Minelab X-terra Pro Vs Nokta Simplex

[dsb]

1 hour ago, phrunt said:

We have all been thinking of the Simplex with this new X-Terra Pro, but more importantly perhaps is what it's release will do to the other brands that had their top of the line machines lagging behind the Simplex, what about Garrett and their AT Pro/Gold/Max.

Think thats the reason behind the Vanquish. these new low price units are either a low end turf war or getting ready for an economic dive.  If it was 2016 this new X-terra would have been a lot more $.

[Daniel Tn]

Nokta has always been quick to come out with new model machines. You could say, this is one of the negative things about them.  The Simplex+ hasn't been out all that long and now it is being replaced with new hardware, etc. For dealers, that means they have Simplex+ machines they will have to practically give away and customers that might have the Simplex+, will also be hit with low resale value.  Especially if Nokta comes out swinging with even lower prices on the new units to combat the XTerra Pro.  

[Jeff McClendon]

The X-Terra Pro is basically an Equinox 700 without the Multi SMF setting and 4 digit notching instead of single digit notching.

Compared to the Simplex, the X-Terra Pro has some features that the Simplex lacks like all of the audio, 1,2,5, full tones and VCO pitch tones, along with recovery speed adjustments too. So you get Minelab tones along with VCO if you want it to sound more like the Simplex.

Someone may say "It doesn't have iron bias"......neither does the Simplex. They don't need iron bias since they aren't SMF detectors that mostly process the non-ferrous parts of the multi frequency return signals.

The X-Terra Pro's reported performance and its features make the single frequency offerings from Garrett and FTP look kind of silly.

[Chase Goldman]

On 3/9/2023 at 4:01 PM, dsb said:

nokta's nickname for the legend should have been "Bear poker.  If i was looking for my first detector now and had $400 to spend it would be the Vanquish, SMF wins.  But i'd be wanting the Legend so bad probably find the extra bucks.

I've seen the Legend being sold for as low as $380 (talk to a dealer).  Legend SMF wins.  Perhaps dealers trying to clear out existing stock based on the CF mid-shaft upgrade announcement  by Nokta.  With Legend out there at that price point, even Vanquish is teetering on irrelevance especially with some of ML's head scratching feature omissions on the top end V540 such as lack of an adjustable ground balance or remembering user settings on power off.

On the flip side, X-Terra Pro appears to have trumped even the revamped Simplex line.

If ML could re-imagine Vanquish as an Xterra Pro "IQ" with the generic Xterra/Nox/Manticore form factor.  One or two Multi IQ modes (possibly with a User Profile slot) and one single frequency setting (at say 10 or 15 khz) at an Xterra/Vanquish price point (~$300 to 325US) they could provide sufficient degrees of separation from Nox 700 AND Xterra Pro while potentially  grabbing some Legend sales.  Think of the Nox 700 as the marriage of the XTerra Pro with the XTerra Pro IQ.

JMO.

[Tahts-a-dats-ago]

While I think the talk of the Xterra Pro killing the Simplex is decidedly premature, I must admit that the videos of the Xterra's beach performance is intriguing.  For me the $269 price is a bit misleading though, as that is the price without wireless headphones or the smaller coil. Add those two items to the list and the price is somewhere around the $500 range. That puts the Xterra (price wise) in proximity to the Legend, the Equinox 600 and the Equinox 700. At that price (for me) the other options are far more promising.

Of course, that isn't counting the bonus of using Equinox coils on the Xterra - a strong selling point for those of us who own an Equinox and extra coils. For me (Equinox 800 owner) that still requires the additional expense of the headphones - so the cost (of the Xterra) would be somewhere in the $400 range. Again - a price point that favors the Legend and/or the Equinox 600 (for me, anyway).

All that and we still don't know the details of the new Simplex models. 

IF - that's a big IF - Nokta put a beach mode (from the Legend) on the mid-range and the Ultra version of their new Simplex models and marketed those models as having SMF capabilities in the beach mode... all while allowing the user to select (in the other modes) a frequency (say 5, 15, 20 are the choices) ...

The Simplex Lite - a single frequency turn on and go machine. No headphones, no complexity at all. Just a simple, easy to use machine. Price point around $175 - $200 and I'd buy one just as a loaner machine.

The Simplex BT - No headphones, but you can add whatever BT headphones you'd like. A few more tuning options, but not as many as the Ultra. Price point around $270 and the Xterra Pro faces stiff competition.

The Simplex Ultra - package it with wireless headphones and another (smaller coil). More modes, more tuning options, and a price point of $400. I would buy that machine, but if the price was higher than $400, I would find the Legend to be a better deal (I own a Legend).

Personally, I would be very surprised if the new Simplex machines aren't very competitive (price wise and performance wise) to the Xterra Pro. Nokta just has to sharpen the pencil - something they've been very good at thus far. 

The one thing I am absolutely sure about is - competition is a wonderful thing as far as we consumers are concerned.

[phrunt]

The X-Terra is just a bit ahead of the mainstream having Bluetooth LE, soon the market is going to have plenty of generic headphones and ear buds that are Bluetooth LE being the new standard Bluetooth version, and then headphones assuming Minelab hasn't done some silly lock-down to only their headphones will be easy to get at cheap prices.  Bluetooth LE is also effortlessly better than older Bluetooth versions so it is a massive positive they're using it, not a negative in any way.  If it's not locked to their headphones I'd prefer a detector doesn't come with headphones so I can get whatever I like if I want any at all.

 

[Dug D]

X-terra pro 269 + 29 for a BT aptx LL transmitter and I have 4 coils for it and 5 kinds of earbuds/headphones. 

Anyone want a 705 in great shape with 3 coils?

[George Kinsey]

I have no use for another low priced detector even though they come up Aces.

[Kaolin washer]

I think Mine-lab has hit a home run on this detector,  probably will be the best selling detector so fare , because the poor can afford it and it looks to be of good quality

[dsb]

This one surprised me and surprised at myself changing into a fan.  I bought a go-find at basspro several yrs ago to keep in my truck but it was too fragile so sold it.  X terra pro would be perfect for that.  But would it kill them to add the $30 wired phones🙄