Wireless DetectorPro Grey Ghost Headphones for XP Deus, page 4

PROS:

I personally do not see any pros for the Grey Ghost headset designed for the XP Deus because the pros would not matter when I hunt around cellar holes or in areas containing high concentration of iron junk. In my opinion, this wireless Grey Ghost headset is useless at such hunt sites, especially when one searches for a wide range of non-ferrous targets while utilizing a 5-tone mode of Tonal Discrimination.

However, if you search for one type of targets such as large iron relics (cannon balls or axe heads) or meteorites in the fields/areas where these targets are sparse, and a level of small iron junk is next to zero, you might find a good use for the wireless Grey Ghost headphones while running the Deus in the 2-Tone mode of Tonal Discrimination.

And, for that type of metal detecting, here are a few pros:

• 1) Rugged construction;
• 2) Tight fit prevents the headphones from sliding off one's head when bending over;
• 3) Special sound-blocking muff design eliminating environmental ambient noise;
• 4) Collapsible design (though the headphones do not fold completely with the XP Deus phone module attached) that allows for maximum portability and easy storage;

CONS:

• 1) No compliance with the XP Deus audio system (this topic is covered on page 2 of this article);
• 2) Both low impedance of speakers and excessive bass in audio render the headphones insensitive and inefficient;
• 3) XP Deus headphone module is attached to an ear cup by means of three screws that are prone to rust;
• 4) An ear cup with the attached XP Deus headphone module protrudes too far from one's head; thus, making metal detecting in dense shrubs challenging as bush stems and branches limit one's maneuverability and can easily snatch the headphones off one's head;
• 5) Heavy-duty muff-to-muff connection cable is exposed and allows branches to get in between the cable and an ear cup, anchor the headphones, and, as you move forward, easily snatch them off your head;
• 6) Both the tight fit and a full ear-cup/over-ear design cause profuse sweating in hot weather;
• 7) In case of absence of loud ambient sounds (for example, when detecting in deep woods), special sound-blocking muff design is not useful and would not allow to hear animals approaching as well as communicate with one's partner(s) during joint metal detecting hunts (this topic is covered on next page). Another problem I experienced with these sound-proof headphones was that I could not hear short, squeak-like audio indications of my Garrett ProPointer pinpointer! And its short vibrating indications did not make any difference because I could not feel them through the digging gloves I used.
• 8) Polymer muffs are susceptible to damage by Deet - a key ingredient in most bug repellents;

Phony Reviews and "Promotional" Videos On Internet

I have researched the Internet for any positive reviews and comments by real users of the DetectorPro Grey Ghost headset for the XP Deus, and the only web sites where I could find enthusiastic praises for this product were the websites of the US dealers and distributors of metal detectors. (Surprise! Surprise!) They promote the Grey Ghost headset for the Deus through advertisement, phony reviews and "promotional" videos - videos made by amateurs, which sometimes do not make any sense as well as never reflect reality.

Of course, it is all marketing, and I have seen hundreds of similar marketing campaigns for metal detectors and accessories since I entered the hobby of metal detecting in 1993. Even in an ad for a $125 metal detector, you would see statements like "this detector is highly sensitive to gold jewelry, coins, diamond rings, and even deeper buried treasures!" or "you can be sure the Gray Ghost headphone for XP DEUS will be the best for your treasure hunting adventures!" Not to fall for selling propositions like those, a person has to be either experienced or very analytical to discern truth from lies.

Here is an e-mail concerning the wireless Grey Ghost headphones, which I received from one dealer: "Hi Sergei! Just an FYI, several competitors to DetectorPro have been running a campaign of negative comments on line to discredit these new headphones and in turn promote theirs. Obviously this is unfortunate as it is a very nice product. Just thought I would share that with you. Clearly you will see several nice posts as well, but I wanted you to be in the loop as to what is going on... On another note, If you do not care for the phones it might be best to just pass on the review... Either way if you do feel compelled to post a review, I would just ask that you provide objective view of the pros and cons"

I care less about whether or not I am "in the loop as to what is going on". I care about quality of products that are offered and sold to metal detectorists who work hard to earn their money and sometimes struggle to save some $$ for a new metal detector or an accessory to it. Since my web site is a "voice of people", I am sure compelled to inform people about metal detectors and accessories that I come across. And if the product is cr*p, I will sure tell the metal detecting community about it. As for "providing objective view of the pros and cons", I have never hesitated doing so! (read my view of the cons in details on next page)

One of the US dealers' selling points for the wireless Grey Ghost headphones is that one has to pay over $470 for a pair of the Deus' full ear-cup WS5 headphones while the Grey Ghost set can be purchased for $150. Well, the WS5 comes with the Deus headphone module built in, and the Grey Ghost headset does not. If you subtract the module's price of $350 from the WS5 headphone's price of $470, you will get the 120-dollar difference. The cost of the WS5 without the module is lower than the cost of the GG headphones which cannot even match the WS5!

And be aware of videos that appear on Internet showing how the Grey Ghost headphones for the Deus are great. I personally have not seen a single video that would show what is exactly happening when one uses the GG headphones around a cellar hole or any other hunt site with the highest concentration of iron junk. What I have seen so far are the biased and staged videos in which each video maker detects a good target that is shallow and not closely surrounded by trash, like a sole target in a farm field. Any cheap set of headphones in conjunction with even a RadioShack' $60 metal detector would do an excellent job finding such a target!

And if you pay attention to what these "professionals" say and do in their videos, you may feel like you are watching the "Comedy Central". What cracked me up in one video made by a weird-acting dude is what he says in the end: "After ONE day in the FIELD with these XP Grey Ghost headphones, I think this module is gonna stay on these [headphones] forever. I have found a new set of Deus headphones, that is for sure!" Yeah, I would like to see his face when he uses the tight, over-ear Grey Ghost headphones while metal detecting in that field or around a CELLAR in hot summer weather!

And if you watch closely the way this guy swings the Deus' search coil in his video, you might think that it was his FIRST day in the field with the XP Deus as well. The video clearly showed the guy missing two good signals while he was metal detecting towards a coin-signal spot which he most likely had discovered prior to filming the video. Another funny thing in that video was how the guy transformed from a relic hunter (that was what he claimed) into a coin shooter in 10 minutes. What more can I say?

Most on-line videos about metal detectors and accessories have many flaws which can be boiled down to one thing: these videos are not made by experienced and knowledgeable people who understand the equipment and know how to use it. And if you are a beginner, try not to fall for lots of BS in these amateur videos. The worst case of buying the Grey Ghost headphones for the Deus is when a beginner detectorist/first-time buyer of the Deus believes to everything he/she sees and hears in promotional videos and reads in phony reviews, and then chooses to purchase the wireless Grey Ghost headset instead of the headphones manufactured by the XP Metal Detectors. In this case, having no opportunity to compare the products, the detectorist would be totally disappointed in the Deus' performance, and you can imagine the rest...

That is why it is best to test different products of the same kind before you purchase them. If you are in the process of selecting and buying any metal detecting equipment and accessories, follow the steps described in my article - "How To Select and Buy A Metal Detector".

I hope that the DetectorPro engineers read this review (it is not over yet) and make the wireless Grey Ghost headphones compliant with the Deus' concept if the company wants to fill a niche in the today's American market. Good luck to them!

I always follow a golden rule when it comes to buying accessories, whether it is a search coil or headphones, for my metal detector: always stick to the products made by your metal detector's manufacturer!