Minelab X-TERRA PRO - Was It Real or Fake? We eventually found out.

Minelab has been quite busy of late. The launch of the Manticore along with the Equinox 700 and 900 has been grabbing the headlines. But what of other machines in the range? At the entry-level, there is the GoFind, Vanquish 340, 440 and 540. The Equinox 600 sits in the mid-range (now discontinued but still available at some dealers), along with the new Equinox 700. The higher end begins with the new Equinox 900 and finishes with the Manticore. The CTX3030 is still a current machine but for all intents and purposes, it has been superseded by the Manticore.

Minelab very clearly stated some years ago that they would only make simultaneous multi-frequency machines going forward. So it does seem a little strange that they have now relaunched X-Terra series.

The X-Terra was a lineup of machines that supported several selectable single frequencies. But in order to change frequency you also needed to change coils. Not an ideal setup in today’s metal-detecting world. However, the X-Terra Pro also has selectable individual frequencies but without the need to change coils.

But why bring back the X-Terra name in a machine that is essentially already out of date and goes against everything Minelab has been saying over these past years?

Certainly, there are situations where one might want to use a single frequency rather than rely solely on simultaneous multi-frequency. But this feature is already available in the Equinox range all be it at a fairly high price point.

It is difficult to see where an “X-Terra Pro” fits into the current Minelab lineup. If the price is right though it could see off the Nokta Makro Simplex, Quest Q30 & Q60 and most certainly a whole slew of Garrett machines including the AT Pro and AT Max. The Garret Vortex is due in stores in September 2024. Check out our article here.

We did approach Minelab for comment and their response was somewhat ambiguous.

Before what we know now, that there was an X-TERRA PRO released early in Chine, Minelab’s customer care rep said “I am not aware of any new detector, though I have seen images you refer to on multiple forums.

Ok, but we already knew there had been no announcement of any new product since the launch of the Equinox 700/900.

If indeed there was no new X-Terra Pro would it not have been much clearer to simply state as much?

We die approach Minelab again for clarification but they did not respond.

What does the X-TERRA PRO offers in terms of features.

The Spec:

Search Modes: Park, Field, Beach
All-Metal Shortcut: Yes
Custom Search Profiles: 6
Operating Frequencies (kHz): Park and Field: 5, 10, 15 | Beach: 8
Noise Cancel: Auto (19 Channels)
Ground Balance: Auto, Manual, Tracking
Sensitivity: 1 to 25
Target Volume: 0 to 25
Threshold Level: 0 to 25
Threshold Pitch: Fixed
Target Identification (TID): 119 segment notch discrimination: Ferrous: -19 to 0 I Non-ferrous: 1 to 99
Target Tones: l, 2, 5, All Tones (At), Depth (dP)
Tone Break: Ferrous (FE)
Tone Volume: Tone 1 adjustable: 0 to 25
Recovery Speed: 1 to 3
Depth Indicator: 5 Levels
Discrimination Segments: 30 segments (in increments of 4 Target ID’s)
Pinpoint Mode: Yes
Wireless Audio: Yes (not Bluetooth. Requires proprietary Minelab ML85 headphones)
Length (approx.): Collapsed: 63 cm (25 in) Extended: 138 cm (54 in)
Weight (including batteries) 1.3 kg (2.9 lbs)
Display: Monochrome LCD
Display and Keypad Backlight (red): Off, High, Low
Flashlight: On, Off
Vibration (Master and Ferrous): On, Off
Supplied Coil: V12X 12″ Double-D Elliptical coil with skid plate
Audio Output: In-built loudspeaker, Wired 3.5 mm (1/8″) headphones, Wireless headphones
Battery: 3.7V/5100 mAh Internal Lithium-lon battery
Additional Included Accessories: Getting Started Guide, Charging Cable
Waterproof: 5m (16 ft) IP68
Operating Temperature Range: -10 to +40 degrees celcius (+14 to +104 Fahrenheit )
Storage Temperature Range: -20 to +70 degrees celcius (-40 to +158 degrees Fahrenheit)
Key Technologies: Pro-Switch™

This machine is essentialy an Equinox control panel with selectable single frequencies rather than Multi-IQ. Minelab has also released the X-TERRA ELITE which brings Multi-IQ into an Equinox type package and will eventually replace the Vanquish 540.

Let us know what you think in the comments section below. Or drop in on our Facebook Group and comment there.

[Edit: Since this article was written a lot has happened. The X-TERRA PRO has been on the market for well over a year. Minelab has released the X-TERRA ELITE and Nokta has released several new machines. See here for more details: https://treasurehuntingworld.com/minelab-x-terra-pro-complete-walk-through/

Current pricing for the X-TERRA PRO in the UK is £329/$299/€359 without the ML85 headphones.