Minelab Pro sonic wireless system

Prospecting Australia

Help Support Prospecting Australia:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Apr 19, 2018
Messages
12
Reaction score
1
Hi
When I purchased my 4500, it came with a Pro Sonic. I have never used it as I chose to use a plug in speaker, and this seems to do the job fine.

Is pro sonic worth keeping or selling. If I was to sell it whats a good price?
 
Hi Colchap,
If you ever decide to get the small battery for the 4500 that sits next to the control box then the Pro Sonic will be needed to allow the detector to be free from the harness when you put it down.
I used the Pro Sonic when I had a SDC and it was great being able to put the detector down and then walk away from it. If I ever get around to getting the smaller battery for the 4500 ,I will also get another Pro Sonic.
If new, unused, then it is retails for around $410

cheers

Bob
 
pro sonic is awesome, it's lite , the best bit is nothing hard wiring you to the detector :cool:

i vote keep it :perfect: :100:
 
Balmain Bob said:
Hi Colchap,
If you ever decide to get the small battery for the 4500 that sits next to the control box then the Pro Sonic will be needed to allow the detector to be free from the harness when you put it down.

the combo i now have , it's awesome , half the weight and wire free :cool:

you gunna luv it :heart:
 
Today was my first day out with a pro sonic wireless system on an SDC with Koss headphones plugged into the speaker. I didn't know if I should set the detector up differently or not. I paired the devices and plugged them in and turned on the detector and went through my normal set up routine. EMI or interference seemed to be really bad today and the wind was quite extreme. I used the noise cancel function a number of times to smooth out the threshold. The wavering threshold seemed to be generating a slight crackle in the audio as if the headphones had a loose wire or connection. The audio response to some quiet, just there targets of really minuscule shot were very crackly as well. The changing mineralization seemed to be generating the same low level static response. I changed to another set of headphones but nothing changed the audio was still the same. I wasn't really impressed. The audio seemed different to what I was used to but I persisted and adjusted the volume at the receiver until I achieved a comfortable level. Signals from larger shot seemed clear and normal. As the day progressed the EMI seemed to reduce and the slight static response also dropped away and was only audible as slight background noise as the coil was swept slowly from side to side and there were changes in mineralization and some hot rocks. I did managed what I thought was the smallest nugget of all time but it weighed in at 0.048grams. Which was a surprise because I did not think it would register. So the main point of my post is
A. Do I need to change the settings or the way I set up when using the pro sonic? I am thinking that the threshold level would be the main thing to consider. I set the threshold at level three and I can usually run sensitivity three but on the odd occasion I can run sensitivity four for part of the day. EMI is one reason that influences the level of sensitivity. More often than not anything above sensitivity three sounds more like a police siren and unbearable to listen to for any length of time. Anything above level three is way too loud for me when using headphones.
B. Is the low static response normal or does it mean I have a problem? I know it is not the headphones.

Apart from the slight static in the audio it was good to be free and not tied to the detector. I am on my second set of pads in the shaft locks and they need replacing again. The reason is I need to use the detector fully extended then when I get a target I have to fold the shaft so that I can pass my scoop over the coil and not strain the headphone cord. In a day detecting I may need to shorten and lengthen the shaft up to fifty times. That is a years worth of set ups in one day. The shafts and the locking systems are showing some wear. Now that I am wireless I will only need to set up and take down the detector once for the day. I am not totally sold on the system but I will persist for a while and see what eventuates. It may just take a while to adjust to the slightly different sound of the audio.

Cheers Bob.
 
Bob the audio with wireless can be slightly different but shouldn't be too "crackly" etc.

With the Pro Sonic (or any wireless system really) you need to try & maintain, as much as possible, a clear line of sight between the transmitter + receiver.
Here's how some mates of mine have their transmitter set up on the SDC which has improved wireless transmission:
1599681438_img_2450.jpg


Also you can use the volume control on the Pro Sonic to lift things if a lower threshold &/or sensitivity setting is required.
IMO don't run high volume with high settings. You'll experience more "noise" that way.
 
In addition to what mbasko said, the next time you are out and you are experiencing the issue you could leave your settings the same and switch to your headphones plugged straight into the SDC. If the noise goes away then you know the Pro Sonic is causing the unwanted noise.
 
Thanks for the replies. The low static response was just like someone wiggling a loose speaker wire. I didn't expect that there would be any static at all. I have the sender mounted on the outside of the cover on the left next to the handle. I had the receiver unit atttatched to the right strap of my back pack. I like the set up in the picture. I will see if I can set up something similar. Also I thought it may help to just have the threshold setting on the lowest as the receiver unit has a volume control and will amplify the detector signals. I haven't come across any mention of static problems with the units so it makes me think that there could be a problem with mine. The noise is really low level though and the EMI was really tough yesterday. It took lots of noise cancelling to find an operational level at sensitivity three which is what I usually run. It seemed like the low static was part of the EMI and the speaker on the pro sonic was just amplifying it. Anyway thanks for your input and I will see what transpires next week.

Cheers Bob.
 
Yesterday I went back out detecting to further evaluate the performance of the pro sonic wireless system. It was a good day to detect compared to last week. A nice warm day with little wind and low EMI.( At least at the start anyway). I made a mount like the one pictured above using 1mm thick polycarbonate sheet and Velcro. It worked really well. I turned the pro sonic systems on with the volume set from last week. I turned on the detector and simply went through the same routine that I would do just using ordinary headphones which is selecting sensitivity five and doing a noise cancel. Then I dial back one level at a time until I get a workable threshold which is usually level three but occasionally level four. The only hint of static at this stage was when the detector beeped as it switched frequencies in the channel search but not for every channel change. The audio was crisp and clear as good as straight headphones perhaps better. Clearer somehow. Sweeping from side to side the slight murmur of static was noticeable. I thought that it was the mineralization but realised quite quickly that it was the slight bumping of the coil. This became obvious when the coil bumped rocks and sticks jutting out of the ground. The static response was worst if the front of the coil was bumped. I noticed this when pushing the coil backwards and fowards under bushes and logs. Hot rocks produced a clear rise in the threshold but each time I got a slight rise in the threshold accompanied by a bit of static it turned out to be a very small piece of shot and on one occasion a small nugget.(0.065 g.). The more I scraped the clearer the signal and less static. If the shot was a reasonable size the signal would eventually become clear with no static but if the target was one of those really tiny bird shot then the response was scratchy with static even out of the ground. At this stage I am thinking that the pro sonic could be amplifying an underlying coil problem. When waving the scoop over the coil there was static especially if the scoop scraped or touched the coil. EMI seemed to vary during the day and I seemed to need to noise cancel fairly often. On two occasions while passing the scoop across the coil the target response seemed to send the detector into some kind of threshold spasm. The threshold was restored with a noise cancel but it could have been just the movement of me picking up the detector that did the trick. I was really quick to pull the trigger on the noise cancel. During the week I did some research and only found one review mentioning static and minelab replaced the pro sonic unit but that did not solve that person's problem. He encountered static using the replacement as well. When I am out detecting I am not a fan of setting targets or depth tests or anything like that as I go out to find gold not muck around with testing equipment but the static is bugging me. If it is normal then I will accept that and continue to use the pro sonic as it is great to be free of the detector and the response time is excellent for pin pointing and sorting out hot rocks. With stage three restrictions lifting next week I won't have to go to the closest spot I will be able to go to a familiar spot where I am used to the ground and conditions. I will have to do a run with just headphones and then the pro sonic to check out this coil theory. If problems persist at least now (without travel restrictions) I can take everything over to Miner's Den Bendigo to give them a look.

Cheers Bob.
 
What volume level are you running the Pro Sonic?
It's possible with more volume you're now noticing more overall feedback - remember that the Pro Sonic, as well as being a wireless system, is also a 3W amplifier so high volume will amplify target signals & other noise so you need to find a happy level of being able to clearly hear the target signals but not overly increase everything else either if that makes sense? I run mine around half volume on the GPX & from memory was about the same on the SDC.
The SDC audio without a booster can be pretty quiet so I'm suspecting you may not be used to the extra volume/feedback although something doesn't sound right with the coil causing static?
It would be worthwhile just spending 5-10mins trying some different volume settings on some very small gold or bird shot, even not buried in the air, just to try some faint signals out. The metal targets should clearly override any other background noise even at lower volume.
 
Hey folks, I am closely following this thread and learning a bit from Bobs experiences. I appreciate Bobs desire to go unteathered and sussing out the Pro Sonics capabilities to deliver the desired result. I wouldnt mind betting the SDCs coil is playing up and causing the interference. Best of luck isolating the cause Bob. I will be following this thread with interest.
 
Thanks for the interest and replies Claypipe and mbasko. I do not know the exact volume level of the Pro sonic. When I turned everything on I adjusted the volume of the Pro sonic up and down to get the volume at a level that I was comfortable with and what I would consider normal when just using ordinary headphones. When just using the standard headphones I usually run sensitivity three and threshold level three. This is way loud enough for me. I usually try to run the highest sensitivity level possible and sometimes for short periods in the day I can run sensitivity four but never sensitivity five. That usually sounds like some emergency vehicle siren and I can't stand it at any threshold level. So the Pro sonic is running at a volume equivalent to threshold level three which would be a very quiet level for some people. If I turn the Pro sonic down any lower l won't be able to hear it clearly. The detector was set at sensitivity three, threshold three all day. The static is not really loud it is just like someone scrunching up a small resealable plastic bag and not like echo or feed back. With the coil motionless or with the detector sitting flat on the ground there is just the sound of the threshold. If I walk away from the detector and turn my back blocking the clear path or line of sight then the audio starts to crackle a bit. As I move back and pick up the detector the threshold resumes quiet and normal until I begin to sweep the coil. Rubbing the front tip of the coil backwards and forwards produces the static in a clear rhythm with the movement of the coil. The response time is a very good feature of this module. I dug about twenty shot for the day, one .22 bullet and one small nugget so I got plenty of opportunity to test target response. The only thing that I could try is setting the detector down one level on the threshold. Level one is silent I think so maybe I could try level two. Threshold level three is maybe too high a baseline for the Pro sonic but I think the static is coming from an intermittent fault in the coil. So next time out I will do a short stint with regular headphones and then a stint with the Pro sonic and I'll also try running the threshold in level two and see what happens. I have to wait till next week before I can go out but I will report back when I know something. Mbasko do you experience any static response or interference using the Pro sonic on the GPX or SDC ?

Cheers Bob.
 
Hey Bob, I read somewhere on the forum a while back, that debris in between the coil and the skid plate can sometimes cause noise when rubbed. Presume there is no debris etc in yours. Just a thought.
 
Yes that's a good point Claypipe. I recently changed the skid plate for a new one so that should be okay but it is something that I will check up on before my next outing.

Cheers Bob.
 
bob said:
Mbasko do you experience any static response or interference using the Pro sonic on the GPX or SDC ?
Not usually. Get some crackling due to my positioning at times during recovery of targets etc. but it's good otherwise. When recovering targets I'm just more conscious of keeping that clear line of sight between tx & rx now.
I did have some trouble with excess crackling & dropouts a while ago but replaced the transmitter cable & that fixed it. Appears the original cable was starting to fail at the usb end causing intermittent drop out of signal & crackling if the transmitter moved.
The issue you're having sounds completely different to that.
 
Just thought that I would round off this post by saying thank you to those that contributed suggestions and support and also to complete the story. When travell restrictions were eased in October I rang Miner's Den Bendigo where I had previously purchased the pro sonic. I explained the problems and they asked me to bring everything over. Three years ago I had also bought my SDC from this shop. They kept the detector for two days and tested both the detector and the wireless unit. The transmitter pack was deemed to be faulty and replaced under warranty. The detector was also checked and the pressure pads in the shaft were replaced also under warranty and without me asking or mentioning it being a problem. They were worn out from me having to shorten the shaft every time that I had to sort a target. The headphones cord was not long enough for me to reach the coil without stressing and stretching the headphones cord. The SDC was declared to be in good working order. It was great service from this shop. I have bought a lot of gear from Miner's Den Bendigo and the service has always been first class. Now the only static I experience is from the occasional coil bump or if something comes between the sender unit and the speaker. I am very happy with the way the pro sonic performs and it is really good to not be attached to the detector. I have been out for a number of trips now and I am satisfied that the problem has been fixed. I am more than happy about the way the pro sonic performs.

Cheers Bob.
 
Pro sonic is overpriced junk really. To sort your problem just replace with Quest WiFi. Many ML users already have done so. Quest Mate WiFi does not drop out or carry on like a pork chop. The Rx also has volume control. I have tried all sorts of cordless systems and Quest is superior.
 

Latest posts

Top