I have tried to explain some differences I hear a few times but it is a hard thing to do when you are talking about anything but those "crackles, scratches or spits" when I dial in a target.
I have only been hunting for a short 3 years, exclusively with a Vaquero in the beginning and then eventually with a Compadre.
At first every sound on the Vaq was the same, I could hear no difference in anything as far as form, tone, volume or nuances...but over time that eventually changed.
I am nowhere near as good as many of the veterans that have way more time in this than me, but I have noticed a few things.
Good targets like coins will usually have a nice full sound and a sharp end at the end of the tone, most jewelry, too.
I have read of some finding gold rings and it was an iffy, scratchy sound in the tone, but I myself have gotten a solid dig me tone on every gold or silver ring or any kind of chain that I can remember.
None were very deep, however.
Even though some trash like tabs or coin shaped foil or can slaw might come in as a solid coin sounding tone with a sharp end if they are shallow or laying flat instead of at an angle, most of the time I can tell I am swinging over trash in 2 ways...
I always dial up past the fade out point and then down slowly to listen how the target comes in.
For me and my 2 detectors I have found this is just a way more accurate way to guess what the target might be when I look at the final position of that knob, and more importantly most good targets will actually be scratchy before they become whole versus trash that will usually not just come in immediately solid like a good target will.
I am usually a dig it all kind of hunter and check every target like this before I dig so this is no theory to me...this is a fact...mostly.
The second thing is that most of this kind of trash will sound different to me when it is solid.
More "tinny and bright" which is actually a quite annoying sound to me when I hear it, but a very good indication I am swinging over trash.
Good targets are fuller, have that sharp end and never have that bright sound in that tone.
Big iron will have a very loud, long and smooth sound, actually pleasant to the ears but the length gives me a clue and if that target is big it will go on as I paint the area by moving the coil slowly.
Smaller ring an coin targets are much shorter in duration.
Large cans, especially shallow ones but sometimes not so shallow are louder, louder than a coin or ring, and also could have that bright sound in that tone.but it is usually the volume that gives me a better clue.
At first I could hear no volume differences between any targets big or small, or shallow or deep...but I have learned there is a difference over time.
The greatest thing I have ever heard is the sound of big gold and I know there is a difference on the sound that these make on a Tesoro.
I have been lucky enough to find 3 very large class rings in my time, one with my F2, one with my Compadre and one with my Vaq.
Several smaller gold rings too, with all my detectors, and even though each of these was a solid, clear dig me signal on every one for the life of me I have not yet learned or have heard the difference between these smaller gold rings and any other good target like a coin...but those big gold ones were different.
I found the first one with my F2 and all I can remember that it was a nice solid zinc signal that I dug but was not zinc.
The second was found with my Compadre and I do remember that even though this faded out at zinc level like a common zincoln, there was something a little different in this sound.
The third one was dug while I was swinging my Vaq and a DD coil and this one I remember like it just happened 10 seconds ago.
Another zinc signal, dialed out at zinc like a zincoln but by this time I could hear that this tone was so rich and so clear and rang so true like the highest quality bell sound I have ever heard that I do remember stopping dead in my tracks for a moment before I dug it...it was so distinct.
THAT sound has now become part of my DNA, it is burned into my brain and I can tell you it is the sweetest sound you will ever hear and totally addicting.
I want to hear that sound again in my lifetime, many more times, really, and that sound is "The One" that I listen for on every hunt and every time I go out.
If I am lucky I will hear it again, someday.
Many of us can hear the sound of a silver coin dropped on a hard surface and can pick it out even if dropped with many other clad coins.
I believe this is innate, an ability that most of us are born with and something you don't have to learn.
All of this other stuff is not innate, they are all learned abilities that show up when you have put in enough time and listened to enough signals and have dug enough targets to associate these specific sounds with those targets...but they can be learned by most people over time.
Time and after a whole lot of digging.
