I've been told over the years that one machine can't do it all....lower freqs for coins, relics, etc....higher freqs for gold.  Just read a review of the 800 in a treasure magazine, Sept. 2018 Western and Eastern Treasures.  Rather impressed if it will do what it promises, and it looks like it might with the freq hopping available, and waterproof to 10 feet for either underwater work or if it accidently gets dropped in the water. Looks to be a great VLF unit at a nice price point.  Kevin might have more insight into it, and possibly another choice.  Bill might chime in here as well. I'm waiting for someone here to get one and see if it really is the cat's tail feathers of VLF, if so, will probably get one.

I use an older MXT and it is a compromise for all types of use, and have been repeatably been reminded that once you really learn it you won't be shortchanged. So far been happy with it, but don't get out enough to really learn it.   True of any good unit though. 

Bill Southern has videos using the equinox 800 you may find informative. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdas7vSePGkIT20cAOTd5Gw

Don't forget the AMERICAN made detectors too, Garrett, Fisher etc. They make excellent detectors for both gold/coins/relics, I personally use a Gold Bug Pro for everything, gold prospecting, coins, relics etc and it does very well, plus it is super simple to use and only weighs a couple pounds, great for hiking and it's pretty dang durable as I've beat the heck out of it out in the rocky deserts and no problems yet, the Equinox feels very cheap and plastic and not "durable" IMO. Garrett makes the AT gold and AT MAX, good for "everything" too. Lots of Minelab fans will boast about them, and yes they are good detectors too, but they are like buying a BMW (Big Money Waste lol) you pay more for the name. Minelab is manufactured in Malaysia FYI so I don't know how well and fast their service is compared to the US manufacturers. If you want American made and waterproof then look at the garretts, if not then check out Fisher, namely the F19 & F75 and gold bug models. Good luck!

I've got an Equinox 800 and have done a little messing around with it. I'd say that it CAN do it all but I don't know how well... yet.
I've got a few gold nuggets and I've detected gold as small as 0.03 grams, according to my scale. That's tiny but still a picker nugget.
This thing will hit on silver coins hard and with god solid tones. Copper and zinc hit hard as well.
If you'd like to read some good reviews hit up the treasure net forum. There's raves for days over the EQ800 and it's free to read.

While the EQ800 can see the small gold, I still am wondering how it compares to the other similarly priced gold machines.
If I had to guess, It's as good or better simply because of the number of machines that are being sold by other treasure hunters that have picked up an EQ800.

This is my very first and probably my very last detector I will probably purchase. It is literally 8 machines in one. 9 if you count the custom user setting.

And to the customer service comment above... 7days turn around from send to receive according to folks reporting at the above mentioned site.

The Minelab Equinox has some of the best sensitivity for small gold. The depth that small gold is found at is kind is amazing. While using the biggest coil
12"x15"Minelab has for the Equinox, it is still sensitive to smaller targets! I pulled a small piece of lead #6 bird shot out of the ground at 8 inches. Normally using larger coils you blow through the small targets and get the bigger targets. Not with the Minelab Equinox you get both big and small. The smaller 6 inch coil is great for getting in tight to rocks, crevicing, trees and high trash sites you wish to hunt to pull out targets others have missed. I have a small pile of nails surrounding a nickel and the Equinox will pull it out of that mess. Not very many detectors can do this as they null out because of all the iron surrounding the target.
I travel the country detecting and yes this is a great all around detector for all your detecting. By the way Minelab gives a 15% Military Discount on their detectors!
The service department located in Chicago has a great turnaround time usually within 10 days to 2 weeks competing with all US made detectors.
Minelabgolddigger

Just to update: I joined the Equinox bandwagon in Oct 2018 to see what the hype was all about and bought a new 800. I'm impressed to say the least, it truly does it all. Still won't part with the Gold Bug pro, but it has taken a back seat while the Equinox goes to work. Anyways, good luck!