My First Weekend With The X-Terra 70

[wpaxt]

After a number of months using both the X-Terra 30 and 50 I was asked by Minelab to field test the new X-Terra 70 which I received this week. As with the previous field tests I was asked only to share my opinions of the new model with users and the best way that I know of is to post my thoughts, so here goes.

INITIAL SET UP

For those of you who have read my field tests on both the 30 and the 50 (not to mention those of the other testers), the X-Terra 70 is identical in both assembly and appearance. There is one difference I should mention: it is GRAY. Just in case anybody has a color preference.

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

As with the 30 and the 50, the X-Terra exhibited the same qualities that I have liked in those units: light weight, very balanced, large easy to read display, excellent audio (good targets sound good & lock, trash doesn

 

[John(Tx)]

I see where you had to run the sensitivity on the XT70 at around 18 to keep it from getting too noisy. Will setting the sens at 18 on the 70 be the same as 18 on the XT50? I run my XT50 sens in my area at 20 with no problem so I'm thinking, I could probably run the sens alot higher if I had the XT70 and get alot more depth providing the sens are the same on both machines. Our area is very low in mineralization. Thanks, John

 

[Andy Sabisch]

The range on the X-70 is SLIGHTLY higher than the X-50 but not enough so that you will see inches more detection depth and that was never claimed by Minelab. I have seen a number of posts from people looking at getting the X-70 to get markedly more depth and that just will not happen. Air tests or ground tests will bear that out.

The X-50 has a max sensitivity setting of "20" while the X-70 has a max value of "30". Even the manual states that above "25" on the X-70 is the PRO range meaning that the unit will begin to become unstable (which is acceptable for those willing to tolerate that instability).

If you can run your X-50 at "20" you must be in some amazingly neutral soil. It would be amazing if you can run the X-70 at "30" without falsing, but one might be surprised.

In summary, a setting of "18" on the X-50 roughly correlates to a setting of "27" on the X-70. But again, you will not be getting a lot more depth with the X-70 at similar sensitivity settings . . . .

Andy Sabisch

 

[John(Tx)]

That answers my question, I was hoping they would be close to the same so I could get more depth but they way you explain it does make sense. I will more than likely keep using the XT50 and just save the extra $ by not getting the 70, maybe just get an extra coil for my 50. The majority of our ground is very neutral, in some places I try to GB the tone stays the same no matter where I set it, yeah, we have to type of ground alot of people envy. The site I've been working where I found the US belt plate in almost perfect condition balances out my machine at a 12, infact, from 12 to 20, there is no change in the tone. I enjoy reading your posts. Thanks, John