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The 10 Best Headphones for Metal Detecting

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Metal detecting headphones are, without a doubt, a necessity. And having a good set of headphones can make a big difference in hearing a target or missing it altogether. However, choosing the best headphones for your metal detecting can be a daunting experience.

The difficulty can be attributed to the many types of metal detector headphones flooded on the market, with some designed for use with specific metal detectors. But with the right guidance, you can settle for the best headphone for metal detecting without a hassle.

Metal detector headphones are designed to improve audio response from the metal detector. Thus, allowing you to hear the signals from the target better.

Here, we review the 10 best headphones for metal detecting you can consider choosing for better signal hearing during your treasure hunting.

Best Headphones for Metal Detecting

1. Garrett ClearSound Easy Stow Headphones

The Garrett ClearSound headphones feature a lightweight design that is comfortable and durable. It comes with a snug fit that fits average heads well enough but can be a bit tight for larger heads. To top it off, they won’t mess up your glasses or sunglasses. 

They come with rotating ear cups that allow you to listen to one or both ears based on your preference. These headphones feature volume control located on the cable cord for convenience as you can easily reach and adjust. It has individual ear control since sound is quite sensitive and can crank it up easily Better yet, they fold up for easy storage. 

Its headphone plug is 1/4 – inch thus fits into any detector with a 1/4 –inch headphone jack. But if you have a smaller size, be sure to get an adapter. They come at an affordable price while they provide the basics without a hassle. What draws a line between those who find more gold or silver coils is the use of headphones. Investing in the Garrett ClearSound headphones can be the best decision as an enthusiast detectorist.

Manufacturer Specifications

  • Compatible with: Garrett metal detectors
  • Volume Control: Adjustable
  • Weight: 0.55 Pounds

What We Like 

  • Adjustable volume
  • Affordable price point
  • Can wear with glasses
  • Padded ear cups for comfort

What We Don’t Like

  • Does not have an adapter

2. Detectorpro Gray Ghost Ultimate 

Are you promoting yourself to an enthusiast hobbyist league? Well, noise-canceling headphones will make it much easier to hear even the smallest nuggets, especially if you are hunting in a crowded beach area. The Gray Ghost headphones come with the quality and standards to deliver you the best metal detecting experience.

It comes with a special speaker in a tuned cavity. With this design, you will have maximum control over the level of volume. Besides, it features a push-button design that is more practical compared to the volume control. The push-button will also enable you to activate the limiter.

It is fitted with a heavy-duty design that protects the connection cord cable and other delicate headphone components. It features a lightweight and compact design that allows easy carrying and storing. The ear cups are padded for comfort as well as preventing rusting. The earpiece design fits perfectly to prevent up to 24 dB of sound.  This allows you to hear even the weakest beeps of the detector.

Regardless of the high price, you will get the best quality of metal detecting headphones that will take your detecting experience to the next level.

Manufacturer Specification

  • Compatible with: 1/4 – inch headphone jack
  • Volume: Adjustable volume
  • Weight: 0.3 Pounds

What We Like

  • Adjustable padded headband
  • Heavy-duty muff-to-muff connection cable
  • Special sound-blocking muff
  • Compact and foldable for easy storage

What We Don’t Like

  • Expensive

3. Garrett Submersible Headphones

The Garrett Submersible are specialized headphones designed to work on specific metal Garrett detectors. These waterproof metal detecting headphones are rated to be submersible up to 200 feet deep in water. It features comfortable blue cups that effectively keep out water for better hearing, even the weakest sound signals that often indicate deep lost treasures.

These 2-pin headphones are compatible with different Garrett metal detectors including Garrett ATX, AT, Max, AT Pro, and the Sea Hunter Mark II. So if you have any of these metal detectors, these headphones are the greatest addition to your detecting device. You don’t have to get worried that your headphones will stop functioning once they get wet, even when hunting in saltwater.

These headphones are fitted with a long enough coiled cable to allow you to get below the waves and hunting for treasures without a hassle. Whether you take a dive or wade waist-deep into the waters, these waterproof headphones will have your back when it comes to hearing sound signals from possibly detected treasures.

The main drawback is that these headphones lack volume adjustment. However, they will still work well both on land and underwater. So should you want to take your hunting adventure underwater, these are the headphones to invest in.

Manufacturer Specification

  • Compatible with: Garrett AT Gold, AT Pro, AT Max, Infiniums LS, and Sea Hunter Mark II
  • Volume Control: Not adjustable
  • Weight: 1 Pound

What We Like

  • Padded ear cup for added comfort
  • Waterproof up to 200 feet
  • Minimizes background noise

What We Don’t Like

  • No adjustable volume

4. Koss UR20 Over-Ear Headphones

Even though the UR20 isn’t meant for metal detectors, they are highly credited by hobbyists as exceptional performing and extremely affordable headphones for metal detecting purposes. They feature excellent deep bass and treble to ensure you get the sound signals with the clarity required. That way, you can make a clear cut distinction between the nuggets you detect while keeping the external noise to a minimum.

They come with an 8-ft long cable that comes in handy when you put the detector down to pinpoint, dig or claim you find. Besides, it has a simple design sling headband but works conveniently, especially when you want to keep one cup on and the other off to the side for convenient listening to your surroundings.

The headphones come with a 1/4 – inch adapter thus are compatible with metal detectors fitted with 1/4 – inch headphone jack. However, the main drawback is that they don’t have a volume control feature. So if your metal detector has it, the better.

Manufacturer Specifications

  • Compatible with: 1/8 – inch and 1/4 – inch headphone jacks
  • Volume: No volume control
  • Weight: 0.55 Pounds

What We Like

  • They are comfortable
  • Lightweight over-ear design
  • Affordable price
  • Ease of use
  • Noise-canceling

What We Don’t Like

  • Lacks volume adjustment

5. Koss UR20 Over-Ear Headphones

If you intend to shift from corded to wireless metal detecting headphones, you can go wireless with the Garrett MS-3 Z-Lynk. These are wireless headphones with Z-Lynk Transmitter Module. They are designed to be universal and work with almost all metal detector brands or models. 

It is designed with a high-speed response so that you will hear your target signal when the search coil is right over the target. The Z-Lynk technology enables these headphones to work with both VLF and pulse metal detectors. Moreover, it features a one-volume control for both ears, making it convenient to use.

The Z-Lynk makes these wireless headphones to have zero delays. They have a 17-millisecond delay; which human ears can discern this level of delay. Z-Lynk technology is almost six times faster than Bluetooth. As such, it makes all the difference in wireless metal detecting headphones.

The main drawback is that the headphones are not waterproof, thus won’t give you the freedom to detect underwater. They run on built-in lithium batteries, which are rechargeable via USB and can operate for up to 30 hours on a single charge. With the 1/4 – inch headphone connection, you can use the Z – Lynk on almost any detector, even if you need an adapter.

Manufacturer Specifications

  • Compatible with: 1/4 –inch headphone jack or with an adapter to transmitter
  • Volume: Adjustable volume
  • Weight: 1.27 Pounds

What We Like

  • Excellent volume control
  • Z-Lynk technology
  • Comfortable ear cup cushions
  • Adjustable headband

What We Don’t Like

  • Not waterproof

6. XP Deus WS5 Full Sized Wireless Headphones

The XP Deus WS5 wireless metal detecting headphones are designed for use with specifically XP DEUS metal detectors. It functions independently of the detectors as it communicates directly with the search coil.

It comes with a large LCD screen and keypad on the headphones that enable you to access any feature available on your metal detector control box. You can take precise control over your detector from your headphones. For instance, you can control discrimination, ground balance, factory programs, tones, sensitivity, pitch, coil change, and volume.

It features full-sized ear cups that are padded for comfort, while the headband is adjustable to ensure perfect fitting for different head sizes. Moreover, they come in a unique full weatherproof design that makes you receive and differentiate targets even under noise and adverse weather conditions.

The headphones are powered by a rechargeable Lithium battery that delivers up to 27 hours of continuous use on a single charge. Once drained, you can fast recharge it via a removable USB for about 2 hours. These headphones feature a foldable design that allows for easy transport and storage. Moreover, they are made lightweight with 0.5 pounds of weight for convenient carrying around your hunting grounds.

Manufacturer Specifications

  • Compatible with: XP DEUS
  • Volume: Adjustable volume
  • Weight: 0.5 Pounds

What We Like

  • Lightweight
  • Waterproof
  • Built-in operation controls
  • Wireless

What We Don’t Like

  • Only compatible with XP Deus

7. Garrett 1612500 Treasure Sound Headphone

The Garrett Treasure Sound are metal detecting headphones designed to be small and lightweight. Therefore, you won’t feel any weight on your head or moving with them from one hunting ground to another. To top it off, they come affordably.

They feature a fully adjustable headband that you can size to fit and hold on your head as you go about hunting lost treasure. With the inline volume control on the lead, you can adjust the volume regardless of whether your detector is fitted with volume control or not.

It comes with softly padded earpieces for comfort, and they don’t cover the ear fully. As such, you won’t get sweaty when hunting on hot summer days. They are not waterproof for you to freely hunt underwater with these exceptional headphones.

If you are operating on a small budget and want some decent headphones that will deliver you a great hunting experience, the Garrett Treasure Sound headphones can be a better choice for your treasure hunting.

Manufacturer Specification

  • Compatible with: 1/4 – Inch Headphone jack in ATX, Pro, Gold, and Infinium Sea Hunter (Not compatible with Ace and GT series) 
  • Volume: Adjustable volume
  • Weight: 0.3 Pounds

What We Like

  • Ultra-lightweight
  • Long headphone cord cable
  • Adjustable headband for fit sizing
  • Softly padded earpieces for comfort
  • Excellent volume control

What We Don’t Like

  • Not waterproof

8. Killer B Wasp Optima Headphones

The Killer B Wasp Optima headphones feature an exclusive design for metal detecting. The design and manufacturing processes are thorough, ensuring delivery of the best experience in your metal detecting expeditions. They feature rugged construction that ensures they last longer even under harsh hunting conditions.

It comes with 41 dual-position volume controls, one on each ear cup. Moreover, they have a high output of 150 ohms speaker elements. With the mode switch, you can effectively switch between stereo and mono without a hassle.

It comes with an inbuilt limiter switch that comes in handy in softening the sound so that the tones don’t come too loud for your ears. It is a great feature, as it softens the sound to a loud enough level for you to determine the kind of metal or object detected by the detector.

It has a mute-switch, which when you locate your target and put the detector down, you are not disturbed by the random beeping. The ear cups and headband are well-padded to make wearing more comfortable. The cups are big enough to perfectly fit your ears to block out the noise from outside.

Manufacturer Specifications

  • Compatible with: 1/4 – inch jack and 1/8 adapter
  • Volume: Adjustable volume
  • Weight: 0.09 Pounds

What We Like

  • Soft leather padded ear cups
  • Coiled headphone cord cable
  • Separate ear volume controls
  • Noise Canceling

What We Don’t Like

  • Not waterproof

9. Deteknix Universal Wireless Headphones

The Deteknix W3 wireless headphones are universal wireless metal detecting headphones that come ultra-lightweight. They also feature a snug fit onto your head regardless of your head size due to their adjustable headband. Moreover, it is wireless with a nicely fitting receiver-transmitter onto the detector due to its pole groove molded into it.

The ear cups are well-padded for comfort. The ear cups fit the ears perfectly to block out any noise from the outside to guarantee you the best environment to hear sound signals. That way, you will distinguish the sound signals to know the kind of nugget you have detected.

It comes with simple controls such as a power button and volume control on one earpiece. The other earpiece features buttons such as skip forward or backward and play, especially if you want to listen to music. With the simple controls, you will be on top of your hearing sound signals from various nuggets.

Manufacturer Specifics

  • Compatible with: 1/4 – inch and 1/8 – inch jacks with the adapter provided
  • Volume: Adjustable volume
  • Weight: 0.25 Pounds

What We Like

  • Adjustable padded headband
  • Simple controls
  • Fully foldable for easy carrying and storage
  • 2.4 GHz wireless technology
  • Noise-canceling

What We Don’t Like

  • A bit muffled and not fully clear

10. Bounty Hunter Binaural Headphone HEAD-PL

The Bounty Hunter Binaural is designed especially for metal detecting as they deliver loud and clear sound signals. That way, you won’t miss any tone transmitted from the search coil regardless of how weak or faint it is. They feature individual volume control on both ear cups that allow switching to either stereo or mono sound.

They come with a leather padded headband to allow for maximum comfort. Besides, the ear cups are well cushioned and big enough to surround the whole ear. As such, you block out any noise from the outside. It comes with a lightweight design to give you the ease of time carrying it around your hunting grounds without a hassle.

They come with a coiled cable that helps reduce tangles and snags while fully expanding to a long length to deliver you plenty of space to maneuver. They are compatible with a standard 1/4 – inch jack and 1/8 – inch with the provided adaptor. With a great fit on your head and easy controls, you will have the best detecting experience with these headphones from Bounty Hunter.

Manufacturer Specifications

  • Compatible with: 1/4 – inch jack or 1/8 – inch with adaptor provided
  • Volume: Adjustable volume
  • Weight: 1.1 Pounds

What We Like 

  • Full volume control
  • Lightweight
  • Adjustable headband 
  • Perfect fitting ear cups to block out all background noise

What We Don’t Like

  • A bit shorter cord cable

Things to Look for When Choosing Your Best Headphones for Metal Detecting

The design features of headphones to a great extent impact your ability to feel comfortable and still receive acceptable hearing of both weak and stronger tones. As you hit the market to look for your best headphones, here are some of the features to look out for.

1. Earbuds or earmuffs

Headphones with earbuds are more comfortable during the hot summer season wing to their smaller footprint on your ears. Moreover, they come in different designs and styles, with some feature soft, silicone pads around the speakers. 

Muffs r cupped paddings, on the other hand, are easier to use as they align with the ear easily. They are also better during winter hunts. Moreover, they are the majority in the market for metal detecting.

2. Bluetooth or Wired Headphones

Wired headphones are the most preferred by detectorists, even though they have to be removed whenever you put the detector down. Besides, they get snagged in the shrubs, branches, and other obstacles within your proximity during hunting. Therefore, without care, they get damaged quite easily. Regardless, they are affordable and come in different cable designs, extended lengths, and durability.

Bluetooth headphones, on the other hand, require upgrades before they are recommended for metal detecting purposes. One major issue they have is lag – the delay between detecting your target and your actual hearing the tone can make a big difference or even be frustrating to pinpoint.

3. Adjustable Volume and other Features

There are metal detectors that don’t come with volume control. Instead, the inbuilt speakers in the control box are too loud or quiet for some users. So, headphones with volume control handle that. With that, you can also conserve your metal detector battery life since the inbuilt speaker is disabled when headphones are plugged in. Also, consider the specialty features that offer protection against loud signals, transmit faint and weak signals, moisture-resistant mylar speakers, noise-canceling, among others.

4. Headphone Jack Connection Size

Most detectors come with 1/8–inch headphone jack, but most headphones have 1/4 – inch plugs. The reverse is also true. Therefore, an adapter is a must-have accessory.

5. Waterproof Headphones

If you intend to treasure hunt in water, you will need waterproof headphones for your detector.  Besides, your metal detector features such as headphone jacks, control box, and search coil should be all waterproof. 

FAQs

Q: Do you Need Headphones for a Metal Detector?

A: No. You don’t need to use a headphone for metal detecting, especially when your metal detector comes with inbuilt speakers. Nonetheless, the headphones are highly recommended to use if you need to use them, especially when hunting in noisy places. Therefore, to have a seamless hunt along a crowded beach, waves, traffic, and more, use headphones to hear target tones clear and loud enough.

Q: Can you use any Headphones for Metal Detecting?

A: More often, metal detectors come with connection jacks of 1/8 – inches that are either mono or stereo output. Therefore, some metal detectors require specific headphones that fit their jack. Nonetheless, wireless headphones are also available for use with metal detectors that allow Bluetooth connectivity or any other features that enable wireless headphone connectivity.

Conclusion

Without a doubt, all the 10 best headphones for metal detecting reviewed here are reliable and great for metal detecting. These headphones come in a wide range of prices, so whatever your budget is, you will get the best headphones for your detecting expedition.

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