Start with Coins Mode at medium sensitivity (level 4-5) and Multi-Frequency, then adjust iron volume to 1-2 for clearer target separation. Run Noise Cancel by holding power for 8 seconds, then cycle through channels 1-8 to minimize EMI interference. Perform ground balance by pumping your coil until background noise fades—typically landing at 84-90 in mineralized soil. Switch to 5 kHz for deep silver, 20 kHz for small gold, or 10-15 kHz for balanced versatility. The sections below break down each adjustment for maximum depth and target accuracy.
Key Takeaways
- Start with medium sensitivity (levels 7-8 for depth) and adjust gradually based on ground conditions to avoid chatter and false signals.
- Use Multi-Frequency mode for unknown targets; switch to 5 kHz for depth, 20 kHz for small gold, 10-15 kHz for balanced performance.
- Perform ground balance by pumping the coil until background noise fades, especially after sensitivity adjustments or changing site conditions.
- Set Iron Volume to 1-2 for target contrast and overall volume to level 7; toggle Iron Audio for distinct ferrous identification.
- Combat EMI by holding power 8 seconds for Noise Cancel, cycling through 8 channels, or switching from Multi-Frequency to single frequencies.
Understanding the Six Detection Modes
The Garrett Apex operates through six distinct detection modes, each engineered for specific hunting scenarios and target types. Zero Mode accepts all target IDs without discrimination, delivering complete audio feedback—you’ll maximize detection in unfamiliar territory.
Zero Mode delivers undiscriminated detection across all target IDs, making it ideal for comprehensive sweeps in unexplored hunting grounds.
Coins Mode optimizes multi-flex frequencies for general coin hunting with preset discrimination patterns.
US Coins Mode targets American denominations specifically, displaying recognizable coin icons while operating at 5-20 kHz.
Jewelry Mode concentrates on high and low-conductive targets, boosting sensitivity for rings and chains at 20 kHz.
Relics Mode broadens target acceptance for historical context discoveries, handling mineralized soils with 175-point ground balance.
Custom Mode lets you define parameters independently, preserving cultural significance finds through personalized discrimination settings. The hi-resolution discrimination system provides twenty pixels for precise target identification, including eight dedicated pixels for iron targets.
Each mode employs the detector’s hybrid audio system and backlit LCD for field identification. The detector features direct drive buttons that provide quick access to frequently used functions and settings.
Customizing Your Detector Settings
Once you’ve selected your detection mode, you’ll need to enhance the Apex’s adjustable parameters to match your hunting environment and target priorities. Access the menu button to adjust these core settings while maintaining optimal battery life:
- Iron Volume (0-8): Set to 1-2 for iron field identification, 2-3 in scrap-heavy sites, or zero to eliminate chatter in multi-frequency mode. When iron audio is toggled on, iron targets produce a grunt sound instead of a low tone.
- Frequency Selection: Toggle between MF, MF Sand, 5, 10, 15, or 20 kHz—use 5 kHz for large silver/copper, 20 kHz for gold jewelry.
- Channel Settings (1-8): Shift frequencies to counter EMI from power lines or nearby detectors.
- Discrimination Patterns: Save custom notches in Custom mode, rejecting iron ranges while preserving target sensitivity. Test your adjustments after each change to ensure optimal performance before moving to the next parameter.
Custom mode retains your configurations after power cycles. Maximize volume with accessory options like headphones for clearest target identification.
Optimizing Sensitivity Levels for Different Conditions
You’ll need to adjust your Apex’s eight sensitivity levels based on site conditions to maximize target detection while maintaining stable operation.
Start at medium sensitivity as your baseline, then make gradual adjustments while testing performance between each change.
When you encounter electrical interference or mineralized soil, reduce sensitivity incrementally.
For deeper targets in quiet sites, increase it systematically while monitoring detector behavior.
After adjusting sensitivity, perform ground balance in a clean area by holding the GND BAL button and pumping your coil until the background sound fades.
Adjusting for Deep Targets
When hunting deep targets with the Garrett Apex, sensitivity adjustment becomes your primary control for reaching maximum detection depth while maintaining stable operation. You’ll need to push sensitivity to higher levels—typically 7 or 8—to enhance weak signals from coin-sized objects buried beyond standard ranges.
However, ground conditions dictate your practical ceiling.
Deep Target Configuration Protocol:
- Maximize sensitivity incrementally until subtle chatter appears, then reduce one level for stable threshold.
- Maintain proper coil orientation by keeping it parallel and close to ground surface—critical for waterproof features when working shorelines or shallow water.
- Monitor audio signals over ID numbers since deep targets produce inconsistent numerical readings but distinctive tonal responses.
- Rebalance ground settings after sensitivity changes to prevent false signals that mask legitimate depth targets.
The Apex’s multi-frequency technology enables superior performance in challenging environments where single-frequency detectors struggle with depth penetration. Keep in mind that higher sensitivity settings will increase noise level during hunts, a tradeoff necessary for achieving the maximum detection depth that reveals deeply buried treasures.
Reducing Electrical Interference
Electrical interference transforms a productive hunt into a frustrating exercise in distinguishing phantom signals from genuine targets. Your Apex offers multiple countermeasures. Start by holding the power button for 8 seconds near the interference source—power lines, fences, or neighboring detectors—triggering noise cancel with a double beep confirmation.
Cycle through the 8 channels per frequency band to locate the quietest option for current EMI conditions. Switch from Multi-Frequency to single frequency modes (5, 10, 15, or 20 kHz) when electrical noise overwhelms detection.
Proper coil orientations minimize interference pickup—avoid parallel alignment with power lines. Check battery maintenance regularly, as weak power amplifies susceptibility to EMI. The Apex’s built-in lithium-ion battery provides extended use and maintains consistent power delivery to reduce interference susceptibility. Perform ground balancing after noise cancel to eliminate mineralization-based false signals. When EMI remains problematic despite frequency adjustments, reducing sensitivity settings can restore stable operation while maintaining adequate target detection in heavily affected areas. These adjustments restore signal clarity without compromising target detection capability.
Testing Between Sensitivity Changes
How do you determine if your current sensitivity setting balances depth and stability for your hunting conditions? You’ll test methodically after each adjustment to verify real-world performance gains without sacrificing operational stability.
Field Testing Protocol:
- Baseline scan: Sweep your coil 1 inch above ground at 3 feet/second over known targets, establishing detection depth before changes.
- Adjustment verification: Make single-bar sensitivity changes, then retest identical targets to measure depth versus noise trade-offs.
- Multi-angle confirmation: Swing from multiple directions over targets—inconsistent ID signals indicate you’ve exceeded stable sensitivity thresholds.
- Session endurance: Monitor coil ergonomics and battery management throughout extended hunts; excessive sensitivity drains power faster while demanding constant coil control that causes operator fatigue. Higher sensitivity does not necessarily equate to greater depth, so prioritize signal clarity over maximum settings.
Factory defaults provide your starting point—you’ll build outward from there based on measured results.
Managing Audio and Iron Volume
The Garrett Apex delivers exceptional audio control through its dual-layer volume system, separating ferrous and non-ferrous target responses into independently adjustable channels. You’ll access eight volume levels through the menu button sequence: Sensitivity, Volume, then Iron Volume. Set your overall volume to level 7 while dropping Iron Volume to 1-2 for maximum contrast between target types.
The dedicated Iron Audio button toggles the distinctive iron tone “grunt” sound, functioning only with notched discrimination blocks—not in Zero Discrimination mode. This reveals masked targets through Low-High-Low double signals.
The audio thresholds separate low iron tones from higher non-ferrous responses, letting you hunt iron-contaminated sites without constant chatter. You’ll hear what matters while maintaining awareness of problematic ferrous interference that could hide valuable finds.
Selecting the Right Frequency for Your Target
Beyond audio refinement lies another powerful tool for target discrimination: frequency selection. The Apex offers four single frequencies (5, 10, 15, 20 kHz) plus two multi-frequency modes, each optimized for specific target conductivity profiles.
Mastering frequency selection transforms the Apex from a general detector into a precision instrument tailored for your specific hunting objectives.
Frequency Selection Strategy:
- 5 kHz – Maximize depth on large, high-conductive targets like silver coins and military relics; ignore smaller objects when you’re hunting worked-over sites.
- 20 kHz – Detect tiny gold nuggets, thin hammered coins, and low-conductivity targets in mineralized soil or high-interference environments.
- 10-15 kHz – Balance sensitivity and depth for general-purpose hunting across varied target sizes with quieter operation than multi-frequency.
- Standard MF – Scan all frequencies simultaneously when target types are unknown; maximize signal coverage without optimization compromises in varied conditions.
Configuring Channels to Reduce Interference
When electromagnetic interference disrupts your detector’s stability, switching between the Apex’s eight independent channels delivers immediate noise reduction without sacrificing your optimized frequency settings. Channel selection addresses cross-talk from nearby detectors, overhead power lines, and environmental EMF sources that vary by location.
Access channels through your Menu button, then systematically test each option to identify the quietest performance at your hunting site. When detecting alongside others, distribute assignments strategically—position one operator on channel one, another on four, a third on seven. This prevents frequency overlap between units operating simultaneously.
Document which channels perform best at frequently visited locations.
Interference management becomes critical when hunting with groups or in EMF-affected areas, ensuring you’ll maintain detection depth and target identification accuracy regardless of external electromagnetic conditions.
Working With Ground Balance in Mineralized Soil
Mineralized soil generates electromagnetic signatures that mimic metal targets, forcing your Apex to neutralize this ground feedback through precise ground balancing. Your detector offers 175 resolution points spanning ferrous ground to saltwater conditions, with quarter increments from 75-100 for fine-tuning in intense mineralization.
Ground balancing with 175 resolution points eliminates false signals from mineralized soil, ensuring your Apex distinguishes genuine targets from electromagnetic ground interference.
Ground balancing techniques for field success:
- Select clean soil using your pinpointer, press GND BAL, and pump the coil two inches off ground until background noise disappears.
- Deploy 5 kHz frequency on heavily mineralized terrain to penetrate deeper while reducing false signals.
- Rebalance every hour or when soil composition changes—burned sites and army camps demand frequent mineralization adjustments.
- Expect values of 84-90 in Australian goldfields and similar high-mineral environments where proper balance unlocks depth and accurate target identification.
Using Target ID and Discrimination Notching
The Garrett Apex’s Target ID scale runs from 0 to 99, with ferrous targets registering below 35 and high-conductivity silver coins appearing above 79.
You’ll use the lighted pixel display on the lower scale to create discrimination patterns that accept or reject specific ID segments.
Custom notching lets you eliminate iron trash in the 0-25 range while preserving signals from nickels and small jewelry in the middle segments.
Understanding the ID Scale
At the core of target identification on the Garrett Apex lies a dual-scale system that simultaneously displays your discrimination settings and analyzes potential targets in real-time.
The Upper Scale’s 20 graphic segments show probable target identity through the Target ID Cursor, while your Digital Target ID delivers precise numerical values. Each cursor position spans 5 digital points, giving you granular target analysis.
Conductivity scaling breaks down as:
- 0-39: Ferrous iron range with characteristic low tone
- 40-52: Thin conductors—foil (40-42) and nickels (49-52)
- 70-85: Premium targets including two-cent pieces (76-78) and silver dimes (83-85)
- Near 99: Maximum conductivity metals like thick silver
Iron masking degrades ID accuracy when ferrous and non-ferrous targets overlap, shifting readings unpredictably.
Creating Custom Notch Patterns
Beyond the factory presets, building effective notch patterns on your Apex demands strategic pixel management based on site conditions and target priorities.
Start by selecting a base mode—Coins or Jewelry—then refine through real-time elimination. When you encounter repetitive trash, press ELIM immediately to silence that Target ID segment without breaking stride.
For systematic custom discrimination, use cursor navigation: press (+) or (-) NOTCH DISC buttons to position over specific pixels, then toggle ELIM to reject unwanted ranges.
At iron-contaminated sites, notch 0-25 to suppress nails while preserving mid-conductors.
Avoid aggressive notch pattern design that eliminates borderline targets—composite metals shift ID values across the scale.
Test suspicious signals from multiple angles before permanent rejection. Your freedom to adapt discrimination on-the-fly separates productive hunts from wasted effort.
Fine-Tuning Settings for Your Hunting Environment
Once you’ve mastered the Garrett Apex’s basic operation, adapting its settings to match your specific hunting environment becomes crucial for maximizing target recovery. Different terrains demand distinct configurations—what works in mineralized soil won’t perform perfectly in trashy parks or wet sand conditions.
Environment-Specific Configuration Protocol:
- Trashy Urban Sites: Deploy Custom mode with iron audio at 2-3, sensitivity two notches below maximum, and selective notching around pull-tabs while preserving coin ranges.
- Clean Fields: Maximize sensitivity with Multi-Frequency, iron audio off, and minimal discrimination to capture deep colonial targets.
- Saltwater Beaches: Switch to Multi-Frequency Sand mode, reduce sensitivity to eliminate false signals, maintain waterproofing tips by rinsing connections post-hunt.
- EMI-Heavy Locations: Cycle through channels 1-8, drop sensitivity to 1-2, ensure battery maintenance prevents mid-hunt failures near power infrastructure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does the Battery Typically Last on Default Settings?
You’ll get approximately 15 hours of continuous operation on default settings. Battery efficiency depends on your field conditions, but power conservation kicks in automatically. The lithium-ion cell maintains 80% capacity after four years of regular detecting.
Can I Use Wireless and Wired Headphones Simultaneously?
No, you can’t run both simultaneously. The Apex’s headphone connection options allow only single-device operation—either wireless compatibility through Z-Lynk or wired via the 1/8″ jack. You’ll need to manually switch between them each session.
Do Factory Settings Restore After a Software Update?
No, software updates don’t automatically restore factory configuration. You’ll need to perform a separate software reset by holding the power button for 5-10 seconds with your coil grounded to optimize your detector’s performance after updating firmware.
What Is the Maximum Detection Depth for Coin-Sized Targets?
You’ll achieve maximum metal detection depth of 18-20cm (7-8″) for coin-sized targets in moderate iron areas with stock coils. Larger coils like the 13″ Blackdog increase depth estimation up to 70%, while multifrequency mode optimizes penetration in mineralized soil.
Are Settings Transferable Between Different Garrett Apex Models?
Ironically, you can’t transfer settings between Apex models—each unit demands fresh sensor calibration and frequency adjustment. Your detector’s memory stays locked to its hardware, forcing you to manually configure every model independently for peak field performance.
References
- https://focusspeed.com/advanced-settings-for-the-garrett-ace-apex/
- https://j.b5z.net/i/u/2089773/f/Apex_HeadphoneswManual.pdf
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnYPKORksTo
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18PqGTXX6wc
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d40oSJ1WKdI
- https://www.metaldetectingforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=145095
- https://www.detectorprospector.com/topic/25012-ace-apex-setting-for-gold-jewelry/
- https://garrett.com/sport/support/user-manuals/
- https://garrett.com/garrett-ace-apex-metal-detector/
- https://detectorwarehouse.com/products/garrett-apex-metal-detector
