Independently researched Settings Guide
Garrett AT Max Settings for gold
AT Max is a 13.6 kHz all-terrain detector with True All-Metal mode and high-resolution ground balance. It can find gold, but jewelry hunting and natural-nugget prospecting require different expectations.
Bottom line
Use True All-Metal for nuggets; use a broad discrimination mode for jewelry
For natural gold, ground balance carefully, select True All-Metal, use a faint audible threshold and the highest stable sensitivity. For park jewelry, use Zero or Custom with low iron rejection and dig repeatable low/mid conductors.
Field setup
Starting points—not universal presets
| Situation | Mode / baseline | First adjustment | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gold, mild ground | True All-Metal | Faint threshold; high stable sensitivity | Test small lead/gold-size target |
| Mineralized gold ground | True All-Metal | Ground Balance Window/precise balance | Expect hot rocks and reduced depth |
| Park gold jewelry | Zero or broad Custom | Low iron discrimination | Dig tab/foil-range targets |
| Saltwater jewelry | Discrim mode, reduced sensitivity | Manual balance as stable | AT Max is single-frequency; wet salt is difficult |
Adjustment method
Test the setting instead of copying it
Define the gold
Natural nuggets and jewelry are not the same search.
Ground balance
FastTrack first; refine manually if ground response remains.
Open the audio
True All-Metal for nuggets; broad Zero/Custom for jewelry.
Test tiny targets
Reduce sensitivity only enough to control ground/EMI noise.
Decision analysis
What actually changes the result
“Gold setting” is ambiguous. A gold ring behaves as a compact conductive target; a sub-gram nugget in mineralized ground demands threshold-based prospecting and careful balance.
13.6 kHz is versatile, not specialist-high-frequency. AT Max can find nuggets large/shallow enough to respond, but dedicated gold detectors commonly offer greater small-gold sensitivity or pulse-induction ground handling.
Iron Audio is a diagnostic tool. In All-Metal it can expose classified iron, but leaving it constantly active in heavy ground may create fatigue. Use it to inspect, not to replace digging tests.
FAQ
Seven questions specific to this detector
Can Garrett AT Max find natural gold nuggets?
Yes when nuggets are large/shallow enough, but 13.6 kHz AT Max is not a dedicated small-gold specialist.
What mode should AT Max use for nuggets?
True All-Metal provides maximum depth and threshold information; balance to the ground before raising sensitivity.
What threshold should I use?
A barely audible, steady threshold that makes small rises and dips noticeable without masking faint signals.
What discrimination is best for gold jewelry?
Use Zero or a broad Custom pattern with little iron rejection; gold overlaps foil and pull-tab conductivity.
Should Iron Audio stay on while prospecting?
Use it to interrogate signals and iron, but constant use may be fatiguing and does not eliminate uncertainty.
Is AT Max good on wet ocean salt?
It can be stabilized by lowering sensitivity and careful balance, but its single 13.6 kHz platform is not the best regular wet-salt choice.
Does maximum sensitivity find the smallest gold?
Only if stable. Ground noise and EMI at maximum can conceal the faint response you are trying to hear.
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Use stable, repeatable settings
Record the mode, coil, firmware and ground conditions that work at your own sites.