Independently researched Settings Guide
Garrett AT Max Settings for beach
AT Max is waterproof and includes manual ground control, but its single 13.6 kHz design is much easier in dry sand and freshwater than conductive wet ocean salt.
Bottom line
Use Zero mode on dry/freshwater beaches; detune deliberately on wet salt
Ground balance in the exact zone, use Zero or Custom with low iron discrimination, keep sensitivity below chatter and cross-sweep targets. On wet ocean salt, reduce sensitivity and manually offset balance only enough to stabilize.
Field setup
Starting points—not universal presets
| Situation | Baseline | Action | Caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry ocean sand | Zero | Iron Disc 0–20 | High stable sensitivity |
| Freshwater beach/wading | Zero | Fresh ground balance | Waterproof headphones when submerged |
| Wet salt line | Zero/Custom | Manual balance offset; lower sensitivity | Slow sweep and constant coil height |
| Iron-heavy patch | Custom | Moderate Iron Disc + Iron Audio checks | Avoid maximum 44 rejection |
Method
Use a controlled workflow
Classify the beach
Dry/freshwater and wet ocean salt are different ground.
Balance in place
FastTrack first; refine manually where salt/ground remains audible.
Open the pattern
Zero or broad Custom protects jewelry conductivity.
Lower sensitivity first
Stability is more useful than a noisy maximum.
Decision analysis
What actually changes the result
Waterproof is not salt processing. AT Max can submerge, but single-frequency conductive-salt response remains the core limitation.
Manual balance can quiet salt at a cost. An offset that reduces falsing can also reduce sensitivity to weak targets. Record the compromise rather than treating it as a free improvement.
Gold jewelry overlaps trash. Foil and tabs cannot be rejected without sacrificing some rings, earrings and chains.
FAQ
Seven questions specific to this page
What AT Max mode is best for beach hunting?
Zero is the broad baseline; use Custom only after measuring which accepted/rejected ranges fit the site.
Is AT Max good in saltwater?
It can be stabilized, but its single 13.6 kHz architecture is less capable than modern SMF salt modes.
What sensitivity should I use on wet salt?
The highest level that stays quiet enough to hear repeatable weak targets.
Should I ground balance at each beach zone?
Yes. Recheck after moving between dry sand, wet salt and water.
How much Iron Discrimination should I use?
Keep it low initially; increase only for a measured iron problem because mixed valuables can be clipped.
Should Iron Audio stay on?
Use it to interrogate questionable signals; continuous use in dense iron can create fatigue.
Can supplied MS-3 headphones go underwater?
No. Use Garrett-compatible waterproof wired headphones for submerged detecting.
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Use evidence, not copied numbers
Record the conditions and keep only repeatable results.