Stick with the X-Terra!!

[wal.ellison]

Hi all
Got lucky this week. someone asked me to do a serious test and assessment of the CTX 3030. Over a couple of days I came to a rock solid conclusion. If you forget the toy GPS thingy which is largely irelevant and the fact you can plug it in to your PC, it's not in the same league as the 705. I used both machines properly set up and running well. The 705 had the 10.5 DD medium freq coil on. I used each to check the other's finds. In only one case did the 3030 find something the 705 couldn't. 705 registered that one but was a bit iffy. Close enough that I'd have dug it anyway. On other targets the 705 was right on the money but the 3030 was a bit uncertain. the 3030 MIGHT have a tiny edge on deep small silver. But any tiny performance edge was hugely offset by the clumsiness, weight and general awkwardness of using the 3030. The ergonomics are a nightmare and the screen is almost impossible to read. Bottom line is that in my opinion ,if you consider ALL factors involved, the 3030 loses out badly. Looks sexy if you like the stars wars cosmetics, but that's it. Talks the talk, but doesn't walk the walk. Quite seriously, if someone offered me a 3030 right now in exchange for my 705 I'd turn them down. Keep your X-Terra, you've already got the best allrounder.
Wal

 

[argyle]

While not owning a 3030, I did have a thousand dollars in one to help my brother out.
I spent a long time comparing XTerra's to it.

I have 11 signals that are undug, spread over a mile and a half or so. I've left them there for past 3 years for testing, and left the junk around them undug for two feet, so I can work units up to them. I'm 100% certain they are 7 $1 coins and 4 $2 coins.
One has tilted to full edge in the past 6 months or so.

I won't go into details on which detectors do best and which come off second to fith best. But I'm still running XTerra's full time.
While there are certain to be applications, beach work or deep iron scenarios and more, that the 3030 would excell at, as does my etrac, but I'm with you Wal....

As for exchanging, I wouldn't exchange one of my 305's for one. You cannot prize the 3030 from my brother's hand now however.

 

[Jressman]

 

[DirtAngler]

While I never used the CTX 3030, I did sell my Xterra 705 to upgrade to an Etrac. 6 months later I sold the Etrac and bought another Xterra 705. As I said before, the Xterra's are probably the most under-rated detectors made. They still lack in proper coil choice for me though as the new Coiltek coils are too big for my situations.

 

[earthmansurfer]

I haven't run an X-Terra (yet, but plan to) but have run a CTX and E-Trac. I did like the CTX better but didn't feel it was always a better performer, only in certain locations did I notice that (one spot with lower mineralization). I love the speed of the CTX, but outside of that, target trace and the color screen (which is not vibrant) I just couldn't justify keeping it. The deciding factor was the weight though - just too heavy, even though the balance is superb. For 4 hour hunts it was great. But packing it up, being that it breaks down into two pieces, was a bit hard since I'm on a bike. I wish they had made an X-Terra like package weight and size wise. They would have sold a ton but they didn't listen to the number one complaint - weight, the balance does help out most people though. Back to the E-Trac as my machine but I am working on modding it. I am searching for an X-Terra as I have just heard so many great things about it. I had an Omega 8000 and I think it is in the X-Terra's class, a bit faster though, but I never got on with the sounds. Since I love the E-Tracs sounds, I thought the X-Terra is at least in the same ballpark.

 

[Goldmanjace]

Albert, let me know if you want to detect together. I have an xterra 705 which I would gladly bring along.

 

[wal.ellison]

Thanks guys, for your replies.
Wal

 

[scoopjohnb]

When I switch on the 705 it always brings a smile to my face.
Coils are very specifically designed as well.
Ok you need a few, who am I kidding,... I've got more than a few!!

Anyway the standard coil is a very nice coin shooter. Will find you jewelry as well.
The elliptical 10x5" HF coil is nice for iron infested sites and will find micro to mini jewelry.
The 6" HF coil is my small trail hunter.
The 10,5" MF DD coil is my dry beach/upper wet sand/pasture coil, just scrub it. It folds over grass very nicely.
Don't try to lift it. Stick it on the ground and paint.

Prospecting mode is an all metal mode with an attitude. Goes beyond TID depth and discriminates iron.
Discriminate mode "Coin/treasure" has a rock solid TID and more than depth enough to it. Will provide TID to its max disc depth.

A little slower respons than other detectors out there, but one thing I really like.
When the 705 gives you a good tone "false",... Investigate because it has had a quick glance of something diggable.

Enjoy my E-trac and CTX both very nice and deep machines.

But having recently aquired permission on some farmland with history tracing back to the early middle ages.
X-terra 705 is going on the Recon mission.

 

[Terra1959]

Gday,

yes and no...I agree to a point
I only have 2 detectors - I have both XTerra and CTX3030 ( my X-terra is an older Xt70)
The CTX3030 is brilliant at ignoring iron and finding non ferrous items under, nearby or on top of iron
...perfect for the old homestead sites I like to hunt for coins and relics
I also use the 3030 as a beach wading machine

I love my 2008 model Xterra70, it is my "workhorse" and will never sell it...it owes me nothing and is joy to swing and I use it often.
These 2 detectors cover it all for me for the coins and relics hunting

happy swinging
T59

 

[Mtnmn]

Yesterday for the first time ever I ran into someone using a Minelab and it turned out to be a CTX. As a result I finally got to see and check one out and I for one came away very impressed with its overall potential, quick response time and amazing sensitivity, not to mention how well it was balanced as compared to its weight. I had both the Safari and XT-70 with me yesterday, but had decided to use the Safari and it matched the CTX coin for coin in the trash infested site we were hunting. Will have to admit that the gentleman with the CTX was still learning how to use it and in a trash infested site that is not the kind of place to be breaking in a new machine. I had hunted part of same site previously with XT-70 and had been doing pretty well with it until getting rained out. He and I both had tough hunting yesterday. He did say that he mostly uses the CTX as a beach machine (he's from N.J.) as it really excels at that including in wet sand. Have no intention of getting rid of my XT-70!

 

[kirk01]

I'm with (most) of you, stick with the 705!

Unless you have money to burn and want one to play with one before doing real work with the 705.


Good Hunting,
Denny

 

[Goldmanjace]

The thing is, the 705 IS slow even in all metal especially in Iron. You may as well walk with an exprolerer or etrac if you have to go that slow, you will have better results. I am going to be selling my 705.

 

[Old Longhair]

The thing is, the 705 IS slow even in all metal especially in Iron. You may as well walk with an exprolerer or etrac if you have to go that slow, you will have better results. I am going to be selling my 705.

Good luck!
Unless you go to a CTX you'll be sacrificing useful information and flexibility. It's about as simple as that.
Of course, I have an Explorer too. So I know what slow is. But until I go to a CTX the Explorer isn't going anywhere that I'm not. And I'll still keep my XT-705.

 

[Goldmanjace]

what am I sacrificing that the etrac does not tell me?? What am I loosing on flexibility if I use a FBS unit?? The ctx is not better than an etrac imo.

 

[scoopjohnb]

The thing is, the 705 IS slow even in all metal especially in Iron. You may as well walk with an exprolerer or etrac if you have to go that slow, you will have better results. I am going to be selling my 705.

I don't use all metal in iron. Properly set up prospecting mode after you are done setting up your discrimination mode.
Good old fashioned listening to what your detector is telling you.

When you've pinpointed a target in prospecting mode, switch to All Metal to get a screwed up TID.
It is slow, it is tedious like pulling spikes out of a cactus with small tweezers and no gloves.

But it finds the coins other methods don't. Even super fast rated detectors only give a blip on these coins in iron on edge.
Very easy to mistake these blips as a false. While in prospecting mode you can go ever so slow en listen for those nice sounds.

I've had the fastest detector out there, I sold it. Because it couldn't be set up "correctly" in comparison to my other detectors.
Points I mailed to the manufacturer are currently being worked on.
Anyhow,... a lot of people are getting on great with these super fast detectors.
But I didn't, the manufacturer catering for us slow guys with "improvements" to the machine is great.
Who knows I may even buy one again, when it is slowed down enough I can understand it.

 

[scoopjohnb]

what am I sacrificing that the etrac does not tell me?? What am I loosing on flexibility if I use a FBS unit?? The ctx is not better than an etrac imo.

Being able to reliably pick up small platinum jewelry with the 6" HF DD coil in prospecting mode.
E-trac gives a faint whisper, CTX doesn't register it. But then I haven't truly tested out all the various settings on these 2.
705 with small coil just works out of the box.

 

[Goldmanjace]

If you use it in any kind of disc. the recovery speed ist SLOWER than slow and it is even worse in the prospecting mode. That is a fact.

The thing is, the 705 IS slow even in all metal especially in Iron. You may as well walk with an exprolerer or etrac if you have to go that slow, you will have better results. I am going to be selling my 705.

I don't use all metal in iron. Properly set up prospecting mode after you are done setting up your discrimination mode.
Good old fashioned listening to what your detector is telling you.

When you've pinpointed a target in prospecting mode, switch to All Metal to get a screwed up TID.
It is slow, it is tedious like pulling spikes out of a cactus with small tweezers and no gloves.

But it finds the coins other methods don't. Even super fast rated detectors only give a blip on these coins in iron on edge.
Very easy to mistake these blips as a false. While in prospecting mode you can go ever so slow en listen for those nice sounds.

I've had the fastest detector out there, I sold it. Because it couldn't be set up "correctly" in comparison to my other detectors.
Points I mailed to the manufacturer are currently being worked on.
Anyhow,... a lot of people are getting on great with these super fast detectors.
But I didn't, the manufacturer catering for us slow guys with "improvements" to the machine is great.
Who knows I may even buy one again, when it is slowed down enough I can understand it.

 

[Goldmanjace]

wrong post.

 

[Goldmanjace]

but not next to iron with anykind of disc. I have testet the GMP, 705 and etrac very extensivly in this regard.

what am I sacrificing that the etrac does not tell me?? What am I loosing on flexibility if I use a FBS unit?? The ctx is not better than an etrac imo.

Being able to reliably pick up small platinum jewelry with the 6" HF DD coil in prospecting mode.
E-trac gives a faint whisper, CTX doesn't register it. But then I haven't truly tested out all the various settings on these 2.
705 with small coil just works out of the box.

 

[crude4u]

I saw that you are intending to sell one of your detectors. i am just getting into it and don't have a great budget. Have you considered what you want for your 705?
Jack