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midalake

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Thanks for pointing out the WM 08 is unnecessary to get a wireless connection. Now, speaking only of wirelessly connecting the stock headphones, I am now wondering IF using the WM -08 module would result in a cleaner signal, less lag, and result in overall better audio - even if only marginally - compared to the quality achieved by not using it. There must be a reason ML included it.

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1 hour ago, Flowdog said:

I am now wondering IF using the WM -08 module would result in a cleaner signal, less lag, and result in overall better audio - even if only marginally - compared to the quality achieved by not using it. There must be a reason ML included it.

It is Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth so lag should be good, it should link up super easy being the proprietary option and it is a wireless option where you can still use your favorite old wired ear buds, sport ear phones, over ear head phones, etc.   That would be my guess why they included it. 

With the Equinox, Minelab have set themselves (and other manufacturers) a standard that they will hopefully hold themselves to across their entire range going forward.

If they wanted to set an even higher standard then uniformity across the range would be even better.  Imagine a Pro-Sonic type receiver with volume control that can be used on a GPZ one day, then an Equinox the next and a CTX on Thursday.    ?

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2 hours ago, Northeast said:

It is Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth so lag should be good, it should link up super easy being the proprietary option and it is a wireless option where you can still use your favorite old wired ear buds, sport ear phones, over ear head phones, etc.   That would be my guess why they included it. 

With the Equinox, Minelab have set themselves (and other manufacturers) a standard that they will hopefully hold themselves to across their entire range going forward.

If they wanted to set an even higher standard then uniformity across the range would be even better.  Imagine a Pro-Sonic type receiver with volume control that can be used on a GPZ one day, then an Equinox the next and a CTX on Thursday.    ?

To be clear, the WM08 uses "Wi Stream" not WiFi, which is a proprietary wireless protocol vs. Wifi or Bluetooth which are universal wireless standards to allow interchangeability between brands and devices. 

The delay with the WM 08 module is about 17 ms vs. 30 to 40 ms with the included BT APTX LL (Low Latency) headphones.  BT APTX LL protocol has the least lag of all BT protocols which can lag as much as 150 to 200 ms.  Even APTX (non LL) iz around 60 to 70 ms which becomes noticeable when detecting.  I find the included APTX LL headset to work well with the Equinox, with no noticeable lag for me.  A small minority of folkss have noticed lag even with the APTX LL phones, though.

As Northeast said above, ML included the WM08 module mainly as a option to allow the user to use a favorite set of wired headphones with the Equinox while remaining wirelessly untethered to the detector.

Regarding use of a universal "Pro Sonic - like" setup across detectors, I am quite pleased with APTX LL and purchased a small BT APTX LL transciever (about $30 US) about the size of a thumb drive which I can plug into all my detectors (e.g., my GPX) such that I can use the Equinox wireless headphones (or BT APTX LL earbuds) across the board.  Oh and it's a fraction of the cost of ML's accessories.

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14 minutes ago, Chase Goldman said:

To be clear, the WM08 uses "Wi Stream" not WiFi,

Thank you Chase, always happy to be corrected  ?

16 minutes ago, Chase Goldman said:

I am quite pleased with APTX LL and purchased a small BT APTX LL transciever (about $30 US) about the size of a thumb drive which I can plug into all my detectors

You’ve probably mentioned this somewhere before but I haven’t seen it. Can you post a link to what it is you have? 

Thanks, NE. 

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5 minutes ago, Northeast said:

Thank you Chase, always happy to be corrected  ?

You’ve probably mentioned this somewhere before but I haven’t seen it. Can you post a link to what it is you have? 

Thanks, NE. 

You bet, NE - here are some links to the transcievers.  I have used the "Trond" which works well.

https://www.amazon.com/TROND-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Simultaneously-CD-Player/dp/B01B4W40VC/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=bt+aptx+low+latency+transmitter&qid=1551617045&s=gateway&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/gp/slredirect/picassoRedirect.html/ref=pa_sp_phone_search_atf_aps_sr_pg1_1?ie=UTF8&adId=A02757341Q0PYOTBXG77O&url=%2FTaoTronics-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-Simultaneously%2Fdp%2FB01EHSX28M%2Fref%3Dmp_s_a_1_1_sspa%3Fkeywords%3Dbt%2Baptx%2Blow%2Blatency%2Btransmitter%26qid%3D1551617045%26s%3Dgateway%26sr%3D8-1-spons%26psc%3D1&qualifier=1551617044&id=100749298542224&widgetName=sp_phone_search_atf

Also need a right angle or straight on mini 1/8" jack to 1/4" phono plug adapter for the patch cord between the detector headphone jack and the bt transciever box.

HTH

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5 hours ago, Chase Goldman said:

To be clear, the WM08 uses "Wi Stream" not WiFi, which is a proprietary wireless protocol vs. Wifi or Bluetooth which are universal wireless standards to allow interchangeability between brands and devices. 

The delay with the WM 08 module is about 17 ms vs. 30 to 40 ms with the included BT APTX LL (Low Latency) headphones.  BT APTX LL protocol has the least lag of all BT protocols which can lag as much as 150 to 200 ms.  Even APTX (non LL) iz around 60 to 70 ms which becomes noticeable when detecting.  I find the included APTX LL headset to work well with the Equinox, with no noticeable lag for me.  A small minority of folkss have noticed lag even with the APTX LL phones, though.

As Northeast said above, ML included the WM08 module mainly as a option to allow the user to use a favorite set of wired headphones with the Equinox while remaining wirelessly untethered to the detector.

Regarding use of a universal "Pro Sonic - like" setup across detectors, I am quite pleased with APTX LL and purchased a small BT APTX LL transciever (about $30 US) about the size of a thumb drive which I can plug into all my detectors (e.g., my GPX) such that I can use the Equinox wireless headphones (or BT APTX LL earbuds) across the board.  Oh and it's a fraction of the cost of ML's accessories.

Thanks, NE and HTH for trying to part the fog for me. My takeaway is that I can simply pair the stock headphones to the detector and not use the WM 08 unless I experience perceptible lag. Does that sound about right? Lastly, other than latency, does WM 08 provide any other benefit such as increased volume or sound quality over a direct pairing to the detector?  Any further wireless suggestions to this hearing impaired newbie operator would be most welcome.

FD

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Correct.  FWIW, I have found that although the WM08 has less latency, it also seems to be more susceptible to dropouts unless it has a fairly direct line of site to the control head. So you need to keep it positioned on the same side of your body as your defector swing arm.  No volume control on the WM08 but the Headphones do have a volume control.

Here are some links to the pertinent manual sections from previous Steve H posts:

 

A link to Download the manual if you don't already have it:

And finally a link to the useful/essential info thread that has numerous links to relevant information and posts about the Equinox:

HTH (shorthand for "Hope This Helps")

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54 minutes ago, Chase Goldman said:

FWIW, I have found that although the WM08 has less latency, it also seems to be more susceptible to dropouts unless it has a fairly direct line of site to the control head.

Hugh, this is inconsistent with what I have found.  I've used the WM08's almost exclusively since I got my Eqx 800, over 200 hours.  (Don't know that it matters, but I've paired with mostly White's ProStar headphones and Bose Soundsport earbuds.)  I run with a threshold sound (setting = 4) and in "all metal".

I swing with my left arm.  I put the WM08 module in my top right hand shirt pocket or jacket pocket.  (Note, in my case I need to make sure to have clothes with RH pockets!)

Sometimes I want to go to the car to get something or shed something, and I don't want to carry the detector so I leave it behind on the ground.  I can tell when contact is lost by the threshold in the headphones.  I can't give an exact distance but it's at least 20 feet (6 m) before loss of signal.

As far as dropouts, I've noticed those on rare occasions (meaning only 2 hunts I can remember) and I have no idea what their cause is.  Each lasts a second or less, and I've gotten a few in a 30 second period, then none for several minutes, then a few more.  But I can only think of a couple hunts where this happened and, again, I was unable to associate it with anything.

Could this be a quality control issue?  Also, Dewconn mentioned jack connections.  I've had trouble with those myself (not with my current Eqx setup).  Here is the adapter that has done well for me:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000068O6B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

One last thing, which is probably completely irrelevant to this thread, but worth mentioning since it is unusual.  I don't have a smartphone.  I carry a dumbphone in my left hand shirt/jacket pocket.

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2 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

Hugh, this is inconsistent with what I have found.  I've used the WM08's almost exclusively since I got my Eqx 800, over 200 hours.  (Don't know that it matters, but I've paired with mostly White's ProStar headphones and Bose Soundsport earbuds.)  I run with a threshold sound (setting = 4) and in "all metal".

I swing with my left arm.  I put the WM08 module in my top right hand shirt pocket or jacket pocket.  (Note, in my case I need to make sure to have clothes with RH pockets!)

Sometimes I want to go to the car to get something or shed something, and I don't want to carry the detector so I leave it behind on the ground.  I can tell when contact is lost by the threshold in the headphones.  I can't give an exact distance but it's at least 20 feet (6 m) before loss of signal.

As far as dropouts, I've noticed those on rare occasions (meaning only 2 hunts I can remember) and I have no idea what their cause is.  Each lasts a second or less, and I've gotten a few in a 30 second period, then none for several minutes, then a few more.  But I can only think of a couple hunts where this happened and, again, I was unable to associate it with anything.

Could this be a quality control issue?  Also, Dewconn mentioned jack connections.  I've had trouble with those myself (not with my current Eqx setup).  Here is the adapter that has done well for me:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000068O6B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

One last thing, which is probably completely irrelevant to this thread, but worth mentioning since it is unusual.  I don't have a smartphone.  I carry a dumbphone in my left hand shirt/jacket pocket.

Thanks.  I have used the WM08 only occasionally in raining situations when I don't want the get the stock headphones wet so you have more experience than I do which indicates dropouts are not that big a problem for the long haul.  I noticed dropouts when I first used it until I put it in my right side pocket of my rain jacket (swing right handed).  Never had a dropout with the BT headphones and I know I have walked a good 20 to 30 yards away from the detector (40 to 60 feet) before I've lost connection, so my personal experience is the BT connection is more robust also probably helped because the receiver is in the headphones propped upon my head.  The manual even says:

Attach the WM 08 to the same side of your body as the detector to ensure the most reliable wireless signal and Avoid having the WM 08 in close proximity to other wireless electronic devices e.g. a smartphone.  With no such warnings with BT (in fact you can pair the BT headset with your phone and with the detector simultaneously).

This user also reported dropouts...

But as always with these techy things, YMMV.  To be clear, I am not saying one shouldn't use the WM08, but just putting the dropout information out there for general awareness.  I think your experience with it shows that it is a reliable alternative and preferred if you have a favorite set of wired headphones that can give you the best audio experience because that is key.  Do not fear the WM08.

Thanks for the adapter link.

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  • 2 months later...

So with over 1000 hrs on the Nox using BT I tried the wm08 module. There's no comparison, it's far faster than any BT aptx any version. I really didn't think I'd notice a difference that's why I never tried it. Like the saying goes, "If'n it ain't broke, why fix it?". BT wasn't, "Broke", it's just (at least to my eye ear coordination) slow. 

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