Quest X10 IDMAXX Metal Detector with Wireless Headphones

The Quest X10 IDMAXX is the top model in Quest's compact X Series, for parks, fields, beaches and gold ground. It runs a single 12 kHz frequency on Quest's CVX Compact VLF platform, reads Target IDs from 0 to 99 on a two-digit readout and a ten-block ID arc, offers six tone profiles, and carries the 11 x 10 inch Blade11 TurboD Double-D coil. Quest rates it waterproof to 3 meters (10 feet). Ours comes with Quest's folding WireFree Lite wireless headphones, so you hear the tones from the first hunt.

What is in the box with the Quest X10 IDMAXX and WireFree Lite headphones

Quest's standard contents for the X10 IDMAXX with WireFree Lite headphones

• Quest X10 IDMAXX control box with backlit LCD and built-in speaker
• Quest WireFree Lite folding wireless headphones
• Collapsible Super3D aluminum rod set
• Armrest with elbow band
• Blade11 11 x 10 inch waterproof TurboD Double-D search coil with coil cover
• USB-C charging cable
• USB-C to 3.5 mm headphone adapter
• Quick start guide

Tones only help if you can hear them, and the WireFree Lite headphones put them in your ears with no cable to catch on your knee at every recovery. On a windy field or a busy park, you can follow the tones without staring at the display and decide which signals deserve a dig. Wireless audio does not add depth, but it makes a long day of recoveries easier.

The WireFree Lite connects over a digital 2.4 GHz link with about 60 milliseconds of latency, so the tone arrives while the coil is still over the target. The cups fold flat, the build is weatherproof, and the rechargeable battery runs up to 23 hours per charge and recharges over USB in about 2 hours. To pair, switch on the headphones, press the wireless button on the X10 control box so its blue light blinks, then press the headphone power button once; the blue light stays steady when they are paired.

The X10 is waterproof to 3 meters (10 feet). We would keep wireless headphones on dry land and use headphones made for underwater use when the detector goes under. More options are in our metal detector headphones.

Who the Quest X10 IDMAXX suits

What we like about the Quest X10 IDMAXX is that it takes the X Series idea further with a larger coil and more ways to set it up. It keeps the single 12 kHz frequency of the X5 and adds the 11 x 10 inch Blade11 Double-D coil.

Quest X10 IDMAXX modes and controls

Quest gives the X10 four search modes, each starting at sensitivity 60:

• Field: rejects Target IDs below 20 and runs a fast recovery speed, for smaller objects in open areas with little interference.
• Gold: no discrimination, for gold and meteorites, and the only mode with an adjustable threshold, the constant background audio.
• Park: rejects Target IDs under 40, for copper and silver coins and currency.
• User: stores your own settings and starts out rejecting IDs below 20.

Target IDs run from 0 to 99, with iron lowest, then gold, nickel and copper, and silver and aluminum highest. The two-digit readout sits over a Target ID arc of ten blocks, each covering 10 IDs. The gear button opens sensitivity, discrimination (accept or reject individual IDs from 1 to 99), threshold and tones. Press and hold the ground balance button and pump the coil to balance automatically, or set ground balance manually, and hold pinpoint and criss-cross the target to center it.

Six tone profiles shape the audio. C1 is a single tone, C2 gives iron a low tone and everything else a medium tone, and C3 splits iron (low), gold, nickel and copper (medium) and silver and aluminum (high). C4 gives iron plus three tones, C5 gives iron plus four tones, and C6 is a linear tone that follows signal strength.

Frequency shift moves the operating frequency away from a nearby detector or a noisy power line: hold the ground balance button and press the volume buttons. The volume down button also switches on vibration. One press of the light button turns on the orange LCD backlight, a second press the flashlight, and a third turns both off.

The internal 1000 mAh lithium-polymer battery charges in around 4 hours over USB-C from a standard 5 V USB charger, power bank or solar charger, and Quest rates it at 30 hours on the speaker or 34 hours with wired headphones. To restore the factory settings, power off and hold the power touchpad for 5 seconds. The Super3D shaft is a four-section, non-rotational telescopic rod from 46 to 130 cm (18 to 51 inch) that folds flat for the ride home. After a beach or underwater hunt, rinse the detector and keep the audio protection cap on; Quest's warranty does not cover sand in the connector.

Settings that matter on the Quest X10 IDMAXX

The larger coil: in a broad field where targets lie far apart, a larger coil covers more ground per sweep and makes searching more efficient. We would not call it better in dense iron, though.

The User program: the X10 adds a User mode next to Field, Gold and Park. Picture a combination of settings that works well at your favorite park: the User mode lets you go back to it without setting everything up again. We like that for anyone who detects regularly.

Tone profiles: profiles C3 to C5 split targets into three to five tone groups, which helps an experienced detectorist tell target groups apart without looking at the display all the time. Tones are not a final identification, though; dig the signals that repeat.

X10 or X5: we lean toward the X10 for someone who mostly searches larger, open areas and wants the User program. The X5 makes more sense when maneuverability, compact size and a lower cost matter more.

One mistake to avoid with the Quest X10 IDMAXX

Assuming the larger coil always goes deeper. It does not guarantee more depth on every target, and in trashy ground a smaller coil can give more usable signals.

Our recommendation on the Quest X10 IDMAXX

We recommend the X10 to detectorists who want a versatile, rechargeable detector for general searching. What we like most is the combination of broad ground coverage, a custom User program and straightforward target ID.

Quest X5 IDMAXX or X10 IDMAXX

The two share one platform and the same 12 kHz frequency; the X10 adds the larger Blade11 coil, a User mode, a ten-segment Target ID scale and wireless headphone support.

Quest X10 IDMAXX specifications

Quest's 2-year manufacturer warranty covers the X10 IDMAXX and the WireFree Lite headphones, and as an authorized Quest dealer we help with any warranty question.

Every Quest detector, coil and accessory we carry is in our Quest metal detectors collection.