Every detectorist dreams of finding the ultimate setup, the perfect symphony of settings that will unearth treasures untold. But, as we're about to delve into, the concept of 'the best settings' for the Manticore metal detector can seem as elusive as the mythical beast itself.
In the world of metal detecting, YouTube gurus and well-meaning friends often preach about their 'optimal' (and often fancy named!) settings. The truth, however, is that such a one fits all approach simply doesn't exist. And this is true for pretty much every metal detector out there. Different soils, weather conditions, conductive ground minerals, and even your swing technique can all impact the effectiveness of your machine's settings. The truth is that the best settings for the Minelab Manticore or any metal detector, are those that are honed and tweaked for the piece of ground being worked on at the time.
Manticore factory settings
A major misnomer is that the factory ‘out of the box’ settings are too basic and not good enough to search with. The reality could not be further from this. Manticore factory settings are the result of many thousands of hours of in the field use by both Minelab Engineers and metal detecting experts. These settings should be used and seen as the starting point for you to build upon and tweak for the conditions you are encountering at the time. It must also be understood that next time out your settings may need tweaking again. With this in mind, in this blog, we'll walk through the four key elements you need to consider for the Manticore metal detector.
Sensitivity is Key
Sensitivity is crucial in metal detecting, and with the Manticore's capability to be exceptionally sensitive, setting it correctly becomes even more vital. Many Detector users set it too high in the belief that more sensitivity equals more depth. In reality, this is not always the case and sensitivity should only be set as high as the detecting conditions allow. Manticore sensitivity range is 1-35, but you'll rarely need to exceed 30. In fact, we often find the sweet spot in the mid-20s, and sometimes even as low as 17/18. It's about keeping the machine stable and quiet. Overpowering your Manticore might lead you to miss the more challenging targets. For instance, in a test bed—a controlled area with targets of varying difficulty—we noticed that two Manticores set identically except for sensitivity (one at 25 and one at 35) behaved differently. Both found the easy targets, but the one on full power struggled with cut quarters or items buried on edge. More power isn't always the answer.
For a video guide on sensitivity on the Manticore check out the Manticore Expert Series on YouTube:
The best way to set your sensitivity is to begin at about 20 and increase a couple of numbers at a time until some chatter or false signalling is heard on each swing. The back off a couple of numbers. For example, if falsing occurs at 25, back off to 23.
Leverage the Presets
The Manticore boasts an array of built-in search modes, thoughtfully designed by the Minelab engineers. When we asked Chief Engineer Mark Lawrie for his tips on using the Manticore, he pointed us to one mode in particular: 'All Terrain General'. This program, crafted after extensive research and testing, is your go-to for most situations and
terrains. It's an excellent starting point from which minor adjustments can be made, if necessary. But resist the urge to over-tweak—more often than not, the preset modes are more than adequate for a productive detecting session. Trust in the expertise that has gone into these settings; they are there to ensure that your machine operates at its best, without the need for constant fiddling.
We often find detectorists who have customised the settings of the machine so far that the performance is now below what it would have been if left in a standard search mode. Ensure that your adjustments are for the better. If you’re not sure, go back to standard modes, as discussed earlier, they are excellent on this machine. Remember, the goal is to tailor your Manticore to the environment, not to force it into a one-size-fits-all box. The allure of 'the best settings' can be strong, but experience and adaptability are the true keys to metal detecting success.
Mastering Ferrous Limits
The Manticore sets itself apart with its customizable ferrous limits, offering an edge over other detectors, including the Minelab Equinox range. With the Equinox, iron bias is adjusted with 'F' settings to help filter out ferrous junk. However, the Manticore takes this a step further, providing a range of settings to fine-tune this discrimination.
In areas rich in iron, like Roman sites, understanding how to set these limits on your Manticore is crucial. The machine allows you not only to switch the upper ferrous limits on or off but also to adjust them within a specific range. Lower on the screen means more iron bias and fewer iron signals. But caution is key—maxing out this setting isn't always beneficial as it could lead to missing valuable targets.
Customising a segment of the upper ferrous limits to ignore frequent undesirable targets like nails can be incredibly effective. You maintain a lighter overall upper ferrous limiting, only excluding the problematic range. For larger iron pieces, raising the lower ferrous limit can help in cluttered environments.
It's an intricate system that requires a hands-on approach; no one-size-fits-all setting will do. Testing on your site, digging, and adjusting your ferrous limits accordingly will pay off in dividends! Small iron up high, large iron down low. You'll find the finesse in this feature a game-changer. But once again, it can only be set in accordance with your specific environment. This is another reason that longer bouts of detecting can yield more results, not only because you are searching for longer, but longer period of detecting with the machine set-up correctly is better than setting the machine up many times in many different locations.
Audio profiles
An extensive range of audio profiles is possible with the Manticore.
This goes from normal, enhanced, depth, prospecting to a subdivision of simple, medium, rich. Selecting the desired audio profile is rather intended to provide a type of feedback that a user finds pleasant.
For a video guide on Audio Profiles check out the Manticore Expert Series on YouTube:
You will not easily do anything wrong with this, but keep in mind that, for example, an enhanced in combination with rich will provide much softer feedback, causing deeper targets to sound soft.
It is recommended that you find your personal preference in this regard as you invest in time and experience, do not immediately make major adjustments, the large difference in feedback can mislead you. Once again, take some time to find what YOU like. This is a very personal part of metal detecting.
Swing Dynamics & Recovery Speed
Gone are the days of low and slow. Although this may seem alien to old school experts, Manticore thrives on more of a ‘Need for Speed’ approach This detector's design allows it to perform better with a brisker swing, enabling more ground to be efficiently covered in a shorter space of time
The settings here are already optimised; the Recovery Speed preset at 5 is spot on within the programme, ‘All-Terrain General’ is as described a good general recovery speed.
Some detectorists, especially when using larger coils like the M15, might be tempted to drop the recovery speed to the lowest settings for added depth. This isn't necessary with the Manticore. Keep your recovery speed adjustments minimal. However, if you're dealing with a target-dense area, as indicated by the 2D-ID mapping, briefly increasing the recovery speed can help distinguish between the signals better. Just remember, a higher recovery speed may reduce depth, so revert to normal settings for general detecting.
Stabiliser
The stabiliser is intended to draw less attention to 'false signals. You waste less time examining targets and can therefore process much more surface area, which is beneficial when making finds. Some users prefer to use a super quiet device, others swear by maximum feedback. Over time and by learning to understand the Manticore language, you may be able to lower the stabiliser.
Using the Manticore without filters also gives you the most feedback from what's in the ground. Invest enough time and with the necessary experience, over time you will fully understand the spoken language, which will allow you to collaborate with a detector that will give you the most beautiful and incredible results.
After the release of the Manticore, some users were quite critical of the feedback they received from the Manticore, the "nervous behaviour" was not easy for everyone to get used to. A new language that a detector speaks was born and caused frustration for some.
The solution was quickly available, the stabiliser, but how does it work?
With the stabiliser you have 2 settings, namely the stabiliser and the stabiliser filter.
The stabiliser will suppress the small chirping you get during detection.
The stabiliser filter will create an extra sound filter over the sounds that still come through the stabiliser and are not sufficiently suppressed by the first setting. This software is very intelligently designed and has never been seen with other detectors. The stabiliser will only 'interfere' with targets where the ferrous/non-ferrous status of a target is compromised.
For a video guide on Recovery Speed and the Stabiliser function, check out the Manticore Expert Series on YouTube:
With normal targets, the stabiliser will not interfere and will simply let the user hear them as solid targets. By correctly using the sensitivity and increasing the stabiliser you make the Manticore noticeably quieter. Too high on sensitivity will also affect the correct operation of the stabiliser, everything must be correct. If you make a comparison at this point, an extremely deep, difficult to detect target will be slightly less successful. By enabling the stabiliser, you also have the option to increase the sensitivity a few steps, something that most users forget who do so-called tests on the stabiliser. Tip - You will benefit much more from the increase in sensitivity at that moment.
*Note - the Stabiliser only affects detections where the ferrous/non-ferrous status of the target is highly uncertain – i.e. on targets that are as likely to be iron falsing as a good target. It has no effect on detections that are more certain non-ferrous targets.
Key Takeaways
By design, the Manticore is as simple or as complex as you want it to be. Out of the box with the correct pre-set program, Manticore is a highly capable detector, superior to any other detector out there. But by understanding the Manticore's settings and the relationship with the environment you are detecting, much greater levels of performance will be achieved.
Forget a universal 'best setting'. Take the time to experiment and learn, use your knowledge and experience, to tailor your Manticore with your settings to excel in any conditions. As ever, if you need any help, please reach out to the team here at Crawfords Metal Detectors and we will help.
For even more on optimising your Minelab Manticore click here. Equip yourself with the best tools for the best finds!
