Upgrade to the Minelab Xterra-70?

[Shaw]

I have been looking at the Minelab XTerra-70's and have been for a while. I currently have an ACE 250 with the sniper coil that finds me buckets of clad, gold and silver jewelery, silver coins and relics. I do pretty great with that machine and am really happy with it, it will always be in my arsenal.

Am I missing a bunch of goodies due to the fact that I am running the ACE instead of a higher dollar machine with a few more perks? It it worth the upgrade? I find myself hunting more and more and just want to make sure I am not missing out on something.

Thanks in advance for the info!

Jason

 

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[Cynangyl]

Nooooo! You already find too much, don't get a better detector! lol The XT70 would definitely open a lot more options for you with it's ability to change frequencies by changing coils and such. I just recently got one and I absolutely love it and don't get near enough time to go play with it yet. It takes a lot more learning than the ACE but is so much more versatile as well. XT has sent me enough links on the new machine to read I could spend all winter watching videos and reading! lol YAY something to do when it is too cold to get out and hunt!

 

[VERMONTPACKRAT]

I will be watching this one. I have the ACE 250 with all three coils and would like the X-70 as well. The ACE has produced alot of really good stuff for me but will the Minelab do better? I am sure it will.
It will be interesting to read the replies.

VPR

 

[Shaw]

Nooooo! You already find too much, don't get a better detector! lol The XT70 would definitely open a lot more options for you with it's ability to change frequencies by changing coils and such. I just recently got one and I absolutely love it and don't get near enough time to go play with it yet. It takes a lot more learning than the ACE but is so much more versatile as well. XT has sent me enough links on the new machine to read I could spend all winter watching videos and reading! lol YAY something to do when it is too cold to get out and hunt!

Thanks Cyn, Sound like you have some good learning to do there! I am really on the fence here.

 

[rwsnc]

I hunt with B|lker, who hunts with an Ace 250. I use an Xterra-70. He has 2 coils and I have 5 coils. He finds as much, if not MORE than I do.

 

[bigtim1973]

I had an ace 250 and I still think it is a great machine but, I do not think it is intended for the experienced hunter. I believe you would really enjoy the Xterra series. I do not know much about the 70 but I just bought an Xterra 50 about 3 weeks ago and I tell you it is a very nice machine, and it is built well too. I chose the 50 because I will probably not be doing any prospecting at all with it. The ace to me is really a fun machine but, it is still a beginners machine. I found silver with my 50 on the first time out. There is not much information on the screen about the target type except for a VID number for target identification. If you learn the VID numbers though, you will get the target types down. Pinpointing is a snap with the display and you will no doubt go deeper with either the 50 or 70. I can almost assure you if you switch to a Minelab Xterra 50 or 70 you will only use the ace 250 as a back up. There are several coils out there for the Xterra series. I just put on the 10.5 DD 7.5 mhz on mine and I am very impressed with it. Also the 50 can accept the 18mhz coils too. I think the Xterra 50 is going to be my main machine for a long time. This is just my honest opinion. I have about 25 yrs detecting exp. and have owned a model or two from all 4 of the major American brand detectors. This is my first minelab and I have not learned it completely. I do know I have dug less iron targets while coinshooting. I think their discrimination is excellent. Maybe this will help in your choice.

 

[gollum]

rwsnc,

If you're Xterra is getting smoked by an ACE250, then you really need to learn to understand your Xterra better. I don't know how long you've owned it, but the Xterra is an exceptional machine for what it designed to do. It won't compete for gold with a GPX (except for little shallow nuggets). It won't work as well on the beach as an Excalibur.

Every detector has their own little idiosyncrasies, and you need to learn how it responds to many individual items at different depths, and at different angles. You may surprised at just how different the same thing sounds at 8" versus 2" and at 90 degrees versus 180.

Best-Mike

 

[rwsnc]

rwsnc,

If you're Xterra is getting smoked by an ACE250, then you really need to learn to understand your Xterra better. I don't know how long you've owned it, but the Xterra is an exceptional machine for what it designed to do. It won't compete for gold with a GPX (except for little shallow nuggets). It won't work as well on the beach as an Excalibur.

Every detector has their own little idiosyncrasies, and you need to learn how it responds to many individual items at different depths, and at different angles. You may surprised at just how different the same thing sounds at 8" versus 2" and at 90 degrees versus 180.

Best-Mike

Thank you. I'll work on it.

 

[BamaBill]

Yeah, something is definitely going on if you're not doing as well as an ACE250. I sold off my MXT because of how much better I like the X-terra 70. I also have an ACE250 but I was never able to get into it. Mine just doesn't pinpoint that well and only gets about 4-5 inches in depth. I've learned that depth is not everything, but the ACE250 is definitely a park coinshooting machine, where the X-terra can compete anywhere in my opinion.

 

[rwsnc]

Yeah, something is definitely going on if you're not doing as well as an ACE250. I sold off my MXT because of how much better I like the X-terra 70. I also have an ACE250 but I was never able to get into it. Mine just doesn't pinpoint that well and only gets about 4-5 inches in depth. I've learned that depth is not everything, but the ACE250 is definitely a park coinshooting machine, where the X-terra can compete anywhere in my opinion.

Trust me... in the hands of someone who knows how to use it, the ACE250 is MORE than a coinshooting machine. I've seen it first hand. But this thread isn't about me and MY X70, it's about Jason and HIS delima.

Focus... focus.

 

[Shaw]

First of all I just want to say thanks for the input from everyone. I am not dogging on anyone but I believe that the best thing to do is learn your machine. I can read my ACE like a book for the most part these days and have grown to love it. I metal detected years ago and have just picked it back up in the last year. Looking for a budget machine I picked up the ACE, I threw on the sniper coil shortly there after and have been digging silver, gold and relics since. I absolutely cannot complain about its performance. I have paid for it a few times easily.

My question is will the upgrade really help me to find more, I dig almost everything at older sites.

I will probably pick up the 70 and try it out just from reading around here, If I cannot find more goodies easier or faster then I will go back to the ACE let my wife have the 70.!

Thanks again for the input, maybe one day I will find that big cashe and buy them all.

Jason

 

[Shaw]

Yeah, something is definitely going on if you're not doing as well as an ACE250. I sold off my MXT because of how much better I like the X-terra 70. I also have an ACE250 but I was never able to get into it. Mine just doesn't pinpoint that well and only gets about 4-5 inches in depth. I've learned that depth is not everything, but the ACE250 is definitely a park coinshooting machine, where the X-terra can compete anywhere in my opinion.

Trust me... in the hands of someone who knows how to use it, the ACE250 is MORE than a coinshooting machine. I've seen it first hand. But this thread isn't about me and MY X70, it's about Jason and HIS delima.

Focus... focus.

LOL, Thanks rwnsc!

 

[rwsnc]

First of all I just want to say thanks for the input from everyone. I am not dogging on anyone but I believe that the best thing to do is learn your machine. I can read my ACE like a book for the most part these days and have grown to love it. I metal detected years ago and have just picked it back up in the last year. Looking for a budget machine I picked up the ACE, I threw on the sniper coil shortly there after and have been digging silver, gold and relics since. I absolutely cannot complain about its performance. I have paid for it a few times easily.

My question is will the upgrade really help me to find more, I dig almost everything at older sites.

I will probably pick up the 70 and try it out just from reading around here, If I cannot find more goodies easier or faster then I will go back to the ACE let my wife have the 70.!

Thanks again for the input, maybe one day I will find that big cashe and buy them all.



Jason

Learn your machine... very true. I've been metal detecting off and on for over 35 years but I've only had my current machine for little over a year and have been detecting with it, AT LEAST once a week, if not more and I'm still learning it's little idiosyncrasies.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Shaw]

First of all I just want to say thanks for the input from everyone. I am not dogging on anyone but I believe that the best thing to do is learn your machine. I can read my ACE like a book for the most part these days and have grown to love it. I metal detected years ago and have just picked it back up in the last year. Looking for a budget machine I picked up the ACE, I threw on the sniper coil shortly there after and have been digging silver, gold and relics since. I absolutely cannot complain about its performance. I have paid for it a few times easily.

My question is will the upgrade really help me to find more, I dig almost everything at older sites.

I will probably pick up the 70 and try it out just from reading around here, If I cannot find more goodies easier or faster then I will go back to the ACE let my wife have the 70.!

Thanks again for the input, maybe one day I will find that big cashe and buy them all.



Jason

Learn your machine... very true. I've been metal detecting off and on for over 35 years but I've only had my current machine for little over a year and have been detecting with it, AT LEAST once a week, if not more and I'm still learning it's little idiosyncrasies. I

Good luck with your decision.

I have been MD detecting for maybe 1.5 years total. I look for finds differently but enjoy MDing. Its guys like you that really help me make my decisions and I always appreciate the info. Thanks again and I will have a MD challenge if I buy the 70 soon!

 

[gollum]

Here is the honest way to know if it's time for a detector upgrade:

If you are out detecting and see other machines finding things you passed over. If you truly believe that you have reached the limits of what your ACE can do, and you need something that will do more (and you REALLY know everything there is to know about your ACE).

THEN, it is honestly time for an upgrade.

Best-Mike

 

[Shaw]

Here is the honest way to know if it's time for a detector upgrade:

If you are out detecting and see other machines finding things you passed over. If you truly believe that you have reached the limits of what your ACE can do, and you need something that will do more (and you REALLY know everything there is to know about your ACE).

THEN, it is honestly time for an upgrade.

Best-Mike

Thanks Mike, I have dialed in my ACE and can really use the machine quite well. I have read every article, seen all the videos and put them into play. It has found many things that the 70 my buddy has did not. I have the time to learn the signals and will probably pick up the 50 or 70, we will see what te outcome is.

 

[SwampHunter]

I have an Ace250 and the Tesoro Silver uMax. I have had both of these machines for over a year. I was really just starting to find lots of great stuff with them before I decided to go ahead and get the machine I wanted from the start. That machine was the X-70. I went ahead and bit the bullet and got two extra coils with it. The X-70 is a great machine. I have started learning it and I am finding more and more with it. The other day I picked up over 25 coins with it and some other finds. That being said I wish I would have used the money to upgrade the machines I already had. I should have bought the 3x18 and sniper coil for the Tesoro. When I bought the X-70 I went ahead and bought the sniper coil for the Ace250 and never used it until the other day. I have been hunting one yard for quite awhile with the Ace250 and the Tesoro, both with stock coils. I racked up on this yard. I went over the yard several different ways with the stock coils. So I got to thinking that I am still missing items and need a better machine. After a long time of asking questions and making sure the X-70 is what I really wanted I got the machine and two extra coils. I hit the yard thinking the coins were just going to pop out of the ground. It didn't happen. I came on here and told the story. People offered help so I stuck with it and finds from the yard started to come. I worked the yard several different ways with all 3 coils and found some coins. I had gained the confidence I needed to be happy with this machine. One day out of the blue I wanted to see what the Ace250 would do with the sniper coil. I headed to the yard. I pulled several coins from the yard with the Ace250 and the sniper coil. Now I was back to loosing confidence in the X-70. In the defense of the X-70 I don't have the 6" concentric coil, so the 6" DD may have led to less finds since it "sees" using a blade instead of a cone.
I do like the prospect mode for fairly clean fields. It is very sensitive and will go really deep.

If you are finding alot of great items now with the Ace250 I would suggest continue to use it. Of course I too was bitten by the upgrade bug. There is nothing that anyone can say that will make you change your mind about the purchase. You will buy one just to satisfy the bug. I know I did.
Still not sure if I want to keep the machine or sell it and then use the money towards upgrading the Tesoro. I think I will use it all winter and if I still am not satisfied with it I will sell it come spring time.

 

[johnnycat]

I traded my MXT only because I too got bitten by the, "upgrade" bug. But, I have never regretted it. With your stated proficiency with the Ace I don't have any doubt you could out hunt a beginner with an X-70. But once learned the X-70 is one heck of a machine. Ohhh...the sweet sound it makes when you find a quarter.
Good Luck.