Better Sound Report

[Mark G]

I've been disappointed in the sound I get through my Autocom system, using an ipod or XM. Sound is quite tinny compared to the same setup on the Goldwing, no surprise.

I bought a tiny little amp called the Ampli-Rider, which has the great advantage of a wired volume control which I ran out to the center stand hand grip to keep it out of the weather. This gave me volume control, but not particularly improved sound.

I found a company called Simpl Acoustics online, and it turns out they're some young guys here in Austin. One of the guys spent about an hour with me this morning, trying different combinations of Autocom, Ampli-Rider, and their Simpl A1 amp. The A1 makes a signficant difference, with its only drawback being no volume control, which can be remedied, but not by me

If you use an ipod or other mp3 player, and have access to the controls or to a remote, you will experience very much better sound, I think. XM is also going to sound better, but volume control is a little more involved.

The Simpl A1 has an onboard rechargeable battery, and can also be powered by an auxiliary cigarette lighter plug with a USB thing on the other end, so long as you get one with the right voltage output (I don't have the specs handy).

A nice thing about the A1 is you can use it on the bike, and quickly take it with you. It is designed to piggyback onto a standard ipod.

The Autocom is the weak link in the whole setup. Listening through either and both amps directly gives improved sound to the ipod and XM; running through the Autocom causes a loss of signal. The Simpl goes up to WAY TOO LOUD on its own, without distortion; the Ampli-Rider distorts a little sooner.

I'm going to get a Simpl unit and use it. Haven't decided if I'll keep the Ampli-Rider in the system too, or use the wired remote to hook up to the Simpl.

All the testing was done with Etymotic ER4P earphones, which are REAL GREAT at reproducing sound and, using the included foam rather than the wubba earpieces, do the best job of sound isolation (hearing protection) of anything I've ever tried. The bad news about that is I can't hear the beautiful thrum of the motor. I got them for about $160 shipped from a place called www.shipdog.com...cheapest price I could find.

The Simpl site is https://www.simpl.com/

HTH,

M

 

[New Boots]

I've been disappointed in the sound I get through my Autocom system, using an ipod or XM. Sound is quite tinny compared to the same setup on the Goldwing, no surprise.
I bought a tiny little amp called the Ampli-Rider, which has the great advantage of a wired volume control which I ran out to the center stand hand grip to keep it out of the weather. This gave me volume control, but not particularly improved sound.

I found a company called Simpl Acoustics online, and it turns out they're some young guys here in Austin. One of the guys spent about an hour with me this morning, trying different combinations of Autocom, Ampli-Rider, and their Simpl A1 amp. The A1 makes a signficant difference, with its only drawback being no volume control, which can be remedied, but not by me

If you use an ipod or other mp3 player, and have access to the controls or to a remote, you will experience very much better sound, I think. XM is also going to sound better, but volume control is a little more involved.

The Simpl A1 has an onboard rechargeable battery, and can also be powered by an auxiliary cigarette lighter plug with a USB thing on the other end, so long as you get one with the right voltage output (I don't have the specs handy).

A nice thing about the A1 is you can use it on the bike, and quickly take it with you. It is designed to piggyback onto a standard ipod.

The Autocom is the weak link in the whole setup. Listening through either and both amps directly gives improved sound to the ipod and XM; running through the Autocom causes a loss of signal. The Simpl goes up to WAY TOO LOUD on its own, without distortion; the Ampli-Rider distorts a little sooner.

I'm going to get a Simpl unit and use it. Haven't decided if I'll keep the Ampli-Rider in the system too, or use the wired remote to hook up to the Simpl.

All the testing was done with Etymotic ER4P earphones, which are REAL GREAT at reproducing sound and, using the included foam rather than the wubba earpieces, do the best job of sound isolation (hearing protection) of anything I've ever tried. The bad news about that is I can't hear the beautiful thrum of the motor. I got them for about $160 shipped from a place called www.shipdog.com...cheapest price I could find.

The Simpl site is https://www.simpl.com/

HTH,

M

I just bought the starcom 1 advance from Jeff (sportbikeeffects.com) and I am very pleased with the sound quality through my mp3 player. I am using etymotic er6i earbuds. You can't tell its playing through an intercom at all.

I think your proabably right in that the autocom is the weak link.

 

[bramfrank]

I use Westone UM2 ear-canal headphones in various combinations with my Autocom Pro-M1, without it and so on. My music sources are a 4th Gen iPod and an XM radio (along with my Garmin 276c, the interface to my cellphone and from time to time, my Kenwood TK-3101 GMRS radio).

The key is one of functionality - the intercom allows my daughter and me to converse and the music is attenuated by about half during those conversations. An announcement from the Garmin mutes the music entirely, as does the cell and 2-way radio.

I note that my particular Autocom isn't tinny in any way - in fact my complaint is that it has relatively POOR high frequency response, sounding somewhat muffled when compared with a direct connection betwen the iPod and the UM2s. I can offset this with the equaliser settings

Autocom is very critical for speaker placement (if you use their speakers) and I went in-ear because I wanted the noise reduction that ear-canal transducers provide.

Are you comparing apples to apples? Or is this amplifier connected to a different speaker/headphone than with the Autocom?

Ultimately it isn't about one amplifier compared to another. It is a question of overall system performance. So you need to consider the system as a whole - it could be that new generation equipment simply isn't as linear, given the ambient noise pickup that they offer and more. It could be that MY unit has poor high frequency response. The number of variables is too large andthe sample is way too small to draw a definite conclusion.

Gain controls are simply. A ganged potentiometer wired between the sound source and the load will do the job - in fact Shure provides something that can be used for this with THEIR in-ear phones, its an inline 3.5 mm cable with a volume control in a plastic housing between the plug and jack. I think you can buy something similar at Radio Shack too.

 

[Mark G]

I use Westone UM2 ear-canal headphones in various combinations with my Autocom Pro-M1, without it and so on. My music sources are a 4th Gen iPod and an XM radio (along with my Garmin 276c, the interface to my cellphone and from time to time, my Kenwood TK-3101 GMRS radio).
The key is one of functionality - the intercom allows my daughter and me to converse and the music is attenuated by about half during those conversations. An announcement from the Garmin mutes the music entirely, as does the cell and 2-way radio.

I note that my particular Autocom isn't tinny in any way - in fact my complaint is that it has relatively POOR high frequency response, sounding somewhat muffled when compared with a direct connection betwen the iPod and the UM2s. I can offseet this with the equaliser settings

Autocom is very critical for speaker placement (if you use their speakers) and I went in-ear because I wanted the noise reduction that ear-canal transducers provide.

Are you comparing apples to apples? Or is this amplifier connected to a different speaker/headphone than with the Autocom?

Ultimately it isn't about one amplifier compared to another. It is a question of overall system performance. So you need to consider the system as a whole - it could be that new generation equipment simply isn't as linear, given the ambient noise pickup that they offer and more. It could be that MY unit has poor high frequency response. The number of variables is too large andthe sample is way too small to draw a definite conclusion.

Gain controls are simply. A ganged potentiometer wired between the sound source and the load will do the job - in fact Shure provides something that can be used for this with THEIR in-ear phones, its an inline 3.5 mm cable with a volume control in a plastic housing between the plug and jack. I think you can buy something similar at Radio Shack too.

Yes, I was comparing apples to apples...pulling the Autocom out of the "line" drastically imroved sound quality, with either amp, or even with no amp. My post was really intended to point folks towards the Simpl amp, rather than complain about the Autocom.

 

[TheAxeman]

Mark,

I run a Sirius X-act radio into a Starcom amp but I use this small Radio Shack volume control velcroed to the left switch housing on the handlebars close to my thumb. The control itself is about the size of a nickel with about 6" of cord on either side of it. About $6.00 if I remember correctly. Works great.

 

[Mogan]

I'm an autocom user and an audiophile. If you're getting lousy fidelity, I think it probably has more to do with your other equipment -- not the autocom (IMHO).

The new generation autocom units (and most of the old ones) have LOTS of power to allow you to listen to loud music if you want. BUT, the speaker must be positioned in exactly the right spot in relation to your ear. I suggest getting autocom's adapter unit and using a set of good earspeakers. That will cut out most of the wind noise while giving you better fidelity. Also note that the earspeakers you choose can have a major impact on sound character.

When people say something sounds "tinny" it often means they think it lacks the lower frequencies and bigger, boomier bass response. It that's what you like (lots of bass) then look for some earspeakers that advertise that emphasis.

I've found the best overall earspeakers for under $500 are the Etymotic ER6's. I think they're also the most popular amond motorcyclists. I used these for a while then opted for a pair of custom musicians plugs for extended comfort...using the same speakers that came from the ER6's.

For what it's worth, EVERY motorcycle sound setup has relatively high distortion and sound quality compared to a home system. You can't expect perfection from a system that has lots of background noise, etc.

https://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er6.aspx

 

[Mark G]

I'm an autocom user and an audiophile. If you're getting lousy fidelity, I think it probably has more to do with your other equipment -- not the autocom (IMHO).
The new generation autocom units (and most of the old ones) have LOTS of power to allow you to listen to loud music if you want. BUT, the speaker must be positioned in exactly the right spot in relation to your ear. I suggest getting autocom's adapter unit and using a set of good earspeakers. That will cut out most of the wind noise while giving you better fidelity. Also note that the earspeakers you choose can have a major impact on sound character.

When people say something sounds "tinny" it often means they think it lacks the lower frequencies and bigger, boomier bass response. It that's what you like (lots of bass) then look for some earspeakers that advertise that emphasis.

I've found the best overall earspeakers for under $500 are the Etymotic ER6's. I think they're also the most popular amond motorcyclists. I used these for a while then opted for a pair of custom musicians plugs for extended comfort...using the same speakers that came from the ER6's.

For what it's worth, EVERY motorcycle sound setup has relatively high distortion and sound quality compared to a home system. You can't expect perfection from a system that has lots of background noise, etc.

https://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er6.aspx

Well, as I indicated in my original post, I'm using Etymotic ER4P earphones, which are allegedly a step above the 6 series...and even if not, they're very efficient.

Aside from the overall lack of good sound...thin highs, thinner lows, at volumes sufficient to listen while riding, the distortion through the Autocom is unacceptable. As indicated in my posts, taking JUST the Autocom unit out of the equation eliminates the distortion...nice, clean sound limited only by the inherent shortcomings of the mp3 format or XM's signal.

And I'm not expecting the sort of sound I get from my quite high end home system, just wanting the same quality I get through the Autocom hooked into the Goldwing's factory system...using the same two sources, ipod or XM.

 

[bramfrank]

Hmm . . . my Pro-M1 has no significant 'distortion', (in quotes because non-flat frequency response is a form of distortion). It does lack in highs somewhat, but the mids and lows are just fine.

Are you overdriving it?

My XM picks up a bit of bike electrical noise and I use an isolated music input with it - but at any setting higher than '2' if is just too loud. And at low levels there is the background noise. Hence the attenuator on the front ahead of the Autocom - it allows me to raise the volume relative to the electrical noise.

BTW, if you guys thnk the Etymolics are nice, the UM2s will blow you away.

Here are a couple of comparison reviews:

https://www.goodgearguide.com.au/index.php/...id;1606;pt;1#cb

https://www.earphonesolutions.com/reofum2byour.html

https://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=133048