I Finally Bought the Depth Master (updated 1/19/09)

[Michigan Badger]

I just bought a Depth Master off the bay.

Always wanted to try one of these but didn't want to spring for full price.

Got it for about half price I guess. Seller says it's new, never used.

Well, here we go. I'll post a review sometime if there's any interest.

Badger

 

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[deepskyal]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

If my fading memory serves me...I had the depthmaster headphones some years back and they were only suppose to amplify the tones, not increase depth.
But louder tones for some increases depth if you have a threshold set to minimum and miss that whisper quiet beep.

Al

 

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[Michigan Badger]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

If my fading memory serves me...I had the depthmaster headphones some years back and they were only suppose to amplify the tones, not increase depth.
But louder tones for some increases depth if you have a threshold set to minimum and miss that whisper quiet beep.

Al

Yes, that's what the company claims in their ad.

But some very weak signals can easily be missed.

The problem with quality headphones is they're very powerful so the user turns the volume down so his ears don't get blasted.

The DepthMaster brings weak signals all the way up just like the volume was set to max on expensive phones, but at the same time it keeps loud large and surface signals from blasting the ears.

Some say all the DepthMaster does is amplify the signal. I've never heard an actual owner/user claim this. All those claims come from people who never actually owned the DepthMaster.

If the DepthMaster company (and many users) are to be believed--it does more than just amplify the existing signal--it also allows the user to take advantage of full possible volume and at the same time maintain a comfortable signal level. It creates a balance if you will.

I look at it more like that "normalizing" software we use when putting together many downloaded mp3 sound files for our mp3 players. We don't want one song blasting loud and another weak. We want all the songs at about the same volume.

The DepthMaster (according to the maker and many users) "normalizes" all possible signals up to a very noticeable audible level so targets are more likely to be heard.

Badger

 

[Keppy]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

Badger , mine is just like yours it's twin ...What it does is amplify the deeper targets so it does get a little deeper... And then when you have a close target it tones it down so it does not hurt your ear drum............. now it will not work on my Sovereign XS or GT it will not work on my Ace 250........BUT it does work on my Whites DFX.......it could be that it is just old

 

[Keppy]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

Just to old and don't work right any more ....Like Me...

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

Badger , mine is just like yours it's twin ...What it does is amplify the deeper targets so it does get a little deeper... And then when you have a close target it tones it down so it does not hurt your ear drum............. now it will not work on my Sovereign XS or GT it will not work on my Ace 250........BUT it does work on my Whites DFX.......it could be that it is just old

Thanks.

It probably was a big thing 15 years ago. I'm getting it mostly for the novelty.

I figure it will help on some of my old vintage machines.

Badger

 

[Keppy]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

Badger , mine is just like yours it's twin ...What it does is amplify the deeper targets so it does get a little deeper... And then when you have a close target it tones it down so it does not hurt your ear drum............. now it will not work on my Sovereign XS or GT it will not work on my Ace 250........BUT it does work on my Whites DFX.......it could be that it is just old

Thanks.

It probably was a big thing 15 years ago. I'm getting it mostly for the novelty.

I figure it will help on some of my old vintage machines.

Badger

Should work

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

Badger , mine is just like yours it's twin ...What it does is amplify the deeper targets so it does get a little deeper... And then when you have a close target it tones it down so it does not hurt your ear drum............. now it will not work on my Sovereign XS or GT it will not work on my Ace 250........BUT it does work on my Whites DFX.......it could be that it is just old

Thanks.

It probably was a big thing 15 years ago. I'm getting it mostly for the novelty.

I figure it will help on some of my old vintage machines.

Badger

Should work

Jim, the unit came but doesn't have an ON/OFF switch. Does it turn on only when plugged in or is it drawing current contenuously from the time the battery is installed?

Badger

 

[NGE]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

The kellyCo Hot Head search coils have a type of depth master built right into the coil, That's why they would go deeper than the factory super coil. I know, I have owned four of them and when the last one broke , I took it apart, and what I found was a signal enhancing circuit in there......NGE

 

[Keppy]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

Badger , Mine does not have a on off switch either and i never thought of that it could be it does... ==Jim_K==

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

The kellyCo Hot Head search coils have a type of depth master built right into the coil, That's why they would go deeper than the factory super coil. I know, I have owned four of them and when the last one broke , I took it apart, and what I found was a signal enhancing circuit in there......NGE

Thanks for the leg up on the Hot Heads.

I've been doing some thinking on this and I figure originally the DepthMaster concept was a good one.

Probably by now most detector makers have copied the basic function of the DepthMaster and incorporated it into their machines in one way or another.

I've been too busy lately but I still need to test mine. The construction is impressive and these units were diffinitely made to last. My model is the original and was never sold. I got it new from the package ca. late 1980's.

Badger

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

Badger , Mine does not have a on off switch either and i never thought of that it could be it does... ==Jim_K==

Yep Jim, yours is exactly the same as mine. I believe the new models have an ON/OFF switch but the insides are still the same.

Jim these are still in demand and it's surprising how many THers wouldn't be without it. I guess it depends on the detector used?

I'm now attempting to upgrade my GC1023 by placing the electronics into a quality box and rod system. I want to get that new 12-inch coil they make for the 1023 and use it.

I need a longer/stronger search rod and waterproof control box fitted with wired-in waterproof headphones. I'm not taking it diving but I hunt some very wet brushy areas.

Into all this I'll wire the DepthMaster if it works well when I test it.

Badger

 

[Keppy]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

Are you talking about this detector...it is the American hawk...HP-1020. MB... it is $99.00

 

[Keppy]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

or this one it is..$69.00......the HP-1016...... these are called American Hawk but i think the same as your 1023

 

[Keppy]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

This is there underwater or beach detector the ..HP-1029............. $159.00

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

The detector called the 1023 is made by the same company and they'll put any name on it the importer wants. The 1023 is called the MD1023, HP-1023, Hawk 1023, Explorer 1023, and a bunch of other names some of which don't bother to use the number 1023. They're all the same machine.

I've seen the GC1023 sell for almost $300 and as little as $35 (bidding on ebay). My guess is they cost the importer about $30. It sells on Amazon.com for about $68. I'd never pay more than $80 total for one. This is about the price of a decent pinpointer.

The 1023 model is totally different from the 1016 model. The 1016 is also called by all sorts of different names. It is a cheaper machine with less depth than the 1023.

The 1023 has two knobs and one toggle switch for modes. It has auto ground balance and tones. The recovery speed is so fast you can't even tell it's recovering. I've never been able to catch it lagging.

The depth of the 1023 is excellent. Buried coins down to 6 inches deep are loud and clear. My Silver uMax only gets about 5 inches with the stock 8" coil. And the uMax has factory set GB with no tones.

The tones on the 1023 are 100% accurate down to about 6 inches and then start to give out (which is true of all tones machines). Seriously, I dug a quarter with my 1023 last summer that was easily 7 inches deep and it had a loud signal (dug at a landfill site).

You'll be hearing a lot more about this machine in the future as the truth about it is spreading now on the other forums.

If someone knows of another low cost Chinese machine that works extremely well, please let me know by PM. But so far all I've tried other than the 1023 were junk.

Thanks,

Badger

 

[Keppy]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

If you were going to waterproof one that is why i put up that 1029 for you to look at...

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

If you were going to waterproof one that is why i put up that 1029 for you to look at...

Yes, I figured that and it would be a good machine if it had the 1023 guts.

Last night I assembled the 1023 (it was stored away for winter) and put in some old batteries from last summer. One set of batteries lasts all summer in the GC1023 (two 9-volts).

It air tested about 10 inches on a quarter. I now doubt the DepthMaster will help it much. Last night I noticed that in tones the 1023 either gets a solid signal or none at all. It doesn't whisper a low weak signal like some machines do.

I can see where Tesoros could benefit from the DepthMaster though. Anyone who knows the Tejon knows it whispers a weak signal on deep coins. The DepthMaster would probably increase that weak signal and be a big help.

Badger

 

[ParkHunter61]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

(Gold Century Metal Detectors) still
has the 1023 for 69$ and free shipping
Bill.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master

(Gold Century Metal Detectors) still
has the 1023 for 69$ and free shipping
Bill.

Thanks.

I'm thinking about getting one or two more.

Now if only I could locate that new 12 inch coil for the 1023. Once that hits ebay I think the price on the 1023 will go up.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: I Finally Bought the Depth Master (updated 1/15)

I tested the DepthMaster on my GC1023 and it doesn't work.

All I get is a barely audible signal.

I think one needs a threshold hum type of detector for this to be of any great help.

I'll try it again when I buy some more machines.

Badger