Minelab X-Terra 70
Sreet Price $800
Number of Reviews: 20
on 2 pages.
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Minelab X-Terra 70
Another European view
James in Europe -
I want to respond to the reviews by Europeans below, I detect in Europe and have used a Quattro and a Sovereign GT and also some Compass machines, the XT-70 does a great job on my sites, I had hammered coins my first and second trip out!
One reviewer below said the the 70 gives no signal on fibulas, that's a bewildering statement, if I can find small hammered coins in C&T mode how can he not detect a Fibula!!
Now on highly minerlized sites you can not rely on the meter as it will often id small non ferrous as iron, be aware that -2 is not iron but a good target, if you get a signal in C&T mode showing deep but the numbers are dancing around simply switch to prospect mode, if it screams or is very loud it's iron, if it's a soft faint signal it's probably a good find.
The golden rule with this machine is when you get an iffy signal in C&T mode switch to prospect, if it's a faint signal you must dig it REGARDLESS of what the meter says!
Things I don't like are the 18.75Khz coils like iron a bit too much but they are much better at finding targets next to iron, the stand is crap and the machine always falls over.
Overall I like this machine, it takes a bit of learning but does well if you know what you are doing.
Mar 26, 2008
43 Yes
3 No
This is my 5th Minelab
Suncoast Wally in Florida -Since Minelab first started selling detectors in USA I have owned 5. Most of which were Sovereigns. I recently traded the last one on an X-70. I really wanted to use a light weight detector with a meter. Both are great on 70. Coin recovery from 8" still had a strong signal and I expect 10 to 12 inches shouldn't be a problem. I live in Florida and ground mineralization is non existant. I have used the Noise Cancel with success and for the norm we do not have to ground balance in Florida. I got the elliptical 10" 18.75kHz coil also and need to answer those complaining about buying extra coils. This is the normal routine with any detector unless you only do one type of detecting. None of the other detectors made have a coil that does it all. One of my other detectors I have 3 coils and another one 2 coils. It's the name of the game, just like a carpenter you just need the right tool to do the job.
At this point I am very happy with the 70 but admittedly only have limited experience but after 20 years detecting, the 70's learning curve should be short and I do expect good things. I will post again in a few months when I have a few more miles under my belt with this machine!
Feb 29, 2008
28 Yes
6 No
Great detector.
litlewolf2 in MN, USA -I'm new to detecting, but I'm a stats freak. I searched the net and other resources extensively for reviews and stats as to what to get. I had a cheap detector, which got me hooked. This time around I wanted to make sure I spent my money wisely and the X-Terra 70 was a great choice from what my research told me. I posted a few polls on metal detecting forums. Here is the question I posted and the results that came of that on 3 forums.
"So here is what I'm looking for in a detector.....
Can go deep 8"+ for coins.
Can help determine the difference between clad/silver.
Decent pinpointing.
Something that does not weight a ton.
That won't take a full year of learning just to use it half way decent. I'm willing to put time into it to learn but not every day. Just not overly complicated. But more advanced then the ACE 250.
Preferably Under $1,000.00. (Willing to go over if you make a very good argument why a SE or other 1K+ detector outperforms and is worth the extra vs. some of the others.)
Good for Minnesota soil (don't think much mineralization here).
Coil can be used underwater.
Good land detector.
Preferably more then a 1-year warranty.
Something other then a Bounty Hunter. The rest I'm O.K with.
Thanks for the help!!!"
=====Results======
Detector Total votes
X-Terra 70 28
DFX 29
Cibola 12
Explorer SE 18
The DFX did get more votes but it was close. The X-Terra 70 had a better over all deal with most of the dealers as far as add-ons and price. So I went with it and it helped me considerably. This site also contributed a lot towards my decision and I figured I would post my results here to. Hope this helps!
It's a very easy to use detector and can go very deep. It's also got a gold prospecting mode so it's very versatile. It's a great all around detector.
Feb 15, 2008
53 Yes
3 No
X-70 The best multipurpose detector ever.
Tom in California -Terra 70 is a deep seeking detector with lots of useful functions that are easy to use. It is as deep as a CZ or even the Explorer some places. Sensitivity to gold and small targets is still very very good, I believe it to be maybe the best multipurpose nugget hunter made and still one of the best coin detectors too. If I was to advice a person to buy a detector above 600 $ it would be this one, it has everything exept weight, light as a feather.The coils I use are the stock and the 6" DD. The 6" DD is a really deep and sensitive coil. I would advice that to be the first coil to buy as an accessory.
Oct 05, 2007
61 Yes
3 No
Minelab did well as usual!
nugget71 in Australia, QLD. -I have used this detector in many enviroments and it has worked well in every area. Its nice and light so I can swing it all day! Its very powerful and Im finding fairly deep coins on the beach from 5" to 12" depending on what setting and coil you are using, this detector will go deep. The prospecting mode is nice and sensitive and it picks up my 0.4 gram test nugget loud and clear. The power consumption is outstanding and the 4AA batteries will keep the detector huming for a very long time. There isnt anything I dislike about this detector, I think its a very good all round detector and would suit all kinds of detectorists be they novices or experts. Depending on what country you live in and what you might hunt on a regular basis do your research and Im sure you wont look past an X-terra 70. If you do manage to get one under the regular price your getting a bloody bargain. The stock 7.5khz is a good coil but look into a DD coil for sure. The 9.5" eliptical coil is very light and easy to move around difficult objects. Its my favourite coil by far. All in all there will always be someone who isnt happy with something but I know how good this machine really is and want to share my thoughts with anyone who is interested in a new detector. I think you will be very happy with your purchase. My main piece of advice is LEARN your detector well!
Feb 13, 2007
86 Yes
3 No
X-70 review
Tom in NW Lower MI -Don't let the negative posts about the X-70's poor response to small stuff in Europe stop you from trying it out. Admittedly around iron it does not see small stuff all that well. No detector is perfect! What you do get is a light weight well thought out detector with well above average depth in most situations.
The control interface is nearly perfect for making quick and easy adjustments and the large ID numbers really help out us older guys. ML also gave a lot of attention to the ergonomics. From the perfect angle of the pistol grip to the easy to remove coil cover, it is well thought out. The only real shortcoming is the stock lower rod which is too long for some but, there is an available shorter lower rod to solve that.
For most users the stock 9" coil is a good choice, giving great depth on US coins. Sensitivity to small stuff in low to moderate trash is very good with the sensitivity in the mid to upper 20's. No complaints there! When conditions allow smooth operation at higher sensitivity settings of 28-30, the X-70's depth on coins is on par with the best out there. ML did not short change the Exterras in the depth department.
Tips: in iron run in 2 tone mode and with the tracking turned on. Yes, tracking on! The tracking circuit on the 70 is one of the best I have seen and is designed to give good performance in iron when looking for those "iffy" signals. 2 tone mode gives better (smoother) responses in heavy trash/iron as the circuit only needs to determine if a target is ferrous or non-ferrous. I have seen the 3 tone mode give indistinct broken responses on irregularly shaped non-ferrous targets. That is fine for coins only, but for relic hunting it may cause you to pass up a good one.
Until ML suppplies the much needed smaller coil, just be patient when hunting in trash. Go slow and overlap you sweeps so that you are "painting" the ground with the open center area of the coil. You will be surprised what it can actually see in trash.
HH
Tom
Nov 25, 2006
52 Yes
1 No
the best ??? think again
fed up in london in london uk -I have had this minelab for a few months but i was very dissapointed with its performance on farm land it failed to find small hammerd ( i put one in the ground 1 inch down it missed it !!
i checked the settings and tried again in all metal nothing !! it may be good on a beach but thats no good if you live 100miles away its light yes but the quality is not there the side headphone socket is a pain it should be on the handle the stem is very light but i wonder if will stand up to hard work if you are just starting i would not pick this machine save your $800 or £600 in england and by a tesoro or whites any of them is better than this one i wish i had
Oct 04, 2006
27 Yes
59 No
not so good in europe
dennis in netherlands -
It's great what they did at minelab , they build a lightweight detector ! And it's realy a great detector when you are looking for big coins ! But here in the netherlands we have tried to find little coins , like hammered coins , but no signal at all ! That's to bad for such a good machine ! It won't detect fibula's in anyway but the prospectmodus , and we can't use that here , to bad , but further it's a great machine , weight, display and the simple use .
So it's not so great for finding roman and celtic artefacts, but maybe someone has some good info about the sttings???? hope to hear them !
thanks
dennis
sb128161@home.nl
Jul 30, 2006
22 Yes
10 No
Best single frequency detector i have ever used.......
Andy,NM in New Mexico -I haven't been a minelab fan in the past because i didn't like the weight and balance of minelab detectors but the X-Terra 70 changed that.
I like power, lightweight and features and that is what the X-Terra 70 all has.
I don't know any other single frequency detector that has all these features:
- Great depth
- Notch system
- Large easy to read display
- Runs on just 4 AA Batteries (Buy a charger for just 10$ !!!!)
- Easy to travel with because you can disconnect the control box from the upper rod.
- manual and full automatic ground balance with ground tracking
- Noise cancel
- Beach mode for saltwater beaches
- Prospecting mode
- Able to change the frequency by changing the coil. (3 KHz, 7.5 KHz, 18.75 KHz)
- Very lightweight design
This detector has more power than you may ever need. I ran sensitivity at 15 (30 is max.) at a beach and was still getting coins at 8"+ depth.
That means there is still power left for better ground conditions.
You don't necessarily need the other frequency coils because the standard coil (7.5 KHz) works already great for most targets.
Only thing that i don't like is the 800 $ price for the detector. But in this case you really get what you paying for.....the best single frequency detector.
One more thing: Minelab please make a SMALL COIL for it !!!!
HH,
Andy
May 29, 2006
40 Yes
6 No
Great detector, but a bit over priced
Mike in Anytown USA -One thing you will notice with the Xterra series of detectors is the light weight, which is welcomed, but I think they may have lost a bit of quality in order to make the unit lighter. Also the plain brown box that the unit comes in dosn't help with that feeling either. Now, once you put the unit together and do some airtests, you quickly realize that it's a very capable machine.
Now, it's not in the same league as the Explorer and not even the Quattro as far as depth goes. You would expect it to be close at a $799.00 retail price though. I would rate the depth of the 70 around the same as the CZ5, GTi series and Tesoro Cortes, which is about 8". Now, you might realize a little more depth in all metal, but from what tests I did, I didn't see it.
For a coin shooter, which can handle the beach, I would say it will hold it's own.
Pro's = Light weight at 2.9LBS, ability to change frequencies by changing coils, Good target ID, has a Beach ground balance mode plus prospecting mode, which I never used.
Con's = Quality seems to be lacking a little for what you pay for this unit. The tones seem to be a little weak sounding, not as strong as the Fishers. Depth isn't as good as I would have expected for the amount of money this unit costs. This unit should retail more along the lines of $500.00-$600.00 maybe. I don't care for the headphone setup on the side of the control box at all. I think this detector should probably be called the money pit because in order to change frequencies, you have to buy additional coils, that doesn't include if you want a DD coil, or small coil or larger coil. You might wind up with 10 or more coils for this machine when it's all said and done and wind up having as much invested in coils as you do the machine itself.
Overall, this machine is a great detector for coin hunting in parks, schools and private yards and the occassional beach trip as long as you mainly use the 7.5kz coil, but I'm not sure the depth would be there for any real prospecting.
But this is only an assumption on my part. The main drawback to this detector is price and having to invest in a bunch of additional coil.
May 23, 2006
82 Yes
29 No
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