Headphones

[Cody]

I don't know how to answer if a user misses anything by not using headphones. I have no doubt I would miss the low faint sounds. So, I can only answer for myself and they are a must for me. I want to hear the slightest whisper as I have found some really deep good targets that I am sure I could not hear using the speaker. I have tried the stock headphones with several detectors and compared them to a really nice pair and there is a world of difference. There was a time when I did not think it made much difference but for me there is a very clear difference.

 

[Bill_in_MA]

Interesting - I was just going to pick up a pair of Black Widows or NDTs - as they are always so highly rated - now Ralph who I've always highly respected has some new ones and Rat Phones - who I wasn't familiar with now has their VTF technology they are touting.

I realize this is an ongoing saga and the playing field is always subject to change and once you get beyond the cheapies we're into an area where all may be comparatively better than those a grade below - plus we've got long time users sticking with what they like - whether they be Killer Bs, Jolly Rogers or whatever.

Outside of those personal preference areas with regards to comfort, fit, styling, ear cup size, coverage and noise reduction - do we have any comparative quantitative differences to review re: either an advantage to ones frequency response, impedence, tone handling, limiting or filtering circuitry vs. the others - or some other additional factors that can be discussed to help sway one in one direction or the other.

 

[staloch]

Thanks for all the great posts by Cody.
Another thing to remember when using headphones is that your battery life almost doubles. Machine speakers are hard on batterys

 

[Rick(ND)]

That a good set of headphones will make a difference as far as better finds and more of them. I have seen it many time people that say they dont need headphone and complain they never find anything good, or deep.Some of the faint signals are hard to hear even with headphones, how can a person hear them without headphones?? They cant!!
Now when it comes to headphones there is a difference too now that we have these multi freq tone ID detectors. The tones are very important to us to be able to tell the difference in a pulltab and a IH penny or even a gold ring. Another thing is the comfort as we want a set that we can wear all day and not get sore ears like some of the cheapie will do as they push more on the ears than on the head, so we need them with the bigger ear cups and good padding to block out back ground noise. We also need a well built set so when we need them they are dependable.
As we know the biggest problem with headphones is the cable getting a bad connection or the volume control going bad. Most of the top quality headphones now use a heavy duty volume control and a few use a feild replaceable cable so we can keep a replacement cable and replace it when needed.
I have tried most of the top brand one out there as I need the volume for my bad hearing and found even if I didnt have the bad hearing the ones i would be looking at is the SunRay Pros, the Killer bees, the Gray Ghost, the Timberwolfs (these I use on my Sovereign as they have the best volume) and the Troy Pros. I have tried several others too that some bragged up,but were not that great, but just as expensive.I have also seen where some hearing is differnt than others, so we have to find the ones that work the best for us.
If you have the best detector why settle for anything less than a great set of headphones to get the max out of your detector?
Anyone that dont use good headphone dont know what they are missing.

Rick

 

[Cody]

Very informative and right on. There are a lot of good headphones, detectors, coils, probes so I would add service after the sell. I have been checking out the Sun Ray forum and like what I read.

 

[AK in KY]

Thanks for all the input. Guess I am missing quite a bit.

AK in KY

 

[AK in KY]

Think I'll try the new SunRays if I can find them.

 

[Cody]

If you go to Sun Ray you can get them and you may save enough in taxes to pay for the shipping.