G2 - No Volume Control... Really?

[psyvad]

The G2 has held my interest since I first heard of it many months ago. Now that Christmas is getting close and the family is pressuring me for a Christmas list, I started doing some serious investigation and it appears that the G2 does not have a volume control. I may be the only person who doesn't like to wear headphones when I detect, but why have a 1/8" jack and no way to adjust the volume if using earbuds or the many headphones with no volume control.

Can any G2 owner confirm that there isn't a volume control? If not, guess I'll just stick with my F75 and Safari (both with volume controls).

Thanks!

 

[morelic55]

No Volume control. You can adjust the gain to decrease the volume, but that defeats depth...............I'm sure that Radio shack has some earbuds with a volume control.

Check these out.........

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sennheiser+-+Women's+Earbud+Headphones/9834134.p?skuId=9834134&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=9834134&ref=06&cmp=RMX&loc=01&id=1218180676049


BTW I traded my 3 week old Safari for the G2, it spanks the Safari!!!!!!

 

[Jason in TN]

They make earbuds with volume control. And any good headphones have a volume control.
Not a problem.

Jason

 

[johnnybegood]

I was interested in the g2 but that is a big turn off to me
I dont use headphones neither..
John

 

[hershey1]

It is louder the shallower the target. I too use headphones with volume control and noise limiter. The G-2 is a great machine but you will never get the full potential without quality headphones. JMHO. HH

 

[D&P-OR]

Agree with hershey.---You won't get the FULL benefit of any (quality) detector without quality h.p.'s.----Do a few tests (can be real "eye opener"), you will see they bear my statement out.-----I suppose in a sense it's personal preference but it would be just FINE with me if none of my detectors had a volume control.---It's just another knob (if it is a knob) that can & does get "bumped" out of place when in operation.-----I always use h.p.'s and I always max my detector volume out, (controlling volume thru the h.p.'s).-----Works great for me but to each his own! ---------Del

 

[johnnybegood]

I think headphones ruin the whole experience of being outdoors.I am deep in the woods sometimes and i want to hear whats going on around me.
Especially if there is a animal coming at me ..Or what most animals do is warn you first.You could get mauled easily by a animal..Or a dog.
I would not enjoy detecting with headphones on at all.Being out in the country is part of the whole detecting experience.
And you dont want another knob?????How about another cord hanging around.That would get hung up on everything when im in the woods.How about the sweat in the heat from your headphones..Ill take the knob and sounds of nature any day..
Especially with the super sensitive detectors like the T2...I could not even imagine listening to all that chatter and tones in headphones..Maybe thats why i can run my T2'S full bore and find the deeper coins in the pounded out areas....
John

 

[Monte]

The G2 has held my interest since I first heard of it many months ago. Now that Christmas is getting close and the family is pressuring me for a Christmas list,...

I'd keep it on a Christmas 'Wish List', if I were you. the G2 is an impressive detector, and can complement many makes/models quite well. noting you have an F-75 and safari, I would suggest that while they are both good detectors for different applications (usually), the G2, with both the stock 11" DD and round 5" DD will easily add to your success afield.

I started doing some serious investigation and it appears that the G2 does not have a volume control.

That is correct. It also doesn't need it. Many (most) makes and models offered today have been designed w/o a "volume control" and have the volume set to maximum in their design. There are two types of Volume Controls to consider. The T2 and F-75 have a separate Volume Control that is not tied to anything else in the circuitry and only produce an overall volume level just like headphone volume controls. A few models have a Target Volume control and/or such a system tied with a Signal Balance or Sensitivity function. On the T2 I keep my detector Volume at maximum and only adjust my headphones. I think (but need to check) that the Volume on the Safari is more of a target Volume control. Regardless, I keep it high, also, when I borrow a friend's Safari.

Personally, I use high-quality headphones, both virtually the same (SunRay Pro Gold and Killer B Wasp), and I keep them at full volume most of the time. Why? I like to hear all possible signals, especially weaker and/or deeper responses.

I may be the only person who doesn't like to wear headphones when I detect, but why have a 1/8" jack and no way to adjust the volume if using earbuds or the many headphones with no volume control.

There are occasions, only as few, when I hunt w/o headphones. I'm usually hunting in town or close to friends so I don't like to cause disturbance or draw attention. As for my surroundings, I stay well aware of what's going on.

Yes, it has a good dual headphone jack feature, but personally I'm not interested in ear buds. For me they are annoying because they just don't fit well. Most don't have good audio quality either. I do use some lightweight headphones in the high heat of summer so the jack works well.

As for detector design, most manufacturers know that the consumers want to hear all possible targets (which is why all these models have two headphone jacks) and to produce the best depth possible the detectors are easily designed to function at maximum volume. Not all, but I think they ought to be made that way. Why make a detector that is only going to respond with a 50% or 75% volume level? Users would be complaining so you just make them to give it full-strength audio. Then, there's no need for a volume control, especially if you're hunting w/o headphones because any reduction would really impair your overall performance.

Can any G2 owner confirm that there isn't a volume control? If not, guess I'll just stick with my F75 and Safari (both with volume controls).

Stick with them both. If you don't use headphones I trust you don't hunt around a bunch of city folks who find it annoying and want to complain. If you hunt out in the woods or desert or away from people, that's fine. Still with or without headphones, the G2 is a very good detector.

Monte

 

[psyvad]

Thanks to all for the helpful input! It sounds like the G2 is too good to pass by, so I'll keep it on the list on try to rig something up using the 1/8" jack and a small speaker with a volume control. Most of my hunting is in newer (post-silver) parks, schools and sports fields because I can usually just find 90 minutes or so to hunt. With the price of gold lately, my main focus has been trying to find jewelry, and I've done pretty well. In fact, I just sent my gold to ARA in Texas and should get enough back to cover the cost of a G2. I'm really looking forward to finding out if the G2 will replace the F75 as my goto detector.

 

[johnnybegood]

I mean,do you really even need to wear headphones with the new detectors that vdi??
I agree in some cases it would be more considerate to wear them,
But with these new detectors that vdi,you dont have to rely on the tones as you used to.
I do recognize good sounding tones on my T2,but the VDI is so dam accurate,i mostly rely on that and it works out well..
I say grab a T2 if you dont have one..
John

 

[MarkCZ]

WAIT!
volume controls on headphones or ear buds isn't the same as a volume control on the detector.
The control on the headphones/ear buds can only really turn down the volume if its to loud, that's because they have NO AMP! The volume control on the headphones/ear buds takes the mv signal from the unit and just grounds out a portion of it to lower a to loud of volume.

However, the volume control on the unit (detector itself) can actually control the output from the audio output amp!

Now, that being said. I have a Fisher F2 and they Do Not Have A Volume Control either, BUT! for most purposes the preset volume is usable.

Now there is another little device that can be had that DOES have an amp and some of them runs on batteries. They are called Multi-port headphone amp's. The idea behind these are normally for recording purposes. The singers or musician can hookup multiple headphones to one headphone jack and have control over their own volume.
I had a four port at one time. It was a pretty small little box and I think they make them in as few as two ports.

Mark

 

[jim tn]

Yes! There is nothing like being able to hear that faint whisper or tic of gold or silver, even if it is not windy. I agree that vdi is much better today, but still not perfect. It still boils down to tone, tone, tone...and one has to be able to hear the tics' and scratches. Just MHO. HH jim tn

 

[psyvad]

You convinced me! Yesterday I ordered a G2 from Detector Depot -- Hope it will arrive in time for Christmas.

I will be getting a check for $870 for my gold jewelry found with my F75 and Safari. My Safari (used) was also paid for by selling gold and platinum jewelry found with the F75.

Thanks again for all of your comments.

Bart

 

[jbow]

I mean,do you really even need to wear headphones with the new detectors that vdi??

You do if you're going to hunt with me. I used to hunt with a guy often but the last two times I hunted with him he didn't use headphones. The last time I had forgotten about it and I was about 200 ft awy.. I thought something was wrong with my machine. Hw was using an MXT and man... it was annoying. Besides that, I didn't want to be associated with all that racket.
If you use no phones, just the internal speaker you will bother everyone within earshot.

J

 

[Low-Boy/LCPM]

Start wearing headphones what the G2 left out it makes up for it hunting.