MINELAB X-TERRA VOYAGER REVIEW
Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2024 5:56 pm
The X-TERRA VOYAGER has been out a while now but I think it is worth going over what it is and more importantly, what it is not. Some may be lured by the Minelab branding and the low price but you need to be aware that this machine, is really only "Minelab" in name.
Not to be confused with the Minelab X-TERRA PRO. The two machines are very different not only design but also in performance.
The first thing that caught my attention when the Voyager was announced was that I had seen it before. Only it had the Chinese brand "Sunpow" emblazoned on it, not Minelab. And if you compare the two images below you will see the similarity.
The screen layout is different but the control box is identical. And if you then compare the handle and shaft, apart from the colour scheme, they are also identical. The coils are obviously different though.
In terms of price there is really nothing between them. Both machines are currently on sale for around £100.00 in the UK and both come with wired headphones, carry bag and digging tool. From Minelab's perspective the thinking was probably that people would rather buy something with "Minelab" written on it than "Sunpow" and, they are probably correct.
Ok so the Voyager is essentially a Chinese made Sunpow with Minelab branding. The price is low and the package is good but, how does it perform? Well you have to put it into context. This machine is not on the same level as the X-TERRA PRO but as long as your expectations are realistic you may be quite happy with it.
At 1.27kg excluding the two PP9 batteries it is not heavy and the shaft is adjustable between 57 cm and 76 cm which makes it suitable for all ages. The controls are simple and easy to learn and due to its low operating frequency of just 5.82 kHz it works quite well on the beach. Which in the UK is a huge bonus as we require permissions to search almost everywhere except the beaches.
The three target tones of low, mid and high are also useful. Some machines at this price point have a single tone for all targets and that is not ideal. There is also a pinpoint mode to help you hone in on targets before you dig them.
There is no ground balance on the Voyager, it is automatic which, is not necessarily a bad thing for those just starting out. The Voyager does have automatice noise cancel and this is a real plus. Noise cancel helps eliminate interference from other nearby detectors, mobile phones and other devices that would otherwise cause problems when detecting.
Although the Voyagers 11" x 8.5" Double-D coil is waterproof up to 1m the control box is not waterproof at all. This is not a machine you would want to be searching in the surf with!
All in all the Voyager is not a bad buy for the price but it does have competition from Nokta and their FindX and FindX Pro. Are they any better in terms of features and performance? Read our review of those machines to find out.
Not to be confused with the Minelab X-TERRA PRO. The two machines are very different not only design but also in performance.
The first thing that caught my attention when the Voyager was announced was that I had seen it before. Only it had the Chinese brand "Sunpow" emblazoned on it, not Minelab. And if you compare the two images below you will see the similarity.
Ok so the Voyager is essentially a Chinese made Sunpow with Minelab branding. The price is low and the package is good but, how does it perform? Well you have to put it into context. This machine is not on the same level as the X-TERRA PRO but as long as your expectations are realistic you may be quite happy with it.
At 1.27kg excluding the two PP9 batteries it is not heavy and the shaft is adjustable between 57 cm and 76 cm which makes it suitable for all ages. The controls are simple and easy to learn and due to its low operating frequency of just 5.82 kHz it works quite well on the beach. Which in the UK is a huge bonus as we require permissions to search almost everywhere except the beaches.
The three target tones of low, mid and high are also useful. Some machines at this price point have a single tone for all targets and that is not ideal. There is also a pinpoint mode to help you hone in on targets before you dig them.
There is no ground balance on the Voyager, it is automatic which, is not necessarily a bad thing for those just starting out. The Voyager does have automatice noise cancel and this is a real plus. Noise cancel helps eliminate interference from other nearby detectors, mobile phones and other devices that would otherwise cause problems when detecting.
Although the Voyagers 11" x 8.5" Double-D coil is waterproof up to 1m the control box is not waterproof at all. This is not a machine you would want to be searching in the surf with!
All in all the Voyager is not a bad buy for the price but it does have competition from Nokta and their FindX and FindX Pro. Are they any better in terms of features and performance? Read our review of those machines to find out.