All of us who enjoy the hobby read and/or post on the forums for various reasons, but in the end we have one thing in common ....
WE ENJOY THE HOBBY!!
In the end, that's really what you and I both prefer to do rather than argue and, if I ruffled a feather I apologize. My X-Terra 70 and Shadow X5 are presently my two most-used models, and for good reason. They work well and compliment each other in several ways.
As for the Ground Balance discussions, they, like any other, can cause some tension at times that I am sure could be easily put to rest if the two or ??? parties involved in the discussion were able to chat face-to-face and hands-on demonstrate what they are expressing. It can help all parties to learn.
That's why my seminars are generally a two-day affair. The Saturday session is a full-day classroom environment with explanations, Q&A, demonstrations, etc. Sunday starts with a Q&A session (everyone comes back with more after going home and playing with their detectors) and then the rest of the day is spent afield where we get hands-on, in-the-field use which often makes what we try to convey in word more clearly understood.
That said, let me just touch on this in reply to your response:
"In mild ground you have to increase (make more positive) the GB adjustment to get to the point of neutral response compared to more mineralized ground."... You lost me on that. I will say that in some very neutral to mellow ground you have to increase the GB much more positive to get to the point where you can hear a change in the GB setting that would be more positive, while if you are hunting in a "bad ground" environment you only have to adjust only a little increase in GB to hear a positive GB change.
"Given that the Ex-terras are set up a little differently that still however holds true. If Hot ground balances out at a low number you would never get a good balance in mild ground as you would run out of adjustment range before you got there. Don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that out is is just plain ole logic."... The beauty of the X-Terra 70 for some of these types of discussions is that it features both Auto GB and Tracking GB and if we let the electronics handle that adjustment, we don't get into the manual GB debate.
Once the Auto or Tracking GB setting is established, in a nearly neutral to mellow or moderate ground environment, we can see that it is displayed as a larger GB reference number and that suggests to us that the ground is not as mineralized as it would be if a smaller (lower) number setting was necessary.
From either one, once established, a manual adjustment one or two numbers lower (lesser number) would result in a slightly positive GB to an aggressive positive GB, which doesn't seem to do work that well with the X-Terra 50 or 70.
"You have stated many times that your ground balances at 3-4 on the 50 and around 14-15 on the 70."... Yes, most of the toughest locations do. Some of the nicer parks allow a GB in the mid-40's with the X-Terra 70, but the worst places I tend to hunt are tougher to deal with.
"Well so does the ground in my area and it is NOT highly mineralized or what I consider even moderately mineralized."... I think that is a key. The level of mineralized ground might be one thing, and what an individual interprets as being mineralized can be something a bit different.
I think that most people who hunt sites like yours or mine and require such as low-number setting with an X-Terra, or something in the 78-85 range with a White's MXT, would agree that this represents some higher mineralized ground conditions.
Keep in mind, too, that I am referring to inland ground and not any salt water beach type of environment.
"Either one of us is totally wrong on this issue or...the number you balance out at is meaningless as far as determining the amount of mineralization present. for sake of good relations I'll go with the latter.".... To eliminate the urge to
more about a sometimes frustrating topic, we can both be
and just put it behind us.
I think, however, that mineralization factors, and the
appearance of the mineralization can play a big role in this. I hunt some sites that have identical or nearly identical GB readings (MXT) or require similar Ground Balance
GBAT numbers, yet one site has more compacted material and the other is loose material even to the point of being like a nicely plowed field. But they can not be hunted the same. One might require a slower sweep speed, a lower Discriminate setting, and some other variables ... even though the GB required for the two bad sites is the same.
There are just way too many dynamics to make all comparisons work out similar, because not just circuitry design and how the manufacturer opts to process the signal is the same. Search coil dynamics also are important in many conditions.
"I have posted this type reply to you twice in the past and you totally ignore them."... Sorry! I try not overlook any posts that are directed to me specifically and apologize.
"there is a ton of mis-information being posted ont he Ex-terras on this forum and I hope you guys have good luck with your books."... I plan to and, I agree, there is some misinformation, or let's just say an ample amount of confusion.
"Me, I'm about done with the mess and will stick to hunting with my "freebie" X-T 70 which is by no means any ground shaking revolutionary detector. It is a good all around machine that will please most people." I won't say it is ground shaking, but I will say it is refreshing because it does offer something new from Minelab in a light-weight unit. It does offer a lot of very useful features and in an easy-to-adjust package. And, in my opinion, the X-Terra 70 is today's best "multi-purpose" TID detector for the $$$. But then I also feel the Shadow X5 is the best NON-TID "multi-purpose" detector for the $$$. Sadly, one is new and in production and the other isn't.
"My last tip. If you hunt iron, use 2 tones with tracking on and the elliptic DD coil if you want to be competitive with other detectors."... I still need to get the DD coil. I wanted to work with the three 9" concentric coils while on vacation, especially, as well as the audio tone options. Most of the time I am hunting in 2-Tones but sometimes go with the Multi-Tone option in some settings. It's really great to have the easy-to-change options for audio tones the X-Terra 70 provides.
"My last post on the subject!"... Okay.
I am out for some morning hunting then I have to work, but I'll have the next three days off and the wife's given me the OK to spend my birthday doing what I want, and I extended that to Monday & Tuesday as well by including a get-away to Central Oregon for some detecting over there. Now, if our weather would only cooperate.
I hope you can get out and enjoy a search or two my friend, and good luck!
Monte
We could compare the 1270 and X-5 for wading up here too. Dang I wish the 1270 had adjustable GB in disc mode. Oops..sorry to bring up GB issues. 
