Amplifier/speaker/signal booster information

[washgravel]

Had read the Rooster Booster is no longer being produced but not sure if that is true.

Since there is very little info on the use of the Nugget Booster on this forum I assume not many of you have one ?

 

[gcause]

Hi washgravel,

I have a Rooster Booster on my 5000 and another booster on my SD2200D.

Heard the same thing, not sure if its true buts someone hasn't told Miners Den if thats the case:

http://www.minersden.com.au/metal-detector-rooster-booster-and-speaker-combo/

Heres the one for the SD:

http://www.minersden.com.au/super-sound-signal-enhancer-sd-gp-4pin/

There is a great post on how to make one in the DIY section.

Cheers,

Grant

 

[loamer]

Spoke to Coiltek at MaryB - Rooster is not being made at the moment and/or anymore. I think they were being supplied out of Bendigo? I run a 4500 and IMO the inbuilt amp is just fine. The 2200 is a different story - very tres ordinaires volume/audio, 100% needs a booster of some description.

 

[gcause]

Agree Loamer, but I don't use the headphones I have a chest mounted external speaker so the Rooster Booster is a big help to me hearing faint signals.

 

[loamer]

sorry mate - yep, I understand that.

 

[Guest]

I've got a rooster, and Nugget booster, Detacc, B&Z.. wouldn't rate any one above the others, currently using an LT-Booster (woody battery pack+booster) before that it was a B&Z.

hard to go wrong really.

 

[Guest]

I'm currently using a B&Z but have used the Rooster Booster. Like LT said pretty much the same sound wise.
One thing to be sure of if your going to use an external speaker only on a GPX4500/4800/5000 (no aftermarket booster) is to make sure it's wired correctly. You need a TRS plug wired to tip & ring only - nothing to sleeve. This configuration will trip the battery internal amp for external speaker use. Normally wired headphones won't trip the internal amp nor will aftermarket boosters. The batteries amp should only be required to provide more oomph for an external speaker & you shouldn't really need it for headphones - in fact it could damage your hearing.
The reason the boosters are wired not to trip the batteries internal amp is so you aren't amplifying into another amplifier which would most likely cause distortion.
There is info on wiring external speakers (& I guess headphones if you want to boost them) on page 13 of the GPX5000/4800 user manual.

I have found that the aftermarket boosters are better than the batteries internal amplifier when using external speaker/s.

 

[Guest]

I'm currently using a B&Z but have used the Rooster Booster. Like LT said pretty much the same sound wise.
One thing to be sure of if your going to use an external speaker only on a GPX4500/4800/5000 (no aftermarket booster) is to make sure it's wired correctly. You need a TRS plug wired to tip & ring only - nothing to sleeve. This configuration will trip the battery internal amp for external speaker use. Normally wired headphones won't trip the internal amp nor will aftermarket boosters. The batteries amp should only be required to provide more oomph for an external speaker & you shouldn't really need it for headphones - in fact it could damage your hearing.
The reason the boosters are wired not to trip the batteries internal amp is so you aren't amplifying into another amplifier which would most likely cause distortion.
There is info on wiring external speakers (& I guess headphones if you want to boost them) on page 13 of the GPX5000/4800 user manual.

I have found that the aftermarket boosters are better than the batteries internal amplifier when using external speaker/s.

Thanks for sharing that mbasko, You saved me troubleshooting my latest build, GPX booster for the old mans 4000.. he says the battery amp is 'weedy'

Now off to download the user manual..

 

[Reeks]

I've been using the DETacc SuperSound booster on my old SD2200d
Using it through a pair of Koss td80 headphones.

It makes the audio louder but i find the quality of sound is lost somewhat.
Im not sure why this happens, any tech wizards know why?

If i could retain the sound quality and just make it louder that would be great.
Not sure of my options, other brand of booster or i noticed some people making there own?

Thanks guys
Reeko

 

[condor22]

I don't know the specs, but more often than not if the impedance is not matched, output to the booster or booster to the headphones it quite often causes problems.

 

[Reeks]

I'm not up to speed with the electric world, but is impedance like resistance? I will google it..
Has anyone else noticed the sound quality loss? It's like it becomes muffled and the sharpness of the tones are lost..

 

[condor22]

In Layman's terms, Yes. Here's a link;

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/audio/imped.html

 

[Murphy81]

I was just wondering if anyone has any opinions on using any of the available boosters on a 3000? What do they actually do, and are they a worthwhile upgrade? Also, are battery regulators a handy upgrade? I currently run link techs li batteries, but not sure about the voltage. Thanks.

 

[Bigjilm]

I use a coiltek booster on my 3500 and wouldn't use it without it,lets you run the threshold a little bit lower on the control box and then boost the audio up,to here them tiny little signals of small gold,I also use the coiltek battery mounts,and I can get a full days detecting on one battery,even when in swinging a 18"coilI don't think the coiltek boosters are available anymore,but there's plenty out there that can do the job

 

[PhaseTech]

I was just wondering if anyone has any opinions on using any of the available boosters on a 3000? What do they actually do, and are they a worthwhile upgrade? Also, are battery regulators a handy upgrade? I currently run link techs li batteries, but not sure about the voltage. Thanks.

I ran a homemade regulator set to 6.9v on the GP extreme, running a Coiltek 11" Mono and a 14" DD Pro, and found it made the machine purr all day. On the GP3500 for some reason I think it made the machine more erratic. After some more experimenting on the 3500, I tended to prefer the 15x12" DD Commander with stock battery. When I got my hands on an 11" DD Pro coil, I played around more with the regulator and running it on 6.7 V was magic on the 3500. Running that coil in Medium tracking on some well mineralised patches got some good nuggets at depth.

Regarding boosters, I tended to always prefer a quality set of headphones, but when you needed the extra volume, the Coiltek mini booster did the job nicely.
If you want to run an external speaker, I have always preferred a battery powered booster in preference to an inline one, as the inline one's always seemed to distort or colour the sound.

Hope this helps.

 

[washgravel]

If you want to run an external speaker, I have always preferred a battery powered booster in preference to an inline one, as the inline one's always seemed to distort or colour the sound.

I believe there does seem to be a difference between my Rooster Booster and my friends B&Z as the B&Z appears to be a more mellow sound and the RB more squawky.

 

[Murphy81]

Hey guys thanks for the replies. I will probably send my 3000 over to Ishmael in the new year to get a few things done. I know that this seems to be a polarizing topic for a lot of people, and I really don't wish to weigh into the mod or not debate, however for the sake of the few dollars spent, and hopefully the ability to utilize a few more of my newly acquired coils, I hope it will be money well spent. Wil also get the ground balance mod done hopefully not expecting unrealistic outcomes, and this is now my back up detector, or else I wouldn't even consider a mod. Thanks to all the members who have offered their advice, I hope to grab a booster really soon, but was wondering if anyone has had any experience in running the nt made boosters? I believe they are from Litchfield, and would love to support a fellow Territorian. Thanks, Sean.

 

[Murphy81]

Thanks especially PhaseTech, all of your relplies seem to be well informed and to the point.

 

[washgravel]

but was wondering if anyone has had any experience in running the nt made boosters? I believe they are from Litchfield, and would love to support a fellow Territorian.

I also have one of those so named "Nugget Booster V.3" for use with a GPX if that is the one you are referring too which also operates using the detector's battery as does the Rooster Booster. Some testing that I've have done between both of these boosters showed they produced a similar response over a target attached to a wooden rod after being slid down into a hole bored at a 45 degree angle into the ground. Once I received the slightest signal from the target with one booster I tried the other to compare. An advantage with the Nugget Booster is you can switch it off (bypass) if you wish and run the detector without the booster. Also it has a normal 1/4 " jack that you can plug a headphone into instead of an external speaker which you can not do with the Rooster Booster since it has a special type of jack plug connected to its External Speaker.

 

[Rusty]

Got an SDC2300 and crook ears - wear bi-lateral hearing aids.
Detectorists with similar - which signal booster/speaker combo have you had good results with?
I'm heading to FNQ in May and think that headphones could be too hot n' sweaty to wear day-in day-out.