Hey guys, Scott here from the Mental Metal Channel and MentalMetalDetecting.com. Today, I’m finally putting into writing something that a lot of you have been asking for my beach settings for the Minelab Manticore. I did a video last year walking through all this, but I never followed it up with a written guide—until now.
So if you’re new to beach detecting or just picked up a Manticore and are looking for a reliable setup to start with, you’re in the right place. These are the exact settings I use when I head out for some treasure hunting in the wet sand or surf.
✅ Compatible Software Version
First things first: make sure your Manticore is running version 6.20.0-3.71. That’s the version these settings are based on. If you’re not sure or need to update, head over to Minelab’s site and grab the latest version before getting started.
🔧 My Go-To Settings for the Beach
Let’s jump into the core setup I use. I start out in Beach Low Conductors mode. It’s my favorite for wet sand and dry sand hunting—perfect for chasing gold targets. But I’ve also set a soft key on the bottom right corner of my machine that lets me quickly switch to Surf and Seawater mode. This comes in super handy when my coil starts getting chatty in the surf. One press of that button, and the machine quiets down right away.
🌊 Ground Balance
I use tracking ground balance. There’s an old school belief that tracking might slow down your machine or make you miss targets. Not true anymore—these machines have evolved. Tracking helps adjust to the ever-changing salt conditions on the beach and keeps your machine stable.
If for some reason the beach you’re on is still a bit noisy, try switching tracking off and doing a manual ground balance with a noise cancel.
⚙️ Recovery Speed & Sensitivity
- Recovery Speed: I keep it between 4 and 5. The beaches I hunt aren’t super trashy, so there’s no need to go higher. If you’re in a heavily littered area, you might want to bump it up.
- Sensitivity: I usually run between 19 and 20. You can go higher, but the machine tends to get chatty. Don’t worry—at 18 or 19, you’re still getting great depth. I’ve pulled up gold rings at these levels with no issue.
🎧 Audio Setup: Tone Strategy
This is where I do things a little differently. I use 2 Region All Tones, not just your standard 2-tone.
- Tone 1: ID 0–1, pitch set to 15
- Tone 2: ID 2–99, pitch set to 30–50 (it scales up automatically)
This setup gives me a smooth gradient between low and high targets. The higher the number, the sweeter the tone—ideal for catching those gold rings!
Both tone volumes are set to 25, and I use the medium audio profile. For the audio theme, I switch between Normal and Enhanced. I like the crisp feedback from Enhanced, especially when paired with my Killer B headphones. These headphones are game changers—they cut out background noise like a champ, which means I don’t have to crank my ferrous volume as high anymore.
🧲 Ferrous Settings & All Metal Mode
I hunt in All Metal Mode most of the time on the beach. That means I’m hearing everything, which is exactly what you want when you’re after gold.
- Ferrous Limits: 5 (upper) and 0 (lower)
- Ferrous Volume: I set it at 13, but that’s just personal preference. I used to run it at 18 before switching to Killer Bs.
- Discrimination Pattern: I don’t use one—again, I want to hear it all.
🔊 Threshold & Boost
- Threshold Level: I use 8, just to keep a faint hum going. It helps me know the machine’s working, especially during those long dry spells between targets.
- Underwater Boost: Only turn this on if you’re using the Minelab waterproof headphones. Without them, it’ll blast your ears off. But with those dull-sounding yellow headphones, the boost really helps bring clarity to targets underwater.
⭐ Soft Key Favorite Mode – The Game Changer
One of the best tips I can give you: set up your favorite mode on the soft key. I’ve got mine toggling between Beach Low Conductors and Surf & Seawater. This lets me bounce between dry/wet sand hunting and surf hunting with just one button press—no menu diving needed. Super efficient, especially when you’re working the tide line.
🎯 Final Thoughts
These settings have worked incredibly well for me. I’ve pulled multiple gold rings with the Manticore using this exact setup. Between this and the Deus II, I’ve got a solid one-two punch for beach hunting, but I’ve found the Manticore edges it out for gold. That’s just my opinion—but the results speak for themselves.
Whether you’re new to the Manticore or just want to tweak your beach setup, I hope this breakdown helps you get the most out of your hunts. And remember—when in doubt, dig it out.
If you’ve got questions, feel free to drop a comment or hit me up on the site. Rocky and I will catch you in the next Mental Metal adventure.
Happy hunting!
– Scott
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