Tuning The B&Z Booster For Use With GPZ & Wm12

[Andyy]

JW - I've been running WM12/Booster/Headphones for the last few months.  (recently adding JP's booster)  I like this and have tested this against the setup without the booster and did not notice much difference.  I enjoy using the booster more as a volume control as adjusting headphone volume is a pain. 

 

[Northeast]

Christ I think I'm slow but if you can clarify something for me - especially Z users. 

The point of the B&Z is obviously to boost the sound so you can hear the faint signals.

But with particular reference to the Z and JP's thinking that turning up the Z volume is akin to turning up the sensitivity and thus increasing the erraticness of the machine does the B&Z allow........

- me to turn the Z volume right down - maybe only 2 or 3 - thus assisting a really smooth threshold  

- a target signal is sent to the WM12 and if it was a very faint signal maybe it wouldn't be heard through the external speaker or headphones.  

- but with the B&Z it boosts that signal and importantly it is an undistorted signal and I actually do hear it. 

Is that the real benefit with the Z??  That the machine will run smoother with a low volume but you can still hear targets?  

Please tell me I've finally got my head around it 

[Andyy]

JW - yes, I am using JP's booster with configuration I listed above.  I do need to move my WM12 to my belt, however.  You are likely correct in thinking this will improve breaking signals.  

Headphones are not a problem if you set your volume limit correctly.  I use Black Widow (for those interested) set middle volume.

I believe you and I both like to run what I'll call conservative settings, if I remember correctly.  The big difference in how you and I are set up is that you are in beautiful quiet New Zealand.  I am in beautiful EMI noisy Arizona :)  Ground can be noisy, but I generally keep in Normall mode for most areas.

For people with boosters, I would be curious of the order of their setup.  Mine pretty much follows this:

Start with:

Volume Limit = 5, Volume (Audio Boost) = 8, Threshold = 27, Sensitivity = 6, Smoothing = off, JP Boost = 2.

Then I do Noise Canceling and Ground Balance.(with ferrite)

First adjustment for me is adjust sensitivity down to 2 and then work it up until it jitters and back off a number. 

Next adjustment for me is threshold. I back down and raise it up until I just start to detect a fuller threshold sound (usually still 27 or so)

Next I adjust the booster a couple notches to really hear it in the headphones.  (then I double check Vol. Limit)

This is my process, but it is likely not optimal for getting the best use of the booster.  I am curious how others optimize their booster settings by changing threshold, Sensitivity & Audio Boost.

 

[Jonathan Porter]

Andyy are you using headphones or speakers? Sorry if you've stated that somewhere, I'm strapped for time so can't read everything in this thread. 

JP

[Steve Herschbach]

JP, looks like he is using headphones plugged into booster plugged into WM12.

A couple previous related threads:

http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/2803-the-zed-jps-bz-booster-a-deadly-combination/

http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/2834-b-and-z-booster-troubleshooting/

The B&Z booster is an audio signal booster that can be used with nearly any metal detectors. The amplifier produces a a clean signal response regardless of target size, without producing extra noise. It comes with its own battery but has the option to switch to bypass mode.  It is a very popular booster to use with the Minelab SD, GP, GPX or GPZ series as well as the SDC 2300. As noted however it simply boosts the audio signal and so can be used with any detector that needs some sort of audio boost - especially useful for added external speaker setups.

They are listed on JP's website at http://aurumaustralis.com/b-z-booster/ and stocked by many U.S. dealers.

[Andyy]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Porter said:

Andyy are you using headphones or speakers? Sorry if you've stated that somewhere, I'm strapped for time so can't read everything in this thread. 

JP

Right now I am running GPZ to WM12 to JP Booster to Black Widow headphones but am tempted to run dual speakers in place of the headphones. 

Assuming I were to run dual external speakers, JP, what order would you recommend doing adjustments for really optimizing your booster on the GPZ?   (my main knobs I usually adjust are Sensitivity/Threshold/ and sometimes a hair of Volume (audio boost))

I listed above, the order I currently use.  Curious to know what you recommend to really get the most benefit out of your B&Z booster.   Many thanks.

 

[Andyy]

In my opinion, it's pretty obvious how to set up B&Z with other machines.  But the GPZ threshold is quite different than other machines and there really isn't a cut and dry volume as on other machines. 

Reason I brought up the topic is that I did a test on a .04g target and a 1.5g which were buried to just audible and I did not notice a significant difference.  This has made me wonder if there are different ways of setting up the B&Z 

I figure JP will have seen the good and bad ways of setting this up.

 

[Jonathan Porter]

The key differences in how the GPZ sounds is down to the Audio Smoothing, operators are not used to having access to the low noise floor levels of the GPZ so can find the sound/volume of the GPZ very dominant.

The key to using a low noise floor is understanding everything has more presence when Audio Smoothing is off, so because of that the Target Volume suddenly becomes a very powerful control right up there with the Sensitivity control. Target Volume has a huge impact on a persons perception of the detectors overall volume levels, because the noise floor is so low you have access to everything the detector is doing and seeing. This means there is a balancing act needed to get a  clean audible smooth threshold with decent target signal volumes without distortion and jitteryness.

The B&Z booster allows the operator to have a full range of Volume control of the GPZ without distortion because you are only ever amplifying the smooth audio of the detector assuming you have set it up correctly.  So the key here is to keep the Target Volume levels as low as possible, in the case of speakers it needs to be no more than 8 when in combination with Audio Smoothing OFF, for headphones even less.

The reason the Target Volume needs to be less is due to the B&Z booster needing to be above 1 1/2 to 2 on the Volume control Pot to avoid hiss noise, this means the detectors Volume needs to be lowered to allow a better range of Volume control on the booster. The B&Z through headphones has a secondary threshold like buzz which a lot of people like, getting the Volumes of the detector right makes this less intrusive.

If your lucky enough to live in an area where you can use the Normal Ground Type modes then it is recommended you use even less Volume to allow for the added noise levels associated with those modes.

Recommended GPZ7000/B&Z booster/Speaker/headphone settings.

Audio Smoothing: OFF

Target Volume: 6 to 8 (Twin Speakers), 4 to 8 Headphones

Volume Limit: 8 (Twin Speakers), 8 or less for Headphones (Experiment with this dependent on your headphones)

Threshold: 27

The advantages of the B&Z booster/speaker combo over the WM 12 speaker is two fold, firstly they are better quality speakers so they sound crisper to the ear and secondly the booster gives you much better control over the volume of the audio with minimal distortion, by being able to spread out the audio volume you get much better resolution on faint edge of detection range targets.

JP

[Northeast]

JP...thanks again. 

Going to have to think about getting you a Christmas present the amount you help us