Minelab Equinox 800 vs 900

The world’s best-selling metal detector just got an upgrade!

But, is it worth upgrading to the Equinox 900?

Until now, the 800 from Minelab has been the apex machine in the range, but the announcement of the Equinox 900 has already begun to question where and what both new and existing detectorists should purchase. Should you use the Equinox 800 or the 900? Let’s take a look so you can make the decision that suits you. We’ll talk to an official tester of the machine, and also compare technical specs to help you as best we can. 

Physical Differences

Composition

One of the most obvious and anticipated physical improvements to the Equinox 900 is the introduction of carbon fibre in its construction. At Crawfords Metal Detectors we’ve seen thousands of users invest in aftermarket carbon fibre options to adapt their detectors, and so we are certain there will be a positive reaction to this decision. 

For the more concerned detectorist there is also the consideration of optimising the size of the detector, and the 900’s telescopic, carbon fibre shaft solves both of these problems for users at the time of purchase rather than requiring additional adaptations. This means the machine is lighter and more convenient from the, ‘get go’. It collapses down to just 61cm!

There have also been alterations to the design and material of the arm cup. The cup is now simpler to adjust in a ratchet manner (the same as the Manticore) and is also comprised of a much more flexible material, giving a greater feeling of comfort and will also aid in durability. It feels really good!

Weight

As ever, as detectorists we not only want a detector that performs technically, but one that is easy to use, and weight is a massive factor in this. The 800 was no elephant weighing in at a modest 1.3kg but is the 900 any lighter?

The short answer is yes, slightly. The 900 weighs in at 1.2kg. This isn’t a life-changing amount, but lighter is better when you consider all the other equipment we need to carry when detecting. 

Waterproof 

Metal detectors are given a waterproof rating depending on the pressure they can withstand. Machines such as the Excalibur II are designed specifically for usage underwater, with a highly pressurised construction and large tangible controls in lieu of a digital display. Metal detector ranges such as the Equinox and Manticore are designed with the purpose of being highly efficient and capable coin and treasure machines on land, which are also capable of allowing users to delve well into the rivers and shallows. The 900 has further improved on the waterproof depth rating and has increased to 5 metres from the 3 metres of the 800. Either of these ratings is likely more than excessive for a high percentage of detectorists, given that 1.6 metres is approximately 6ft! Either the Equinox 800 or 900 are capable of detecting in deep enough conditions for 99% of detectorists. 

Compatibility

The 900 is built and designed, both physically and digitally similar to the 800. The menus and buttons are all familiar and there is no new detecting jargon to try to digest and understand. In that way, anyone who has used either an 800 or the 600 will really hit the ground running with the new machine. 

For the detectorists who have chosen to invest money in a lot of aftermarket adaptations to their current Equinox. Since the 900 is tooled very similarly, any coils you have already purchased, whether that be Minelab or other brands such as CoilTek will fit the 900! 

Ask the Expert – The 800 vs 900 

We have an exclusive review from Detexpert Paul Cee about the Equinox 900 performance and usability. Paul has been using Minelab machines for over two decades and is particularly experienced with high-performance coin and treasure machines.

Paul Cee – The Equinox 900 is an absolute hoover. It’s just an absolutely brilliant bit of kit. I’ve tested it extensively, both in-land and on the beach and to be honest it’s been a pleasure. There is a lot more versatility on this machine than the 800. A lot of the parameters from the 800 have now been expanded and you can push it more in a lot of areas. 

As far as recommending one over the other -  The 900 does perform better than the 800, but the of course reflects this within its price. If you’re serious about metal detecting and can afford the Equinox 900 then I would go for that. There’s, ‘more inside the box’ as they say, and in terms of useability, it’s just as intuitive as the 800 anyway. But, the Nox 800 is a powerhouse and I don’t hear complaints about that detector, so you can’t lose. 

Terrain Modes

They both have four preset modes:

Field, Beach, Park & Gold

So, there’s no difference here. 

Target Id’s

The discrimination settings on the 800 are; -9 to 40, whereas on the 900 the discrimination now allows for a huge range of; - 19 up to 99. 

• Equinox 800 =    49 Target Id’s (-9 to 40)                 
• Equinox 900 =  119 Target Id’s (-19 to 99)

It’s important to bear in mind what this means. It doesn’t mean the detector is, ‘seeing more', it instead means that you can now allow a more precise description of what your detector tells you that it has found. A particular benefit of increasing the target Id’s is that it will refine all of the target information, giving more clarity on what you choose to hear. You essentially have more precise and detailed information available to you. 

Increased Sensitivity

• Equinox 800 – up to 25
• Equinox 900 – up to 28

Think of the 900 as a supercharged 800. I’ve been asked to reference spinal tap here and not that the Equinox 900 goes to, ‘11’, but some may not know what we’re talking about!

Multi-IQ

The Equinox 900 uses the same Multi-IQ technology as the 800, but it has been tuned slightly differently. 

Updated Tones

The Equinox 900 has more choice in terms of tone choice and has the following modes:

• 1 tone
• 2 tones
• 5 tones
• AT (All Tones 99)
• DP (Deep - similar to the gold mode on the 800)

The sounds are essentially the same but there are more options here.

Other Physical Features

The Equinox 900 has a number of useful features which add to the detecting experience. The Control box now has a flashlight fitted to the underside, which can illuminate the ground if required. The screen has a Red Backlight Display and Backlight which help improve the user experience. The 900 also has Handgrip Vibration which can be assigned to various discrimination patterns, allowing for quite a detailed and sensory-detecting experience. 

If you’re wondering if the 900 is better than the 800 then the answer is yes. Of course, it is, but not by a huge amount! 

Remember, the 900 is about 5 years newer in terms of technology, and during this time Minelab has tinkered and tweaked the 800 to get more out of it. Compared to the 800, the 900 basically provides a more sensitive and more customisable detecting experience. If you’ve been using the 800 for a few years, you would most likely enjoy, and benefit from the change to the 900, however it may not be a significant enough jump in performance to warrant re-investing the current £1,099. For those wishing to really take things to the next level, you really need to invest in the Manticore, which is a completely different ‘beast’ (pun intended) to the 900, providing greater depth, greater target separation and a completely different way of interacting with the data the detector presents. 

However, the Equinox 800 is still an absolute powerhouse in the world of detecting, and there’s a reason it sat as the world’s best-selling metal detector for years following its release. It’s also a great metal detector and is superb value for its price point!

Should you upgrade from the Equinox 800 to the 900? We can’t say! It is definitely better than the 800, but, unless you have the disposable income, we’d advise purchasing the Manticore. And if you’re upgrading from the Vanquish series or from any other good detector, which should you buy? It depends on your budget. 

Let’s put it this way, If we had £1,200 to spend on a metal detector we’d buy the 900, but if we already had the 800, we’d save for a Manticore. 

What we can tell you is that whichever you chose you can be confident that you’re enabling yourself to experience great metal-detecting adventures. They are all great detectors!

• Minelab range 
  
• Manticore
• Equinox 900
• Equinox 800
• Equinox 600

The Equinox 800 vs 900 Comparison

You May Also be interested in: Equinox 900 vs The Manticore