Safari or X-Terra 705? PLEASE HELP ME!!!

[diggindowndeep]

Hello- I have spent the past 2 months heavily reading these forums and doing tons of research for a well rounded detector. Tax refund time is drawing near and I am now down to the X-Terra 705 or the Safari as finalists for my first MD. I just need some help with making a final choice between these two quality machines. I do apologize if this is a repeat question of an old topic/post. I will be coin shooting parks, relic hunting old homesteads & settlements, and detecting fresh water beaches. Since I live in Northern Wisconsin, I won't be prospecting for gold or detecting salt water beaches. Overall weight of the unit is not an issue for me. Also, I am looking for something to grow into and not out of. Right now I am leaning more towards the Safari, because I would be exceeding it's initial base cost after adding all of the extra coils for the 705. I only want to buy "new" so I know exactly what I have to start with and my budget is $1,000 max. I respect your advice & opinions and any help will be truly appreciated. Sorry so winded....

Best Regards,
John

 

[hershey1]

I have not used the X-Terra 705 but I have used and own a Safari which I can highly recommend. The Safari will meet your requirments and then some. Hope this helps you with your decision. HH

 

[sopg1155]

John,
There is a Xterra 705 on the classifieds right now that has a great price
on it.The Xterra 70 and 705 are great machines. Gary

 

[Dan-o]

John,
I was in your situation recently as well. I had narrowed it down to the xterra or the safari. I went with the safari after seeing the etrac guys pulling tons of silver from hunted out parks. I did not want the etrac due to cost and I wanted simplicity.
I know you said you want new, but consider sending Richard at Backwoods Detector Sales an email. He sells a lot on the Classified forum and has an email site as well. I bought mine from him and he is a top notch guy. I paid $665 and that included shipping and came with a meter cover and coil cover and the Quattro Book. Used you can expect to pay up to $750. This can save you some money to buy a good digger and other accessories. You will need a good digger as this machine goes pretty deep.
I don't know if the safari comes with a meter cover when buying brand new, but this is one accessory I wouldn't do with out.
Someday I may add an xterra as a back up because it is so light and may want to do some prospecting some day.
You will not be disappointed with the safari if you are wanting to hunt for coins in parks. That is what most of my detecting is and I have only been out 3 times with it so far and have made some really good finds with it in a park that has been hunted to death.

Hope this helps some.

Dan C

 

[diggindowndeep]

Hello again,

Thank you very much for the input everyone, it helped me get to the next level with my decision process. For years I used to be into astronomy and I must admit that the MD community is much more helpful & friendlier than they ever were. "JMHO" Sorry I'll get back on topic, I just had to share that thought with you. I think that I am going to go with the Safari or I might even make the big jump & splash right into the E-Trac and be done with the need for any future upgrading. For either unit in real trashy areas I'll just buy a smaller coil if need be. In the future, I'll invest in a X-Terra 70(5) as a backup/family use detector. I do realize that if I go with a "New" E-Trac, I just blew my $1,000 budget right out of the water and that's why I don't gamble at the local casino. I'll post again once I make my purchase and I'll gladly share any worthy finds with you all once our long winter is over with. Thanks again for taking the time to help me. Happy Hunting!

Regards,
John

 

[Grumps]

Hi,
I would like to add my pennywirth,im from Wiltshire in the uk and and live almost on top of a roman villa and other eartherworks
so im used to digging for allsorts of stuff, some very deep! and the Safari will do it ALL very well,but what i am thinking of doin
after haveing the safari for just a year! is up gradeing to the Minelab SE Pro because now i now a little more about what im
doing the SE has more adjustments,but if all your ever gona wont is a switch on and go machine the safari will do if all.

BUT its deep!! so buy a "Good Digger"

Happy hunting
Regards Grumps.

 

[diggindowndeep]

Hello all,

My first metal detector search is officially over. Hooray! Based on all of my research since Thanksgiving and the valuable help from the "amazing" Safari/Quattro & X-Terra forum members, I went with what I felt was the "sleeper" out of the bunch and just ordered a Safari today. I am looking forward to learning this machine and bench testing it until the snow melts. I am also getting Andy Sabisch's "Mastering the Quattro" for further instruction. I'll be posting any Safari experiences/finds that are worthy on this forum in the near future. Thanks again for all of the help!

Regards,
John

 

[hershey1]

Good choice on the Safari. Don't start turning those knobs too fast. HH

 

[Monte]

SE Pro isn't a bad choice. A half-dozen of my devoted Explorer friends have gone BACK to an Explorer II or an SE Pro from the E-Trac. I admit I haven't played with it that much, but I like the SE Pro just fine. Been toying with the idea of a Safari myself as an easy-to-use unit that provides good depth in older sites for silver shooting. Going to have to borrow one this weekend and see what I think.

Anyway, I think 'diggindowndeep' made a good choice, but I also agree that a "next step up" or "top-performer" consideration ought to include the SE Pro.

Monte

 

[GunnarMN]

Monty if you try it out pleas do let us know how you like it