addition of the Multi-IQ feature, even in this profile, this detector is better at locating gold than many single frequency gold detectors on the market today.

Beach Mode:-

This setting takes into account the waterproof feature of the Equinox 800. It is obliviously designed for typical beach conditions and operates on dry sand, wet sand, and even underwater. It ground balances for both saltwater and sand while maintaining a high level of sensitivity.

Gold Mode:-

As we have already stated, with the higher frequencies of 20kHz and 40kHz, this setting is ideal for finding gold targets. And also this detector is a lot more versatile than many single-frequency gold detectors available today.

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“Don’t really want any other metal detectorists or relic hunters to know about this machine. Best kept secret! This has that edge you need. I’m a veteran relic hunter with 45 year experience. I have had just about every brand of detector that’s been made.”

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The Headphones-Wireless is King

This Minelab 800 metal detector has a built-in wireless headphone capability. This is one of the most helpful features Minelab has introduced to its range of detectors. With this feature, you don’t feel like you are tethered to the machine anymore.

This will connect to any Bluetooth Low Latency headphones. A set of ML 80 wireless headphones with a hard case, are supplied with this detector.

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What’s included in the Bundle?

• Equinox 800
• 11-inch Double-D Smart coil with skidplate
• Wireless Bluetooth / apt-X Low Latency headphones

• WM 08 wireless audio module
• USB charging cable with magnetic connector
• Multi-Language screen protectors
• Getting Started Guide

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Features

• Total Weight : 2.96 lbs (1.34 kgs)
• 4 Detecting Modes: Park, Beach, Field, and Gold
• Warranty : 3 Year Limited Detector, 1 Year Battery
• Operating Frequencies: Multi, 5kHz, 10kHz, 15kHz, 20kHz, 40kHz
• Fast & Accurate Target ID : Fast Recovery Speed with Accurate Target ID
• Simultaneous Multi-Frequency: For Maximum Performance, Plus a Wide Range of Single Frequencies
• Sleek & Lightweight: Rugged and Lightweight Construction Allows you to Enjoy Long Detecting Sessions in Any Environment
• Advanced Settings: Gain Even More Control of your Audio with Advanced Settings; You Decide How Much Target Info you Hear
• Wireless Audio: Compatible with Ultra-Fast Wireless Audio with the WM 08, and Fast aptX™ Low Latency / Bluetooth Headphones
• Waterproof Design: EQUINOX is Fully Submersible, Ideal for Detecting at the Beach and in Rivers, Streams, and Lakes (3m / 10-feet)
• Gold Detecting Mode: Operates the High Single Frequencies of 20 kHz, 40 kHz or Multi to Detect Gold Nuggets in Mineralized Soils
• 8 Custom Search Profiles: Each Detect Mode Features 2 Custom Search Profiles so you can Save your Favorite Settings in Each Mode

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Comparing the Minelab 800 with the cheaper Minelab 600

Many people notice that appearance-wise, the Minelab Equinox 800 is very similar to the cheaper Minelab Equinox 600 model, at the time of writing around $200 less. But what do you actually get for the higher price?

When you look at things like weight, size, and many other things, you soon realize that they have a lot in common. But the main thing that you are paying for is the Gold Mode. The extra 20kHz and 40kHz operating frequencies that you get from the 800 model is the big difference.

Another difference between the two models is the 800 also has the ability to shift nonferrous tones. This may be helpful for those detectorists who rely heavily on tones while searching.

The Equinox 800 also has 8 levels of detecting speed whereas the 600 has only 3. These levels are ideal for fine tuning the densest ‘carpet of nails’ situation.

Low levels settings give you a much more solid hit on deeper targets but offer poor separation if they are closely adjacent to each other. While the higher settings give you better separation but make it difficult to her very deep objects.

“This detector is the real deal! I almost purchased the AT Max and I’m really glad I went with this. Multi Frequencies and being able to update the software are great features. This is my first Minelab product and I’m very impressed with it’s performance.”

Another obvious difference, between the two is the addition of the wireless Bluetooth headphones and the WM 08 wireless module that come with the 800, as opposed to the wired set that come with the 600.

So as you can see, there are many similarities between the two models, but the big difference is the ‘advanced settings’ available on the Equinox 800.

These settings allow for a finer degree of tuning on the various options that both models share and would probably suit the more advanced detectorist rather than the beginner.

So to be clear. What these advanced setting enable the user to do is gain a greater control over the functions of the machine. Whereas the 600 has some of the same features they keep it simpler.

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The Pros and Cons

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Verdict

This is a seriously great piece of equipment. There is so much advanced technology packed into this machine, I can’t think of a better-priced near-professional grade detector that is also suitable to be used by a newcomer as well.

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Minelab Equinox 800 FAQ’s

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