Do All Present Garrett Detectors Use The Same Wireless System?

[Knomad]

Other than the recently acquired Axiom, I have not owned a Garrett detector since before wireless headphones. My question is do ALL present models use the same wireless system, including the new Vortex.?

If they do, than do they ALL have the same POOR performance, with drop outs and very limited range.?

If they do, and I ran the company I would stop all production until the problems are solved.!

Yes Harsh, but this should have been addressed LONG AGO, even if it is only a problem on the Axiom, for God's sake, that is their most expensive flagship detector..!

LISTENING GARRETT..?

[phrunt]

I believe you've mentioned this in another thread and were told the VLF's cause far less interference than PI's so don't exhibit problems with 2.4GHz wireless systems like maybe experienced with a PI.   I would not be surprised if the audio with Z-lynk on the Vortex is near flawless being a VLF.

The Minelab GPZ which is the most expensive detector around drops out with its 2.4GHz WM12 wireless audio it's supplied with unless you wear it on the side the detector is on and even then, it's hit and miss how stable the audio is, very small range to have stable audio, to get around this I just use a Bluetooth Low latency transmitter and forget about the built in wireless, it then lets me use whatever Bluetooth headphones or speakers I want and can upgrade Bluetooth versions as they come and go with a new transmitter without a care in the world about proprietary devices.

Z-Lynk is fast, very fast, so if it works well on the Vortex, it's a good option.

[Jeff McClendon]

Yes, that is Garrett's proprietary wireless system for any of their wireless audio capable detectors. 

My issues are not so much with the wireless system. I just don't like the audio quality of Garrett's MS-3 headphones.

I was experiencing some dropouts today with my Manticore and WM09 when I was turning my body away from the detector. I was also in some elevated external EMI.

 

[phrunt]

2 hours ago, Jeff McClendon said:

My issues are not so much with the wireless system. I just don't like the audio quality of Garrett's MS-3 headphones.

What is it you didn't like Jeff, I've never used their MS-3 headphones, could it be specific to your hearing or likely a general audio quality issue?   I ask because often people have different hearing, and as we age certain tones are far harder to hear than others.  

I'm not a big headphone person at all though, I prefer the speaker.

[Jeff McClendon]

At least for me the MS-3s have very muffled sound with no definition especially on smaller targets. I like a brighter sound and don’t mind hearing lots of spits, pops and faint whispers. So for coins and general detecting the MS-3s are fine. For small gold prospecting and edge of detection targets, they don’t work well for me. 

[GB_Amateur]

1 hour ago, Jeff McClendon said:

At least for me the MS-3s have very muffled sound with no definition especially on smaller targets.

I have the MS-2 wired (1/4" plug) headphones and your experience more/less matches mine.  Now in their defense, these are inexpensive (at least two sellers on Ebay have them, new with free shipping, for $25.49) so we shouldn't expect them to perform as well as >$100 headphones.

Are the speakers on the MS-2 and MS-3 the same?   That I don't know.

When I've used the Z-Lynk transmitter+receiver with my higher quality headphones (e.g. Sunray Pro Golds) I got good performance so IMO that part of the system has high quality performance.

[Chase Goldman]

54 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

When I've used the Z-Lynk transmitter+receiver with my higher quality headphones (e.g. Sunray Pro Golds) I got good performance so IMO that part of the system has high quality performance.

This has been my experience as well.  Not only is the Z-Lynk receiver more "flexible" in terms of where you can mount it (vs. the MS-3 phones) thus mitigating dropouts, the audio quality is fine when a pair of detecting phones with decent fidelity are plugged into it.  As far as I'm concerned - the weak link for Z-Lynk are the MS-3 phones.  Otherwise, Z-Lynk is a decent wireless detecting audio system if you utilize the wireless universal headphone receiver.

[1515Art]

With the z link it is important to have the control side of the headphones on the same side as the detector and to keep your body from blocking the signal as much as you can swinging the coil, as well as setting the control box inline with the headphones or Z link adaptor as much as possible recovering a target according to Garrett. 
 

personally my favorite combination is the Z link adaptor along with the old wired Bose ear buds but the ear buds are out of production and second hand the price last time I bought one was about double what they went for new.

[phrunt]

1 hour ago, 1515Art said:

With the z link it is important to have the control side of the headphones on the same side as the detector and to keep your body from blocking the signal as much as you can swinging the coil, as well as setting the control box inline with the headphones or Z link adaptor as much as possible recovering a target according to Garrett. 

personally my favorite combination is the Z link adaptor along with the old wired Bose ear buds but the ear buds are out of production and second hand the price last time I bought one was about double what they went for new.

Sounds similar to the other 2.4 GHz wireless transmitter/receiver combos on the market.