I have been told the E-Trac is not a good detector to use on ploughed fields,well they couldnt be more wrong. Today I searched for 8 hours,the first four hours was X-terra 705 time,and I love how easy and well balanced that detector is with the elliptical coil. That coil gets through the clods easily and is fast picking up signals.
I had short brake with coffee and bite to eat and went out again,this time with the E-trac on another ploughed field,and shortly had my first good signal. The pro-coil worked nice on the ploughed field,and funny is a lot of people say E-trac is unbalanaced,well I dont know but I have no
problem what so ever with my ET. Actually when I do four hours of editing (Im a photographer) Iknow next day will be a bad day becuse it give me tension headache,but I can swing my detectors for hours and hours feeling nothing the next day,even with the heavier E-Trac.No I dont use harness.I won a Minelab Pro-Swing,on the Go Minelabbing day in Sweden,but sold it unused. Feel trapped in a harness...haha..
I used the E-trac on pasture the last hour before dark and I had some really nice bits coming up,but also some bottle caps at 12"?? With a clear signal.I must say,when the condtions are right the E-trac is a deeeep detector.
The X-terra 705 is favorite for a faster search to find the hot-spot,then I change to the heavier gun E-Trac

My search ground is kind to me,becuse on the X-terra I get a ground balance around 50 ish..
If I was you I would go for a E-Trac instead of the Explorer even if its a really good detector.
I think the X-terra and E-Trac is an amazing set-up.
/Mike