Received my X-Terra 30 & very disappointed

[Shenandoah Digger]

I got my son an Xterra 30 and he complained about it not getting any depth. It didn't. But upon turning up the sensitivity to 9 it got great depth. And we hunt in hot ground here in Virginia. For my ground, the preset GB of the 30 works very well.

 

[SkiWhiz]

I went and borrowed a friends Prizm II & went over my coin garden with it. The Prizm did respond to the coins but I do admit it did not id them correctly. But my X30 wouldn't even sound on them. Another thing I don't understand is why my X30 will not sound off on my wedding band (white gold) in pattern 1 discrimination. Only iron & foil should be ignored and my wedding band should be above the foil setting. It does sound off in all metal mode if I wave my ring close to the coil. I sent my X30 back to my dealer today to be checked out. If defective I will probably try another one if it is not defective I am going to get a 1236 X2 more than likely over the Ace 250 Thanks! Steve.

 

[Digger]

First of all, I am glad your dealer is helping you resolve this issue. If you have tried all the suggestions offered to you and it still didn't work, it may well be a problem with the coil or the detector. But, before I say that it misread your white gold ring, I would be interested to know what the TID was for your ring in the all metal mode? If it was a 4 or -4, it won't register when you are in Pattern 1. Pattern one is preset to reject any metal with a conductivity measurement of +4 or less. (in fact, since the X-30 notch segments are 4 digits each, a target with an ID as high as a 6 may be rejected) Depending on the carat of your ring, it may be less than 4.

The percentage of other metals mixed with gold, to manufacture white gold, determines the K of your ring. For example, by comparing the volume of each metal used, a 9 K white gold ring is actually 21% gold. A 14 K white gold ring is 39% gold. And an 18K white gold ring is 63% gold. Other metals used as an alloy include various percentages of silver, copper, zinc and/or nickel. So as you see, the conductivity of your ring will be dependent on amount of each alloy it is mixed with. In addition, new white gold rings are usually coated with a hard protective finish of rhodium. Rhodium is one of a group of elements referred to as the platinum group metals. And, each of these metals typically register below "foil" on metal detectors.

While you are waiting to find out if your X-30 has "issues", I suggest you get ahold of a book entitled "Taking a Closer Look at Metal Detector Discrimination" by Robert Brockett. It is an outstanding resource for learning more about where various targets will register on modern metal detectors. In it, for example, you will see that white gold is very low on the chart and commonly registers below foil and many other targets we consider "trash" items. I consider this book a "must have" for anyone serious about metal detecting. HH Randy

 

[SkiWhiz]

Makes sense Randy but: with the Cibola I had I would turn up the discriminate dial up to just knock out everything just below nickels and it would still sound off easily on my ring & I never dug a piece of foil. The X30 is certainly not a Cibola and I don't mean that in a bad way. They are two different beasts. The Cibola was a hard hitting deep seeking good discriminating very light machine without a TID, but I wanted a TID. And the Tesoro's with a TID are more money than I could spare. Thanks! Steve.
P.S. So in other words a person has to operate the X30 in all metal to find the good stuff.

 

[Steve(MS)]

Sounds like you may have a faulty detector, hopefully your dealer will get it straightened out for you. Funny thing, years ago when I had a Whites 6000, I dug some holes, left them open and placed coins in them to see how the ID would work, it would barely give a signal and the ID was way off or just didn't register but after I put the dirt in the holes it did much better, some of them though still didn't ID right and the deeper they were planted, the more likely the ID would be off. Disturbed ground can cause trouble but out on a hunt or air test, it did fine.
Regards,
Steve(MS)

 

[Digger]

I didn't say you had to operate in all metal to find the good stuff. But as I have posted many times, I operate all of my X-Terras in the all metal mode and let my "ears" sort out what I want to dig. Not just by the pitch of the tone. But by the consistency and sharpness of the tone as well. Don't take my word for it. Go to nearly every forum available and you will see that the folks digging good targets consistently are those who also dig the most junk. The reason is because there are many "good" targets that will read low on EVERY DETECTOR'S conductive scale. Many even wander into the ferrous range. It just depends on the size, shape and metallic content of the target. Regardless of what detector you are using, if you have your discrimination set to just barely accept nickels, you are going to miss lots of white gold, rose gold, platinum and some yellow gold. Particulary the smaller pieces of jewelry.

I have been detecting for over 35 years and have owned just about every make and model there is. I think the analog meter of the XLPro provides the best discrimination circuitry of any single frequency detector. I think the dual (ferrous and conductive) analysis of the Explorer will provide more reliable information than any detector. But, based on depth of detection, sensitivity, weight, balance, sweep speed, pinpointing, TID, reliability and mode versatility, the X-Terra is my choice. If I have my X-Terra, Advantage and a bag of coils with me, I know that I am maximizing my detecting potential.

Again, I can't stress enough the importance of knowing how a detector operates. Know the functions and how each one affects the performance. Know the range of targets you are looking for and how your detector will react to each. And foremost, practice, practice, practice. Those few words at the end of each of my posts are not just a catchy phrase. It is a statement of fact and one I follow when I am swinging the coil. HH Randy

 

[SkiWhiz]

[quote Digger]The Cibola weighs seven ounces less than the X-Terra 30. The X-30 weighs in at 2.9 lbs and requires 4 AA batteries. The "non metered" Tesoros weigh in at 2.2 lbs and require 1 nine-volt battery. When you are talking about ounces, the weight of the batteries alone represent some difference. If you look at a Tesoro with TID, like the Cortes or DeLeon, they are a bit heavier than the X-30, weighing in at 2.98 lbs. Plus, it takes twice as many batteries ( 8 ) to run a Tesoro with TID as it does the X-30. The Ace 250 is 2 ounces lighter than the X-30. Part of that might be attributed to the 250's stock coil being smaller than the X-30's.

As to your X-30 problems.....keep the heat on your dealer. IF your X-30 don't hit a quarter at 8 inches in an air test, there is something wrong with it or the coil. Let us know how it works out. HH Randy[/quote]
I appreciate all the feedback from all the members & especially enjoy yours Digger. I know air test aren't a true factor of a detectors ability. But only 8 inches on a quarter, that's not very impressive. I hate to keep bringing up Tesoro here but my Cibola would get 12 -13 inches on a quarter on a air test. I know I know you all are saying let up on the X30 and you should of stayed with your Cibola if you liked it that much. But I do really want to like the Xterra 30 and should find out if mine was defective or not by this weekend. It is on it's way back to the dealer to be checked out. You must understand that I have no dealer around me and have to rely on reviews and posts - and so far I would say reading reviews and my personal messages that the Xterra 30 is 50% good and 50% bad,depends on who you ask.Puts me in a spot. Thanks! Steve.

 

[amustel]

I do not understand something. I've been there too. If I receive an item that is far from my expectations, why do I need to keep the calm and be "politically correct?". I've had a couple of X50, they are good and they are bad, they are not perfect...but if I receive something like this user described then I am in my right to say whatever comes to my mind since I was having big expectations and there is no justification to receive a bad detector. Come on...the less you can do as a seller is check and recheck a detector before shipping it!

 

[SkiWhiz]

[quote amustel]I do not understand something. I've been there too. If I receive an item that is far from my expectations, why do I need to keep the calm and be "politically correct?". I've had a couple of X50, they are good and they are bad, they are not perfect...but if I receive something like this user described then I am in my right to say whatever comes to my mind since I was having big expectations and there is no justification to receive a bad detector. Come on...the less you can do as a seller is check and recheck a detector before shipping it![/quote] I imagine that some dealers sells lots of detectors and there isn't enough time in the day to check them all & some people are funny - some wouldn't want a brand new detector touch before they got it, even by the dealer. In my case I wish my dealer would of tested it before shipping it. Steve.

 

[Digger]

Glad you appreciate the posts. I agree that you should be disappointed if the detector is not working correctly. Since the X-Terra is a whole new concept, I just wanted to make sure your adjustments were correct and it was indeed a faulty unit. Nothing more embarrassing than to send something back thinking it was not working, only to find out it is user error. In either case, you did the right thing by working through the dealer to get the issue resolved ASAP.

By the way, my comment on the X-30 air testing a quarter at 8-inches was in response to your saying you were not hitting them at 3 to 4-inches. In actuallity, my X-30 will hit the quarter solid at 9.5 inches. And still give me enough audio I would want to dig it at 10. I relaize that is not the 12-13" inches you say your Cibola gives on a quarter. But for the record, the two Cibolas I had wouldn't hit a quarter that far. Neither would the Vaqueros. But they would hit a nickel at over a foot. Higher frequency detector and lower conductive coin. The problem I had with the Cibola (and the Vaquero) is that you had to Super-tune them to get them to go deep. And, when you Super-tune them, they falsed everytime I brushed the coil against the dirt, a weed or a stick. I would have to go back over the target response area, only to find that it was a false signal. That sure wastes a lot of time. As well, you could definitely out-sweep them. If I swept them any where near as quickly as my X-Terra, they would not find dimes buried 6 inches in my coin garden.

Whether you end up with an X-Terra or go back to a non-metered detector is up to you. I don't know where you live or what type of hunting you will be doing. But for the part of the Country I live in, I guarantee that there are more old coins left laying out there due to being masked than by being too deep. In fact, I could count on one hand the number of coins I have dug in the past 35 years that were more than 8 inches deep. Not only can the X-Terra find them. It tells me with unbelieveable accuracy what they are before I dig them. That is why I have spent most of the past 18 months getting to know it like the back of my hand. And when the small coil becomes available, it will become an even better detector.

Keep us posted on what you find out about the X-30. And tell your dealer that you want a new detector. You didn't pay for one that needed repaired. JMHO HH Randy

 

[SkiWhiz]

In all due respect to this forum & to Minelab - Randy I know by your posts and they way you answer questions that you are not full of b.s.
Ok Here is where I am I am a dairy farmer in upstate New York (St.Lawrence County) 12 miles across a bridge and I can be in Canada. Metal detecting is my fun (hobby) and I am not predujice of people/race/detector brands. My other hobby (extra money) has been being a satellite dealer on the side since 1985 so I do know a bit about electronics. I live in a very small town (about half of the people are Amish) of about 900 people. I love to metal detect more than anything but I don't take it serious to the point that I have to make money doing it. If I get a couple of bucks in a day that is fine with me. My brother don't detect and says Hey you spent 3-4 hous and all you got was 2 or 3 dollars in change, what a waist of time. But to me I made a couple of bucks,enjoyed the outdoors with my wife & kids,helped clean the environment by getting rid of some trash & got some excercise. People that do not detect don't realize that even 2 or 3 dollars is alot of coins and alot of work, some people hunt or fish and have to buy a boat/fishing license/fuel for the truck and boat motor/etc. and get nothing in return money wise. So to me detecting is a very rewarding hobby. Sorry for rambeling on but just wanted to tell you alittle bit about me & my life. You all have relieved me on the X30 I am almost certain that I got a faulty one & can't wait to use a good working one. Ok Digger here goes my last question I am going to post until I get what ever I am going to get - As you said you have detected for along time & tried alot of different machines and although this is the Xterra forum in all honesty do you believe that a proper working Xterra 30 will work as good as a Tesoro Cibola? Thank you very much I have learned a great deal from you all! Steve.

 

[Jackpine Savage]

You asked if a proper working X-30 will perform as well as the Cibola.

The answer is yes and no depending on the your hunting style and what you are primarily after. They are 2 very different types of detectors and require totally different operating techniques for best results.

The Cibola and Vaquero are "old tech" type 2 filter machines and I don't mean that as a putdown. What I mean is they require a slow deliberate sweep for best depth and seperation. If you like that type of hunting and want a coin machine with a meter you should try a Fisher CZ as you probably already have that sweep technique built into muscle memory. Yeah its just like golf!

Most of the newer digital detectors, other brands included, have a fast recovery and moderate sweep requirement for best depth. Some of them can actually be whipped over a target in high trash and respond with a proper ID. Try that with a Tesoro!

I can understand budget restrainsts but given your record of trying various machines I do not understand your choice of the X-30. In an earlier post I suggested that you pick up a good used X-50. Given the area you live in I would think there would be an appreciable difference in performance.

HH, Tom

 

[Digger]

Steve, Since you explained a bit about the area you live, and the type of hunting you do, let me fill you in on mine. I live in rural Iowa. Right in the heart of the farm country. Although the town I live in is nearly 5000 people, I would have to drive over 100 miles to get to an airport, a Walgreens or Starbucks. There are no military battlefields around here for relic hunting. Just a couple temporary calvary outposts. The settlers began coming here in the mid 1850's. Coincidentally, that was right at the time the large cents were being replaced with the small cents. (trying to justify my never finding a large cent ). The early settlers brought with them all of their possessions. Very little of it was cash, as they bought all the provisions they thought they would need when they headed this way. And, since there were no banks or stores here yet, cash wasn't a necessitiy. The small towns that sprung up around here were not much more than a couple buildings at a cross roads of two trails. Since farming was the occupation, towns really served little purpose until there were enough farms to justify shops, mills and trade centers. Well, I've rambled on a bit. But my point is that this area did not have a huge population center. But most of the settled areas had places to congregate for religious services, picnics and livestock shows. At many of these livestock shows, a horse track was laid out and people would race their horses against one another. Naturally, there were bets placed and coins were lost. That is where I come in!
I like to hunt old places for old coins. Old, at least, by my standards. I'm not much of a clad hunter and would rather find a few old silver coins or IH cents than a whole pocketful of clad. But that is just the way I am. I'm not in this hobby for the money. But instead for the challenge of the hunt. I spend a great deal of time reading the history of this area and researching the sites that are mentioned in the old documents. When I read that three area churches held their annual harvest picnic, I want to know where it was held and how many people attended.

As to comparing the Cibola to the X-30..... as I mentioned before, and Tom reiterated, different strokes for different folks. There are many similarities. But many more differences. The similarities include lightweight, well balanced, fixed GB, adjustable sensitivity and fun to use. However, where the X-30 has adjustable notch discrimination, the Cibola has variable linear discrimination. I like notches because it helps me sort out the select targets instead of simply eliminating those under where I set the Cibola. I like the visual TID on the X-Terra whereas the Cibola has none. I like the 3 tone audio response on the X-Terra compared to one tone for everything on the Cibola. I like the faster sweep speed with the X-30. As I mentioned, if I sweep the Cibola too fast, it will totally miss targets. And as Tom pointed out, old habits die hard! I like the fact that I don't have to lower the sensitivity on my X-30 to pinpoint a target. When you super tune the Cibola, you will blow your ears off if you don't set it back to normal before you pinpoint. I like the fact that when I set the controls on my X-30, they are set electronically and will not get bumped when I am hunting. With the Cibola, the knobs do get bumped to different settings. With the X-30 I can switch from all metal to a Pattern mode with one button. On the Cibola, I have to turn the knob and make sure it is exactly where I want it when I move it back. Otherwise it will miss those old nickels and that gold ring. The Cibola does have the HOT 5.75 coil option that I think is a great coil. Probably one of the best small coils I have ever used. But, the X-Terra will have a small coil option soon.

I could go on and on, but you get my point. Both are good detectors, It is just that the X-30 offers many features that I like to use when I hunt for those old coins. If I was going to hunt an area where there was very little or no trash, and the targets were deep, and the ground was damp and smooth.... I might use the Cibola. But where targets are mixed, the ground is not smooth and the targets are 9 inches or less, I chose the X-30. And for my part of the Country, I like the X-Terra.

So to answer your question, YES, I think a properly working X-30 will work as good as a properly working Cibola. The Cibola might nudge it out on airtest depth. But the X-30 has enough added features and settings that I would rather be using it. Again, this is just my opinion, based on having used both at my sites. HH Randy