On the verge of buying the X70 but all these coils make my head spin...

[Icehouse]

I have been patiently reading and learning (like a wisconsin mosquito seeking it's next meal) about which detector will be "the one" for me and I am now focused on the X70. This will be my first detector. My decision is based upon the many positive responses from avid X70 users who have been posting on the forums. I thought the "fight" was over as far as which detector I should buy and then I realized that the X70 has many additional coil choices. While the coil choices do not sway my choice of detector they sure make things more complicated from a coil choosing standpoint.

My only delay in purchasing the X70 now is whether I should or should not pick up an additional coil. Unfortunately/fortunately (double edged sword kinda thing) there are 6-8 different coils for the X70 which makes choosing for me quite confusing. I want to be able to hunt coins and jewelry in the ground/soil but also want to hunt in the beach sand and shallow fresh waters of lake michigan. Hunting in shallow slightly rocky streams/rivers is also a possibility. The mineralization as I am told around here in SE wisconsin is not a problem. I am thinking about getting a additional DD eliptical or a 6" concentric but I am unsure about which frequency/coil will suit me best.

I have read that the low frequency coils are best suited for copper/silver only stuff and the mid frequency is a good all around coil and the high frequency is a gold coil. Given my local surroundings and ground conditions I am hoping to know which coil and/or frequency will properly do justice for the X70 and my local hunt situations.

If you all may have any information which may lead me to figuring out which coil and/or frequency may be a positive addition to the standard one that comes with the X70 I would be greatly appreciative. Additionally, if you think the standard coil that comes with the X70 is sufficient please let me know. I hope to purchase a X70 in the next few days. Thank-you so very very much.

 

[Digger]

Congrats on your decision to get the X-70. Frankly, all of the coils will detect coins and jewelry, regardless of whether they are silver, copper or gold. So the good news is, you can't go wrong! You mention that the soil conditions do not warrant a DD coil. That is more good news in that, again, all the coils should work well for you. So now you know you can use any of the coils (concentric or DD, and at any frequency) in your neck of the woods, without worrying about whether or not they will find coins. My recommendation would be to match the accessory coil(s) to your sites and style of hunting.

The X-70 will come with a stock 9-inch concentric at 7.5 kHz. If you never buy another coil, rest assured that you will find lots of treasures with that particular coil. Copper coins, silver coins, gold jewelry.... all of them can be successfully detected with that coil. If you want a larger coil that will cover more ground with each sweep, the 10-inch DD is getting a lot of praise from folks on this forum. Excellent depth and easy to pinpoint with. If you decide to get the 6 X 10 elliptical DD at 18.75, you will find it covers a lot of ground and is an excellent coil for coins and jewelry. But note that it is the only X-Terra coil that is "rated" as water resistant. Not waterproof. If you hunt trashy areas, you might want to consider a smaller coil for better target separation. And it will be a great coil for working around the rocks in those streams you mentioned. There was a post just yesterday that mentioned a free 6-inch coil of your choice with a new X-70 purchase. I encourage everyone here to at least give the sponsoring dealers a chance to earn your business. And I'm sure each of them would appreciate having that opportunity.

I live in rural Iowa. And if I could only have one coil to go along with the stock 9-inch at 7.5 kHz, it would be the 6-inch DD at 18.75 kHz. It will separate targets well, has proven to be an excellent coil for nuggets and gold jewelry, and has helped me find more old silver dimes during the past year or so than I could ever imagined. Excellent coil! Now that is not to say the 6-inch concentric is any slouch! Both are hot little coils and either one will pull out coins. But in my opinion, the DD separates better. Since you already get the 9-inch at 7.5 as stock, getting the 6-inch DD at 18.75 would get you another frequency plus the DD design. (just in case you run into some higher mineralization). And like I said, it would be a good coil for those streams and will be hot on gold jewelry at the beach.

Everyone's hunting styles are different. What works for one person may not work as well for someone else. Personally, I never leave home without my 6-inch DD at 18.75 and the 9-inch concentric at 3 kHz. I don't see any difference in depth between the 9-inch concentric at 3 khz and the one at 7.5 kHz. But I hunt a lot of places with deep chunks of iron. And I am convinced that the 3 kHz has kept me from digging a ton of it. But like I mentioned, there are quite a few who swear by the 10-inch DD at 7.5. So again, it is just a matter of personal preference. Regardless of the coils you chose, I think you are going to enjoy your new X-70. JMHO HH Randy

 

[Beale]

Welcome to the site Icehouse! Very glad you dropped in. The X-70 is a very fine machine and will do you well indeed. I have had mine since August of 07 and only have the stock coil. I have found a bunch of stuff with it, and really like it. My next coil will probably be the 6" DD at 18.75 Hz. I think it will be a real good coil to go along with my stock.

It is a hard choice for sure. You may just want to get the stock coil only for a while? You know see how you like it, how it acts and then decide? In any event congrats on your upcoming purchase, Beale.

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

Like Digger said, the stock coil and a 6 inch coil would be a good choice. Or if you don't want to invest in another coil right away, if you can't find a dealer giving one away with a detector purchase, just go with the stock coil and add one later. It's not complicated, it's flexible. I would have purchased the Xterra 70 if only a 7.5 khz coil was available. The extra flexibility is just a bonus. I've got 4 coils for mine, but for my style of hunting, generally just use the stock coil.

 

[North Georgia Relics]

You won't regret geting the X-Terra 70. It is a great machine. You may want to stick with the stock coil at least for a little while. It will do a good job for you and actually hunts pretty well in moderately trashy areas as you get experience with the machine. I just go slow and listen for that good tone to jump through the trash sounds. The 6" coil is really good in very trashy sites but you don't necessarily need to buy it right away.

 

[Icehouse]

Well, I would like to say that I am no longer on the verge of buying a X70. This is due to the fact that I just purchased one this morning and also got the free HF 6"DD . I almost sprung for the pro-pack and it's larger 6x10" DD high frequency coil but I figure I can always purchase one later after I play around with the HF 6" DD and the standard 9" 7.5K.

Anyways, I would like thank you all for your helpful replies/information. It has made this process much much easier for me.

The next 3 days are going to be the longest days of my life as I impatiently await the arrival of my new X70. I guess I'll download the X70 manual and read it several times to kill some time.

Thanks again

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

The wait for a new detector is always the hardest part. With the package you purchased, you should be happy for quite some time. Then, instead of getting a new detector you can always just add a different coil for a little more flexibility. Hope you enjoy your new detector. Take care.

 

[Boris]

You sound just like I did about 2 weeks ago, I got my machine last week and have enjoyed it a great deal. No complaints here. Good luck and enjoy your machine

 

[Donut]

Good luck! One minute I want this one then the next minute I want that one. It seems that every time I read another post I change my mind again.

Like I said GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOd Luck!!!!!!!!!! on your decision.

Doug

 

[burnitup]

good luck with the 6" DD, I have had the 70 for about 5 months with only the stock coil and have absolutely loved it, that being said today I ordered the
10.5" 7.5khz DD and cant wait to get it in the field and try it out ,happy hunting to all!!!