Hi All:
Some time ago a number of folks on this forum tried to determine what constitutes a good pair of headphones. In my opinion, one of the most important things to come out of these posts, was what to look (or listen) for in a quality pair of headphones for the Sovereign.
Many of the contributors have had years of experience, and thousands of hours of hunting with the Sovereign and other detectors. Over the years, they have also used almost every brand of headphones. Their opinions and comments provide an invaluable resource for prospective headphone buyers. To quote a comment from one excellent post: "... I'm confident when wearing them, that alone makes a big difference too!"
After carefully studying each post, I summarized the comments, and put them in the form of a questionnaire. They are not shown in any particular order, nor is this list finished. But as of today, here's what has been posted (plus my comments in brackets). Before making a purchase, you might consider asking yourself the following questions:
Loudness - Are the headphones too loud? Do the target tones blast your ears? Do you need a volume control? Do you need two volume controls, one for each ear? (The forum posters have not commented on whether or not they have had service problems with phone-mounted volume controls, although at least one had a control change its setting.) Do the headphones sound too soft? (Try different brands. If they all sound too soft, you may have a hearing deficit and may need an external amplifier to help boost the signal from the Sovereign).
Target ID - Can you hear the difference between trash and treasure targets? (This is a tough call because there are a lot of variables, but it is the most important question you can ask, and a quality pair of headphones can help you hear the subtle differences. See the end of this post for more info).
Sensitivity - If you turn the Volume Control up to max, and the Threshold Control down until you can just barely tell the difference between the threshold tone and a null, can you still hear the difference above loud ambient noise? How low can you set the Threshold before you no longer can hear it? How do different headphones compare in this test? Do they block environmental noises like the wind and surf noise? (This is especially important for beach hunters).
Ruggedness - Are they built to stand up to the kind of hunting you do?
Service - (Do you get a warranty or guarantee? For how long? What does it cover? What in-warranty service/shipping charges can you expect to pay?)
Ear pads - Are the ear pads soft and comfortable? Do they stay that way in hot and cold weather, after years of use? Can you wear them with spectacles or sun glasses? (Do they stand up to sweat? Are the Ear pads replaceable and inexpensive)?
Head band - Can you wear a hat or ball cap with them? Does the headband carry the weight? Do the headphones squeeze your ears too tightly? Can you wear the headphones for ("x" number of) hours of hunting without discomfort?
Coil Cord - Is the cord too long or too short? (This could depend on where you mount the control unit). Is the cord too heavy? Does it pull on the headphones? Does the cord get tangled in your gear or underbrush? Is the cord field replaceable, or must you send it back to the factory? If it is field replaceable, is the cord inexpensive and readily available?
Switches - Do you intend to use these headphones on different detectors? Would an adaptor plug suffice or would you prefer a switch? (The contributors did not comment on whether or not they had service problems with phone mounted switches, but I had a switch go bad on one of my high quality, commercial phones after 6 months. I paid $20 for shipping and $6 for service. I feel this was a fair price, the service was very quick, and I haven't had a problem since).
Where to find the answers
It seems clear that you may not be able to buy one pair of headphones and expect them to meet all your needs. Many questions are contradictory, and your choices become the ones that make the best sense to you. Some of these questions can be answered by the dealer or the manufacturer. Some can be answered by comparison shopping, field testing, reading reviews, and posting questions on this forum.
A simple test
It's very difficult to explain why one pair of detector headphones sounds "better" than another, but here's a test that you might find helpful when making a comparison. Using a mini-plug adaptor, plug the headphones into a stereo CD player, and listen to some music. Pick the ones that sound best to you. A test like this is very tough on detector headphones, but the sounds of the Sovereign are very demanding. One of the commercial detector headphones that I tested performed surprisingly well.
Why fidelity is important
The target tones cover a broad range of sounds, including some with very high raspy sounds (harmonics) that indicate a trash target. They can be very loud or very soft (dynamic range), from large, shallow targets, to small, deep ones. As you swing the coil over some targets, the tones can sweep up and down quickly (pitch shifting). Some bottle caps "pop" as they come out of a null (impulse response). Some tones sound "smooth", and some maintain a constant pitch, but the quality of the tone changes (timbre shifting) as you swing the coil over the target. There is more to this, but you get the idea. It goes without saying, that your headphones should be able to reproduce all the sounds that your Sovereign can create.
Wrap-up
Again, we have the contributors to thank for their comments, and I appreciate their enthusiasm and terrific response to the project. I've learned a lot about headphones from them, and I hope you have too. I think we are better informed consumers as a result of their efforts. Of course your additions, comments, and critiques are always welcome. One of the best quotes posted on this forum went something like this:
"---(It) is very important to any detectorist to have good headphones. Without them a good detector can become a bad detector."
Good Luck and Good Hunting!
fod
