What is the difference between using headphones and not?

[cjruger]

I have had my Vaquero for a week now. I see everybody talking about headphones. Can you actulally hear the different tones with them compared to not having them? For example if im using AM mode and go over a target. will it sound different in the headphones than if i were just listeneing to the speaker on the metal detector? Im not really clear on how this works. any explainations would be great? Thanks


P.s. also maybe somebody could clear this up for me. if im using the disc mode and there is a quarter say 8 inches down. should it beep if my disc is set at the 5 cent mark and just have a fainter beep than if it were only 1 inch down or on the surface. or will it get disc'd out? I know if it were at the surface it would beep through the disc even if it were turned all the way up. but what if it is really deep?

 

[tabdog]

Hi Cjruger,

That's a good question.

You asked:

Can you actually hear the different tones with them compared to not having them?
For example if im using AM mode and go over a target. will it sound different in the
headphones than if i were just listening to the speaker on the metal detector?

Seeing how the V only gives audio responses, it makes sense to me to have very
good headphones. You can hunt OK without them, and just using the disk and dig
all repeatable signals. Super tuning helps in this type of hunting, if conditions allow.

I got problems with that now that I am used to using quality headphones. If I am
hunting in all metal mode and cross a piece of wire. I can tell if it is shaped like wire
and about how deep it is if the wire is flat and presents it's length. I know how long it
is. Short wire is like nails. I know how compact shapes sound like coins. I can pick
up coins in iron and trash.

I can do all these things and much more with pretty good success, in the all metal
mode using good headphones. My ability to do these things goes way down if I don't
use them.

Then you asked:

if im using the disc mode and there is a quarter say 8 inches down. should it beep if
my disc is set at the 5 cent mark and just have a fainter beep than if it were only 1
inch down or on the surface. or will it get disc'd out? I know if it were at the surface it
would beep through the disc even if it were turned all the way up. but what if it is really
deep?

If you are using that much discrimination, you may not be able to get a response on a
quarter that deep. It depends on several factors. Using disc reduces your depth. Iron
and/or minerals in the ground affect your depth. Other settings affect your depth. The
way you hunt may affect your depth, as in coil speed and coil highth and so on.

Super tuning will make deep targets sound louder.

Without super tuning, the deep targets get quieter than shallow targets. Deeper targets
can disappear if you turn the disc up. That has to do with the MD loosing depth with
the extra discrimination and other factors I don't understand well enough to go much
farther into it.

If you want to find a deep quarter in a bunch of trash, I would think it is very important
to cut the disc and use quality headphones.

Until you learn more, it may just sound like a bunch of gibberish. But your V is trying
to tell you something. The better you listen, the better your chanses of good finds.

Hope I did not confuse you. I would rather help if I can.

Good luck,

 

[dahut]

What Dave said, simplified:
The difference is the same as hearing - or being deaf.

The subleties you will hear with a good set of headphones will surprise you. They'll make your batteries last longer, too.
Finally, you wont alert every stray kid, boozy wino or nosy park patron with your incessant beeping.

Get some decent digiphones and get to it.

 

[cjruger]

thanks, could you explain super tuning to me, I read about it in the manual bont dont really understand it. it tried to do it but didnt notice a difference.

 

[tabdog]

n/t

 

[nick hunter]

n/t

 

[tabdog]

Hay Cjruger,

Super tuning a V is done by turning the sensitivity into the red. All the
way up if possible. Then turn the threshold all the way up.

Sometimes the V becomes so unstable that you can not easily hunt.
In that case you probably will choose not to use it.

It makes quieter responses louder. Deeper targets seem closer to the
surface.

Super tuning is explained in the manual. Using the air test in the manual
you can see that there is an increase in readable depth.

That being said:

Air test are usually done without headphones. Those deep targets may
require headphones to hear with the other stuff in the ground.

Some people say that the depth at which the V can respond is not increased
when super tuning. Only the volume of quieter responses is increased.

I seldom use super tuning, and I use in places where other people probably
would not.

I use super tuning to increase sensitivity and not usually for depth.

Now, the V has such a good all metal mode that, that is where I get most of
the sensitivity I use. It's more sensitive than the disc mode when super tuned.

That's why I don't super tune much.

Hope that helps. These features give a MDer good tools for finding loot in the
ground. The more we can fegger out about what the V is saying, the more loot
we can find.

HH,

 

[rmptr]

The ONLY time I use a MD without headphones is when there are a bunch of curious kids at the park,
or a Mom that is curious what the strange man is doing around her children.
Only for demonstration purposes.

I also feel the silly beepie noises could possibly be annoying to others within the area, public, or private.
Seems it's just better to keep a low profile, if possible.

And that's NOT to say I don't occasionally do other things for the highest possible impact!

A short time ago, someone noted correctly that certain ID signals could not be heard AT ALL without use of headphones.

Over in FISHERland, a highly respected detectorist, Tom Dankowski instructs people how to use MD's effectively.
He is shown in a photo, involved in 1 on 1 instruction, wearing headphones connected with a Y to the fellow operating the MD as it is used, and he advises the operator.
Point being, he relies upon a duplicate audio component, and NOT use of a 2nd visual display.

Some MD's have horrid audio quality. Any cheap headphone that is comfortable to wear will suffice for a BONG! or bell...
Tesoro has very good audio quality with many nuances that warrant use of the best quality you can get.

Yet the plot thickens!

Depending upon where you may be located geographically, and physically, you may require different headphones for best results.
Comfortable headphones during winter may see you dripping with sweat in the summer months!
Headphones that block outside noises may not be safe adjacent to high activity areas.
Adversely, headphones that allow outside noise may be overwhelmed by noise of traffic, or the surf.

I presently use Calrad 15-118 and Nova 57 headphones that are inexpensive, yet effective.
With a hot summer on it's way I may switch to a pair of Panasonic RP-HT202 headphones that are cooler.

I plan to take the Tabdog's advice and purchase KillerBee's soon, with dual volume controls for my personal preference and need.

As Dahut sez, "Do it!"

HH
Recovers Many Pull Tab Relics

 

[dahut]

Super Tuning came about with the earlier Tesoros, when it was learned that it allows weaker target signals to overcome the low-end audio response limits. Basically, it gives marginal responses more "punch." It doesn't increase depth per se - the power within the detection field sets the limits of detection. That power is a fixed value which the FCC regulates, as with all EMF emitting devices (walkie talkies, cellphones, etc.)
It DOES affect the audio response, just like Dave said up above in his excellent answer.
You should copy and paste his post into your files.

I rarely go into the max Super Tune mode, ie, cranking the SENS and THRESH to the max. Max SENS settings usually result in falsing and other undesirable responses from a detector. The punched up THRESH only heightens this bad behavior.

But like many things, it can have benefit when used in the right way. In moderation, I fnd it "sharpens" target response across the board and helps me differentiate trash better. Here's what I do.
I turn up the SENS until I experience falsing, chatter, popping, etc., and then I back it down a couple of notches until it settles down. Then I turn the THRESH up just a bit to sharpen responses - this is usually just at the end of the word 'Tesoro' on the fromt face logo.

And as rmptr mentions - this is subject to change. In trashy park or a tot lot with wood chips only 4" deep, I accept a lessened SENS to help with the trash. Honestly, for most detecting, running in the upper SENS ranges is a waste - until you've cleared away the surface trash to eliminate masking issues.