Question re preferred headphones - specifically impedance

[Ytcoinshooter]

I was wondering what Racer users prefer. I have a number of high end cans that run from 90 ohms to 150. The racer signals seem a little quiet with the "high end" sets and more pronounced - louder with the average 32 ohm headphones. This is often the case and I know one manufacturer recommends 32 ohm headphones for this reason.
HH - Bruce

 

[squirrel1]

This gent named ski whiz makes some great phones. I have read some great comments concerning the phones he builds---actual Racer users too.

 

[iqwozpoom]

I know this thread is a little long in the tooth but I wanted to share some observations. I've been running my racer with sunray golds, well.. One day I switched them with some cheap xp backphones I use for my tesoros and found out they weren't all they were cracked up to be. I was testing some bolts and bottle caps between the outlaw and racer. I noticed two things; one, the racer will mask out targets when disced out ie coin behind iron that can be heard with the id filter left lower while the outlaw can disc out the iron and still see the coin. Two my sunrays were masking out the iron grunts!
I ordered a couple more pairs of headphones, some cheap koss qz5's and whites ultralights. The koss headphones did not impress me at all, the whites on the other hand? I ordered a pair of the whites prostars and if they perform like their little cousins then the sunray will retire. Shame really because they fit perfect for me as the tank styles block out to much.
The ohms are second to tones. The whites claim to work with mixed audio and I'd gladly trade high ohms for a wider
range. I think that with the racer and the blended audio report hearing all of it is key. By the way the ultralights are 32x32 ohms and are plenty loud!

 

[Davethejunky]

I use Grey Ghost, and killer B's. I think the B's are a little more responsive with mellower sound.

 

[3RINGER]

Bruce that's interesting, I say this due to just going to a hunting buddies house tonight with my Racer and killer b's (wasp). I had asked him to check my phones with his Racer, also we test some others he has. The reason is this, I have hunted more so without headphones but with cooler temps and some locations near the road I have used the wasp more. 150 ohm for these. I was noticing that with the phones on I was getting what I thought was over modulation in the tone, not that sweet sound we hear from the unit speaker. I thought I had messed up one of the two but after testing with many phones...both his unit and mine we saw no difference. I will add though the phones we tested were high ohm that I recall. May see if he has some lower and test next week on our hunt.


Try this and see if you can hear the difference with your 150 ohm phones and the racer. Turn on, preset TT and wave a Coin over the coil. Listen to multiple sweeps then plug in the phones and see if you can hear a difference in what you had the first time, as if to over modulate. Had me for a minute thinking I jacked something up. But come here and read your post about the same thing. Great timing.

Be interested to see what others find out as well. Especially if anyone is using the killer b wasp setup.

-----on another note. when you were talking about them be quiet where you referring to deeper / faint targets?

 

[3RINGER]

Dave I guess I was typing when you posted. What killer b's do you have?

 

[Davethejunky]

I use the stinger Optima. Very nice tone that doesn't blast them off my head. I run them at 3/4 volume.

 

[Ytcoinshooter]

Thanks for the feedback. I bought a set of Grey Ghost NDT's (150 ohm) that I like over the Jimmy Sierra Maxiphone 2. To my ears they are fuller, louder and most importantly more descriptive of the audio, like hearing raggedness on the front and back of a signal. The small subtleties that may indicate a junk metal in the upper ranges. I'll be trying some others but I think I REALLY like the GG's and plan on using them on a couple other detectors. Hearing varies, subjective person to person so as they say your results may vary
Tomorrow Im taking the Racer and my usual farm field favorite detector & coil combo to a huge area (many hundreds of acres) that is partially (a small fraction) and freshly turned over from my scouting it out today. It hasn't produced to much the last few years but I keep thinking there has got to more, another Spanish real, big copper and flat buttons. The farmer has yet to turn over the what has been the most productive spot...but he did the field next to it. It could be a bust but since the finds have dropped off I made it an annual ritual to hit it in December once the farmer turns it...just to see. I will go looking for a particular trashy spot (after I comb much of the plowed fluff)...where I believe a dwelling once stood, coal, brick and clam shells are found there.
Im real happy with my Racer. Having it means no special setup, programming or tuning to hit trashy places, cool tool!
HH - Bruce

 

[Monte]

a.. hearing abilities

b.. the circuitry design/limitations of the metal detector used

c.. surrounding or ambient noises, such as wind, traffic, children playing, etc.

I always have two sets of headphones with me. One is my primary-use set, and those are the White's Pro Star which use 50 ohm impedance speakers. My 'back-up' set is the Killer B 'Wasp' which I have been using for a long, long time, and this 150 ohm speakered model has worked very well, especially with some models that had a poor headphone system. I am referring to the White's Classic series which has a very good internal speaker design, but the headphone system had some added resistance that sounds kind-of 'muffled' a little, especially terrible if yiou used any of the 'budget style' headphones that used 16 or 32 ohm speakers.

Back 20 to 25 years ago I switched to some 100 ohm headphones and noticed they were much better with the Classic model, and even improved the audible performance of Tesoro's and other brands I used back then. In time I checked out several different brands that used the 150 ohm speakers and determined that for the broad-range of detectors I used, the higher impedance headphones provided me the best all-around performance, and the Killer B 'Wasp' model became my favorite headphone. I have owned maybe three sets of them, the last being my current 'back-up' headphones.

I also have a brand new set of camo Killer B 'II' in case my 'Wasps' bite the dust. They have been exposed to broad weather extremes and exposed to a lot of sunlight since they stay in my vehicle all the time, but haven't been covered with a lightweight white blanket like my detectors. The years of sun have faded/discolored the headband, and the ear cups seem to have aged and cracked or become brittle in time ... just as I have ... but they are still dependable.

I still use the 'Wasps' without much hesitation with the exception of when I put in longer periods of search. Even though the White's Pro Star headphones speaker impedance is 50 ohms compared with the Killer B's 150 ohm, they still work very well and are more comfortable. The 'comfort' factor for me is that the White's Pro Star headphones, while at a lower impedance than I generally prefer, are sufficient to provide a reasonably good audio with all the detectors I own and use, PLUS they have the larger-size 'tank style' ear cups.

The so-called 'tank style' fit over the ears better without pinching your ears, and they block out more outside noises, thus they are more comfortable to wear for longer periods. This coming year might be the last for my well used, well worn Killer B 'Wasp' [size=small](which is essentially the same as the SunRay Pro Gold which they make for SunRay and have a similar fit and same-size ear cup)[/size]. I also suggest the Pro Gold's to folks looking for quality head gear.

But my next set of headphones is going to be the Killer B 'Hornet' which will give me the 150 ohm speakers, but they use the larger 'tank style' ear cups. My White's Pro Star headpho0nes will then become the 'back-up' in case I encounter breakage. My camo Killer B II's will still stay at-the-ready in my den should I need them, and my current Pro Star headset will get cleaned up and tote along with a back-up detector in case I need to use a detector and headphones as a loaner-unit. I have a brand new set of Pro Star in -the-box which will become my back-up headphones and if I don't have enough extra change to buy myself a new set of Killer B 'Hornet' for Christmas, then I will before spring weather returns to get out for full-time detecting season by maybe mid-February.

I generally suggest folks check out headphones at a local detector dealers shop, and if they don't carry the make and model detector you use [size=small](and by golly, they ought to be carrying the Makro Racer!!)[/size] then take your detector in to check out all the headphones they carry. Check them for comfort while shaking your head around and bending it over as if recovering a target, etc., and get a set that fits comfortably and doesn't flop around or want to fall off your head or out-of-place.

In order of preference I would suggest these.:

Killer B 'Hornet'
White's Pro Star
Killer B 'Wasp'
Killer B 'II'
SunRay Pro Gold

Monte

 

[SkiWhiz]

This gent named ski whiz makes some great phones. I have read some great comments concerning the phones he builds---actual Racer users too.

Thank you for the kind words.