Xterra vs Safari

[gambler13]

Anybody have both and do a comparison? With the 10.5" MF DD coil I can locate and get a fairly accurate TID on a 9" clad dime in my test garden using my 705. Just wondered what I'd gain moving up to a Safari. I know the FBS would be better for beach hunting.

 

[Mtnmn]

Hope my PM was helpful, tried to be as honest as possible...

 

[SeniorSeeker]

I've owned both the X-70 and the Safari and, if I were going to purchase a new detector today, without question it would be the X-terra 705. The Safari is an awesome detector but I found far more with my X-70 than I did with my Safari. I also found the X-70 easier to swing and use. Both are extremely accurate machines and pin-point better than any other brand of detector I've ever owned. I sold my Safari this past winter, after experiencing a heart attack and thinking I would have difficulty swinging the extra weight. I purchased a new X-terra 505 and spent the extra money on a 6"DD 18.75kHz coil to round out my equipment.










SeniorSeeker / X-terra 505, Garrett Pin Pointer, and Wilcox Pro 100 Digger. River City Treasure Club A website designed for those new to the hobby of metal detecting.

 

[morelic55]

Lets put it this way, I've had 4 Xterras and 2 Safari's....I usualy give a machine a second chance to impress me and the Safari is not in my arsenal now. Too heavy and the recovery speed too slow for me. 2 or 3 guys in our club have got 705's as of late, to give them a rest off of their Etracs, I told them so!!!!! Mark

 

[Mtnmn]

I've had just the opposite results with my Safari other than the weight issues... Is the Safari superior to the XT-705, probably not, but have been cleaning up at sites with the Safari that I have hit many times with the XT-70. Will admit that my XT-70 never seemed to have been properly tuned at the factory (have said that from day one), but that sure hasn't been a problem with the Safari. It's giving me the depth and kind of finds that I always wanted, but never could get. Though it is about half again as heavy as the XT-70, so be warned and it does go thru batteries...

 

[SeniorSeeker]

I can't believe the battery life of my new X-terra 505! I've used it off and on for over a week (several hours each day I hunted) and it hasn't moved from the full mark. As I recall, the battery life of my old X-70 was really good as well. However, with the Safari, it's a good thing I used rechargables becasue it used a lot of batteries and it felt considerably heavier to swing compared to the X-terra's.

 

[Nuke em]

A really good machine the X.Terra 705 and i would say that it would be better than the Safari here in Britain , the Safari and the Explorers and E.Trac though not as much the E.Trac nul on iron and sometimes you can miss things that way if you dont know the machines well enough, i find the Terra easier in amongst the iron and bad mineralisation.

 

[Prep1957]

If I would get a non FBS detector it would be a 705.I used one for about 2 days and liked it.I liked making most of my settings in manual.Having said that the Safari with a after market SEF coil, I use a 6x8 SEF is a killer machine on coins with very little setup to 8 inches on a dime easy.The problem with Etrac and Safari user's is they continue to hunt with the Pro Coil it is only good for open fields with very little trash it will go deep but any little bit of Iron turns it into a nulling monster.If you bought a Safari and continue to use it in public parks,schools,old houses with the Pro Coil I am surprised you have not beat it against a tree it is tough to hunt with.I here the X5 is good coil also.I dig very few rusty nails with 6x8 SEF if I put Pro Coil on I might dig as many as 3 rusty nail targets to one good target.If you look on you tube the best hunters have taken off Pro Coil and went with something else after market coil.I would buy Safari over 705 but knowing full well I would have to buy after market coil to get it to work good in most coin hunting area's.

 

[Goldmanjace]

I've had just the opposite results with my Safari other than the weight issues... Is the Safari superior to the XT-705, probably not, but have been cleaning up at sites with the Safari that I have hit many times with the XT-70. Will admit that my XT-70 never seemed to have been properly tuned at the factory (have said that from day one), but that sure hasn't been a problem with the Safari. It's giving me the depth and kind of finds that I always wanted, but never could get. Though it is about half again as heavy as the XT-70, so be warned and it does go thru batteries...

How can one tell if the XT has not been properly tuned at the factory??

 

[Mtnmn]

About all you can do is compare the results of your machine, to those who have the same detector. My XT-70 doesn't seem to get the depth (a max of 6 3/8" on coins) that most others get with theirs. The sensitivity on it can be run maxed out at 30, (if I so desired) with rarely a problem, no matter what the ground conditions. Have also discovered the difference between the Safari's sensitivity and my XT-70's is like day and night. With my Safari you cannot run its sensitivity maxed out without having some issues. With the XT-70, it will purr along like a contended cat with its sensitivity maxed out. At least with the Safari I know there nothing left to be gained with its sensitivity. Would rather have the XT-70 the same way and know for sure that it is giving me everything its got.