Tesoro Outlaw vs. Minelab Xterra 705

[mojotrout]

okay, lots of caveats for this coin garden test. First, Im pretty new at this hobby so Im not an expert at either the languages or set-up for these detectors. Second, the coin garden is only months old. Third, there is likely some bits and pieces of iron here and there in the garden as I did not go through extreme measures to clean the dirt. Fourth, I dont own the Outlaw anymore so could not go back and test it in AM mode. However, the disc was set pretty low in this comparison. Lastly, Im not sure why the clad quarter is not being picked up deeper than the other coins -- it might have some bits of iron masking it? There have been times when the X-Terra has picked it up at 8.5 inches but not the day I recorded these results.

A few things about comparing the machines: The Outlaw is more pleasant to listen to in my opinion, but it only has one tone. I have found that it is much much easier to run the X-Terra in AM mode and hear almost everything in order to find masked coins within trash. No surprise there. There is still masking though, just not as bad as with the Outlaw. The Outlaw's response on an unmasked desirable coin is more obvious than the X-Terra in my opinion, as the X-Terra's tone sometimes jumps up and down even on a shallow clean target. Not so much that you would walk away from it, but not like the solid repeatable tone of the Tesoro.

If I was going to hunt coins in trashy areas, Id go with the X-Terra for sure -- its telling you so much more while in AM than the Outlaw. If I were hunting in low trash areas and didnt think Id have to dig more than 6 inches, I'd go with the Outlaw as its easier to set up and easier on the ears with just one nice sounding tone.

The X-Terra's depth ID is useless and the number ID is not very reliable in some cases, but the tone response is pretty consistent. This is what makes it such a fun machine to use. I imagine the assortment of other modes and configurations make it a more versatile machine than the Outlaw, but I havent messed with them much so I cant really say how much they increase the usability.

I sure wish i had a chance to do a side by side comparison in the field but I had to sell the Outlaw to afford the X-Terra so no can do. Hope you find this informative.

Cheers.

 

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[Dan B]

Seems like my Vaquero does a little better than both. Thanks for posting these numbers. Sometimes the grass seems a little greener, especially between seasons.

 

[mojotrout]

Seems like my Vaquero does a little better than both. Thanks for posting these numbers. Sometimes the grass seems a little greener, especially between seasons.

yup, from what Ive read, the Vaq goes deeper. However, I've also read many accounts of the Vaq not doing too well in iron infested sites, and these two machines performing admirably there. I had a hard time with the Outlaw and iron and the jury is still out with the 705. But so far Im digging much less iron and trash in general.

 

[dirtscratcher]

I have the vaquero and the 705. I hunt a 1850s ghost town, the vaquero likes flat rusty iron to much for me. I just got the 705 but in allmetal two tones it is killer in the iron almost as good as my t2.

 

[mojotrout]

I have the vaquero and the 705. I hunt a 1850s ghost town, the vaquero likes flat rusty iron to much for me. I just got the 705 but in allmetal two tones it is killer in the iron almost as good as my t2.

I havent tried two tones yet. I'll give it a whirl and see what happens. I don't have too many days left before the freeze here in Idaho...

 

[dirtscratcher]

I havent tried two tones yet. I'll give it a whirl and see what happens. I don't have too many days left before the freeze here in Idaho...

I've only been out three time with my 705 , the site is blanketed with square nails and most detectors struggle with all the iron. I've detector there with several detectors and the t2 does best but the 705 seems close, tried all tone setting on 705 and the multitones were falsing quite a bit while 2 tone worked great grunting on iron and giving solid repeatable signals on the lead and brass and the like. Have'nt dug a coin yet the ghost town is the only place I can go do to the ground being froze and I can use a pick there. This site gives up a coin for about every 40 or so hours of detecting but there some of the earliest drops in the Flathead Valley.

 

[Longhair]

I've only been out three time with my 705 , the site is blanketed with square nails and most detectors struggle with all the iron. I've detector there with several detectors and the t2 does best but the 705 seems close, tried all tone setting on 705 and the multitones were falsing quite a bit while 2 tone worked great grunting on iron and giving solid repeatable signals on the lead and brass and the like. Have'nt dug a coin yet the ghost town is the only place I can go do to the ground being froze and I can use a pick there. This site gives up a coin for about every 40 or so hours of detecting but there some of the earliest drops in the Flathead Valley.

As mojo has learned, All Metal and 99 tones actually teaches you proper swing speed. If you're getting excessive falsing with your 705, it's telling you to slow down, which you should do before turning the sensitivity down.

 

[dirtscratcher]

As mojo has learned, All Metal and 99 tones actually teaches you proper swing speed. If you're getting excessive falsing with your 705, it's telling you to slow down, which you should do before turning the sensitivity down.

Are you saying leave it in 99 tones? I was running sense at 18 , have'nt dug a coin here over four inchs.

 

[Longhair]

What I'm saying is that you can leave it in 2,3,4, or 99 tones, but you haven't really addressed the falsing issue if all you did was to make many things sound the same and turn down the SENS. Slow down until you can isolate each hit. As a matter of fact, set up a test where you see how slow you can go and still get a clear hit.
I hunt a lot of old homesteads that are square nail havens, and going slow enough is key to success there, or anywhere that trash density is high.

 

[dirtscratcher]

What I'm saying is that you can leave it in 2,3,4, or 99 tones, but you haven't really addressed the falsing issue if all you did was to make many things sound the same and turn down the SENS. Slow down until you can isolate each hit. As a matter of fact, set up a test where you see how slow you can go and still get a clear hit.
I hunt a lot of old homesteads that are square nail havens, and going slow enough is key to success there, or anywhere that trash density is high.

Thanks.