Super Farkle

:yahoo: I just treated myself to a new Shoei X11 helmet, and installed some high quality helmet speakers from Rider's Warehouse. The speakers are so good that my Ipod doesn't have enough balls to drive them. Can't hear the music hardly at all with earplugs in. I have a boosteroo but it is big, clumsy, and doesn't recharge, you have to change AA battery. I searched the web and found this super neat contraption from Deal Extreme called the FiiO. It is the size of an Ipod shuffle, has a clip like the Ipod, and has a rechargeable Lithium battery, using a USB cable to charge. It comes with two lengths of connection cables, a USB cable, and the booster. It has a built in Equalizer with or without bass boost, and volume contro. THIS THING KICKS ***. It is under $20 and has free shipping. Took me about two weeks to get it from Hong Kong, but it is awesome. Big bang for the buck, and it's so small that it will bit in my riding jacket pocket with the ipod NO HASSLE. Here is the link: clicky https://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.18350

I have this one and like it OK...

kinda expensive at $65

has volume control

small enough for my tank bag

rechargeable; charge lasts 1 day of riding

Patriot said:

I have this one and like it OK...
kinda expensive at $65

has volume control

small enough for my tank bag

rechargeable; charge lasts 1 day of riding

Click to expand...

You need that with the J&M?

The first one from Deal Extreme makes only 160mW (.16 watts). The one Patriot shows makes 2 watts, which is what the Starcom1 Advance makes (1Wx2ch) and I find that to be barely adequate with good 33dB attenuating earplugs in. Now maybe if you have more efficient helmet speakers you could get away with 1/5th the power, but not with any of the speakers I've used.

Jeff Q said:

Patriot said:

I have this one and like it OK...
kinda expensive at $65

has volume control

small enough for my tank bag

rechargeable; charge lasts 1 day of riding

Click to expand...

You need that with the J&M?

Click to expand...

negative

it's for when I was riding my Vulcan cruiser with mp3 only

I'm using the AmpliRider unit, not only does this thing provide around 200mW of Amp but also enables you to mix three distinct audio signals. The AmpliRider even has a remote volume control, and you can order the Passport Radar detector isolation cable. All this great functionality for $65.

I'm not affiliated with the company but am one VERY satisfied customer and the owner, Gary is a pleasure to deal with.

JamesK said:

I'm using the AmpliRider unit, not only does this thing provide around 200mW of Amp but also enables you to mix three distinct audio signals. The AmpliRider even has a remote volume control, and you can order the Passport Radar detector isolation cable. All this great functionality for $65.
I'm not affiliated with the company but am one VERY satisfied customer and the owner, Gary is a pleasure to deal with.

Click to expand...

3.5 mm plugs?

Yes, 3.5mm stereo plugs.

The RD isolation cable is custom made by Gary to have the Mono 2.5mm plug for the RD side and the 3.5mm stereo plug for the AmpliRider side.

vtcornercarver, sorry for the thread hijack, I just wanted to let people know the other available options.

high quality helmet speakers from Rider's Warehouse. à

Which one ?

Pierre said:

high quality helmet speakers from Rider's Warehouse. à
Which one ?

Click to expand...

It is the Iasus Xsound 2 helmet speakers. They are in Rider's warehouse catalogue but I found them cheaper at this site.

Speakers:

Dimensions: 1 3/4" diameter X 7/16" thick

Impedance: 60 ohms at 1KHz

Frequency Response: 20Hz-22KHz

Sensitivity: 108 dB at 1 KHz

Max Power: 500 mW

with 3.5mm connector plug

Connector Cable:

Stereo music cable: 3.5mm(1/8") jack to 3.5mm(1/8") plug with inline volume control

https://helmetaudio.com/khxc/index.php?app=...amp;portrelay=1

JamesK said:

Yes, 3.5mm stereo plugs.The RD isolation cable is custom made by Gary to have the Mono 2.5mm plug for the RD side and the 3.5mm stereo plug for the AmpliRider side.

vtcornercarver, sorry for the thread hijack, I just wanted to let people know the other available options.

Click to expand...

no worries, just wanted to share a really small, very cool rechargeable booster that fits my needs, and may be of interest to other guys that don't have 2 way intercom systems, just speakers in their helmets for music via Ipod. https://www1.dealextreme.com/productimages/sku_18350_3.jpg

I once won a pair of helmet speakers a few years ago at a cycle event. I'll let you know, ya -they might sound good riding around at a slow speed, but once you really get a movin', (Freeway speed or greater), they are worthless. Like all you guys are talking about, you need to include an amp to boost the sound. Heck, you will all to deaf from attempting to overcome to wind noise plus adding even more speaker volume.

Let me clue you in... don't go this way, buy yourself these instead;

https://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-Is...9592&sr=8-1

They block out the wind, and you don't need to crank up the volume to dangerous levels. Plus you'll hear every lyric in song you've know forever.

I use these earphones with my XM radio and I don't need to add any extra amp/ booster at any speed.

Either listen to what I say, or possibly never listen again....

ZZzz

ZZZzz said:

I once won a pair of helmet speakers a few years ago at a cycle event. I'll let you know, ya -they might sound good riding around at a slow speed, but once you really get a movin', (Freeway speed or greater), they are worthless. Like all you guys are talking about, you need to include an amp to boost the sound. Heck, you will all to deaf from attempting to overcome to wind noise plus adding even more speaker volume.Let me clue you in... don't go this way, buy yourself these instead;

https://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-Is...9592&sr=8-1

They block out the wind, and you don't need to crank up the volume to dangerous levels. Plus you'll hear every lyric in song you've know forever.

I use these earphones with my XM radio and I don't need to add any extra amp/ booster at any speed.

Either listen to what I say, or possibly never listen again....

ZZzz

Click to expand...

It is true that the ER6i are great, unfortunately they start to irritate and hurt your ear canals after about 2 or 3 500+ mile days, especially in hot summer times. Hence the solution in this case is to use something like soft foam earplugs with helmet speakers and an amp to provide sufficient power, at least that's the way i'm doing it now.

ZZZzz said:

I once won a pair of helmet speakers a few years ago at a cycle event. I'll let you know, ya -they might sound good riding around at a slow speed, but once you really get a movin', (Freeway speed or greater), they are worthless. Like all you guys are talking about, you need to include an amp to boost the sound. Heck, you will all to deaf from attempting to overcome to wind noise plus adding even more speaker volume.Let me clue you in... don't go this way, buy yourself these instead;

https://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research-Is...9592&sr=8-1

They block out the wind, and you don't need to crank up the volume to dangerous levels. Plus you'll hear every lyric in song you've know forever.

I use these earphones with my XM radio and I don't need to add any extra amp/ booster at any speed.

Either listen to what I say, or possibly never listen again....

ZZzz

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, my sleepy friend (Zzzzz), you have your logic exactly bass ackwards. Using a good set of earplugs with helmet spealers is the best way to protect your hearing and still get tune-age while riding. Good earplugs lower the wind noise by 33dB, making it safe. Since the music only needs to overcome the wind noise, and it too is being attenuated 33 dB byt the same earplugs, it too will be safe for your ears.

Enter the Etymotic earphones, and just about any off-the-shelf ear speakers available. They do noit attenuate the wind noise very well at all. No hard specs are available, but I would estimate they are only good for ~20 dB attenuation on someone that they fit perfectly. Since the ear tips are "a few sizes fitr all" the fit is seldom perfect meaning the attenuation will be worse. The music source still has to overcome the (less attenuated) noise, and it is being injected directly into your ear canal. This means the SPL (sound pressure Level) of the music in your ear canal will actually be higher with in ear speakers than with the helemet speakers through the earplugs.

The day I can find a 33dB attenuating earspeaker is the day I will switch for good.

I don't post much, but this is one topic I can address...

+1 on the Etymotic 6i earphones. You want isolation? I have used them without listening to music to block out wind noise. They isolate about as good as any soft foam plug out there. I can't stand wind noise even with my Araia. But these headphones are about as good as you are gonna get in terms of sound isolation. And sound quality is up there too! For me this is one of the best bang for the buck "farkles" I have come across. And no, I don't work for Etymotic. And they don't require a ton of power to drive them either. Just plug into your music source, crank the volume to about half throttle, and you're rockin'!

And yes after about 300 or so miles I do find I have to take them out and switch to some foam plugs for a while, but I also find that there are some foam plugs I have to switch out for a different set after 200 or so miles, at times.

ALFJR said:

I don't post much, but this is one topic I can address...
+1 on the Etymotic 6i earphones. You want isolation? I have used them without listening to music to block out wind noise. They isolate about as good as any soft foam plug out there.

Click to expand...

As I previously posted, I disagree. None of the silicone tipped sealed ear speakers can seal the ear canal as well as the expanding foam type ear plugs. Even on the small percentage of people that are blessed with ear canals that are the perfect size for the few sizes of silicone tips that are provided (usually 3) the silicone only contacts the inside of the ear canal in a limited area, making them prone to dislodging and leaks.

A foam ear plug expands and contacts the canal the entire length of the plug, for as far as you insert it. That's why I've been messing around trying to adapt ear speakers to the high dB ear plugs. Like many others, I'd love to take advantage of the superior sound of in ear speakers, but the off the shelf ones do not provide good attenuation of noise.