My Big Debate :(

[richetts]

I have worked the amount of overtime required to have $1000 extra to spend on a metal detector. I know I will be buying a Minelab. I currently use an Eagle Spectrum and find lots of stuff with it. But technology is passing me by and I am hoping to retire the old girl to backup status. I have read this forum religiously and also the Quattro forum. I can't really decide which would be better for my area and detecting style. Since my nearest Minelab dealer is an hour away, I hope I can get some answers from you great folks.

I hunt mostly old homes, city parks, and freshwater beaches in NW Ohio. There are some hot rocks from people dumping coal around the homes and lots of trash on the beaches. The ground is hard clay in most areas around here. I don't have saltwater to deal with. I really enjoy coin shooting and get the chance to hunt CW relics occasionally at Ft. Hayes and some family property in Va. I hope to do more "prospecting" with a detector while on vacation.

My big debate is which Minelab is right for me. Do I buy the XT-70 or the Quattro. I read a lot of peoples posts and everyone says that both machines are the greatest. Both machines find deep items. Both have several available coils for different situations. Both machines will be a learning experience for me. The 70 adds a prospecting feature that seems a nice bonus along with a HF coil. The Quattro has FBS tech and can deal with things the 70 may not be able to.

Any help would be much appreciated. I worked 120hrs of overtime in 2 weeks to be able to get the funds up. I really want to feel confident I'm buying the right machine. If I could afford to buy both and try them out, I would be in a lot better shape. But working that much overtime has already has my detector collecting dust. I don't think I will be doing that again any time soon.

Thanks in advance for any help given. Also, thanks for all the great posts. Even if I can't get out hunting because I was at work for a 24hr shift or 48hr shift as was the case the last two weeks. I can still come here and enjoy the great hobby of metal detecting.

 

[richetts]

Monte chatted with me a bit in the chatroom and helped me make a well informed decision.. Thanks Monte!

 

[Goldbug]

So, what did you learn, that aided in your decision? I have had had the same questions, and would like to know what your deciding factor is.

Jay

 

[Mike Bearden]

I've owned both and many Minelabs over the years ... several Whites and MANY other high end brand names too
Before I ever got the chance to use the Quattro I kept hearing how slow it was to recover, how it nulled over everything and the typical complaints made by "usually first time Minelab users". They didn't know what they were in for and most didn't like not being able to swing the coil like a mop handle. It's a slow hunt style detector much like it's big brother the Explorer and has to be hunted slooow for best results. Did I keep the Quattro ? No, when I reach for the BIG DOG, I reach for the Explorer II.
I got good results out of my Quattro but I like to run with no discrimination just like I do my Explorer and hear it all (hunting by sound) first and foremost ! This increases the reset speed of the processor dramatically because it doesn't have to deal with a null close to good targets. In other words, I can hear all targets including the iron or whatever and the good sounds stop me in my tracks for further investigation. I was already familiar to how a multi frequency Minelab works and it didn't bother me, but it is the simplified version of the Explorer with the same weight and a few less options.
On the other hand the XT-70 is very easy to learn right out of the box, it's easier to handle weight wise, better on batteries, can dedicate different coils for entirely different hunt scenarios and I'm finding the depth is very close to the Explorer depending on ground conditions. Yes the Explorer is deeper and I would also give the depth edge of the Quattro over the XT-70 by maybe an inch.
It wouldn't surprise me that when and if a large coil comes out for the XT-70 that it would actually equal the Explorers depth in the right ground, The reason I say this is because I've put the 9" 7.5KHz and 18.75 KHz coils on the XT-70 up against the Explorer II with a 8" Sunray and actually got BETTER depth out of the XT-70 and in some nasty ground I might add
The X-Terra 50 and 70 has already proven itself to be a much better jewelry hunter, especially on small gold items like chains that a Quattro or Explorer won't even see or make a peep on.
So ... I don't know what you're willing to give up when it comes to depth between the 2 units but for me the XT-70 is hands down the overall WINNER performance and feature wise.
In closing, if I'm planning a long trot through the woods, up and down hillsides all day long, which detector do you think I'm going to reach for ?
Good luck with whatever you chose but be prepared to hunt much slower with the Quattro and the extra weight. The XT-70 just plain feels good when you pick it up and performs well when you turn it on.
H.H.
Mike

 

[richetts]

The ability to do multiple things ie coins, prospecting, and relic hunting by changing coils is probably the biggest factor that swayed me to the XT70 side. I do prospect quite a bit. Also, I have time to detect for hours at a time. The weight factor comes in there. I hear the Quattro is an excellent machine for finding old deep silver but weighs a ton compared to the XT70. If I'm climbing up a hillside looking for grain size nuggets, not only will the weight get to me, but the Quattro is lacking in that department also. I will be getting the XT70 next week. the price is near the same and the XT70 will be better all around for the type of hunting I am doing. Mike's post was a lot of the same things that Monte covered. I thank them both for the help.

 

[Goldbug]

Mike, that is the type of comparison info that I need to make good decisions.

Are you anywhere close to Southern California?

Thanks,

Jay

 

[Mike Bearden]

I make a trip to Escondido twice a year to visit friends, have a trip planned for June. When someone around here says they went to LA ... they mean Lower Alabama

H.H.
Mike

 

[Boony]

Hi Ritchie,

When I started looking seriously at metal detectors I really liked to features on the Quatro, Our local dealer said forget it, and buy an Explorer II, I took his advice and have never looked back, if you save up the bit of extra money and buy the Explorer you will have the best of all the worlds, however if you decide on an Explorer II get a copy of Andy Sabisch's Book "Mastering The Minelab Explorer XS & S" it's a great book very relevant to the Explorer II and it will cut down the learning curve by heaps, I think that if you purchase one of the cheaper machines somewhere down the track you will disappointed and wish you had held out for the Explorer.

Hope this helps and all the best with your detecting......Boony