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x-terra 705 gold pack or normal pack

Thanks for weighing in Mapper, and to everybody else for their input. Essentially, it initially seems to come down to the degree of mineralization (other factors disregarded) in the area in the choice between the standard and DD coils (no surprise there). Each coil is optimized for a particular application while at the same time it will incorporate compromises such as depth, weight, maneuverability, separation, waterproof or not, etc.

But for me, the initial selection of the 705 with either the standard or gold pack coils will come down to the degree of mineralization in my area...and that is the great unknown.

Now, to continue along with the mineralization theme, I have read elsewhere that this can change from site to site within a proximate area (lets say a 5 mile radius from my house, where there are parks, pastures, forests and farmland). From everybody's experience, would you agree with this premise or have you found that the mineralization variance is not significantly different from site to site in a particular area.

Thanks

ps: David...thanks for the last post. I did not see it until after this was published.
 
The X-Terra line is designed to accommodate a variety of conditions and to make the X-Terra fit your needs may require 2 or more different coils. If I were buying a new X-Terra 705 today, I would opt for the 'Gold Pack' rather than the stock coil for only one reason...$$$'s. You can buy the stock 9" concentric coil 7.5kHz for a little less money than you can buy the 10" x 5" DD 18.75kHz that comes with the gold pack. Not much money mind you, but a little.

I would also suggest considering the purchase of good, used X-Terra coils. I know the 9" concentric coil is usually available in the aftermarket where you might have to dig [:rolleyes:] a little deeper (to find and to pay for) a good used Gold Pack coil.

I have found that I need the stock coil for some of my detecting and the DD coil (prefer 6" and 10.5") for other situations. This fits my needs but you will need to experiment and adapt. I prefer to save coins and find coins!!!:clap:

Just my thoughts.
 
Thanks for your help everybody I have learned a lot of new information. The soil here in CT is mostly dark and is good for farming and gardening. I was thinking of getting the gold pack or would someone suggest differently?
 
For now go with the gold pkg. and its 5x10" DD HF coil. If eventually for some reason you don't like it, chance are by then you are going to want something better than the 9" MF stock coil and as a result will be looking a coil with additional depth and coverage such as the XT's 10.5" DD MF coil or else their coil which hits best on silver and that would be the 9" LF concentric, not the stock 9" concentric. Good luck with whatever choice you make, they all will do the job...
 
I truly don't believe there would be much difference in depth between the two. I don't have the 5x10" DD HF coil, but do have the 6" DD HF coil and it only gets about an inch less depth than my 9" MF stock coil. Can't believe that the 5x10" DD HF coil wouldn't gain you at least an inch more in depth (on coins) than the little 6" coil, BUT then again my ground is a little on the mineralized side which would give any advantage in depth to a DD coil rather than a concentric.
 
Jellyfish, yes the mineralization changes constantly, in the matter of feet, that is what the tracking feature is supposed to correct. I can go to one site and set up, go to the next and balance is completely different. I have even gone to sites that I deemed almost undetectable, whether it be minerals or interference, fortunately not many are like that. If you question that, use your tracking and check its current setting from time to time, you will see that it varies as you move around the same site.
 
Thanks HotRod,

That helps me somewhat, but my question regarding changing mineralization was to help in the selection of a 705 package (either 9" CC or 5"x10" DD elliptical). From what I'm understanding (and I'm a slow learner), the DDs are better suited for more 'highly mineralized' sites. If my backyard is 'highly mineralized' enough where the DD would be beneficial, would a field 5 miles away also likely be classified as 'highly mineralized' or would that be more of a case of 'you'll find out when you get there'?

I am particularly interested in your and Mapper's response, because you're from PA and you both seem to prefer the high frequency DD coils. I live in Montgomery County (Schwenksville/Skippack/Harleysville/Collegeville area) and I'd like to have a basis for choosing one coil/package over the other, even if it turns out not to be the best choice. Right now I'm ready to go out in my yard and flip a nickel to make the call...but at least if I lose it my future MD will help me get it back.

However, I do see the benefit of having more than one choice for different conditions. Right now I'm leaning towards getting the standard coil since I really don't know WTF I'm doing and because it's right in the middle of everything. After I play around with it a for a while I'll consider what might be best suited for the sites that I select since I've already resigned myself to the fact that I'll probably need a second complementary coil. On the plus side, that's gotta be a whole lot cheaper than buying another quality metal detector.

Also, in case I did not mention it before, I primarily intend to hunt for coins and relics.
 
Read this thread on page 2

Introduction & Reinforce my choosing an Xterra 705

Same questions and I'm from DELCO Pa. Some pretty good info.
MDing since '83. IMO this corner of Pa is highly mineralized. Tired to get some reinforcement on that opinion BUT never got any feedback on that thread.

I got the DD 10x5 Gold Pack.
 
Thanks GTzer,

Yea, I read that thread...several times. In fact, the 'Introduction and Reinforcement' thread wieghed heavily in my decision to get a 705.

I also read your 'mineralization' thread, but unfortunately it appeared to die off prematurely (meaning I was looking for a definitive answer on the subject, too) and it left me second guessing.

But thanks for posting here, it helps A LOT!!!
 
I forgot to set this thread to to "Follow Topic" so I'm chiming back in a little late. I don't not have the 5x10 coil although that's what we bought when we ordered our Mom's detector. I have used her's a few times. I've found it to work very well but it does not seem to have the same depth as my 10.5" HF coil and that's to be expected based on the design between the two. The 10.5" creates a larger field based on the design and that's where the extra depth comes from. Don't think I'm bashing the 5x10 coil, it's a great coil and in my opinion the better choice of the two (9" or 5x10) at least in our area.

Actually after I had bought my coils and spent some time with them I wanted to make sure that I was making the right choice when we went to order our Mom's detector so I got with Kevin Hoagland at Minelab and asked him if what I was seeing with my findings pointing to the HF coils being the better choice in our area. He confirmed what I had already seen. Keep in mind that the HF coil may not be the best in your area. That all depends on your soil composition. Good luck finding out exact information on that. It's a real crap shoot for the most part but there are some areas of the country where it may not be so much of a science. Luckily in my area, either coil will work fine but the HF just seems to do a little better job for me. For the longest time I really thought the 10.5 MF coil was holding me back and I was reluctant to use it. Near the end of this summer I forced myself to leave it on the detector and found that it's not that much different. if I rated the HF version a 10, I would rate the MF at an 8.5-9. They are just different animals in how they react.

If I had it to do over again, I would have ordered the gold pack but the only drawback would have been that I would have never bought the 10.5" HF coil which I absolutely love. If you bought the gold pack I wouldn't run right out and buy the 10.5" HF coil. It's probably not that much better and I'm not sure I could justify shelling out an extra hundred and some dollars for the minimal extra depth.

Have fun!
 
mapper65 said:
If I had it to do over again, I would have ordered the gold pack but the only drawback would have been that I would have never bought the 10.5" HF coil which I absolutely love. If you bought the gold pack I wouldn't run right out and buy the 10.5" HF coil. It's probably not that much better and I'm not sure I could justify shelling out an extra hundred and some dollars for the minimal extra depth.
Click to expand...

Mapper,

Thanks for adding in. I completely understand and agree with the above quote. In fact, this is the only reason that I have a very slight hesitancy for ordering the 'gold pack'.

I'm in Montgomery County and GTzer's in Delaware County. Out of curiosity, what county are you and HotRod in?
 
It has been my experience here in PA that the richer the soil (such as in many of the farming areas of the state) the less minerlized the soil seems to be, though needless to say nothing is wrote in stone. By the same token in those areas of state that have poorer soil due to the gravel and stone content, will usually be more mineralized than most deep rich farm ground. As a result like mentioned previously, in the more mineralized areas of the state the DD HF coils do seem to have a advantage over the MF concentrics and a slight advantage over the DD MF coil. Though I can't help wondering if there would be much of a noticeable difference, if Minelab made 10.5" concentics rather than the 9" concentric which puts them at an unfair size advantage.
 
mapper65 said:
Luckily in my area, either coil will work fine but the HF just seems to do a little better job for me. For the longest time I really thought the 10.5 MF coil was holding me back and I was reluctant to use it. Near the end of this summer I forced myself to leave it on the detector and found that it's not that much different. if I rated the HF version a 10, I would rate the MF at an 8.5-9. They are just different animals in how they react.

If I had it to do over again, I would have ordered the gold pack but the only drawback would have been that I would have never bought the 10.5" HF coil which I absolutely love. If you bought the gold pack I wouldn't run right out and buy the 10.5" HF coil. It's probably not that much better and I'm not sure I could justify shelling out an extra hundred and some dollars for the minimal extra depth.

Have fun!
Click to expand...

Very good post mapper65, but I disagree with this one point I underlined above. I have both coils the 5x10" HF DD and the 10.5" HF DD and it is better to have both. The 10.5" HF(or MF) DD is deeper on coins and coin sized objects(especially in beach sand) than the 5x10" HF DD.
 
Also in my opinion(IMO) I would definitely rather order from a smaller dealer like Bart at BigBoysHobbies above instead a big dealer you may know what I mean. Support the small guy with better customer service and after sales help.

Also I would also avoid any dealer anywere who sells long range locators(LRL's) kept in their stock for sale as they are scams and gives that dealer a shadey reputation.
 
Jellyfish, we are in Allegheny and Washington Counties
 
My soil composition from my "Help Defining the Mineralization of SE Pa"

In SE Pennsylvania the soil in mostly clay deposits around predominately eroded metamorphic rocks. The second most common deposits would be alluvial/glacial gravel. There is not much in the way of sedimentary rocks or loam type soils. plenty of iron in the soil and a lot of "hot rocks".
Would you define this as Heavy Mineralization?

Time constraints keep this my primary MD area. Plenty of metal trash and hot rocks also.

Of course I MD other areas. For that reason my 2 nd coil will be one of the MF's. Even some of the areas in DELCO, Pa.

Farm areas w deep soil, places where organics/loam are deeper and lime type rocks or lighter(* colored) sedimentary rock areas are all possibilities for MF or LF coils. These conditions exist here but they are not predominant.

In Randys book- the Minelab manuel and in one of my two Topics in this forum there is info that tells you how to define the mineralization in your area. I know that it doesn't help if you don't yet have a detector.

So again I will echo others and reiterate what I've said- You have two choices of a coil when you buy the 705. If you are going to end up with multiple coils anyway the after sale price/value of the Gold Pack coil alone should factor into your choice.
If you are only going to have one coil- or be "stuck" with one for a while you'll need more of the info that is being discussed in your topic.
 
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