Minelab x-terra 30 versus 70 with one buy first

[Marius]

Hi

I'm thinking to buy my first EVER detector i decided to go with minelab products ,still i don't know is xterra 70 worth spend around 800$ with extra coil(they have that pro pack till end of month),or go for used xterra 30 for 275$.
All summer i will spend mostly on local island beach after bussy weekends,but in future im thinking go for prospecting since i live in california.
So should i go simple for xterra30 and educate myself and then buy gpx4500 for gold,or just buy xterra70 and give it year or two to get some experience
Is theres a big diffr. in performance between 30 and 70model?

Please any advice will help

 

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[neilo]

I would go for the 70 this will give you many more options including going for gold, with its prospecting mode. It also has more available programs, auto ground balance and beach mode which is useful in moist sandy areas, where the 30 would be struggling. I have seen many new detectorists buy the cheaper versions and soon regretting it, to sell them in a few weeks losing their money, then spending more money buying the better machine which they should have bought in the first place. The 30 has a fixed ground balance and in some areas will have trouble coping with certain ground conditions causing loss of depth and sensitivity. It will not have the power, depth or sensitivity of the 70. It also only has one frequency at 7.5khz. where as the 70 has three, 3khz,7.5khz and 18.75khz. this makes the machine much more versatile. 3 the lower frequency is better suited to deep relic detecting, the 7.5 medium for general coin hunting, and 18.75 the higher frequency for small jewelry items and gold nuggets. As you can see there is a lot of difference between the machines its a bit like comparing a push bike to a powerful motor bike. good luck hope you do well good hunting seeya Neilo

 

[BillyC]

The X-Terra 70 was my first detector. I use it all the time. It is very easy to learn, and allows room to grow. With auto noice cancel and GB, along with prospect mode, a true beach mode, and 3 preset patterns. It has a lot going for it. I have not regretted my buying this unit one bit.

There are a bunch of different coils that can be bought for the 70. I really think it is a very good all around unit, Beale.

 

[mastereagle22]

This is my 2 Cents for what it's worth.

Go with what you can afford. If you can swing the 70 then I would buy that. I started out with a cheaper machine and within 3 months ended up buying a better machine. Could have saved the $$$ on the first machine.

There is this mind game that gets played where you start asking yourself, "What could I find with a better machine" Not saying it is the truth it's just the nature of the human being.

Either way they are both good machines and you will be VERY happy with Minelab if you take time to learn your machine.

 

[Marius]

THx guys i will order today x-terra 70 unit with pro pack with include that gold prospecting coil.
all of you confirmed what i was thinking better spend extra $$$ then buy cheaper one and in month buy next model.
I cant wait to get my hands on it get put on the beach and around old mines and finally fully join your community.
All best

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

The 70 is definitely worth the extra money, if you plan to stay in the hobby. If it ends up in the closet in a month, the 30 would have been the way to go. Unfortunately I think there are more machines gathering dust than getting used. Gotta give it six months to determine if you really like it or not. That first good find will sway your decision.

 

[Marius]

The 70 is definitely worth the extra money, if you plan to stay in the hobby. If it ends up in the closet in a month, the 30 would have been the way to go. Unfortunately I think there are more machines gathering dust than getting used. Gotta give it six months to determine if you really like it or not. That first good find will sway your decision.

No worries im taking couple weeks off and going to camp in san gabriel mountains,and then next 2 weeks nort california,new coil is coming with my xterra70 so i hope for prospecting ..i know its a long period of education.
For now i will hit local beach to become friends with my new toy.
It will not land in closed fast,next winter im going to Australia so i hope by that time i be able to understand prospecting more and buy minelab4500.
For now im big time GREEN in all that metaldetecting so im doing lots of digging online for good gold prospecting places in south cali.

From what i read people like a lot their xterra70s so im content i did good buy...4days more wait..

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

You'll find that there isn't a long period of education for the 70. You'll be pretty good with it from the git go. It's not a difficult unit to learn, but it has many features and options. It's a pretty good gold machine too. The all metal mode is great, and I use it religiously, almost never using the disc option unless I'm cherry picking. And the prospecting mode is super deep and works in the worst soils. You'll love it. Best machine out there as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Marius]

You'll find that there isn't a long period of education for the 70. You'll be pretty good with it from the git go. It's not a difficult unit to learn, but it has many features and options. It's a pretty good gold machine too. The all metal mode is great, and I use it religiously, almost never using the disc option unless I'm cherry picking. And the prospecting mode is super deep and works in the worst soils. You'll love it. Best machine out there as far as I'm concerned.

Did you got any gold with prospecting mode?how deep?
I will try prospecting mode also on the beach should avoid all that trash in the sand i hope.
Im thinking to go educate with that guy: http://www.gerrysdetectors.com/photo.asp
Alaskan founds looks awesome,not sure xterra70 will be good for nevada desert doh.