Hey there. IMHO, the benefit of using headphones depends on the detector or your detecting location. If you are hunting a noisy (traffic, lawnmowers, wind, etc) site then noise canceling headphones will help. I learned the hard way that some detectors almost require headphones to get optimum results- especially deep targets. Also, detectors which use a consistant threshhold tone really need headphones so you can hear any tiny disruption to the constant threshhold tone possibly indicating a target so deep that it may not register visually if you have a screen. I learned the hard way because I hunted for so many years without headphones using a Minelab Sovereign GT which has no screen, has threshhold and indicates targets by tones only. It wasn't until just before I traded the GT for an Explorer I realized this. Now I've been using headphones on the Explorer, which has a threshold tone, from day one. Also I have been using head phones on my AT-Pro (no threshhold tone) and DFX (programmable for threshhold tone or not). Overall my finds have become deeper with all three detectors. I eventually bought a nice pair of Jolly Rogers which I am more than happy with. I recommend the use of headphones whole-heartedly. Just my experience. Hope it helps. GL and HH. Matt