Minelab MANTICORE Metal Detector with M8 and M15 Coils

The Minelab MANTICORE with the Minelab M8 and M15 coils makes the most sense for experienced coin, relic and beach hunters who want more information about difficult targets. The bundle suits someone who hunts both iron-heavy homesites and large open fields or beaches, because the three coils let you match the coil to the site.

What is in the box with this Minelab MANTICORE bundle

Minelab's standard contents for the MANTICORE

• Minelab MANTICORE detector with three-piece carbon fiber shaft
• M11 11 inch round Double-D search coil with skidplate
• ML 105 wireless headphones with 3.5 mm audio cable, charging cable, instruction manual and hard case
• USB charging cable with magnetic connector
• 5 screen protectors
• Getting Started Guide

This Minelab MANTICORE bundle also includes

• Minelab M8 8 x 5.5 inch elliptical Double-D coil (Minelab part 3011-0422)
• Minelab M15 15 x 12 inch elliptical Double-D coil (Minelab part 3011-0423)

Why these add-ons are in this Minelab MANTICORE bundle

M8 and M15 coils: with the standard M11, this bundle gives you three waterproof Double-D coils. On an old foundation full of nails, the smaller M8 makes it easier to isolate targets and work around obstacles. On large, fairly clean fields or beaches, the M15 covers more ground and may give more depth on some targets. Having all three lets you match the coil to the site. Minelab lists the M8 at 400 g and the M15 at 650 g, each with its skidplate, so the M15 is the heavier coil to swing on a long day.

The two extra coils follow our coil advice: start each hunt on the M11 and swap when the ground tells you to. On a homesite that turns out to be packed with nails, fit the M8 and slow down. When a field or beach opens up, the M15 covers it faster, though it is the bigger coil to swing and is not automatically deeper. All three are waterproof Double-D coils, so the swap works on the beach too.

About the Minelab MANTICORE

What we like most about the MANTICORE is how much it tells an experienced detectorist about what is under the coil. It pairs Multi-IQ+ simultaneous multi-frequency with a two-dimensional target display, which helps on old properties where coins, iron and aluminum lie together. Minelab says Multi-IQ+ delivers up to 50% more power than the Equinox series. That does not mean 50% more depth; depth still depends on the target, the coil, the ground and your settings.

On a conventional detector a target ID of 80 tells you something about conductivity, but not whether it is a coin, a bottle cap or rusty iron. The 2D Target ID Map adds a second dimension: Minelab plots conductivity from 0 to 99 across the map and ferrous properties up the side, and each detection leaves a trace that fades after about 5 seconds. A clean, isolated non-ferrous target may give a fairly concentrated trace, while some iron reaches into the ferrous area. The map is not an X-ray of the ground. Minelab notes that the trace is affected by the target's composition, orientation and depth, your swing speed and the frequency, so a trace alone is not a reason to reject a target. Combine the audio, the target ID and the map.

Picture a deep coin next to a rusty nail. The signal carries traits of both, and the map can help you evaluate it. Not every coin leaves a clean mark, though. Deep, corroded or iron-masked targets can draw messy patterns, and whether the signal repeats matters as much as the trace.

Who the Minelab MANTICORE suits

We see the MANTICORE as a detector for experienced detectorists who want detailed target information and a lot of control. It suits coins, relics, jewelry and beaches, and one detector covers the local park, an ocean trip and a visit to gold country. If you want a straightforward detector, you may not need all those adjustments, and the Minelab Equinox 900 may be the more sensible purchase. Our MANTICORE vs EQUINOX 900 comparison covers where the differences show up in the field.

Minelab MANTICORE search modes and key settings

• Ten search modes: All-Terrain General, Fast, Low Conductors, High Conductors and Trash Reject for inland hunting; Beach General, Low Conductors, Deep and Surf & Seawater for the beach; and Goldfield General for small nuggets in benign to moderately mineralized ground. Every mode can be customized and reset, and one can be saved as your favorite.
• Frequencies: Multi-IQ+ is the default and Minelab recommends it in all modes. All-Terrain modes also offer single 5, 10, 15, 20 and 40 kHz; Beach modes run Multi-IQ+ only; Goldfield offers Multi-IQ+, 20 and 40 kHz.
• Ferrous Limits: how the MANTICORE classifies targets with ferrous characteristics, with presets and four custom limits drawn on the map, in Multi-IQ+ only.
• Recovery speed (0 to 8) and Stabilizer (0 to 12): recovery speed is set separately for each search mode. The Stabilizer reduces false ferrous detections in the All-Terrain modes; start low and raise it only when iron falsing becomes a problem.
• Sensitivity (1 to 35): Minelab shows 31 to 35 in red as extreme. Higher sensitivity does not always mean more usable depth; run a noise cancel and a ground balance check, then set it where the detector stays reasonably stable.
• Audio and extras: four audio themes, target tones from 1 tone up to All Tones, separate volume and pitch for targets, ferrous targets and threshold, plus handgrip vibration, an LED flashlight and a pinpoint button with a 5-level depth indicator.

Settings that matter on the Minelab MANTICORE

Recovery speed: the MANTICORE runs it from 0 to 8. On an old homesite with nails packed close together, a faster setting helps separate targets. In a clean field with deep old coins, a slower setting can give a stronger response. A higher setting can cost sensitivity on deeper targets, so we set it by target density rather than always running it high.

Ferrous Limits: on an old property full of rusty nails, you want to reject iron without masking good targets. We would not reject iron aggressively everywhere. A good target next to iron can give a mixed response and get rejected along with the nail. Start with Minelab's factory settings and adjust gradually.

Beach and water hunting with the Minelab MANTICORE

Wet salt sand is hard on any detector, and the MANTICORE's Beach modes let you pick settings from dry sand down to the waterline, with Surf & Seawater for hunting in and around salt water. In Beach modes Minelab gives salt a target ID of 0 with a low tone. Even so, wet salt sand can call for adjustments; no detector is completely immune to difficult conditions. Minelab rates the MANTICORE IP68, submersible to 5 meters (16 feet). The ML 105 wireless headphones in the box are not waterproof; for underwater audio, Minelab specifies its 3.5 mm waterproof headphones, and its Underwater Boost setting raises their volume. Do not run the detector from a power bank underwater or in wet, salty conditions.

A typical ocean hunt runs from dry sand through wet sand into shallow surf, and the MANTICORE can be set up for each stretch. We particularly like that the whole detector is waterproof, so the surf becomes part of the search area.

Minelab MANTICORE headphones and updates

Headphones: Minelab's ML 105 headphones pair with the MANTICORE wirelessly, and the WM09 wireless module lets you use your own 3.5 mm headphones the same way. Wired 3.5 mm (1/8 inch) headphones fit the socket when the molded plug is under 9 mm (0.35 inch) across; a thicker plug does not fit. A 1/4 inch plug works through a headphone adapter cable.

Software updates: the MANTICORE updates over its magnetic USB charging cable from a Windows or Mac computer with the Minelab Update Utility, and Minelab says your settings are kept. Our MANTICORE software update guide walks through it.

Where the Minelab MANTICORE works well, and where it does not

Old homesites and relic ground: picture an abandoned farmhouse with hundreds of rusty nails, old farm hardware and the odd coin lying next to iron. Ferrous Limits, recovery speed and the 2D map give you several ways to judge those signals, though none of them identifies a buried object with certainty. See more relic and treasure metal detectors.

Old parks that have been hunted hard: in an older park that others have worked for years, the silver that is left tends to be deeper or surrounded by trash. The MANTICORE's settings let you adapt, but good search technique still does the finding; it will not turn up every coin that earlier detectors missed.

Gold: Goldfield mode handles small nuggets in milder ground, but in severe mineralization a dedicated pulse induction machine is the better tool; see our gold detectors.

Minelab MANTICORE battery, weight and build

Minelab lists the MANTICORE at 1.3 kg (2.9 lb). The three-piece carbon fiber shaft extends to 144 cm (56.7 inches) and collapses to 63 cm (24.8 inches), and the 3.5 inch color display has adjustable backlight. The lithium-ion battery is built into the handgrip; Minelab's manual gives about 10 hours of runtime, about an hour less in High Conductors mode, and less with vibration or a bright backlight. Charging from flat takes about 7 hours according to the manual with a USB charger of at least 2 A at 5 V. Minelab's manual says replacement batteries are supplied and fitted by a Minelab authorized service center. Besides the standard M11, Minelab makes the M8 (8 x 5.5 inch elliptical), M9 (9 inch round) and M15 (15 x 12 inch elliptical) waterproof Double-D coils; see our metal detector coils.

In our experience that weight and collapsed length suit long days in the field and frequent travel. Comfort also depends on the coil, since a larger coil changes the balance.

Which coil to start with: we would begin with the standard M11 for its balance of coverage, depth and maneuverability. The M8 suits dense iron and tight spots, the M9 is a compact all-rounder and Minelab's lightest MANTICORE coil, and the M15 suits large open areas. A bigger coil is not automatically deeper everywhere. All four coils mount on the same shaft yoke with a bolt you tighten by hand (Minelab warns against using tools on it), so you can change coils in the field.

One mistake to avoid with the Minelab MANTICORE

Changing too many settings at once. If you change recovery speed, sensitivity, Ferrous Limits, audio and discrimination together and the detector starts behaving differently, you will not know which change did it. Start with a suitable factory search mode, learn how it behaves, then change one setting at a time.

Our recommendation on the Minelab MANTICORE

We recommend the MANTICORE to experienced detectorists who like working through difficult signals. The biggest reason we like it is that it gives you several ways to judge a hard signal instead of a single target ID number. It will not remove the uncertainty, but it helps you decide what to dig. For the rest of the range, see our guide to the best Minelab metal detectors.

Minelab MANTICORE specifications

Minelab covers the MANTICORE control box and coil with a 3-year warranty in the USA.

Serious Detecting bundle (added free at checkout):

• Lil' Digger Double Serrated Shovel
• Serious Detecting Finds Bag with 42 inch Waist Belt
• Serious Detecting Carry Bag
• Serious Detecting Cap
• Double Serrated Hand Digger with Belt Holster

For our full MANTICORE guide, settings advice and comparisons, see the Minelab MANTICORE collection.