GPX vs Earlier Models. Sound only

[woody]

There is a good mod that you can do on all SD detectors to brighten up the sound. It involves adding a series resistor to an existing capacitor in the audio output circuit. I have field tested this and it gives a lift to targets that are deep or very small.

[FlakMagnet]

uh-oh, Woody watches this site.

[amdmakki]

Woody, I wish I studied electronics to understand what that actually means, but sounds good. For that reason I can only comment on Sound ADD ON's and not modifications. Hopefully I'm still young and education I enjoy is my hobby, my next major will be Electronic Engineering.

Flak, Am I missing something?

[fredm]

Well, well, AMD;

you went from no apparent interest in nugget hunting to buying a fine 3500. Along the way you have educated and intertained myself and presumably others, thank you.

How did you get the fever? Did someone let you touch some of those beautiful nuggets? I hope you come back with a bucket of gold for yourself and stories and pictures for us...

By the way with an enhancer you can use the inexpensive hook-over-the-ear Sony earphones which will allow you to hear external noises beyond the detector sounds..or, consider the Dual-speaker System if stealth is not an issue..

also, get a good strong pick...and dig every signal, donot, repeat donot use or trust the descrimination feature on minelab pi detectors...many a good nugget has been left for the more diligent because of descrimination...

Good Hunting

fred

[Dakota Slim]

Good point Fred, and AMD be sure to get yourself a good strong magnet. I don't care where you are, you will find lots of trash targets and a strong magnet will allow you to pick up any iron quickly so you can get on to the good targets. Always check your hole to be sure there are no targets left. When you do find a patch, be sure to fill your holes so you don't give it away. Keep your mouth shut when you find a good patch.

[amdmakki]

Its you guys who gave me the fever. Honeslty you gave me the fever of the challenge more than finding the gold. I've seen many who come back with big nuggets, selling them in the gold market, but it didn't really push me to buying a detector. I didn't think there was fun behind it, but was happy for them. Coming to this Forum it showed me a whole new world. I'm looking forward to the challenge and the enjoyment of learning from my mistakes.

I'm getting that same feeling years ago when I wanted to get into Sound & Music Production.

Don't worry if I still find nothing, I'll get my own nugget and play hide and seek with it. untill I learn my Detector

Then I won't be planning with getting a bucket of nuggets Fred, Ill be coming with Barrels

Dakota thank you for your advice, How is the oooeee & eeeoooo going for you?

Thank you all for your support. Still waiting for the detector and planning to go before Christmas, so I can get you guys Christmas presents.

[montana]

AMD. You will be succesful. You have the right frame of mind when you go at it as a challenge and are looking forward to the fun and excitement rather than an avenue to riches . I know a very wealthy man who gets extremely excited over finding a $20.00 nugget. It's the search that has the biggest rewards. You will see places you would never see otherwise, meet interesting people you never would have otherwise, and have memories that will last a lifetime and you will find some of natures most beautiful creations. You may even find that you don't even want to sell the gold, but rather keep it to admire at your leisure and to show your grandchildren. ----Bob

[amdmakki]

Bob, you made me feel better and more excited if I'm actually going on the right track. Its just that I truly keep on asking myself if I do find a nugget bigger than kilos, will i appreciate it? Would it just be that I'm lucky and on a ground that any person who doesn't find it is a fool? Hopefully when i do find the nugget and post it here, it might be respected as a Nugget but not as how I found it From the looks of it, there are some great detectorist's who might not have found an ounce and me coming with a pic of a big nugget doesn't prove anything except enjoying the look of it, but not how i managed to find it!

Thats why the main big issue for me is to learn how its done. Taking the time to learn, might cost me easy targets I could have found like others do here, but i surely won't appreciate the real meaning.

Getting rich can be sometimes easy and luck sometimes too has alot to do with it, but the most thing I truly appreciate in Life, is Life itself. So try to enjoy the hell out of it. Your Life Success, talks about you, and most important Family, will stay on everyones lips for a long time, but your riches will probably fade away easily, according to how easy you got it. I do believe in "Easy come Easy Go" It happened to me alot, and now really respect that fact.

Grubstake, Fred, I also believe that headphones will have alot to do with it too, according to frequency response. Its probably the most important before your ear, I'm trying to see what i can collect on info regarding Pitch & Frequency and how it helps in detecting in my next post. About the hear loss, I probably have the worst hearing here considering my job in Sound Engineering. We (and I mean all of you) don't actually loose hearing in Volume, but in High frequencies which means the headphone will play the biggest part for all of us accordingly. Headphones are not important in how high the volume, but more to its frequency response. (Big, big difference)

[grubstake]

I use Blackwidows and most of us that do detect, think there the best, Some think Koss is the best, Now my uncle he use's Bose, noise cancelling headphone, but at $300.00 a pair, a little pricie for me. But I have listen to them, and I'd say there worth it. But Blackwidows, are great to, not as costly and ROB has them. Grubstake

[amdmakki]

Grubstake, according to their website frequency response info, you might be right on. Getting more expensive headphones can not, can not, can not make any one's hearing better.

The reason I say this is, is because Blackwidows claim that metal metal detecting (gold detecting) is only from 200 hz- 3200 hz (3.2khz). now if they are actually right and the only people who would know is minelab, because of their electronic translation to sound, then you would actually hear better than anyone else, even if they have $1000 headphones from 20hz - 20,000 hz (20khz). The reason being, is that your not listening to music here, but only certain frequencies. Bose is more than a great company but might not help in the detecting world, but only bringing more noise that you don't need.

I still haven't checked with Koss, and untill find their response in frequency. I can give you an accurate answer. Thats why i want to be sure before I give any false info about frequencies.

One thing i'm sure is that Bruce Candy, being who he is, would translate all frequencies to the average hearing human, and as for Blackwidows, it would only take a deaf man not to hear those frequencies. (if thats the only frequency being used and nothing slips)

So how ever expensive your headphones will have nothing got to do with it, just like how you have already discovered. Its more to what you need from it and what are you using it for. Same goes for those external enhanced speakers. Just preference

P.S If anyone knows the Frequency response of Minelab detectors, then please enlighten us. It will make it alot easier for us to get rid of frequencies we don't need or else transfered to noise.

[FlakMagnet]

What is the frequency response of a Minelab?

Another good point AMD.

Or, does the frequency response change depending on the settings being used?

hmmm I have no idea.

I'll bet JP could find out in a heartbeat.

JP?

Flak

[amdmakki]

Good thinking Flak.

I'm planning to run it through a frequency Analayzer, once I get my machine, but don't think home test will give it justice.

[montana]

AMD. I believe Minelab supplies the UR 30 headphones because they are well suited to their PIs. They also happen to be very reasonably priced. Where the blackwidow and several others shine is because they are better shielded from external wind noise which can be distracting. The big problem with the good external sound blocking headphones is the extra weight and tight seal which causes excessive sweating in hot conditions. I'm a big fan of dual external speakers, but in windy conditions I will switch to headphones. Many of the people who detect in Arizona are retirees who because of age and listening to loud rock and roll or noisey working conditions when younger have to wear hearing aids. The external speakers work great for them because the headphones can cause feedback problems with the hearing aids. The argument for one brand or another headphone or external speakers goes on and on , but what it seems to boil down to is personal hearing requirements, detecting conditions , and just personal preference. For the vast majority , the Koss UR30s are all they need.----Bob

[amdmakki]

at listening to loud rock. Rock on. Man Im just 30 and already lost my hearing especially the left ear.

[grubstake]

I like Blue Grass, Country, and all the oldies from the 50's and 60's. My hearing is bad because of driving longhaul trucks for twenty + years, When I started out, no mufflers on anything that had a tubo was required. and the trucks mainly only had one pipe on the drivers side. Just think, listening to an desiel, and tubo whine for 10 or 12 hours a day. Grubstake

[1Boeing737]

Hi AMD,

Was reading your interesting post about sound audio improvements envolving Minelabs accomplishments over the years of models made. They really have produced great engineered advancements over time to be commended for their effort. Thats why I own one.

I am no Sound Engineer either, but a point you said about sound has always intrigued me of interest when, and if a new development were to come along to replace the RF mag pulse technology. We have all at some time wondered if a machine could ever be invented for gold detecting only, and no rubish. At least from many conversations, a distant, and difficult dream to us that may never be achievable in our lifetime.

Being a son of a retired PHD electrical engineer, you can't help but ask these questions, and ideas to someone who has a better feel, and understanding of your possiblities than he would. He has always measured the pros, and cons of my different ideas, and thoughts, and put them in a way of understanding the advantages, and disadvantages. Example at one time was the ground penetrating radar sysem. When in most cases searching for a 2dwt nugget with this technology, would be a very difficult task given the perimeter of the highly mineralized ground with smaller gold dust particles surrounding the 2dwt nugget. GPR has a broad band for detecting large quantity rather than smaller stuff because of the short wave characteristics. He commends Minelab for their great products of improvement, and so far, they have the best machine for refining the RF Mag pulse design to the incredible level it is.

Now, he is scratching his head on this sound wave idea. He knows that a submarine uses what they call an accustic amplifier device (sound wave) that has filters when echoes are returned to a sub. This device is also used for oil exploration using sound wave instead of RF wave technology. The question that could arise from this technology would be the different characteristics, and possiblities that could be differently measured for gains, or losses when dealing with a device maybe as small as the ultra sound machine. Also the incorperated filters necessary to echoe the wanted returns. He says this is not an absolute, or for sure thing, but might be a possiblity that should be looked into because of some of the Similarities the RF, and sound waves have in common. One thing that is for sure though, it would probably cost a fortune to buy if this type of technology were proven. Maybe if gold continues to climb further up the scale, the demand, and money put forth will drive the demand up to a point like the cell phone attention has been getting, and so far, it looks to be on its way.

[scorpion]

Very interesting set of posts and very informative.

AMD great material.

JP and Doc also great background on Minelab and Mr. Candy. Knew some of Bruce's background, but did not the info on the Halco amps.

Happy belated Thanksgiving. Hope everyone is out finding lots of yellow stuff!

Regards

Karl