New to detecting. Minelab X-terra Pro vs Quest Q35.

[haliacmon]

Hi everybody..

I recently got interested in metal detecting and I'm looking to buy my first detector.

My budget is around 200 to 300€ so I'm looking into these two aforementioned machines.

They are both around the same price where I live. Both seem to have comparable characteristics, at least on paper.

I saw X-terra Pro is favored by many in the detecting community but I'd like to see how these two compare.

Any opinions? Does anyone own the Q35?

 

[Pastor Bob]

Minelab machines are excellent at all price points. I would guess very, very few users of Quest machines. Go with Minelab. Been around a long time.

 

[yatahaze323]

I'm not seeing much info on the q35 looks like it recently came out.

Since they have similar feature try watching some videos and listen to the audio of both detectors and see if you prefer one over the other.

Also if you're going to be detecting beaches you might want to look into the Nokta Score or Double Score detectors, they're more money then what you requested but they're smf detectors and it will work better then a single frequency detector on a beach.

 

[metaladdict]

The q detectors are made in China, buyer beware.

 

[oldkoot]

The q detectors are made in China, buyer beware.

And some Mine Labs are made in Malaysia so whats your point

 

[metaladdict]

And some Mine Labs are made in Malaysia so whats your point

Mal isn't china.

 

[oldkoot]

Mal isn't china.

No its not China but it is still a third world country, off the coast of Thailand.

 

[Diga]

The q detectors are made in China, buyer beware.

The country of production is irrelevant to quality. China, like any other country, makes shit products, and great products.


The quality of products made in China, is determined by the company who have chosen to make the product in China. In other words, there is no such thing as "China Junk", unless the manufacturer asked for it.

 

[Coin-Saver]

I think "Designed in" is probably more relevant to this conversation than "Made in". That's just my opinion though

 

[metaladdict]

No its not China but it is still a third world country, off the coast of Thailand.

Quality can be the issue from China.

 

[Kreeper]

I would go with the Minelab, but since this is your first detector purchase and you say you just recently became interested in detecting, do you have any actual experience with a metal detector? If not, you might consider trying a really inexpensive machine, like a Bounty Hunter Tracker IV ( around $80), just to make sure you actually like the detecting process before committing big money.

This hobby takes a lot of patience and some physical effort to search for and retrieve targets that 9 times out of 10 will be undesirable junk like pull tabs and can slaw. You will hit dry spells where you swing and dig until your arm is about to fall off and your knees hurt from kneeling to dig, and your wrists will hurt from trying to dig through clay or rocky soil only to find out that there is a crushed aluminum can or pull tab at the bottom of the hole. Can you handle that type of frustration, over and over?

The Tracker IV will find anything the more expensive machines can find down to about 6". I know that does not seem deep by today's standards, but I have found that most targets in parks and tot lots are in this range, If that is where you will mainly be detecting, then the Tracker IV will find them and allow you to try out detecting without spending a lot of money. It is a surprisingly good detector for the money and very simple to use. It will get you out detecting and digging targets quickly instead of spending time trying to figure out the settings and what the VDI numbers mean on the newer machines. If you get one, I can give you some tips on how to get the most out of it.

On the other hand, if you already have a good amount of detecting experience, say maybe with a friend who has loaned you a machine, and you love the whole process of detecting, and you don't like the limitations of that machine, then it may be time to spend some money and get one with more of the features that you are looking for.

Sorry I wrote such a long post, but hope this helps you think through some things.

 

[Diga]

Excellent advice Kreeper!

 

[jmaclen]

Hi everybody..

I recently got interested in metal detecting and I'm looking to buy my first detector.

My budget is around 200 to 300€ so I'm looking into these two aforementioned machines.

They are both around the same price where I live. Both seem to have comparable characteristics, at least on paper.

I saw X-terra Pro is favored by many in the detecting community but I'd like to see how these two compare.

Any opinions? Does anyone own the Q35?

I don’t own the Q35. I did own the Q40 for awhile. Decent detector. Between the Quest detectors and the Minelab detectors I would pick the X-Terra Pro or a Vanquish 440 depending on if you will need to submerge your detector. You might also consider one of the 15 kHz Nokta Simplex models. The Vanquish 440 at 330 euros is a really good detector for basic detecting, outstanding Multi IQ simultaneous multi frequency operation, accurate target IDs and ease of use. X-Terra Pro has lots of great features, capabilities and selectable single frequencies. The 15 kHz Simplex models are also feature rich and very rugged detectors.

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

G

Minelab machines are excellent at all price points. I would guess very, very few users of Quest machines. Go with Minelab. Been around a long time.

Great advice here!

 

[graybeard]

Quest I think are the same one's that made the S.E F. coils that are great search coils.
If the X-Terra pro is like the X-Terra 705 and not anything like the Equinox 800 I would maybe go with it.

 

[Longhair]

If the X-Terra pro is like the X-Terra 705 and not anything like the Equinox 800 I would maybe go with it.

Sadly, it shares almost nothing with the old 705.
They are still a decent detector, and I've done pretty well with it, but I'd never pass up a 705 for one.

 

[jmaclen]

Quest I think are the same one's that made the S.E F. coils that are great search coils.
If the X-Terra pro is like the X-Terra 705 and not anything like the Equinox 800 I would maybe go with it.

Detech makes the S.E.F. coils not Deteknix/Quest.

 

[jmaclen]

Sadly, it shares almost nothing with the old 705.
They are still a decent detector, and I've done pretty well with it, but I'd never pass up a 705 for one.

The X-Terra 705 is a fantastic detector for the right soil conditions. If the X-Terra Pro had a smaller range target ID system and 20 kHz selectable single frequency, it would be a good alternative to the X-Terra 705. However, that huge 120 digit target ID range is just overkill and only adds to its target ID instability on some targets. Giving the X-Terra Pro 4 selectable single frequencies without having to change coils or get yelled at online for using a coil from a third party coil maker that could change frequencies is a good thing along with the ergonomics, waterproof, recovery speed adjustments, wireless audio and excellent audio choices. For me anyway, both the X-Terra 305, 505, 705 and the X-Terra Pro don't do very well in moderate to high iron mineralization. Neither does the Manticore, Deus 2, Legend or the Equinox detectors using their selectable single frequencies where I most often detect.

 

[graybeard]

Detech makes the S.E.F. coils not Deteknix/Quest.

I thought they were the same company. Just a name change after their run in with Fisher.

 

[Longhair]

The X-Terra 705 is a fantastic detector for the right soil conditions. If the X-Terra Pro had a smaller range target ID system and 20 kHz selectable single frequency, it would be a good alternative to the X-Terra 705. However, that huge 120 digit target ID range is just overkill and only adds to its target ID instability on some targets. Giving the X-Terra Pro 4 selectable single frequencies without having to change coils or get yelled at online for using a coil from a third party coil maker that could change frequencies is a good thing along with the ergonomics, waterproof, recovery speed adjustments, wireless audio and excellent audio choices. For me anyway, both the X-Terra 305, 505, 705 and the X-Terra Pro don't do very well in moderate to high iron mineralization. Neither does the Manticore, Deus 2, Legend or the Equinox detectors using their selectable single frequencies where I most often detect.

IMO, if they had just updated the 705 and made it one coil selectable, waterproof, wireless, rechargeable, with the improved Beach mode, and kept (selectable frequency) Prospector mode w/Iron Mask, Offset, Offset Tracking, and cut the PRO TID range in half, it would be about perfect, and I'd buy one in a heartbeat at twice the street price of the current Pro.

I was also disappointed that the Pro's frequency selection isn't as high or low as what the 705/505 had.