Ace 350 sensitivity setting...

[switch]

Is there a reason a sensitivity setting exists? Should it just be set to max? What are the opinions of the board on this setting?

Thanks :)

[Epi-hunter]

Set it in the middle to start with and see what happens. I could never run my ACE at a high sensitivity because of high ground mineralization which will give you a lot of falsing. You want to run it as high as you can without excessive falsing so just keep moving it up notch by notch until that becomes a problem, and when it does, move it down one and leave it there. You probably will need to adjust it at every different site (and lots of times, I had to adjust mine every few yards at the same site). The downside of not being able to ground balance the machine (adjust for ground conditions).

I've always liked this definition and analogy about the sensitivity setting, from the Fisher site:

What is the sensitivity control and how is it used?

A: The sensitivity control on metal detectors is probably the most misunderstood control on the instrument. Sensitivity is usually set to its maximum level and ignored. This does not always allow for maximum operation of the detector.

To use an analogy, think of the sensitivity control as the throttle of a car. You don't drive everywhere at full speed. In fact, posted speed limits are for normal conditions. But what about rain, snow, or even high wind? Of course, you decrease your speed. Likewise, you should adjust your sensitivity control for varying conditions.

Heavy ground mineralization, nearby power transformers, and nearby radio stations are all reasons to lower your sensitivity. Although you might experience a slight loss of depth, you may be losing more good targets than you think by listening to the false signals and chatter of high sensitivity.

[switch]

Oh perfect - thanks for the explanation! :)