Equinox WM08 volume lower than using Bluetooth

Has anyone else noticed that when using the WM08 unit that the volume is not as high as when using the Bluetooth connection ? it seems that the volume buttons on the ML80 do not work when they are connected to the WM08 unit so you can not get the extra boost like you get when using them in Bluetooth mode (control unit volume and ML80 volume are independent of each other), i can not get the same volume with other headphones and WM08 unit that the ML80's give using Bluetooth.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2018 08:43PM by sanjuro.

Sanjuro, your question made me wonder along with a text I got from Dewcon last night so I had to go check it out.

I've used the ML-80's paired and wired to the WM-8 on different occasions and didn't have problems hearing until the last time out when the winds were whipping at the shore. So as scientifically as I could using a phone app (sound meter) I tried it both ways in my garage.

First off I found when wired to the WM-8 and the headphones powered off, the buttons don't work (as expected) so the only adjustment is with the main unit and it DOES affect the volume of the headset through the WM-8. Using the volume setting you can vary the volume of the headset.

Now with the WM-80 headphones paired with the you can vary the volume with using the volume in the settings on the machine and (to a point) the buttons on the headset.

Now, since I couldn't get a steady tone to work with the decibel meter was bouncing around due to the EMI but what was evident in my test was there seemed to be a slight difference in the max decibel reading between the two setups with the paired headphones hitting on average 4-5 decibels higher than the headphones attached to the WM-8.

IN BOTH CASES, with the headphones on my ears, the max volume provided was more than I would be comfortable listening to for any amount of time, I would definitely not be able to hunt at max volume out of this machine with the provided options that came with the machine.

Maybe, you didn't adjust the volume on the machine when you used the WM-8? Just a thought.......Let us know what you find!

Real good read on sound measurement and how it equates to perceived volume.....

[www.sengpielaudio.com]


Cliff



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/2018 11:45AM by cdv.

cdv Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sanjuro, your question made me wonder along with a
> text I got from Dewcon last night so I had to go c
> heck it out.
>
> I've used the ML-80's paired and wired to the WM-8
> on different occasions and didn't have problems he
> aring until the last time out when the winds were
> whipping at the shore. So as scientifically as I c
> ould using a phone app (sound meter) I tried it bo
> th ways in my garage.
>
> First off I found when wired to the WM-8 and the h
> eadphones powered off, the buttons don't work (as
> expected) so the only adjustment is with the main
> unit and it DOES affect the volume of the headset
> through the WM-8. Using the volume setting you can
> vary the volume of the headset.
>
> Now with the WM-80 headphones paired with the you
> can vary the volume with using the volume in the s
> ettings on the machine and (to a point) the button
> s on the headset.
>
> Now, since I couldn't get a steady tone to work wi
> th the decibel meter was bouncing around due to th
> e EMI but what was evident in my test was there se
> emed to be a slight difference in the max decibel
> reading between the two setups with the paired hea
> dphones hitting on average 4-5 decibels higher tha
> n the headphones attached to the WM-8.
>
> IN BOTH CASES, with the headphones on my ears, the
> max volume provided was more than I would be comfo
> rtable listening to for any amount of time, I woul
> d definitely not be able to hunt at max volume out
> of this machine with the provided options that cam
> e with the machine.
>
> Maybe, you didn't adjust the volume on the machine
> when you used the WM-8? Just a thought.......Let
> us know what you find!
>
> Real good read on sound measurement and how it equ
> ates to perceived volume.....
>
> [www.sengpielaudio.com]
> e.htm
>
>
> Cliff

Thanks for that Cliff i had the volume on the control on full 25 it seems to me that when the headphones have a jack plug inserted that the internal volume control (amp) is turned off the ML80's are lower when used in wired mode too.
When i detect i have the volume on both set to full any lower and i am struggling to hear the faint signals (might be my hearing) it does not bode well for third party headphones if they can not go as loud as the ML80's that users will have got used to.

I'll have to try my ear buds to see how they work even though they aren't APTX LL.

sanjuro Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> cdv Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Sanjuro, your question made me wonder along with
> a
> > text I got from Dewcon last night so I had to go
> c
> > heck it out.
> >
> > I've used the ML-80's paired and wired to the WM
> -8
> > on different occasions and didn't have problems
> he
> > aring until the last time out when the winds wer
> e
> > whipping at the shore. So as scientifically as I
> c
> > ould using a phone app (sound meter) I tried it
> bo
> > th ways in my garage.
> >
> > First off I found when wired to the WM-8 and the
> h
> > eadphones powered off, the buttons don't work (a
> s
> > expected) so the only adjustment is with the mai
> n
> > unit and it DOES affect the volume of the headse
> t
> > through the WM-8. Using the volume setting you c
> an
> > vary the volume of the headset.
> >
> > Now with the WM-80 headphones paired with the yo
> u
> > can vary the volume with using the volume in the
> s
> > ettings on the machine and (to a point) the butt
> on
> > s on the headset.
> >
> > Now, since I couldn't get a steady tone to work
> wi
> > th the decibel meter was bouncing around due to
> th
> > e EMI but what was evident in my test was there
> se
> > emed to be a slight difference in the max decibe
> l
> > reading between the two setups with the paired h
> ea
> > dphones hitting on average 4-5 decibels higher t
> ha
> > n the headphones attached to the WM-8.
> >
> > IN BOTH CASES, with the headphones on my ears, t
> he
> > max volume provided was more than I would be com
> fo
> > rtable listening to for any amount of time, I wo
> ul
> > d definitely not be able to hunt at max volume o
> ut
> > of this machine with the provided options that c
> am
> > e with the machine.
> >
> > Maybe, you didn't adjust the volume on the machi
> ne
> > when you used the WM-8? Just a thought.......Le
> t
> > us know what you find!
> >
> > Real good read on sound measurement and how it e
> qu
> > ates to perceived volume.....
> >
> > [www.sengpielaudio.com]
> ng
> > e.htm
> >
> >
> > Cliff
>
> Thanks for that Cliff i had the volume on the cont
> rol on full 25 it seems to me that when the headph
> ones have a jack plug inserted that the internal v
> olume control (amp) is turned off the ML80's are l
> ower when used in wired mode too.
> When i detect i have the volume on both set to ful
> l any lower and i am struggling to hear the faint
> signals (might be my hearing) it does not bode wel
> l for third party headphones if they can not go as
> loud as the ML80's that users will have got used t
> o.


Just curious, did you have the headphones turned on when you used them wired? I've used Killer B's with the WM08 and had to lower the volume on the Nox.

Yes i had the headphones turned on but that makes no difference to how loud they can go they still do not go as loud as they do when using the Bluetooth connection.