X-Terra Pro Versus Elite - Real User Opinions

[TedinVT]

Does anyone real user who's migrated from the XTP to the XTE have any thoughts on TDI stability, depth and overall performance improvements? Worth making the XTE purchase?

[Johnnysalami1957]

No but I'm kinda pissed that I could have bought the Elite. I mean just a few weeks after I already paid for the pro. Geeez! The VDI on the Pro is a mess. 

[TedinVT]

12 hours ago, Johnnysalami1957 said:

No but I'm kinda pissed that I could have bought the Elite. I mean just a few weeks after I already paid for the pro. Geeez! The VDI on the Pro is a mess. 

Have you installed the new firmware update?

[Johnnysalami1957]

Yes, I haven't used it yet. I lower the sensitivity to make the vdi stable. 

 

 

[Jeff McClendon]

I don't own either one.

I was an Equinox 600, 800 and 900 owner from the time those Equinox models were first released.

I tested and detected with the Equinox 600 in its multi vs selectable single frequency settings. The difference is like day and night. Multi had very accurate and solid target IDs in moderate to high iron mineralization even on deep targets. Any single frequency option had bouncy IDs and up averaged everything badly to where a US nickel or similar target ID aluminum pull tab sounded and gave target IDs like a US quarter at 3" depth and that is with a 50 digit target ID system.

The X-Terra Pro is an Equinox 700 with no Multi IQ and with a 119 target ID system. I found the Equinox 900 to have really unstable target IDs even using its multi settings. I can only imagine what the Pro would be like here with just the single frequency options and 119 target IDs.

I would buy the X-Terra Elite or a new Equinox 600 (great sale prices right now) in a heartbeat over the X-Terra Pro 24/7 and enjoy using its Multi IQ technology and only resort to their single frequency options in an EMI emergency situation.

I and many other Equinox owners that new the story about Multi IQ vs single frequency use and target ID stability and accuracy tried to warn people about the X-Terra Pro. Unless your soil conditions are perfect with virtually no iron mineralization........Some listened. Some obviously didn't and were disappointed. 

Other than for monetary reasons (exploiting the Equinox form factor and reputation and piss off Nokta by competing with the Simplex), I cannot understand why Minelab even released the X-Terra Pro except maybe for beach and submerged hunting where its Beach mode apparently does very well. I was under the impression that Multi IQ was supposed to obsolete all single frequency VLF detectors according to Minelab.

[Muddydogz]

I must have been lucky. My pro is pretty stable on good targets. On trash well yea it is jumpy. The eq 600 is more stable but that is to be expected with the more compact vdi range compared to the pro. I've done the update but the heat here has kept me indoors for now so i can't comment on that. I do plan on getting an elite though as the balance on the xterra is quite a bit better than the 600. 

[TedinVT]

IMHO, the X-Terra Pro was never intended to compete with the Equinox series of detectors, rather it was offered as a decent entry level machine for those with limited funds or limited budget to dip their toes into the detecting hobby without breaking the bank in case they need to bow out. I bought the XTP in April 2023 for my wife while in FL as she indicated an interest in joining me detecting on the beach. Simple settings, not too technical for a beginner, easy to operate from a novice perspective, it was a purchase I don't regret. I was and am still amazed at what you get for $269. She kept up with me on the beach for 2 April's now and 1 1/2 seasons in the woods in VT and is enjoying the hobby and finding some really cool relics. I put the new firmware in the XTP a few days ago and with limited testing in our yard it appears to have settled the machine down, not that we had any serious complaints before with the low and slow approach, knowing it was a single frequency machine. BTW, my wife scored the only gold on the beach this past April while my 800 did not produce any gold 🥲. So, she's ready for a step up in a detector. I just bought her an X-Terra Elite. With temps in the low 90's and deer flies and black flies in abundance in the woods plus we're in a rainy stretch so we have not put it to the test yet.

My point is we and many other owners of the XTP machine bought it to serve a purpose knowing it wasn't on the same plane as much higher priced and much more technical detectors and are very happy with the fact that it's doing what we bought it to do and the reasons we bought it. Coming from a happy Nox 800 owner / user.

[Chase Goldman]

On 6/19/2024 at 7:49 PM, Johnnysalami1957 said:

No but I'm kinda pissed that I could have bought the Elite. I mean just a few weeks after I already paid for the pro. Geeez! The VDI on the Pro is a mess. 

See Vortex.    [i.e., what if ML did for the X-Terra series what Garrett is doing for Vortex - bye, bye buyer's remorse]

1 hour ago, TedinVT said:

So, she's ready for a step up in a detector. I just bought her an X-Terra Elite. With temps in the low 90's and deer flies and black flies in abundance in the woods plus we're in a rainy stretch so we have not put it to the test yet.

Good move.  Hopefully she will get a chance to get out with it soon.

[Noah (FL)]

I moved my post to the Elite/EQX600 post in the main ML forum