Question about one-ear headphones (Killer B Stingers, etc)

[Plugcutter]

I've been using Killer B Hornets for a couple of years now and am pleased enough with them - although they're just WAY too hot to wear once the temp gets up about 65 degs F or so. Up to now I've been keeping one ear "off" and then taking them off from time to time to wipe the sweat off both ear muffs, but I finally gave up and ordered the Killer B Stingers, which are more or less the same thing, but with only one speaker and earmuff. I figured that one ear will still be hot, but overall it'll be more tolerable.

They arrived today and as soon as I opened the box I was blown away by one detail that seems so poorly-thought-out that I was kinda taken aback a bit. Where the "missing earphone" would have been is simply what I consider to be heavy gray packing foam, bent around the steel that used to hold the other muff and speaker. Seriously? Just heavy packing foam, glued in place? And it looks like open-cell foam rather than closed-cell foam, so it's liable to turn into a dripping sponge in no time.

Even if it's sturdier than it looks, I'll still feel like I'm wearing a kludge - something even uglier than what I might have built myself. I can't believe they didn't at LEAST wrap the foam in the same black faux leather that's used in the rest of the construction. In that case, I never would have noticed and I wouldn't be whining here. I'm inclined to just use stitch up some lightweight leather (another hobby) and make my own fix to this (to me) poor design. For the price, though, this shouldn't be necessary, for goodness' sake.

Anyway, now that I've vented (grin), a question:

Have any of y'all used this model for long enough to form an opinion? Am I just being too hard on the designer?

And my second question is:

Is there anything else out there I might have missed, in this form factor? The Detector Pro Rattler's don't look any better, at a glance, and those are the only other one-cuppers I've been able to find. Some reviews I've read said their foamy bits (set in plastic, at least) came off and had to be riveted back in place as a fix.

Thanks in advance and HH ...

 

[coinjumper]

Well...I never really thought about how cheapo it looks...but it does come to think about it! I recently had to reglue the taco shell like construction because it had flapped open, besides that I really like them.

 

[Mega]

I still reckon the best value for money 'wired' headphones for summer use in hot weather are the wired XP back phone,ultra light weight,very cheap but the sound reproduction is superb and of course they will work on almost any detector that use normal wired headphones.Not only can they be used during hot weather but also cheap enough to carry as a cheap backup set in your car glove box.

 

[Plugcutter]

I still reckon the best value for money 'wired' headphones for summer use in hot weather are the wired XP back phone,ultra light weight,very cheap but the sound reproduction is superb and of course they will work on almost any detector that use normal wired headphones.Not only can they be used during hot weather but also cheap enough to carry as a cheap backup set in your car glove box.

Hmmm, that's an interesting idea, thank you. It took a bit of searching but I found them for about $25 delivered. One question: the advertising copy says they have built-in volume adjustment. From the pictures I can find, I don't see an obvious potentiometer (good old-fashioned volume knob) on them anywhere. Is that correct? If so, then, I reckon they must use buttons on the side of the phones ... and if that's true, do you know for sure that they'll work on units other than the Deus?

I wish I knew why detector manufacturers so often don't include built-in volume controls (on the detector control unit) - it sure would make headset selection easier! We Tesoro users LIKE knobs, after all, what's one more? I'm sure it made perfect sense "back in the day," but I don't know what the logic was.

Well...I never really thought about how cheapo it looks...but it does come to think about it! I recently had to reglue the taco shell like construction because it had flapped open, besides that I really like them.

That's exactly what I imagined happening and what I hope to avoid It just makes this otherwise attractive (to a detectorist and geek like myself) headset look like something thrown together without much consideration. "Hey, Bill - we've got some more folks asking for one-eared headphones, got any ideas?" "Easy! Just don't add the other phone, use this here gray packing foam - we've got TONS of it! - to keep the steel from digging into the user's head, and voila! Charge 'em five or ten bucks less, what's not to like?"

Thanks for the replies. If the XP phone's volume adjustment works with other-than-Deux detectors, I'll probably grab a set, and then I guess I'll modify my new Stingers to do what (IMHO) the manufacturer should have done from the beginning.

 

[Mega]

@Plugcutter,the XP wired headphones have a inline volume control so that will address the volume problem,the other concern that you have mention will they work on other machines,i currently own and use 18 detectors of various non XP brand makes and these headphones work fine and dandy on all of them,infact although i do own a Deus i dont and have never used them on the Deus as i have the WS5 full heaphone setup,but do carry them just incase of a any emergency,they are always carried in my find pouch as if i am say miles away from my 4x4 detecting and a cable breaks on my headphones then i have a backup set.

Many folks over here in the UK use them not only as a backup set of headphones but also as the main set they are that good,on hot days they are superb and allow the ears to not get horrible and wet as they would do so with full cup headphones.

 

[RobM]

My favorite and the most comfortable that I have found is a Stanton DJ Pro 300 single earphone. I use them with my Silver Sabre, shortwave radio receiver and the TV late at night while wife is sleeping. They are also very well constructed considering their low price of $39. I’ve used a lot of headphones in my 80 years including Clark's but none would beat the Stanton single ear for comfort.
The only drawback might be the lack of an onboard volume control which in my cases hasn’t been a problem.

PS,, For what it's worth,,, it also has the L&R driver in the single ear

RobM ~ Tulsa

 

[Plugcutter]

@Plugcutter,the XP wired headphones have a inline volume control so that will address the volume problem,the other concern that you have mention will they work on other machines,i currently own and use 18 detectors of various non XP brand makes and these headphones work fine and dandy on all of them (snip)

Perfect, they sound like they'll work great as at minimum a great backup pair. Thanks to all for your comments! It's now time to do my part to help our miserable economy, with Amazon one-click Quite possibly also will add the the Stantons RobM mentioned:

My favorite and the most comfortable that I have found is a Stanton DJ Pro 300 single earphone.

I don't know how I've never run into them before, since I'm also a ham and SWL (although not terribly active in either hobby lately).

Now if our April showers would just let up for a while...

 

[RobM]

>> Quite possibly also will add the the Stantons <<

Doubt you will be disappointed! Another feature that I didn't mention is that the cord disconnects from the ear piece via an 1/8" stereo plug so the cord can be easily replaced or modified,,,, maybe with an inline volume control.

RobM ~ Tulsa

 

[poppoprick]

Does the XP wired headphones fit Tesoro and Garrett metal detectors also? Thanks

 

[amberjack]

yeah should do but they only have a 3.5mm plug so need a 6.5mm adaptor , emailed the aussie deus guy about getting some no reply and so guess who I wont be buying my new deus off

AJ

 

[poppoprick]

Thanks