Comparison of detectors

[AgileMJOLNIR]

Maybe this is an unfair comparison, but how would those of you that have tried the X-Terra and DFX compare the two?

Minus the versatility of the DFX, the X-Tera seems to get better depth and ID, and the new pinpointing system seems to be dead on with the DFX's, which I always thought had one of the best pinointing functions around.

 

[Mike Bearden]

You're right about the pinpoint being dead-on ... on the X-Terra. I don't have a DFX to compare it to any longer but we have a MXT in the family and I never saw any depth advantage with the DFX over the MXT. The DFX is a nice detector with endless adjustability but I personally preferred an Explorer so I sold it.
So .. with that said, I can tell you without a doubt that the X-Terra has every bit as good depth as our MXT. I dug several deep coin hit's this weekend with the X-Terra, mostly clad but did dig some silver Mercs and a few early 1900's pennies in the 10" plus range with good repeatable sounds that said "dig me". Got fooled only once by a piece of melted aluminum.
Keep in mind too that we haven't had any rain here in almost 2 months and I'm hunting in some of the worst "hot dirt" in this part of the state.
The X-Terra 50 is by far the best detector I've used in it's price range. I really like the weight and power this little detector has and it sure is good on batteries too.
H.H.
Mike

 

[AgileMJOLNIR]

Thanks Mike. Yeah I used a DFX for a couple years and had an MXT as well and liek you I neevr saw any depth advantages really, just fantastic versatility with the DFX. But at the range your hitting targets with the X-Terra I am impressed. I never saw that with my DFX. Now I am very curious!

 

[Monte]

depth and general performance from the MXT. The DFX does have more adjust-ability, and both of them can pinpoint quite well, but ....

So far I haven't worked a site where anyone's MXT, or DFX for that matter (only one in use [occasional] around here with the fellow I hunt with), got any good targets deeper of better than my X-Terra.

The X-Terra is quieter and, FOR ME, more useful than the MXT with the feel and balance, the depth on silver coins and pennies, and the 4-tone audio ID.

 

[Larry--IndianaHVAC]

The dfx is a tough machine to set up for the ever changing soils around here where I live and the high mineralization. The dfx flat out stinks in the stock programs. If you can get the right setup then it will go deep for sure. I am confident the xterra would hold its own against it. I was so confident that I sold my dfx to Brian in MO last week. I won't depart with the Explorer as I know what this machine can do.

 

[steve herschbach]

Hi,

I just posted extensively about the X-Terra and DFX on the Troy X5 or X-Terra thread so I'll give you the short version here.

I just do not see the X-Terra 50 replacing machines like the Explorer or DFX. Personally, I prefer the DFX over the Explorer for my uses. Mind you I'm not saying the DFX is better than the Explorer or vice versa. I think people that declare one machine to best best are ignoring the fact that different people have differing desires in a detector. Why do so many people want to play "my machine is better than your machine"?

I'm not chasing silver, I'm after gold. The DFX has superior target resolution for gold targets by far when run in it's 15 kHz mode than the X-Terra 50. The DFX also allows for a much greater degree of fine-tuning in general. Personally for my uses if forced to choose at this point I'd certainly keep my DFX over the X-Terra 50. Just like I'd expect any Explorer user to keep their Explorer.

But what of it? The DFX lists for $1099 and the X-Terra 50 for $699. This is more about bang-for-the-buck than absolute feature and performance comparisons. The X-Terra 50 offers a good feature set that may well serve more people better than what you get in the top end units. The fact is that very many people feel overwhelmed by machines like the Explorer or DFX. Many do not take the time to learn them at all, or use nothing more than the preset modes.

I am certain that a lot of people are going to like the X-Terra 50, plain and simple. I also think it is doing the machine a bit of a disservice to build any buzz that it is going to blow away top end units. I think it is a great unit, and a lot of fun to use. But it is not an Explorer, or DFX, or Troy X5 either.

Steve Herschbach