Metal Detector Settings And How To use Them Correctly

As an experienced metal detectorist, I know that the right settings for your metal detector can make a big difference in your success.

Understanding these settings helps you find valuable items more easily and avoid wasting time on junk. You should adjust your settings based on where and when you are searching, such as beaches, parks, or old battlefields.

In this guide, I shared the key settings for gold along with other settings you need to know to maximize your finds and make the most of your metal-detecting adventures. If these settings have worked wonders for me, they can likely help you discover gold and other precious metals too.

8 Metal Detector Settings For Gold

When searching for gold, it’s essential to have the right settings on your metal detector.

Gold can be tricky to find because it often hides in mineral-rich soils. Using the correct gold settings on your metal detector makes it easier to find gold nuggets or gold relics and helps you avoid wasting time on other metals.

Key Settings for Gold Detection

1. Mode

Many detectors have a special “Gold” or “Prospecting” mode. If your device has this, it’s a great place to start. If not, the “All Metal” mode is your next best bet.

GoldXtra’s TGX-PRO is the only metal detector in the world with a unique dedicated “Gold Mode” program. This mode accurately and precisely detects buried gold treasures by eliminating other types of metal.

2. Sensitivity For Gold

Explanation of Sensitivity and Its Impact: Sensitivity settings let you control how deep and accurate the detector can find small pieces of gold. Higher sensitivity means it can detect smaller pieces but may pick up more “noise” from the ground.

Recommended Sensitivity Levels for Gold: Start with medium to high sensitivity. Adjust as needed based on the amount of interference you get from the ground.

Tips for Adjusting Sensitivity in Various Environments: In clean, non-mineralized ground, I always use higher sensitivity. In highly mineralized or trashy areas, you should lower the sensitivity to reduce noise.

3. Ground Balance

Importance of Ground Balance in Gold Detecting: Ground balance helps the detector ignore the natural minerals in the soil, so it can focus on finding gold.

How to Manually and Automatically Set Ground Balance:
- Manual: Follow the instructions on your detector to adjust until the background noise is minimized.
- Automatic: Many detectors have an auto ground balance feature that does this for you.

Adjusting Ground Balance for Different Soil Types:
- Mineralized Soil: Use a low ground balance setting.
- Sandy Soil: Use a higher ground balance setting.

4. Frequency

Frequency and Its Relevance to Gold Detection: Frequency refers to how often the detector sends signals into the ground. Gold likes higher frequencies. If your detector lets you change frequency, try setting it higher. This helps find smaller gold pieces better.

My Recommended Frequency Settings for Different Gold Sizes and Depths:
- Small, Shallow Gold: Use a high frequency (above 30 kHz).
- Large, Deep Gold: Use a lower frequency (around 1-20 kHz).

Learn here in detail about the detector’s frequency for gold

How to Change Frequency Settings on Popular Metal Detectors: Check your detector’s manual. There is usually a setting or mode button to adjust the frequency.

5. Discrimination

Discrimination helps the detector ignore unwanted metals like iron or aluminum and focus on valuable metals like gold.

Recommended Discrimination Settings to Avoid Unwanted Metals:
- Set discrimination to a low level to avoid most junk metals but still find gold.

Balancing Discrimination with Sensitivity for Optimal Results:
- Too much discrimination can make you miss gold, so keep it low.
- Balance by testing settings in different environments to find the best combination.

Here’s a trick – for gold, you actually want to turn discrimination down or off. Gold can sometimes look like junk to your detector, so it’s better to dig more and be sure you’re not missing any gold.

6. Threshold

This is the background hum you hear. For gold, you want to hear a slight, steady hum. It helps you catch faint signals from small gold pieces.

7. Volume

Keep it comfortable, but loud enough to hear small signals. Some detectors let you boost the volume for weak signals, which can be great for tiny gold nuggets.

8. Use the Right Coil

The search coil is an important component when detecting gold. A small mono coil might be more effective for locating small gold coins in shallow ground due to its greater sensitivity.

However, these smaller coils don’t cover as much ground or search as deeply as larger coils. Also, if you are interested in finding gold relics at greater depth you need a larger coil. Choose the coil that can fulfill your requirements and the specific conditions of your search area.

Understanding Gold Types

It’s important to know that gold comes in different sizes so that you can adjust the settings accordingly:

Tiny gold nuggets: These are small, natural pieces of gold.
Gold coins: Larger than nuggets and usually found near the surface.
Gold relics: Things like old gold statues or jewelry.
Big treasures: Think of a chest full of gold coins (wouldn’t that be awesome?).

Each type might need slightly different settings, but don’t worry – we’ll cover the basics that work for most gold hunting.

Understanding Your Metal Detector For Gold Hunting

Different Detectors For Gold Hunting (VLF, PI, Hybrid)

VLF (Very Low Frequency): Best for smaller gold nuggets. They are sensitive and can detect tiny pieces of gold.
PI (Pulse Induction): Better for larger, deeper gold nuggets. They work well in highly mineralized soils but are less sensitive to small pieces.
Hybrid: Combines features of both VLF and PI detectors, offering versatility for different types of gold detecting. Here is the comparison of PI Vs VLF For your better understanding,

Tips for Successful Gold Hunting

Try your settings out in areas where you know there’s gold (or bury some test pieces) to see how your detector responds.
Gold hunting often means digging more holes and finding less at first. But when you do find gold, it’s super exciting!
Each metal detector is a bit different. Spend time getting to know yours and how it reacts to gold.
If you’re in a place with lots of trash, you might need to adjust your settings to deal with that.
While you’re focusing on gold, you might find other cool stuff too. Sometimes, these other finds can be just as valuable or interesting!

Remember, there’s no perfect setting that works everywhere for all types of gold. You’ll need to adjust based on where you are and what kind of gold you’re looking for. The key is to experiment and have fun!

Essential Metal Detector Settings

Other than gold-specific settings here are metal detector settings in general which you should also understand.

1. Discrimination Settings:

Let’s talk about the discrimination feature on your metal detector. No, it’s not about being unfair to certain metals. It’s way cooler than that.

Think of it as your metal detector’s way of ignoring stuff you don’t care about, like rusty nails, so you can focus on the cool stuff like coins and jewelry.

Here is a detailed guide on how to adjust the metal detector discrimination settings.

I always suggest using this feature, especially if you’re in an area with lots of trash. It’s like having your own electronic guide that points you to the treasures and away from the trash.

2. Sensitivity Settings:

Understanding the sensitivity settings on your metal detector is super important. It’s what lets your detector sense objects buried deep down. Increase sensitivity, and your detector becomes a deep-seeking hero, finding metals that are way underground.

But be careful – too much sensitivity, and you might get tricked by mineral-rich soil or other random stuff.

I recommend adjusting it just right, so you don’t miss out on deep treasures or get too many false alarms.

3. Threshold and Volume:

In metal detecting, a little background noise can be a good thing. That’s what threshold is all about. It’s this steady hum that helps you hear even the faintest beep from something valuable.

Threshold: Imagine it as a background hum you hear constantly while using the detector. This hum indicates the detector’s electronic noise floor.

Volume: This controls the overall loudness of all sounds coming from the detector, including the threshold hum and target signals.

Here’s how they work together:

Target Signals: When the detector encounters metal, it produces a distinct sound (beep, tone) on top of the threshold hum. This higher-pitched sound indicates a potential treasure!

Adjusting Threshold: By adjusting the threshold level, you can control the faintness or loudness of the background hum. A higher threshold means a quieter hum, making it easier to hear faint target signals. However, setting it too high might cause you to miss weak signals altogether.

Tips for Threshold and Volume:

Start with a low threshold setting and gradually increase it until you can hear a faint hum.
Adjust the volume to a comfortable level for your ears.
In quiet environments, you can use a lower threshold to hear faint target signals.
In noisy environments, you might need a slightly higher threshold to distinguish target signals from background noise.

4. Built-in Pinpointer Settings:

The built-in pinpointer in your metal detector is like having a detective’s assistant. It’s there to tell you exactly where to dig.

Adjusting its depth and sensitivity is key to making sure you’re not missing anything. It’s like having a loyal friend who makes sure you look in all the right places.

5. False Tone Settings:

Learning in-depth about false tone settings will definitely help you to reduce them. False alarms on a metal detector can be super annoying. It’s like someone’s playing ding dong ditch on you.

But, by tweaking your detector’s reactivity and discrimination, you can reduce these false beeps. It’s like having a security system that filters out the pranks, so you only pay attention to the real deal.

6. Notch Filter Settings:

Imagine you’re out searching for treasure, but your metal detector keeps alerting you to bottle caps instead of gold jewelry. This is where notch filters come in handy! They act like a sieve on your detector, filtering out unwanted signals from specific types of metals.

How Notch Filters Work:

Discrimination vs. Notch Filtering:

Discrimination: This feature lets you ignore broad categories of metals, like iron or aluminum.

Notch Filtering: Notch filters are more precise. They can target a narrow range of metal conductivity (how well a metal conducts electricity) and block signals from those specific metals.

Benefits of Notch Filters:

1. Less Junk, More Treasure:

By ignoring unwanted signals from things like bottle caps and pull tabs, you can focus on detecting valuable items.

2. More Efficient Hunting:

With fewer false alarms, you spend less time digging up trash and more time finding potential treasures.

3. Unmasking Hidden Targets:

Sometimes valuable items are hidden by stronger signals from nearby junk metal. Notch filters help reveal these hidden treasures.

By using notch filters, you can make your treasure hunting more effective and enjoyable. Happy hunting!!

Advanced Metal Detector Settings

1. Iron Bias:

Ever felt that disappointment when you dig up an old nail instead of something cool like a coin? You’re not alone! Here’s where Iron Bias comes to the rescue.

Think of it as a way to tell your metal detector, “Hey, let’s ignore those pesky iron pieces like nails.”

By setting your Iron Bias right, you can skip over those unwanted ferrous items. This way, you’re more likely to find the good stuff, like coins or jewelry.

I suggest playing around with this setting to find the optimum level where you’re not missing out on the good finds but also not digging up every bit of iron junk.

2. Ground Balance:

Ground Balance is like your metal detector’s truth serum. It helps your detector see through the ground’s ‘lies’ – which are really just minerals messing with your signals.

Different soils have different mineral levels, which can confuse your detector and make it beep like crazy, even when there’s no metal to be found.

By adjusting the Ground Balance , you help your detector understand what’s really down there. It’s like clearing up foggy glasses – suddenly, your detector can see the real treasures more clearly.

From my experience, tweaking this setting to match the ground you’re searching on can make a huge difference in finding what you’re really after.

3. Recovery Speed:

Let’s talk about Recovery Speed – it’s like your metal detector’s reflexes. Think of it as how fast it can react.

When you set it to a high recovery speed, it’s like becoming a metal-detecting pro, able to spot lots of things close together really quickly.

But, here’s the catch: if you set it too high, you might miss out on finding things buried deeper. So, the key is finding the right balance between speed and depth.

4. Target ID :

In the world of metal detecting, think of the Target ID as your secret decoder. It helps guess the kind of metal you’ve found based on how well it conducts electricity.

It’s like playing a guessing game at a carnival, wondering if you’ll uncover the usual suspects or something totally unexpected!

So understanding the target ID will help you to precisely recognize the metal type instead of guessing.

5. Modes

Each mode on your metal detector, like all metal, coins, or beach, is like a personalized guide. These modes are your roadmap to finding specific metals, but they’re not always spot-on.

They’re like a rough guide that you need to tweak to suit your own needs. So, don’t be afraid to adjust these settings based on what you’re looking for.

Metal Detector Settings for Specific Terrains

Metal Detector Settings For Beach:

Ever dreamed of finding hidden treasures on the beach? With the right adjustments, like tweaking the Ground Balance and Sensitivity, your detector can ignore confusing signals from saltwater and focus on the real treasures buried in the sand.

Park Settings:

No need to become a soil expert, but having a basic understanding of the soil in parks can really help.

Adjust your Discrimination and Ground Balance settings to match the park’s unique soil type, and you’ll have a better chance of finding something cool.

Field Settings:

Exploring a field is like walking on a blank canvas, full of potential finds. Keep your Sensitivity high for deeper detection and use a quick Recovery Speed to cover more ground.

It’s all about turning vast spaces into your personal treasure trove!

Optimizing Metal Detector Settings for Different Targets

Metal Detector Settings for Coins and Jewelry:

Hunting for coins and jewelry is about striking the right balance. Set your Discrimination just right to ignore trash but still catch gold items. A comfortable Sensitivity setting is your secret ingredient to discovering someone’s lost coin or jewelry!

Relic Hunting:

Relic hunting is like stepping back in time. Increase your Sensitivity for those deeper finds and lower Discrimination to catch faint signals.

A slower Recovery Speed can help you pinpoint those historical items that are waiting to tell their story.

What are the best metal detector settings for beginners?”

As a newbie, you should probably start with factory pre-set modes.

A moderate level of Sensitivity and a lower Discrimination setting can be a good start. And remember, it’s all about getting to know your device. Before you know it, you’ll be fine-tuning settings like a pro!

How should you adjust your metal detector for different soil types?”

Soil types definitely require some tweaking in settings. In mineralized soils, you might need to lower your Sensitivity.

And your Ground Balance is crucial here—it can help you tune out misleading mineral signals.

Why isn’t your metal detector finding anything even with the right settings?”

This could be due to many reasons—from highly mineralized ground to your device’s coil not being properly aligned with the ground.

Your detector is much like a loyal pet; sometimes it needs a bit of love, care, and calibration!

What is the recommended sensitivity setting for detecting small objects?”

When it comes to small objects, it’s best to find a Sensitivity setting that allows your detector to reach the maximum depth without causing too much chatter or false signals.

But remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all here. Experiment and finesse your settings to find what works best for you! Now, go out there and claim your treasures.

Conclusion:

Metal detecting is a mix of science and adventure. Don’t be afraid to adjust your settings. If you find only bottle caps today, change your settings and try again tomorrow. It’s all part of the fun!

Every metal detector is different. Learning how yours works is important. Get to know its features and quirks to improve your chances of finding treasures.

Metal detectors are always improving with new technology. Keep an eye out for updates that can make your treasure hunting even better. The next big advancement might help you find something amazing!

Howard rockse

Hey there, I am Howard a deeply committed individual who likes to share my knowledge and insights in this field, having spent over ten years as a metal detectorist.

My experience with GoldXtra Detector has allowed me to provide trustworthy and informative advice to both new and experienced metal-detecting enthusiasts. I’m committed to assisting others in exploring and enjoying the world of metal detecting with the same enthusiasm and dedication that I have.

Howard Rockse
Senior Content Writer at GoldXtra

Metal Detector Settings You Must Know