Threshold or no threshold - what's your preference?

[relicmeister]

Coming from an Xterra 705, I've been using a threshold since getting my 800. I'm not sure it is a real benefit or not
I heard Debbie from minelab state that it is recommended as it will help you to make deeper finds. What do other users do
and why? I think it would be strange not hearing it in the background.

 

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[vferrari]

What Debbie said is only true of gold mode which uses a true threshold which, if set properly, allows you to discern deep, faint targets merely from changes in the threshold reference tone. On all the other modes, threshold merely serves as a tone reference to provide you audible assurance your detector is in search mode (vs. Off or Pinpoint mode) and as a secondary means of awareness of discriminated targets under the coil. The threshold will blank if you pass your coil over any target that is discriminated or notched out. This is one tool you can use to provide awareness of ferrous targets under your coil without going explicitly to all metal (the horseshoe button). If you just have ferrous discriminated out but pass your coil over ferrous targets the threshold will go silent as the coil passes over each ferrous target. This can save you from ear fatigue when you are in a thick ferrous patch or are looking for a thick ferrous patch that can be telltale of a previous dwelling or cellar hole without having to continuously listen to the ferrous low tones assciated with all metal mode.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Deep targets only bump the threshold, with out a soft threshold you want hear the bumps.

 

[rc2125]

Was messing around with threshold levels the other day, on deeper silvers in the garden (10-14"). Have always kinda figured threshold was pointless background noise on newer machines. To my surprise (was using external speaker at the time), when I turned it up to 10, I was able to tell the otherwise non signaling targets were there via the threshold change. Gotta experiment more, but could be something I use when targets are sparse in the water at certain beach areas. Too cold again to mess with it further right now.

 

[JoeVal]

I’ve begun invoking some threshold in my digging. I set it about 10 +/- depending on the ambient noise. It seems to catch my attention when I get into a mindless stupor ove a large area with few targets. YMMV, but I’d say try it and see if it helps, hurts or makes no difference.

 

[GeoW]

I learned to detect by listening to a threshold. That and almost undetectable ticks of the meter even when a rise in the threshold is not discernable.
When I use my Nautilus the left ear threshold is money in the bank

g

 

[vferrari]

From the manual:

"Park, Field, and Beach ThresholdPark, Field, and Beach Modes use a simplified type of threshold tone, i.e. a 'reference' threshold. It is a continuous background tone that will blank when a rejected target is detected. Without a reference threshold, a rejected target detection would be silent, and you would not be made aware of the target's existence.For typical treasure detecting locations where there is often a large amount of trash in the ground, constant audio blanking may be disruptive.Minelab recommends using a Threshold Level setting of 0 (off) for Park, Field and Beach applications, unless you want to hear audio blanking."

In modes other than gold mode the threshold simply blanks on discriminated targets, nothing else. (Simplified Threshold). If you are hearing changes in the threshold level in these modes you are hearing discriminated targets under the coil.

In gold mode only, when adjusted properly, audible changes in the threshold tone will indicate possible faint/deep targets. (True threshold).

 

[vferrari]

What mode? If you are in AM nothing is discriminated so there shouldn’t be any blanking unless you were in gold mode.

 

[A#1]

When I get to a new site, I turn the threshold up to where I can hear it a bit. I like to hear the blanking to help judge the site a bit.

In time I get sick of hearing it chatter, and turn it down to barely audible for a while, and eventually, one click below audible.

The setting varies with headphones, internal speaker, and ambient noise (traffic and wind mainly).

I also run in all metal mode till I get tired of hearing it.

Eventually I end up in a relaxing peace and quiet.