Help on new purchase, Garrett AT Max vs Whites MX Sport.... Maybe Minelab CTX3030

TampaYankees

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Hello everyone,

I have had a Garret AT Pro for a couple of months now and am not crazy about it's performance at the beach. Actually, it works great in the white sand but not so great in saltwater. I was hoping to stay in a somewhat comparable price range, so was hoping to maybe get some feedback and comparisons between the new Garrett AT Max and Whites MX Sport. I was told both should be an improvement in saltwater. I was also told that the Minelab ctx3030 is far superior all around machine than both, especially saltwater. So either I can upgrade the AT Max or MX Sport for this summer, or possibly wait until next year to get the ctx3030. What are your thoughts? Hate to play the buy and sell game, so only want to do this one time. Thanks in advance!
 
Hello everyone,

I have had a Garret AT Pro for a couple of months now and am not crazy about it's performance at the beach. Actually, it works great in the white sand but not so great in saltwater. I was hoping to stay in a somewhat comparable price range, so was hoping to maybe get some feedback and comparisons between the new Garrett AT Max and Whites MX Sport. I was told both should be an improvement in saltwater. I was also told that the Minelab ctx3030 is far superior all around machine than both, especially saltwater. So either I can upgrade the AT Max or MX Sport for this summer, or possibly wait until next year to get the ctx3030. What are your thoughts? Hate to play the buy and sell game, so only want to do this one time. Thanks in advance!

I know this is a little old, but after reading what little information is out there on the AT Max, it won't be much better in the salt water/beach than the pro. This according to some experts. You need a multi frequency machine.
 
Hello everyone,

I have had a Garret AT Pro for a couple of months now and am not crazy about it's performance at the beach. Actually, it works great in the white sand but not so great in saltwater. I was hoping to stay in a somewhat comparable price range, so was hoping to maybe get some feedback and comparisons between the new Garrett AT Max and Whites MX Sport. I was told both should be an improvement in saltwater. I was also told that the Minelab ctx3030 is far superior all around machine than both, especially saltwater. So either I can upgrade the AT Max or MX Sport for this summer, or possibly wait until next year to get the ctx3030. What are your thoughts? Hate to play the buy and sell game, so only want to do this one time. Thanks in advance!

Newer single frequency machines have come a long way from those made many years ago, and yes, they work fantastic in dry sand where conductive salt has no influence on a detectors performance. To discuss how they work in the wet sand at ocean beaches, I like to use a car analogy. Single frequency detectors are like driving a car with 2wd through the mud. Newer detectors are like adding traction control to the 2wd system but they will never compare to a car with 4wd, e.g., a multifrequency detector.

I encourage you to read this thread from the water and beach section of the forum... http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=248905
 
You will not be happy...

Untill you get the CTX... Trust me.... Been down that road... If your looking to own only one machine....Get the CTX
 
For salt water Hunting, don't waste your time or money $$$

get a multi frequency machine or PI Machine as all single freq Detectors

do only ok on the wet salt sand.
 
CTX 3030 store credit $500.00

Hello everyone,

I have had a Garret AT Pro for a couple of months now and am not crazy about it's performance at the beach. Actually, it works great in the white sand but not so great in saltwater. I was hoping to stay in a somewhat comparable price range, so was hoping to maybe get some feedback and comparisons between the new Garrett AT Max and Whites MX Sport. I was told both should be an improvement in saltwater. I was also told that the Minelab ctx3030 is far superior all around machine than both, especially saltwater. So either I can upgrade the AT Max or MX Sport for this summer, or possibly wait until next year to get the ctx3030. What are your thoughts? Hate to play the buy and sell game, so only want to do this one time. Thanks in advance!

Minelab CTX 3030 great in Salt water
Happy Treasure Hunting
dennis

http://www.metaldetectors.com/beach-water-metal-detectors/minelab/ctx3030-standard-metal-detector
 
I know this is a little old, but after reading what little information is out there on the AT Max, it won't be much better in the salt water/beach than the pro. This according to some experts. You need a multi frequency machine.

Definitely true.... honestly cant figure out why Garrett didn't make the Max multi-freq so it could be used in salt and fresh as well as land like the 3030... but for literally half the cost lol... obviously doing so would have raised the Max's price, but not by a whole lot
 
I think having more than 1 freq at once would have at least put the at Max at the 1000$ price point. Garrett has a good thing going with the at series keeping it affordable and usable for the price

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
 
Garrett says the AT Max will be better in salt than the AT Pro

Some complain about detectors going nuts in salt with false signals, but what if the discriminator is set to accept salt? White's says salt is rejected in between iron & foil.
 
Garrett says the AT Max will be better in salt than the AT Pro

Some complain about detectors going nuts in salt with false signals, but what if the discriminator is set to accept salt? White's says salt is rejected in between iron & foil.

An AT-Pro is like a 2wd car in snow. An At-Max is like 2wd with traction control. Meanwhile a multifrequency detector is like having 4wd. Just no comparison......

Sincerely,

Guy that moved from the great lakes to ocean front Florida. =)
 
The MX sport did ok in salt water for me. I just could not run the sensitivity real high. I used to have a CTX, and I found some deep stuff at the beach when I went during a tropical storm two years ago. I also own a v3i and it does well in salt. Just don't dunk the control box. At the same time I shadowed a CTX step for step and picked up about a dollar in change that he had missed. It's about knowing your detector. You can buy a 2500 dollar unit and go out and find pull tabs just as well as you can a 500 dollar unit. Whatever you decide, learn your machine. Plenty of you tube videos on whatever detector you decide on

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
Yeah Bud...You gotta get and use the right tool for the job! Its pretty easy now with all the internet Forum feedback to do an ROI analysis for your location and situation...Use the right tool that has contributed success from the others that went before you....

They have done the hard work for you so you dont have to re-invent the wheel or overthink this too much..:?:.
 
if you trying to get into the water and not on just dry beach, mx sport and atmax are not the machine for you. On dry land my mx sport keeps right up with my buddies ctx, but in salt water it is no contest. go for ctx if you have the cash
 
Purchase

Saltwater beaches here in new england are very difficult the 30 30 is the best water machine sold in this area Call Dennis at METALDETECTORS. COM FOR A GREAT PRICE.
 
The MX sport did ok in salt water for me. I just could not run the sensitivity real high. I used to have a CTX, and I found some deep stuff at the beach when I went during a tropical storm two years ago. I also own a v3i and it does well in salt. Just don't dunk the control box. At the same time I shadowed a CTX step for step and picked up about a dollar in change that he had missed. It's about knowing your detector. You can buy a 2500 dollar unit and go out and find pull tabs just as well as you can a 500 dollar unit. Whatever you decide, learn your machine. Plenty of you tube videos on whatever detector you decide on

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

:goodpost:

I would venture to say that approximately 70% of a detectorist's success comes from knowing his equipment!
Just today I found an 1863 Civil War token with a used, 6 year old, $500 AT PRO.
I suspect that someone using a Bounty Hunter or other similar $100 machine might have found it as well.
Timing and Location are also very important factors to consider.
 
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