Garrett AT Max Metal Detector Overview
The Garrett AT Max metal detector is the top model of Garrett's AT Series, which Garrett calls its most powerful all-terrain, single-frequency detector. It runs at 13.6 kHz with eight sensitivity levels and four minor frequency adjustments (F1 to F4). Four search modes, all with proportional audio, cover a true All Metal mode plus Custom, Coins and Zero. Iron discrimination adjusts from 0 to 44, and Iron Audio works in all four modes, including All Metal. Ground balance is automatic or manual with 175 points of resolution, plus Garrett's Automated Ground Balance Window. The 0 to 99 digital target ID sits on a backlit display, and the audio threshold is adjustable. A Z-Lynk wireless transmitter is built in and pairs with the Garrett MS-3 Z-Lynk wireless headphones in the box. The control housing and the 8.5 x 11 inch PROformance DD searchcoil are submersible to 10 ft (3 m). Four AA batteries run it for 15 to 25 hours without wireless headphones and 10 to 20 hours with them, and Garrett covers the detector with a 3-year warranty.
Garrett AT Max vs. AT Pro: Which Should You Buy?
The AT Max and the AT Pro share the AT chassis, the 8.5 x 11 inch PROformance DD coil, the 0 to 99 target ID, eight sensitivity levels, four AA batteries and the 10 ft (3 m) rating. Over the AT Pro, the AT Max adds the true All Metal mode with Iron Audio, iron discrimination to 44 instead of 40, 175-point ground balance with the Automated Ground Balance Window, the backlit display and built-in Z-Lynk wireless audio. The AT Pro runs at 15 kHz instead of 13.6 kHz, offers Standard as well as Pro audio modes, ships with wired MS-2 headphones and runs 20 to 40 hours on its batteries. For wireless audio, the AT Pro needs Garrett's external Z-Lynk module.
The AT Gold is the third AT model: 18 kHz, a 5 x 8 inch DD coil, a true All Metal mode and a Ground Balance Window for gold prospecting in fresh water.
If you want wireless audio out of the box, a backlit screen and more ground balance control on changing soil, we recommend the AT Max. If you hunt with wired headphones, want to learn on Standard audio, or value longer battery life, we recommend the AT Pro.
Garrett AT Max, Best For:
- Detectorists who want Z-Lynk wireless audio built in, with no module to add
- Relic and coin sites where mineralization changes, using the Automated Ground Balance Window
- Early morning and dusk hunts, where the backlit display keeps the target ID readable
Garrett AT Pro, Best For:
- Hunters who want Standard and Pro audio modes on one detector
- Wired headphone users and long days on one set of batteries (20 to 40 hours)
- Coin, relic and freshwater beach hunting with the same 10 ft (3 m) rating
Key Features That Matter in the Field
Z-Lynk is Garrett's wireless audio system, and on the AT Max the transmitter is built in, so the MS-3 headphones pair with the detector directly; when you kneel to recover target after target, there is no cable to snag. The Automated Ground Balance Window spreads the ground balance setting across a range of values at once, which reduces ground response on sites where a single balance point still lets in chatter. Iron Audio in All Metal lets you keep the depth of All Metal and still hear when a signal is likely iron; some iron discrimination must be set for Iron Audio to work. On a relatively clean field, we would start in All Metal to hear the full range of responses, then move to a discrimination mode where trash builds up. The backlight makes the screen easier to read in low light; it does not change depth or target ID.
Where the Garrett AT Max Works Best and Its Limits
The AT Max fits relic hunting on old homesites and farm fields, coin hunting in large parks, freshwater beaches and lakes, and inland sites with difficult ground. The detector is submersible to 10 ft (3 m), but Garrett says the MS-3 Z-Lynk headphones should never be submerged; for underwater hunting, Garrett specifies its hardwired waterproof headphones. We would not position the AT Max as a dedicated saltwater detector: wet ocean sand can make a single-frequency detector respond to the salt water itself, so for regular saltwater hunting see our beach metal detectors. Iron masking remains a challenge on nail-filled sites, so careful coil control and settings still matter. For small natural gold in creeks, the AT Gold is the better fit.
Coils and Accessories That Fit the Garrett AT Max
Garrett AT Series searchcoils fit the AT Max. Garrett options in this collection: the 4.5 inch Super Sniper for tight spots and heavy trash, the 5 x 8 inch PROformance DD, the 6 x 11 inch Viper DD, the 6 x 9 inch PROformance concentric, the 8.5 x 11 inch PROformance DD Raider, the 9 x 12 inch PROformance concentric and the 14 x 11 inch Reaper DD for open fields. The 8.5 x 11 inch Raider is the same size as the coil on the AT Max. The Mars MD Sniper 6 x 10 inch is an aftermarket option in this collection, and our coil guide explains what size and shape change.
For underwater audio, use Garrett Submersible Headphones on the AT 2-pin connector, and for a spare or second wireless set, see the Garrett MS-3 Z-Lynk Wireless Headphones. The Garrett Pro-Pointer AT is waterproof to 20 ft (6 m), IP68, and several AT Max packages here add the Pro-Pointer AT Z-Lynk. To start with the detector alone, see the Garrett AT Max with MS-3 Wireless Headphones.
Garrett AT Series Comparison
All three AT models share the all-terrain build, a 0 to 99 numeric target ID, eight sensitivity levels, four frequency channels (F1 to F4), four AA batteries and a 10 ft (3 m) rating for the detector and its searchcoil. The table shows where they differ.
| Feature | Garrett AT Pro | Garrett AT Gold | Garrett AT Max |
|---|
| Operating Frequency | 15 kHz | 18 kHz | 13.6 kHz |
| Search Modes | 6: Zero, Coins, Custom in Standard and Pro audio | All Metal, DISC 1, DISC 2 | 4: All Metal, Custom, Coins, Zero |
| Iron Discrimination | 0 to 40 | 0 to 44 | 0 to 44 |
| Iron Audio | Discrimination modes | Discrimination modes and All Metal | All four modes, including All Metal |
| Ground Balance | Fast automatic and manual | Fast automatic and manual, Ground Balance Window 0 to 6 | Automatic and manual (175 points), Automated Ground Balance Window |
| Standard Searchcoil | 8.5 x 11 inch PROformance DD | 5 x 8 inch PROformance DD | 8.5 x 11 inch PROformance DD |
| Headphones in the Box | Garrett MS-2 wired | Garrett MS-2 wired | Garrett MS-3 Z-Lynk wireless |
| Wireless Audio | Needs Garrett's external Z-Lynk module | Needs Garrett's external Z-Lynk module | Z-Lynk built in |
| Backlit Display | No | No | Yes |
| Waterproof (detector and coil) | 10 ft (3 m) | 10 ft (3 m), fresh water | 10 ft (3 m) |
| Batteries | 4 AA, 20 to 40 hours | 4 AA, 20 to 40 hours | 4 AA, 15 to 25 hours (10 to 20 with wireless headphones) |
| Warranty | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years |
Our Garrett AT Max vs AT Pro comparison goes deeper on the two coin and relic models.
Why Buy the Garrett AT Max from Serious Detecting?
- Free Shipping on Orders Over $99: Your Garrett AT Max ships at no extra cost across the continental US.
- Authorized Garrett Dealer: Showroom in Ypsilanti, Michigan, full 3-year manufacturer warranty and product registration support.
- Help Before and After You Buy: Our staff answer setup, coil and AT Max questions by phone or email.
