XT50 vs XT70

[John(Tx)]

From what I've been reading on the forums regarding the XT70 with the bouncing numbers and threshold not really helping depth and just what people have been saying, I think I would be better just keeping my XT50 since I know what it's telling me besides saving 200-300 dollars. Unless it is proven that the 70 will go atleast a couple of inches deeper than the 50, I will just keep my 50. With all the number id's jumping around, I don't see any advantage the 70 will have over the 50 when jewelry hunting. I don't prospect so what would be the advantage? Thanks, John

 

[steve herschbach]

Hi John,

I have the X-Terra 50, and I just got the X-Terra 70. I have not had time to actually run the X-Terra 70 yet, but I do think you raise a very valid point.

Personally, I believe the X-Terra 50 is the best of the series for most people. I think the extra features of the 50 compared to the 30 are well worth having, especially the ground balance.

The 70 offers a lot to a person like myself, who is a serious prospector and jewelry hunter. But the 50 comes very close to the 70 even for those uses. The biggest difference is the true threshold based all-metal prospecting mode on the X-Terra 70, which from my brief testing is much more sensitive to tiny items than the motion mode "accept all" all-metal mode on the X-Terra 50.

In a nutshell, I would say that if a person does not have any use for a threshold based all-metal mode, then stick with the X-Terra 50 as far as performance goes. Some may like the X-Terra 70 for some special feature, like the multi-tone audio, but that in itself will not get you any targets with a 70 that a 50 would miss.

I also found the 50 to be much more the kind of machine I can just pick up and use without reading the owners manual. Not so the X-Terra 70. I have been through the owners manual twice so far.

Finally, I do think the target segmenting on the X-Terra 50 is sufficient, and a case can be made that it may be better than that on the X-Terra 70. I have not figured out exactly what benefit those extra segments will offer me yet, and the display is more likely to jump around with the extra VDI sensitivity. Obviously you can tweak the X-Terra 70 a bit more with the extra segments, but the question is if there really is any practical need for this under normal circumstances. My gut feeling at this point is that the X-Terra 30 has too few segments for my taste, and the X-Terra 70 may have too many. The 50 feels just right in this regard. But maybe I'll feel differently after getting some real hours in with the 70.

Steve Herschbach
Steve's Mining Journal

 

[John(Tx)]

Once you get a few hours on the XT70, please let us know how you like it compared to the 50 and why, I still haven't decided on not getting the 70, just don't want to spend the extra $ if I don't have to. Good luck in the field to you. John

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

Steve, I looked at your journal. I don't know a thing about gold prospecting but all of those trips sure look like fun. Hope I get to try it sometimes.

 

[John(Tx)]

do a depth comparison test with the XT50 and 70 using the same coil and setting the sens on the 50 at 20 and with the 70 sens at 30? How much deeper if any did the 70 go? Thanks, John

 

[steve herschbach]

Hi John,

I'll be doing just that over the next couple days. More later after I get a chance to not do a rush job.

Steve Herschbach
Steve's Mining Journal

 

[John(Tx)]

n/t