Metal Detector Headphones

[LaenDrawoh]

Are the headphones made specifically for metal detecting any better than some generic ones for using with a metal detector?

I can get a decent pair of over the ear headphones for less than 20 bucks (yes I would have to use an adapter to go from the 3.5mm jack to the 1/4 inch one but several headphones come with that, and I personally have some of those adapters around here somewhere, plus radio shack carries them in a pinch).

I have a hard time understanding why the metal detector specific ones cost so much more. Are the frames built with more metal construction so they are more durable, or are you just paying for the brand name on the cans? I would gladly pay a little more for durability, and obviously sound fidelity is not an issue for use with a metal detector.

Thanks in advance for all the advise!

[goodmore]

Dedicated detecting headphones come with various options:

A limiter switch to keep the loud targets from being too loud
Independent volume controls for each ear This helps people w/ hearing problems
A sturdy frame and cord for the times you tangled in the bushes
Noise blocking feature to keep the outside noise outside the headphones. Also helps with the cold wind. If you ever detected a Jersey beach in January you will know how valuable this is.
Comfort and padding because you will detect for 4 hrs. You usually don't listen to music for 4 hrs.

Headphones are like anything else. You get what you pay for. During the Hot months a lighter pair does come in handy. So does a cheap back up pair.

Things you should always have spares of:
Coil Bolt
Batteries
Headphones
Coil (can be a different size)
Digging Tool

[ct01r]

Ditto on "You get what you pay for." I have a pair of Jolly Rogers that I use 95% of the time. They're very comfortable, and have a volume dial for each ear. (My right side is more deaf than my left; my wife sits to the right of me when we watch TV.) I have another lighter pair that also have dual adjustments, but the quality isn't as nice. Curt

[Patton]

Have used the Gray Ghost and others. For a pretty good set that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, try the Garrett Clear Sound Easy Stow Headphones. Around $20, and not a bad pair of HP's.

[AZGoldhunter]

Originally Posted by LaenDrawoh View post
Are the headphones made specifically for metal detecting any better than some generic ones for using with a metal detector?

I was just about to ask about headphones too. I always used Koss until recently when I lost them. Does anyone have the technical specs for the best headphones? You know the old saying -"you get what you pay for". I want the best set money can buy. Convinced cheap headphones give cheap results.

Need something with volume control for both ears. One is better then the others.

Can anyone recommend something?

Tom

[LaenDrawoh]

Thanks for the tip Patton.

Sounds like the ones made specifically for metal detecting are the way to go. It looks like for under 10 bucks more I can get the Garrett Master Sound Stereo Headphones. They look like they maybe enclose the ears a bit more. I have a shooting range literally next door to me so anything to cut some of that noise out would be good.

[JunkInTheTrunk]

Originally Posted by LaenDrawoh View post
Thanks for the tip Patton.

Sounds like the ones made specifically for metal detecting are the way to go. It looks like for under 10 bucks more I can get the Garrett Master Sound Stereo Headphones. They look like they maybe enclose the ears a bit more. I have a shooting range literally next door to me so anything to cut some of that noise out would be good.

I literally have both the Garrett headphones. I LOVE the Garrett Master Sound Stereo Headphones because they enclose the WHOLE ear and shuts out environmental noise (well most... pretty good in taking you to a different world so to speak). Anyways, volume control on each ear, fairly long cord (not too long, but long enough... just how I personally like it), and VERY, VERY COMFORTABLE!!! The top part, where the top part of your head is, is comfortable as well (talking about the padding on the top of the headphones).
The Garrett Clear Sound Easy Stow Headphones, which came with a "bundle set" that I didn't even KNOW came with the bundle set , are NOT very comfortable for me. MAINLY the top part, again where the padding is on the top part. On the Easy Stow Headphones, it is almost like a "rubber pad" of sorts. It's hard for me to describe other than it is NOT "padded" like the Master Sound Headphones. I hope I'm NOT confusing you or anyone else for that matter. Plus, the volume control is inline on the Easy Stow's, but it controls BOTH at the same time, which isn't BAD, but I just like the idea of being able to control each "ear muff" separatelty. Finally, the Easy Stow's do NOT cover the ear completely, which personally I don't care for and which is good and bad: 1) good because it "masks" out environmental sounds better when your ear is completely covered 2) bad because if you ear is "completely masking" out environmental sounds it is harder to hear what is coming up on you.

Thus:
LOVE the Garrett Master Sound Stereo Headphones, which go for roughly $25

Don't care for Garrett Clear Sound Easy Stow Headphones, which go for roughly $20, or there abouts

I know the others go for about $25 because that is ABOUT how much I paid for them at my local Fry's Electronics.

HH \_ and hope this "little" review helps in some way

[LaenDrawoh]

I went ahead and grabbed the Garret Master Sound Headphones off of Amazon. I know I should have talked to a sponsor on here but with the free 2 day shipping I have from being a prime member they should get here the same day as my detector... and I am really looking forward to trying it out!

Now if I only knew when the pin pointer from HF would get here. :P

Also if anyone can help out AZGoldhunter on here that would be great! I have no experience obviously.

It looks like several of the sponsors websites have specs listed but not to the same level I am used to from computer parts sites so I am not sure if the information there is what he is looking for exactly or not.

As usual thank you for the advise all!

[JunkInTheTrunk]

Originally Posted by AZGoldhunter View post
I was just about to ask about headphones too. I always used Koss until recently when I lost them. Does anyone have the technical specs for the best headphones? You know the old saying -"you get what you pay for". I want the best set money can buy. Convinced cheap headphones give cheap results.

Need something with volume control for both ears. One is better then the others.

Can anyone recommend something?

Tom

Technically, if you "want the best set money can buy..." you would have to find out the impedance of the headphone output port of you metal detector. In other words, you WANT to match the impedance of whatever you are connected to so there is no "impedance mismatch". I would think MOST metal detectors would have the same, IF NOT very similar, impedance on the headphone output port so that ALL different manufacturer headphones (i.e. 3rd party headphone manufacturers) are compatible with their metal detector products HH \_ to you

[JunkInTheTrunk]

Originally Posted by LaenDrawoh View post
I went ahead and grabbed the Garret Master Sound Headphones off of Amazon. I know I should have talked to a sponsor on here but with the free 2 day shipping I have from being a prime member they should get here the same day as my detector... and I am really looking forward to trying it out!

Now if I only knew when the pin pointer from HF would get here. :P

Also if anyone can help out AZGoldhunter on here that would be great! I have no experience obviously.

It looks like several of the sponsors websites have specs listed but not to the same level I am used to from computer parts sites so I am not sure if the information there is what he is looking for exactly or not.

As usual thank you for the advise all!

I THINK you will like them VERY MUCH!!! Like I said, "VERY COMFORTABLE..." with the ONLY exception that they can get "hot" during a hot day. Meaning that since they are "over the ear" there is little to no breathing because of how good they are with the over the ear "seal". I would think that ANY of these type of headphones would be uncomfortable on a hot day, but then again if the sun is "beating down on me" I personally would NOT be MD'ing until it got cooler. At the beach, probably wouldn't be too bad as you have the ocean breeze, but inland/desert regions, well that is the MD'rs personal call... of course. In either case, it is going to be obviously hot if you are under the sun so bring water if that is the case... or wear one of those camel packs while detecting. Finally, with these particular headphones, you can REALLY focus in on the "sounds" of your detector as the headphones shut out external environmental sounds and does a pretty good job doing it. I'm pretty sure there are headphones out there that are a little better, but I like the Garrett Master Sounds Headphones and don't see the need to get others... maybe later to TEST/compare with... but that is LATER as I'm personally PLEASED with what I have thus far. Let me know what you think about them? All of this is just my humble opinion of course and people have certain "wants/likes/dislikes" and can be hard to give advice on and/or to. HH \_ and hope that you like them...

[Curbdog]

If you have any access to a local detector store, there's a good route! I wanted a good set and asked the owner if he had any "consignment" pairs. He had a personal set of Killer B Hornets that he said he would sell for $60!

Being the owner, he said he wore them maybe 3 times and they were in new condition, to say the least. I felt like I hit the lottery!

Also, the higher ohm rating of good sets, saves on battery usage. If you notice, good sets have a much higher ohm rating than inexpensive sets.

[padirtfisher]

Has anyone used waterproof/sweatproof ear buds for MDing? I have the AT Pro on order and wanted some water resistant headphones but not sure what people think about using ear buds instead of cancelling out noises with the headphones.

[JunkInTheTrunk]

Originally Posted by Curbdog View post
If you have any access to a local detector store, there's a good route! I wanted a good set and asked the owner if he had any "consignment" pairs. He had a personal set of Killer B Hornets that he said he would sell for $60!

Being the owner, he said he wore them maybe 3 times and they were in new condition, to say the least. I felt like I hit the lottery!

Also, the higher ohm rating of good sets, saves on battery usage. If you notice, good sets have a much higher ohm rating than inexpensive sets.

I'm just asking because... there are going to be people that ask about the "fidelity" as well. It is not always necessarily so that the fidelity is going to be better just because of price. I've seen "music" headphones from Guitar Center or Sam Ash and the construction of them is just absolute !!!!, but they're expensive as hell? I know that I'm comparing apples to oranges... I'm just also trying to justify "price" relative to sound quality. I'm definitely old enough now to know that just because something costs more does NOT mean the best... been there and done that and I think we all have. That is typically a marketing scheme... although SOMETIMES, I will admit, that the higher price products are better... just NOT all the time. Thus, just saying... I did a little bit of reading and it does seem that typically the higher ohmed headphones are more expensive, but then what about impedance/ohms mismatch Sortof puts a bad taste when saying impedance/ohms in the same sentence... I guess you could say the equivalent DC resistance (i.e. ohms) when comparing to impedance. ANYWAYS... I think you get what I mean.... Thanks for the info because I did NOT know that there were headphones that went 100+ on the ohms??? In either case, I'm VERY HAPPY with my headphones... so for me it does NOT matter. This is more of a question for other people and just more or less knowledge base for me on a personal level (i.e. to learn). HH \_ to you

[Rudy]

For maximum power transfer, you do want to match the impedance of the source with the load. This also avoids the reflections. It is rather important in RF and high frequency digital networks. But in metal detecting, it is not so important. Most (all?) audio output stages in metal detectors are low impedance so they are very tolerant of headphone impedance characteristics. The sounds from the detector are not Hi Fi, so a little more or less harmonic distortion is not so important, as long as it is reasonable (less than 5 to 10%).

In general, a high impedance headphone will give you a higher volume (and less battery drain), but the conversion efficiency of the speakers used (converting electrical energy to sound energy) may have an ever larger effect on sound volume (and usually price). Also, the quality of materials used, options such as sound limiter, separate volume control, comfort, etc. are very important factors.

[Josey Wales]

are the Garrett Master Sound Stereo Headphones sweat proof? If not what are some comparable ones that are?

[Josey Wales]

Hi all, i am a newbie to MDing. Actually my dad bought me a metal detector in 1977, and I loved the thrill of hunting with it then, but have not held one since. Now, I just hesitantly bought a GBPro off of e bay for $355 today. I really didn't think I was gonna win it for that price, and had anticipated buying one from Kellyco on Black Friday. Now that I won it, What worries me is if it functions properly with that low of a price, and the seller was also new to e bay. I should have it around this saturday or so. The seller gave me ten days to let him know if it works correctly, and I have 45 days for my e bay buyer protection. My question is this: Is there an easy way to test this detector out to see if it is functioning correctly, and in a timely manner? Thanks for any help I can get on this, and I look forward to getting to know some people on here.

thanks again,
Josey Wales

[Josey Wales]

I guess the newbiness shows