With Great Reseve I ask a Question about Tones on the GT

[Buried Crap NJ]

First off Critterhunter don't be shy to reply here I still value you fingers and mind. I just question them at times. I remember that when the Sovereign first came out there was an option to disable audio threshold as well as the different tones heard. This had to be done at the dealer when buying them. Now we fast forward to the GT model and the silent switch is on the control housing. The question I have is: The control that affect the tones inside the unit can it be used to change the tones? I have a brand new GT and the tones all seem to be scratchy. Let me try to explain. Either air or ground testing there is some tonal difference on all targets . I can hear the tones. But they all have dragging sounds. Even gold which should have a clean one tone response, sounds rough. I first though it was the headphones I was using. Gray Ghost Black Widows I though they would be good by the waves. I then switched to Original Gray Ghost as recommended by others. Both sets were NIB purchased! Both have the same results. Side by side test with the GT vs. Excalibur with the same targets, the Excalibur has a much smoother sound then the GT. I'll say this in closing The Excalibur I can tell you 90% of the time what the coin is. The GT I can't tell any coins from any other target. Silver from copper or a pull tab from a coin. I do get a nice low tone on can slaw but it will still be scratchy! I have heard this a hundred times each machine can be different from the next, or if you get a good one! I am going to have to trade machines with a buddy to see what they think. But for now I welcome your response.
Steve

 

[Neil]

Steve it sounds like your headphone plug is not mating up well with your headphone jack, is there something in it to prevent a clean contact?

My GTs tones are pretty smooth and you can definetly tell targets apart. There might be some sort of adjustment inside but since its new Id be sending it back in before opening it up. The Elite has a toggle where you can switch from multi to single tone so I would imagine thats on the inside of your detector but it sounds like more is going on. there is a pot to adjust the tone range but that wouldnt eliminate the scratchy sound your hearing, its just a pitch range for hearing. unless of course that pot has been turned all the way to one side which might give you the effect your gettting.

If you wanna test yours against mine this week before I head into work let me know. I work in Toms River at CMC and start at 11am so it would have to be like 9am or so.

 

[ZOFCHAK]

Might be the headphone jack and that's easy to test, just check the audio using the external speaker. I would also try a different coil to rule out an issue there.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

With the headphones unplugged listen to the tone and compare it with your Excal.If its just a variation in the tone you should be able to match the tone with the internal tone pot kind of like tuning a guitar string.The older Sovereigns have a lot of people tuning the tone,and if tuned to the extreme in either direction too low or high will mess up your ability to ID with the tone.Good Luck.

 

[ML]

Steve - My hearing is not that good and I have trouble distinguishing tones with all my Minelabs, regardless of model. That being said, I borrowed a set of Gray Ghosts one afternoon and and thought they sounded like scratchy tin cans.

 

[Buried Crap NJ]

Ok lets get this out of the way first. Why Marrying a good speller is important!

Reserve?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrf-3wu14ho

 

[synthnut]

All of the Gray Ghost phones have a very limitted dynamic range in the audio frequency .....This could very well be the "scratchy" tone you are hearing ....Try another set of headphones ....If you still hear the scratchy tone , you have a problem with the jack or something else ...The spaker advise is good too !!.....Try that ....Jim

 

[Buried Crap NJ]

Thanks, The speaker idea will give it a shot tonight. That's why these boards are so cool. Why didn't I think of that!
steve

 

[Bling]

you can change the Sovereign tones here.

 

[synthnut]

It's interesting to hear the varous people discuss how they percieve tone ........as ML was comparing Gray Ghosts to "Scratchy Tin Cans " ......My hearing is not the best , and to me , the limited frequancy response on the Gray Ghost line is just what the doctor ordered ....While listening to music , I prefer a nice full spectrum tone , but for targets , I really like the Gray Ghost line because the tones are more 'Telling " to me with the limitted response ..... This tone being described by someone with good hearing may come across as " scratchy" ....... Check the frequncy responce on other phones ......They are much wider .....I would venture to say that with the louder phones , and the limited response , the amp in the Soverign might be overdriving the phones into a slight distorton ..... ?????......Just a thought .....Then again , with all the outsoursing that Minelab is doing , and the way quality control has been lately, maybe they're just putting cheaper components into their product ....That woudn't surprise me ......It would be interesting to check out an old Soveregn and a new one .....Jim

 

[Critterhunter]

If the volume is too high on my Sony Studio phones the audio gets scratchy and distorted.

 

[Buried Crap NJ]

If the volume is too high on my Sony Studio phones the audio gets scratchy and distorted.

Too high on the phones them self not the unit? I thought the volume on the GT equals depth. I am new to the GT detector.
steve

 

[synthnut]

Turn the volume high on the machine, and lower to listenning volume controlled by the phones .... My hearing is bad , so I run the volume up to full on everything ....Jim

 

[Bling]

i run the Vol 1/2 way up on all my Sovereign's and Excal...and wide open on the head phones...as long as i can here a change in the threshold thats all i need. iv found for me if i run the Vol wide open on the detector it changes the tone ID some from what im used to..

 

[Neil]

If the volume is too high on my Sony Studio phones the audio gets scratchy and distorted.

Too high on the phones them self not the unit? I thought the volume on the GT equals depth. I am new to the GT detector.
steve

It is a target volume. if you turn on the volume, say to 1/4 and then set your threshold level, then notice that if you turn up the volume the rest of the way, the threshold does not increase in volume. test it on the deepest targets and you will see it should be all the way up or close to it. It sounds like critter has to do it by necessity with the the sonys.

 

[synthnut]

Yeah, If you don't have a volume control on your phones, you really don't have much of a choice as Neil says .....Jim

 

[Rick(ND)]

Back in 1996 when i first started using the Sovereign we were told to run the volume at max on the Sovereign and adjust the headphones for a comfortable level. I understood the volume control was target volume not the threshold volume as you will notice if you get one of those deep signal and turn the volume control down on the Sovereign. The threshold stays the same. but the volume of your signal will get weaker, this is why I run my Sovereign volume at max and with my real bad hearing I run them also at max, I also have to use the loudest set of headphones i can find and yet have good tones to hear those super deep targets i have found over the years. If I turn down the volume on my Sovereign I myself will lose my depth as I have tried this many times myself in the field.
Over the years trying different headphones I have seen several the tones distorted on when the volume get so high for me and I could not use, even some that work on one of my detectors and not another, so at this time I have Timberwolfs for my Sovereigns, the Troy Pros for my Explorer/E-Trac and a set of the Uni Probes for the other detectors as I have a great set of headphones, with one of if not the deepest pinpoint probes there is.If the volume were a little louder or I wasn't so deaf i would use the Sun Ray Pro Gold as they are a great set of headphones and have used them in a pinch, but harder for me to hear.