Painless headphones?

[fred]

In my opinion headphones are one of the most important bits of detecting kit that you can buy. If cheap ones work for you then fine but in general you get what you pay for.

[Mud Max]

In my opinion headphones are one of the most important bits of detecting kit that you can buy. If cheap ones work for you then fine but in general you get what you pay for.

I see where your coming from there, I really do. The old saying is true that you get what you pay for. But I think it's also fair to say that the sound on modern headphones is incredible. Therefore, you can get a lot of great audio for a small amount these days.

I think it's just as important to find what is comfortable for you, and what replicates the manufacturers phones that you intend to replace.

Ok here goes, metal detecting is not Beethovens 6th symphony on a posh stereo, as long as your headphones are crisp and clear then you have what you need. My theory is based on the FX blue back phones. Look at how cheap they are, and how simple they are, but they are excellent, because they transfer the same sounds as you get from the WS4's. Nothing fancy.

It's not about having something complicated or expensive, it's about having something that replicates the tones, and you don't have to spend a lot to get that. Ironically cheap and less complicated can actually be more effective.

If you have phones that sound good but are not comfortable, try a few low cost options over buried targets to see what matches best. If you find a good match then job done. Maybe a basic set may actually do want you want.

You could pay a lot of money and still not be happy, I have heard this so many times. Making the right choice is important, but the more you spend the bigger the risks !

[Clarky]

Just bought a pair of these but haven't tried them out properly yet. They seem just the job, brilliant clarity and very comfortable, bargain at the price and worth having just for a spare.

[Oxgirl36]

My WS5s don’t hurt my ears at all.

Although they can slip about a bit which can be annoying

[Clarky]

I agree, the WS 5"s are ridiculously comfortable and good in winter, but on those really hot and sweaty summer days I reckon I could happily use the blue backphones B-)

[Buriedbytime&dust]

My WS5s don’t hurt my ears at all.

Although they can slip about a bit which can be annoying

Yep, I found the WS5s wanted to slip forward all the time, so switched to WS4s, then WS4s, jack adaptor and the cheapo XP backphones mentioned in this thread and find them perfect. Also, they're cheap enough to keep a spare pair (or two) in the car, just in case.

If you do beach detecting, with lots of background noise from wind and waves, they wouldn't be a great choice, but for inland they're great