Garrett ACE Apex Multi-Frequency Metal Detector with Z-Lynk Wireless Headphones

The Garrett ACE Apex with Z-Lynk Wireless Headphones gives single-frequency VLF detectorists a real multi-frequency upgrade for under $500. Multi-Flex technology runs four single frequencies (5, 10, 15, 20 kHz) plus two simultaneous multi-frequency modes, including a dedicated Multi-Salt setting for wet-sand beaches where a single-frequency machine falls apart. Built-in Z-Lynk wireless cuts the headphone cord, and the 6" x 11" DD Viper coil is fully submersible. The Apex is built for detectorists who hunt parks, beaches, and relic ground and need stable target IDs across mineralized soil and saltwater without switching machines.

What's Included with the Garrett ACE Apex

• Garrett ACE Apex Multi-Frequency Metal Detector with adjustable aluminum shaft
• 6" x 11" DD Multi-Flex Viper submersible search coil
• Viper search coil cover
• Garrett MS-3 Z-Lynk Wireless Headphones
• Micro-USB charging cable for built-in lithium-ion battery
• Garrett 3-Year Limited Warranty

Multi-Flex Multi-Frequency Performance in Mineralized Ground and Saltwater

Multi-Flex is Garrett's broad-bandwidth digital platform. Instead of locking the operator into one frequency, it offers four single frequencies (5, 10, 15, 20 kHz) plus two simultaneous multi-frequency modes. Multi-Frequency is tuned for general land hunting and reads the broadest range of target sizes and conductivities at once. Multi-Salt re-tunes the same engine for saltwater ground, holding stable target IDs where a single-frequency VLF would chatter or false. The 175-point ground balance scale is what makes both modes work, sliding from heavy iron mineralization down through neutral soil and into salt without forcing us to switch machines for the beach. We have run the Garrett ACE Apex metal detector from saltwater wash to plowed iron-heavy fields, and the mix of frequency modes gives this detector a working range that punches well above its bracket.

Wet Sand and Saltwater Beach

Saltwater and black sand turn most single-frequency VLFs into noise machines. The Apex handles this terrain with Multi-Salt mode, which runs all frequencies simultaneously and tunes ground balance toward the salt end of the 175-point scale. With the rainproof control box and submersible lower shaft and coil, we can wade into the surf line where rings, chains, and dropped change collect after a tide change. We start sensitivity at 6 to 7 of 8, drop one segment at a time if the threshold gets choppy, and run Auto ground balance verified by ground-grabbing on clean sand. Discrimination is notched to exclude one or two iron pixels while leaving the rest open so small gold rings are not rejected. The water resistant control housing and fully submersible coil let us work the wash zone without worrying about wave splash.

Park Coin and Jewelry Hunting

Old parks are full of clad, wheats, silver, and modern drops layered on top of bottle caps and pull tabs. The US Coins mode is built for this kind of site. Coin icons display below the notch scale when the Apex thinks it has identified a quarter or penny, and the five-tone audio gives us a fast read on a target before swinging back over it. For hunters stepping up from entry-level machines, you can see how this performance compares to peer models in our comprehensive guide to the best metal detectors for coins. Park sites change with frost, thaw, and dry-season hardpan, so we rotate locations using our year-round detecting guide to keep ground conditions on our side. We run Multi-Frequency at sensitivity 6 of 8 in clean ground, 4 to 5 around EMI, with Iron Volume set to 1 or 2 to thin out trash without going silent on bottle caps. Discrimination is notched to exclude iron pixels only while accepting tabs to avoid rejecting nickels and small gold. For hunters stepping up from entry-level machines, the Apex's coin-icon display and five-tone audio are the two features that accelerate field learning fastest.

Relic and Old Homestead Sites

Relic ground tends to be loaded with iron, hot rocks, and small non-ferrous targets sitting close to ferrous masking. Single-frequency 5 kHz pulls deeper, broader signals on larger iron and brass relics, and the Apex lets us lock there when the goal is depth on big targets. Higher frequencies run when small lead, buttons, and minie balls become the priority. We run Relics mode at 5 kHz for deep iron and large non-ferrous, switching to 15 or 20 kHz for small lead and buttons. Sensitivity stays at 5 to 6 of 8, and we manual ground-grab on a target-free patch. Discrimination is open, running all-metal tone identification and using the digital target ID to make dig calls. The 6" x 11" DD Viper coil is narrow enough to thread iron in old homesite cellar holes while covering enough ground per pass to make plowed agricultural fields practical.

Stable Target IDs and Iron Volume Control for Trashy Sites

• Stable target IDs on wet sand and salt-soaked beaches that lock up a single-frequency machine, thanks to Multi-Salt mode.
• 175 points of ground balance resolution from ferrous soil all the way to saltwater, so you stop chasing ground noise instead of targets.
• Six search modes including a true Zero mode and a Custom slot, plus a US Coins mode that displays quarter and penny icons under the notch scale before you dig.
• Five-tone audio paired with large digital target ID numbers, so iron, foil, nickels, and silver each speak with a distinct voice.
• Iron Volume on a budget Garrett, letting us drop the volume of iron hits without losing non-ferrous tones, the way the AT series team has been spoiled for years!

Built-In Z-Lynk Wireless Audio and Rechargeable Battery

Built-in Z-Lynk wireless audio runs at roughly 17-millisecond latency, around six times faster than Bluetooth, with no dongle hanging off the shaft. The MS-3 Z-Lynk Wireless Headphones included in this bundle pair to the detector with no wired connection and run roughly six times faster than Bluetooth. The Apex still has a 1/8-inch (3.5 mm) headphone jack and an internal speaker if we ever want a wired set or a quick swap, and the same Z-Lynk pairing works with a Garrett Pro-Pointer AT Z-Lynk pinpointer for a fully wireless rig. The built-in lithium-ion battery runs about 15 hours per charge through a Micro-USB cable, and the LCD has a backlight for dawn and dusk hunts. The Apex weighs 2.5 lbs and adjusts from 40 inches to 53 inches, so the same machine fits a teenager and a six-footer without feeling out of balance. The control housing is rainproof, the lower shaft and coil are submersible, making this a practical choice for hunters who want cordless operation without sacrificing runtime.

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Specifications

• Operating Frequencies: 5, 10, 15, 20 kHz, Multi-Frequency, Multi-Salt
• Coil: 6" x 11" DD Multi-Flex Viper submersible search coil
• Ground Balance: 175 points of resolution, ferrous to saltwater
• Detection Modes: Zero, Coins, US Coins, Jewelry, Relics, Custom
• Discrimination: 20 pixels, including 8 iron pixels
• Audio: Five-tone target ID, Iron Volume control, built-in Z-Lynk wireless
• Display: Backlit LCD with large digital target ID numbers
• Weight: 2.5 lbs
• Shaft Length: Adjustable 40 to 53 inches
• Battery: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion, approximately 15 hours runtime
• Waterproof Rating: Control box rainproof, lower shaft and coil submersible
• Warranty: 3-year limited Garrett warranty

Why Buy from Serious Detecting

Serious Detecting is an authorized Garrett dealer, so every ACE Apex ships with the full 3-year manufacturer warranty and direct factory support. Our team runs the Garrett ACE series metal detectors in the field across park hunts, beach sessions, and relic ground, so we can answer setup questions and frequency-selection tradeoffs from real use. Every order ships free, and our 30-day return policy and price-match guarantee mean you can buy with confidence. When you pick up an Apex from us, you are getting a detector our team has tested in wet sand, mineralized soil, and iron-heavy sites, backed by the support network we have built for detectorists who want straight answers.