Nokta Makro Legend vs Minelab Equinox - Mental Metal Detecting

Nokta Makro Metal Detectors recently announced their new metal detector they are calling “The Legend“. It was pretty clear from the announcement video that they are going after the Minelab Equinox market. But how will the Legend stack up against the competition? In this article we will break down everything that we know so far about the Legend and compare it to what we already know about the Equinox.

Note: This article will be comparing the Minlab Equinox 800 to the “NEW” Nokta Makro Legend. As additional information is made available for the Legend this article will be updated where necessary.

The Price Comparison.

Nokta Makro came out with a very aggressive price for the Legend at around the $765 (Kellyco Price) and the price includes an extra battery and a 6″ DD search coil. Compare that price with the current price of an Equinox 800 which is around $949 (Kellyco Price).

The Legend price is significantly lower and the advantage clearly goes to Nokta Makro.

Search Coil Comparison.

The Legend and Equinox both come shipped with an 11 inch DD search coil. The Legend also offers a small 6 inch DD coil with the purchase of their pro-pack option. The Equinox only comes with the 11 inch unless you can find it bundled together their 6 inch coil.

You can also purchase a 6 inch and 15 inch DD coil separately from Minelab for the Equinox. You can find out more about each one of these coils HERE. Plus Coiltek has come out with 3 additional after market coils for the Equinox that are proving to work really well with the Equinox. The size of the Coiltek coils are:

10×5″
14×9″
15″

I wrote up a separate article on the Coiltek coils. You can find out more about the Coiltek coils HERE.

Waterproof Housing Comparison.

Both the Legend and Equinox are 100% waterproof and submersible down to 10 feet. Nokta Makro went after Minelab in their video claiming its competitor (Minelab) has had issues in the past with the Equinox having water issues. I think its important to point out that Minelab has addressed these issues and continues to take care of its customers who run into problems.

Waterproof headphones will need to be purchased separately for the Equinox. Even thought it wasn’t mentioned in the Legend video. I suspect, Nokta Makro will also force you to purchase waterproof headphones for the Legend separately.

Search Mode Comparison.

In Nokta Makro’s video they claim the Legend has 4 search modes that are using simultaneous multi-frequency and according to the video, “All optimized for maximum depth“. Legend’s search modes are:

Park
Field

Beach (wet/dry sand)
Gold Field

The Legend also has 4 customizable search modes that can be saved.

The Equinox also comes with 4 search modes and by default are using Multi-IQ or simultaneous multi-frequency. The Equinox search modes are:

Park (I and II)
Field (I and II)

Beach (I and II)
Gold (I and II)

Essentially, the Equinox gives you 8 customizable search profiles. Plus, one additional custom search profile that can be saved and referenced by pushing one button. For more on this feature check out my YouTube video by clicking the image below.

Multi-Frequency and Single Frequency Comparison

Legend Frequencies

The Legend appears to have similar frequency options as the Equinox. However, the Legend does not include 5 kHz as an option but the Equinox does include 5 kHz. From the video Nokta Makro claims that simultaneous multi-frequency is used with search modes Park, Field, and Beach (wet/dry). It was not clear in the video if the Gold mode uses multi-frequency or not.

In addition to multi-frequency, the Legend can also operate in a single frequency as well. Legend’s single frequencies are listed below:

4 kHz

10 kHz
15 kHz
20 kHz

40 kHz

Equinox Frequencies

The Equinox uses both simultaneous multi-frequency or Multi-IQ and single frequencies as well. By default the Equinox search profiles are set to use multi-frequency but the operator can cycle the the single frequency options with a push of a button. There are different algorithms built into the Equinox that determine the multi-frequency options for each of the search profiles.

The Equinox uses the same single frequencies but also includes 5 kHz. The 4 kHz frequency was added to both the Equinox 600 and 800 as a software update. The single frequencies included with the Equinox 800 are listed below:

4 kHz
5 kHz
10 kHz

15 kHz
20 kHz
40 kHz

If you are an Equinox owner you know how well the multi-frequency or Multi-IQ has set the Equinox apart from just about every VLF on the market. It will be interesting to see if the Legend will be able to meet or beat the performance of the Equinox.

Target ID Segments

Each of these 2 metal detectors use different target id segments.

The Legend uses 0 to 60.
The Equinox uses -9 to 40.

Adjustable Discrimination Comparison

Both the Legend and Equinox have adjustable discrimination.

Legend = 4 Modes:
- A = All Metal
- B = Ground Off
- F = Iron Off
- C = Custom (accept/reject your own target ID segments)

Equinox = 3 Modes:
- All Metal (entire horseshoe is filled in)
- Ground Off Equivalent (-9 to 1)
- Custom (accept/reject your own target ID segments)

Volume Control

Both the Legend and Equinox have volume control so there is nothing to really compare.

Battery Life (single charge)

The Legend can run from 8 to 20 hours on a single charge depending on its setup. The Equinox will run up to 12 hours on a single charge.

Bluetooth Compatible

Both the Legend and Equinox are Low Latency Bluetooth compatible. The Legend comes with its own Low Latency Bluetooth headphones. However, if you choose to stay with a wired headset for the Legend, you will need an additional adapter. It was not clear if this cable is included with the packaging. It wasn’t mentioned in the video but I assume the connector is 3.5 mm (1/8 inch).

If you have the Equinox 800, you already have Low Latency Bluetooth headphones included and if you wanted to use a wired pair of headphones then any headphones with a 3.5 mm (1/8 inch) connector will fit inside the connector on the Equinox as long as its not less than 9 mm (0.35″) in diameter. If it is larger, the connector will not fit inside the waterproof housing on the Equinox.

The Equinox also includes a WM-08 Wireless Module for Wired Headphones. No mention if the Legend has something similar or not.

One side note to mention. It wasn’t stated in the Legend video but the Equinox headphones can also be paired with your mobile phone so you can answer calls in the field without getting out your phone.

Ground Balance Comparison

The Legend and Equinox have similar ground balancing techniques. The both can use the following methods of ground balance:

Automatic

Manual
Tracking

I’ve done several Micro-Session videos on the Equinox and I specifically did a video on the ground balance options and how to set them up. You can find that video by clicking the image below.

Updatable Software

Both the Legend and Equinox have a software update capability.

Weight Comparison

Both the Legend and Equinox weigh in at around 3 lbs. The Equinox specifically weighs 2.96 lbs.

Shaft Comparison

The Legend uses a carbon fiber low shaft that collapses down to 25 inches making it very compact. The Equinox comes with a hard plastic shaft that collapses down to 43 inches. Nokta Makro’s sales person really made Legend’s lower carbon fiber shaft and its ability to collapse down to 23 inches a big deal in their presentation.

Pinpoint Capability, Depth Indicator, and Adjustable Threshold

Both the Legend and Equinox have a pinpoint capability, depth indication, and an adjustable threshold. These features are standard features on most new metal detectors today and there isn’t much to compare.

Legend’s Nice to Have Features But Not Really Performance Enhancing.

There are 4 features that stand out that aren’t offered by the Equinox or any other metal detector for that matter. However, these features are not going to take anything away or add to the performance of the Legend. These features are nice to have options. However, if you have a hearing impairment or if your are diving underwater, the vibrating feature could be considered an enhancement for you. Here are the features:

Flashlight feature

Time Feature
Operating Time Feature
Vibrating Feature

I think the operating time or usage indicator is something that is unique that no other metal detectors offer. Again, is it a big selling point? In my opinion I don’t think so but it will be a nice feature to have especially if you are picking up one of these machines used or if you want to sell it down the road.

Legend’s “FerroCheck” Could Be a Great Feature.

The FerroCheck feature is a great idea. A visual representation along with a target id goes a long way. In Nokta Makro’s video, they show someone using the Legend on the beach passing up a bottlecap but someone using an Equinox digs it up. Nokta Makro failed to mention that the bottlecap issue was addressed in the last software update for the Equinox.

Obviously, the folks at Nokta Makro are trying to make you believe that you won’t dig up as much trash as you do with the Equinox but Legend field tests will have to prove or disprove this feature.

Notka Makro Claims They Are Using “60 Harmonic” Tones For The Legend.

This isn’t surprising considering the audio quality of Simplex was sub par. It appears the Nokta Makro listened to its customers and came out with the use of harmonic tones which should provide a richer sound for the Legend. However, no sound tests were demonstrated during their video.

How Do Both Metal Detectors Stack Up Against Each Other?

Nokta Macro has the upper hand against the Equinox. The features and price they are offering for the Legend will take a bite out Minelab’s Equinox market “if” the Legend performs like the Nokta Makro folks are claiming that it will. In all fairness, the Equinox has been around a while and Noka Makro has had the time and luxury to study its main competitor and offer some alternate and additional features that the Equinox doesn’t offer. That’s a smart move by Noka Makro

However, the Equinox is still the most purchased metal detector on the planet and for a good reason. The Equinox performs well on both land and in the water to include salt water beaches. The Legend will compete with the Equinox just based on the price alone. But don’t count out the Equinox as the top dog just yet. It will be interesting to see if all the hype Nokta Makro is making about the Legend will end up being true. Will the Legend knock Minelab off the top? Time will tell. I hope to get my hands on one to give it a good test myself.

Where Can You Buy a Legend or Equinox?

If you are thinking about purchasing the Nokta Makro Legend or Minelab Equinox I recommend choosing Fort Bedford Metal Detectors. They are a trusted company with great support. I used them for all of my gear and I highly recommend using them. Click on the banner below or give them a call. Don’t forget to tell them Mental Metal Detecting sent you!

Want to Learn More About The Minelab Equinox?

Like I mentioned above, I’ve done several micro session videos on the Equinox. These videos are quick (usually no longer than 10 mins) and easy to watch. You can find them on my YouTube channel but I’ll link them below.

Equinox Extra Search Profile

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