Frequency and technology
Multi-Frequency vs Single-Frequency: What the Extra Money Actually Buys
Quick answer
Multi-frequency machines like Minelab Equinox 700 run several frequencies at once, which steadies performance on wet salt sand and mineralized soil. Single-frequency machines like Garrett AT Pro run one frequency at a time, are usually simpler and cheaper, and a very high single frequency is actually a liability on a typical coin site rather than an advantage. Multi-frequency is the safer general-purpose choice; single-frequency still wins for specialized jobs.
Minelab Equinox 700
$749.00Multi-IQ simultaneous multi-frequency plus four single frequencies, published for stability across park, field, beach and salt conditions.
Best for: most serious hobbyists who do not need the 900's extra modes
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Garrett AT Pro
$459.99No multi-frequency mode published; Garrett's listing describes fast recovery and proportional audio built around one operating frequency at a time.
Best for: all-terrain hunting and shallow water
Check price on AmazonA single-frequency detector transmits and listens on one frequency, and everything about how it responds to a target is tuned around that one number. A multi-frequency detector, like Minelab Equinox 700 with Minelab's Multi-IQ, transmits and listens on several frequencies simultaneously and blends the results, which is what lets it stay stable on wet salt sand or mineralized soil where a single frequency would drift or false. Garrett AT Pro represents the other side of this comparison: Garrett's listing describes fast recovery speed, target separation and proportional audio without naming a multi-frequency mode anywhere in it, which is the definition of a single-frequency machine even where the exact operating frequency itself is not stated.
Neither approach is universally correct. Multi-frequency is the safer default for someone buying one detector to cover parks, beaches and fields, because it performs reasonably well across ground types without retuning. But a single high frequency, tuned specifically for small gold, like the 45 kHz on Minelab Gold Monster 1000 or the 18 kHz on Garrett AT Gold, will outperform a general multi-frequency machine on that one job, and running that same high frequency on an ordinary coin park is a liability, not an advantage: it reacts harder to hot rocks and ground mineralization and gives up depth on the broad coin-and-jewelry conductivity range it was not built for.
Top pick
Minelab Equinox 700
Handles the widest range of soil and site conditions without retuning, which makes it the safer choice for one detector meant to do everything.
Price was accurate when this page was compiled and changes often.
On this page
What does running several frequencies at once actually change?
Different materials and different ground conditions respond differently depending on frequency. Salt water, for example, behaves very differently at a low frequency than at a high one, which is why a single-frequency machine can struggle on wet beach sand: whatever one frequency it runs, salt is either overwhelming it or the machine is not sensitive enough to the targets you actually want. Simultaneous multi-frequency processes several of those responses at once and combines them, which is why Minelab markets Multi-IQ specifically around "all metals, all soil, all the time" for Minelab Equinox 700 and Minelab Equinox 900. The tradeoff is complexity and, usually, price.
How do the published specifications compare?
Garrett's AT Pro listing does not publish frequency details the way Minelab does for the Equinox 700, which is itself part of the answer here.
The Equinox 700 publishes both simultaneous multi-frequency and four named single frequencies, while the AT Pro listing names neither a multi-frequency mode nor a specific operating frequency.
| Model | Price | Frequency type | Stock coil | Waterproof depth | Made in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minelab Equinox 700 | $749.00 | Simultaneous multi-frequency | 11 in | - | - |
| Garrett AT Pro | $459.99 | - | - | 10 ft | USA |
Figures are taken from each manufacturer's own published listing and specification sheet. A dash means the maker does not publish that figure for that model, not that the feature is absent.
Where does the record actually differ?
The Equinox 700 documents its frequency handling directly; the AT Pro listing focuses on recovery speed and discrimination instead, leaving frequency itself unstated.
| Specification | Minelab Equinox 700 | Garrett AT Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $749.00 | $459.99 |
| Frequency handling | Multi-IQ plus 4 single frequencies | Not published in this listing |
| Waterproof rating | 16 ft (5 m) | 10 ft |
| Iron discrimination | Standard discrimination and audio ID | 40-level high-resolution iron discrimination |
| Audio | Proportional, wireless headphones included | Proportional Audio and Tone Roll, MS-2 headphones included |
| Weight | 2.8 lb | Not published in this listing |
| Made in | Not published in this listing | USA |
Drawn from the Minelab Equinox 700 and Garrett AT Pro listings in our catalog. The AT Pro's listing does not state an operating frequency or a multi-frequency mode, which this comparison treats as evidence of single-frequency operation rather than a confirmed number.
Choose multi-frequency if
You hunt more than one kind of ground: dry parks one weekend, wet beach sand or brackish water the next. One multi-frequency machine covers both without retuning, which the metal detecting in saltwater guide explains in more depth. The best multi-frequency metal detectors roundup is the place to compare options beyond just this pairing.
Choose single-frequency if
Budget is the priority and your ground is consistent, dry, mildly mineralized soil, where a well-chosen single frequency performs close to a multi-frequency machine for less money. Also choose a single, purpose-tuned high frequency specifically when gold prospecting is the actual job, since Garrett AT Gold and Minelab Gold Monster 1000 both outperform a general multi-frequency coin machine on that one task. The full AT Pro review and best metal detector for gold roundup cover both ends of that choice.
Does frequency change what a target ID number means?
Not the underlying ordering, which stays physics-based regardless of frequency: iron at the bottom, foil and small gold low, nickels and pull tabs in the middle, copper and silver near the top. What changes with frequency is how strongly a given target couples with the machine and how much ground noise competes with it, which shifts the exact number you see for the same object from one machine to another. Always check a machine's actual target ID behavior against known items buried in your own soil rather than trusting a chart alone, which the test garden guide and the target ID chart both cover.
What to do with this before buying
Write down the two or three site types you actually hunt before comparing machines further. If salt water or heavily mineralized ground is on that list, weight your decision toward multi-frequency regardless of price. If your ground is consistent and dry, the beginner setup is built around single-frequency machines for exactly that reason, and the money saved is better spent on the digging and recovery kit than on frequency capability you will not use.
Sources
- Minelab Equinox 700 product listing and specifications
- Garrett AT Pro product listing and specifications
- Minelab Gold Monster 1000 product listing
- Garrett AT Gold product listing
Frequently asked questions
Is multi-frequency always better than single-frequency?
Not always. Multi-frequency is the safer general-purpose choice across varied ground, but a single frequency purpose-tuned for one job, like the high frequencies on gold-specific machines, outperforms a general multi-frequency machine on that specific job. Multi-frequency is broader and more forgiving, not universally more powerful on every target and every site.
Why doesn't Garrett publish an operating frequency for the AT Pro?
Not published in this listing. Garrett's AT Pro listing in our catalog describes recovery speed, discrimination and audio behavior without stating a specific kHz figure or naming a multi-frequency mode. Treat the absence of a multi-frequency claim as evidence the machine runs a single frequency, and check the current AT Pro manual if you need the exact number.
Does a high frequency machine find smaller targets at any site?
It finds small, low-conductivity targets like fine gold better, but that sensitivity comes with a cost: more false signals from ground mineralization and hot rocks, and reduced performance on the mid-conductivity range where coins and most jewelry sit. A high frequency is a specialist tool, and running one on a general coin site usually means more digging for less reward.
Can I switch a multi-frequency machine to run just one frequency?
Yes, on most machines that publish both modes, including the Equinox 700, which lists four selectable single frequencies alongside its Multi-IQ simultaneous mode. Running a single frequency on a multi-frequency machine can help in specific situations, such as heavy electromagnetic interference, even though it gives up the stability benefit that multi-frequency mode provides on salt and mineralized ground.
Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published specifications, manuals and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Target ID numbers, depth figures and settings vary with soil chemistry, moisture, target size, depth, orientation and firmware version, so treat every figure here as a starting point and verify it against your own machine's manual and your own ground. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.