Got a Zumo 550... what do I need for MP3 music & cell phone?

[JerryS]

So I got the new Zumo 550 and want to listen to music via the built in MP3 and have the ability to receive/place phone calls.

What the heck do I need for placing earphones inside my helmet?

Autocom

J&M

Baehr

Centech

etc

etc

etc

Which brand? Which model?

 

[HIGHLANDER]

If you ride solo all you'll need is a set of ear buds to listen to music, if you want comm / Bluetooth, check out Starcom. ( Call BikeEffects ).

Also the built in MP3 has very limited memory, you need to load up a CD card, a 2gig will hold 500 songs.

 

[Knifemaker]

Earbud earphones.

For your phone a bluetooth set up like the Scala rider will do the trick:

https://tinyurl.com/y8wakh

You will of course need a bluetooth capable phone.

KM

 

[taterides]

Scala Rider is what Garmin used in testing. Some Motorola phones, not all, have too weak of Bluetooth to work. I just got my Zumo and had that problem. I am using a Nokia 6103 and Scala teamset with great sucess. Bear in mind that the sound quality of MP3 is poor due to BT. Best of luck, all your friends will envy that setup.

 

[tcfjr]

If you ride solo all you'll need is a set of ear buds to listen to music, if you want comm / Bluetooth, check out Starcom. ( Call BikeEffects ).
Also the built in MP3 has very limited memory, you need to load up a CD card, a 2gig will hold 500 songs.

Zumo's use SD cards. There's a lot of good Zumo info at the Zumo Forum (recently re-domained from razorbiker.com).

 

[daytripper]

I have an autocom pro 7 with a Kenwood radio and a Zumo. The helmet speakers are fine for voice including listening to the directional prompts from the Zumo, but they suck for listening to MP3s.

 

[BIODSL]

So I got the new Zumo 550 and want to listen to music via the built in MP3 and have the ability to receive/place phone calls.
What the heck do I need for placing earphones inside my helmet?

Which brand? Which model?

Actually, if all you want to do is use the Zumo and not mix in anyother audio, EdSets makes a dedicated cable that allows you to use one of his headsets without the need for any type of comm system. If you want in-the-ear phones, he sells an adapter for that, too. Never used his stuff, but he seems to have a good reputation.

www.edsets.com

Paul Peloquin

Monmouth OR

 

[Jim15288]

I have found the bestsolution is a little extra wiring and hardwire a connection for both the mic and the audio. I do not use the phone on the bike, but have found the sound (MP3) is best when wired directly to the mounting base.

 

[Charlie Hoss]

I have an autocom pro 7 with a Kenwood radio and a Zumo. The helmet speakers are fine for voice including listening to the directional prompts from the Zumo, but they suck for listening to MP3s.

Daytripper,

The Autocom helmet speakers are really quite decent, but only if you line them up properly to your ears. Sometime, take them out of your helmet and hold them to your ears like a set of headphones and play a good music source. THAT is how they will sound if you take the time and get them lined up correctly. It ain't easy but its worth it. If they sound tinny with no base, that's your problem.

Charlie

 

[SouthernCruizer]

I have thought about adding my phone to the Zumo also. I listen to the MP3 player thru earbuds, and don't really know of a way to run the cell phone thru them for listening, and adding a mic for talking....anyone have ideas?

 

[irq77]

I had a conversation with:

Melinda Brorup

TopGear Accessories

Importer of Autocom

1-888-851-4327 Ext 2234

[email protected]

Melinda stated that in order to get stereo from my Super Pro AVI I would need to send my system in to be modified for ~$25. Melinda sent a .PDF file that explains my choices for modification.

Does anyone have an opinion as to what choice should I select? What is everyone else doing?

I uploaded the .PDF here: https://www.sharebigfile.com/file/130328/Zu...ptions-pdf.html

 

[user 3870]

I have a Baehr Ultima XL and the Schuberth C2 helmet. I am satisfied with the sound quality considering I am usually screaming along at 80mph. For my Zumo setup I pair it up with my Verizon Razr and use the Baehr cables they recently came out with, attached to the Zumo mount. I am having a problem talking on the phone for some reason (get a horrible buzzing noise on the other end of the line whether the engine is on or off) but the XM and Mp3 output sounds fine. The output from the phone is also good, it is just the microphone that does not work well.

Here are a couple pics of my setup.

 

[FJRski]

Where did you get that mount for the ZUMO? Nice. I just ordered MCL's.

Very interesting, I sent a similar querry to Garmin earlier today. Am waiting for their response. I'm connecting through an AutoCom, so maybe I will have to use an MP3 player instead of Zumo for music source. Anyway, there seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding Zumos, because they are so new. I had trouble getting accurate specs. (Half the problem is Gamin doesn't publish a lot of info. But my understanding is that with the new 3.2 version software, I should be able to pipe stereo though the cable and mono through Bluetooth interface without any further mods. Will let you know, maybe in a few weeks when I get this gol-darn gizmo siti'ated. More questions than answers at this point....

 

[user 3870]

I got the mount at:

RadarBusters.com

It is the short stem version and I had to drill the holes to fit the motorcycle mount provided with the Zumo.

 

[daytripper]

I have an autocom pro 7 with a Kenwood radio and a Zumo. The helmet speakers are fine for voice including listening to the directional prompts from the Zumo, but they suck for listening to MP3s.

Daytripper,

The Autocom helmet speakers are really quite decent, but only if you line them up properly to your ears. Sometime, take them out of your helmet and hold them to your ears like a set of headphones and play a good music source. THAT is how they will sound if you take the time and get them lined up correctly. It ain't easy but its worth it. If they sound tinny with no base, that's your problem.

Charlie

Yeah that is my problem. Too tinny for my musical ear. So to me they suck for music.

 

[Bike Effects]

What is between the zumo and the mounting plate, or is that part of the zumo?

 

[user 3870]

The black part between the Zumo and the aluminum mounting plate is the motorcycle mounting base, which comes with the Zumo. It has a bolt hole pattern that does not line up with the mounting plate so you have to drill new holes. Not difficult to do because the mounting plate is pretty soft aluminum.