Some Notes On The X-terra Pro For Nugget Hunting

[RONS DETECTORS MINELAB]

My first impression was that this is a completely different detector from the previous 705 model and much more similar to the Equinox 700 pod configuration but without Multi-IQ. I have used the older X-Terra 705 with the 18.75Khz. Gold Pack coil and was curious to see how the new  X-Terra Pro would perform on some smaller nuggets. I also liked that this detector had a manual ground balance and the Equinox 700/900 VDI numbers.

So, the Equinox 6" coil was used for this testing using the 15Khz. Park 2 mode on both the X-Terra Pro and the Equinox using nugget sizes of .03 and .05 Gram. The X-Terra Pro and the Equinox could easily hit on both nuggets. As suspected the X-Terra Pro did have a decrease in target sensitivity when compared to the Equinox when I tried it in the Park 2 multi-frequency mode. Ground handling capabilities on both detectors were as usual for a VLF, no new breakthrough in this regard.

I'll will have to admit I was surprised that this detector at it's price range could be used also for prospecting.

I would like to hear any feedback if anyone else has used the X-Terra Pro for nugget hunting with any success.

If this detector had a small coil and a selectable 18, 45, and 71Khz. frequency option I would call it a Goldmonster 2000.

Yes, it would also be a waterproof fully submersible GM2000. 

  

 

[Valens Legacy]

Thanks for the nice review and an honest opinion on this detector.

For now I think I will stay with the 800 NOX that I have and in the near future get something else.

[phrunt]

That's pretty awesome news, thanks for doing that, it makes for an excellent entry level prospecting detector far better than any other option I can think of in it's price range.

It probably does pretty good with it's stock coil on the nuggets too I would guess, that would be an interesting next test for you.

I'm loving this competition stuff, it's bringing prices down to much more reasonable levels.

[RONS DETECTORS MINELAB]

11 hours ago, phrunt said:

It probably does pretty good with it's stock coil on the nuggets too I would guess, that would be an interesting next test for you.

The stock 9 X 12" with factory settings of 15Khz. Park 2 mode could hear the .03 Gram but on the coil only and the .05 Gram could be heard off the coil. With further adjustments I could get a better response on both though. 

[Chase Goldman]

On 3/23/2023 at 6:48 PM, RONS DETECTORS MINELAB said:

If this detector had a small coil and a selectable 18, 45, and 71Khz. frequency option I would call it a Goldmonster 2000.

Yeah but then ML would have to charge $2000 for it.  

[RONS DETECTORS MINELAB]

8 minutes ago, Chase Goldman said:

On 3/23/2023 at 3:48 PM, RONS DETECTORS MINELAB said:

If this detector had a small coil and a selectable 18, 45, and 71Khz. frequency option I would call it a Goldmonster 2000.

Yeah but then ML would have to charge $2000 for it.  

If they called it a Goldmonster Pro though the price could be lower than any other single frequency VLF gold detector on the market.

[Chase Goldman]

9 minutes ago, RONS DETECTORS MINELAB said:

If they called it a Goldmonster Pro though the price could be lower than any other single frequency VLF gold detector on the market.

Though there is not a whole lot of maneuvering room in price for ML to add such features as the SMF Legend which has as much capability as Nox is looming at $499 MAP and can be purchased for closer to $400.

[RONS DETECTORS MINELAB]

1 hour ago, Chase Goldman said:

Though there is not a whole lot of maneuvering room in price for ML to add such features as the SMF Legend which has as much capability as Nox is looming at $499 MAP and can be purchased for closer to $400.

I am hoping Minelabs next VLF true gold detector has SMF features incorporated into it also. Minelab would also have to offer a more desirable smaller nugget coil that comes stock with the package to help keep it in the lower overall price range. 

[Chase Goldman]

4 minutes ago, RONS DETECTORS MINELAB said:

I am hoping Minelabs next VLF true gold detector has SMF features incorporated into it also. Minelab would also have to offer a smaller nugget coil that comes stock with the package to help keep it in the lower price range overall. 

I'm wondering why no one is offering a single frequency higher than 45khz (Deus 2) on these SMF detectors other than the forthcoming Quest V80 which can go to 60khz in single and tops out at 80khz in SMF.

[phrunt]

Probably for this reason

I don't think I'd do better with my Gold Bug 2 than I would my Equinox, and if I do it's because the Gold Bug 2 has a better coil size and type with it's tiny little concentric more than the frequency being used.  I really don't think the GB2 is going to find much smaller gold from what I can see based on it's kHz. It probably has the ever so slightest advantage, but how much of that is coil based? That we don't know as Minelab don't make that size coil for their detectors, it's a brilliant little coil on the GB2 and really is the secret to that detectors success, it's not so great with the 10x5", put it with the 10x5" up against the Equinox with the Coiltek 10x5" and see which is best, I'd take the Nox any day.

The Deus 1 goes to 81 kHz on it's 9.5x5" coil and It isn't keeping up with my Nox on tiny gold, admittedly the Nox has the smaller coil.

I'm not saying I wouldn't want a higher frequency multi-IQ type machine, I'd love one but I think on paper for the engineers its probably not staking up as worthwhile.  We'll see when the Gold Monster 2000 comes out I guess.