Just how good is an Autocom for listening to music at high speeds?

[Barrie C]

My daily commute includes about 30 minutes at fairly high speeds (probably averaging 80-90 mph) and there's obviously a fair bit of wind noise from my 1200GT with a high screen.

 

I'm thining of trading to an RT (which will probably slow me down a bit, lol) and thought I'd really like to be able to listen to music.

 

I wondered if this really was a feasible option if I'm regularly riding above 70mph or not?

 

Any thoughts & advice greatfully received!

 

 

[smiller]

The issue isn't so much the source (Autocom, direct from MP3 player, etc.) as the stuff in the helmet. About the only thing that works and provides adequate hearing protection is the use of noise-isolating earphones such as the popular Etymotic ER6i or one of the custom products. Helmet speakers will either A) sound bad when used with earplugs, or B) expose you to excessive noise levels if not. Autocom has a pre-made cable that will adapt to earphones instead of speakers (or you can make one yourself if you're handy with such things.)

[johnlt]

With a quiet bike (like an RT with higher windscreen and a quiet helmet, and "well placed speakers", you can hear music at 90 mph ok but not with great fidelity. With in-ear speakers you get much better fidelity and 90+ is not a problem.

[smiller]

... you can hear music at 90 mph ok but not with great fidelity.

If by 'not with great fidelity' you mean you can just barely make out what song is playing, yes...

[johnlt]

... you can hear music at 90 mph ok but not with great fidelity.

If by 'not with great fidelity' you mean you can just barely make out what song is playing, yes...

 

Not really. I have a GS Adventure with Laminar lip and a good helmet. The key is the placement of the speakers. It is critical to have them placed directly over the ear hole and barely touching the ear. Huge difference in volume and quality if placed correctly. I use my Zumo without any additional amplification and still have 3 bars of volume left at 75 mph. If I'm in a strong cross-wind, all bets are off.

[smiller]

I was referring to external speakers but I see you're talking about helmet speakers, and yes, if you locate them properly they will work, but... the resultant noise level will not be good for your hearing because nothing is being done to lower the external noise level, which even by itself is way too high for extended periods at high speeds (regardless of fairing configuration), and adding music loud enough to overcome ambient noise only makes it worse. As I mentioned above you do have the option of wearing earplugs while using helmet speakers but that results in fairly poor audio quality... I know, I did it long enough. If you use noise-isolating earphones you both reduce ambient noise and lower the required music volume level, with excellent audio quality to boot. Good noise-isolating earphones are the only way to go if you want good audio fidelity and life-long hearing, there's just no other way to get the total noise exposure down to within safe limits.

[EffBee]

Listening to music at 80-90 is not a problem with in-ear speakers. I've got Arizona Al's speakers and I've cruised at 140 on the old FJR (ain't saying where) and got reasonably enjoyable music. At 90, it was like I was in my living room.

 

With the regular helmet-mounted speakers, it depends on how well your helmet seals and how much wind buffeting you have to endure. Most wind noise actually enters the helmet from below, so a good seal, or the use of an NOJ sealing mask helps. If not, then you'll need soft foam earplugs to cut the noise. Your Autocom speakers can penetrate these, but understandably there's a price to be paid for the interference.

 

Although I haven't experienced them yet, my understanding is that the new Autocom Super Pro (yet to be released in the USA -- a previous model with the same name notwithstanding) has enough power to use an even higher grade of speaker, which makes the use of foamies a non-issue. The music WILL penetrate and bring with it most of its subtleties. Time will tell, but early consumer reports are incredibly encouraging.

[stubble!]

Just to add my two cents... I use a Zumo 550, an Autocom, and a standard Autocom helmet kit in a Shoei RF-1000. I wear cheap earplugs.

 

With this setup I find it adequate for listening to music up to 65 or so, but beyond that it's not good. Over 85 and I can barely hear at all. Above 100 and the VOX tends to start cutting in too

 

HOWEVER, my head and chest are in direct air at all times. With a windshield I'd think it would be much better. As it is I'm looking to install one of these for the zumo: PA2V2 pocket amp. The maker was happy to put a 12v version together for me without the external volume knob that normally comes with the MC version. Should be here after torrey

 

[Tony_K]

Personally Sebastian, I suggest you invest in the molded ear plugs from Al. Once you have done that you're pretty much done. All speeds become a none issue with sound fidelity and you can listen at a much lower volume.

 

He'll be there this weekend... so will you... looks like a perfect set up to me.

[smiller]

Well audio quality will always be a very subjective thing of course. For me earplugs with enough attenuating capability to be effective would preclude getting decent-quality audio through them, but as always YMMV.

[johnlt]

I agree with Fernando. I have a C2 with carefully placed helmet speakers and with the excellent seal below the helmet and my Laminar Lip, I listen to music at 85 all the time. That being said, in a cross wind, the noise level really picks up and makes it a real problem. Without crosswinds, I never use earplugs anymore. AZ Al's speakers really work great and I'm glad I have them but I really don't like messing with them on a ride so rarely use them. On SS1000 kind of rides, I usually will use them because that is pretty much all interstate and at a fast clip. My $.02

[stubble!]

Thanks Tony, I'm interested and keep hearing good things about Al's setup. The need for an adapter has been a turnoff, but maybe if I see it in action I'll understand better.

[lvnvbiker]

I have a Beahr com unit and mine is loud and clear to above 100mph. The speakers are mounted under the ear/cheek pads on my N103 so they are not pressed right against the ear and I wear plugs also. Try a set of foam earplugs, believe it or not they actualy make the output from the helmet speakers more clear than without them.

[tallman]

Etymotic in ear speakers

140+

no problems

 

Passenger at slightly slower speeds

no problem hearing her either

[nbooth]

Autocom works fine. Suggest a pair of custom fitted in-ear speakers to enhance sound quality and to quiet the ride.

[markgoodrich]

Everyone suggesting earphones is correct. I'll add that I've never seen a positive report on the BMW radio (I've never actually even seen one). It seems most people use an mp3 player and/or an XM radio. That's the system I use. I switch the plug from one to the other, depending on my mood. I have a separate XM unit, rather than a gps-integrated one. Volume control is essentially nonexistent, and operating volume controls of the ipod is impossible, assuming I want to watch the road, too.

 

So I use an AMPLIRIDER, with the volume knob mounted on the blank panel where the OEM radio controls would be. Works perfect. Great customer service, too.

[Limecreek]

I too use an an Ampirider, but found that it will overdrive the Autocom speakers and so is not much better that turning up the Zumo line in to full. I am sourcing alternative speakers right now, but have not found a high capacity speaker that is compatible with moto helmets.

[CT_Rider]

My original Autocom setup had the helmet speakers but I was never thrilled with them for sound and comfort reasons.

 

I ran the Etymotic Er6i's with the stock flanges for quite a while and was very happy. Then I added a tall screen and was even happier. Then I had my audiologist order musician earplugs specifically made for the Er6i's and ... well, that just can't be beat.

 

 

[lvnvbiker]

I have now been riding with my Beahr installed for a few, I am very satisfied with it. As it was I used an Amplirider, and a boosteroo to get my Ipod to a level I could hear on the highway, but with the headset that came with the Beahr Capo 2 frs the ipod runs right into it and needs no amplification other than the unit itself. Lately the US distribution for Beahr was, well, crap. It appears that JC Whitney has picked them up and carrys quite a bit of thier now so after this I will be adding a Ultima xl unit to tie in my gps,cell,cb,gmrs radio, and other stuff so I will be unloading my amplirider and boosteroo soon. If anyone wants them let me know, I'll cut you a killer deal.

[wbrissette]

I ride with a starcom unit, I have the advance on the RT, and the Digital on the Buell Ulysses. On both bikes music isn't a big problem with helmet speakers. I wear a Suomy helmet which while light, is noisy... Go figure a $600 helmet is noisier than the $200 EXO's. Anyhow, The key as many have mentioned is wind protection. I found the stock screen on my '04 RT fine for wind protection. However, I hated the stock '09 windscreen and within a week ordered a new windscreen, which has solved the wind/noise problems, except as somebody mentioned in crosswinds at pretty much any speed. I don't have to wear ear plugs when I ride this bike, even on those marathon 800 mile days that I've done recently.

 

The Buell is a different animal all together, it's pretty noisy without the wind. The small windscreen that comes stock on the XB12X is pretty useless in my opinion. They have a larger one that comes stock with the XT (touring) version of the bike. I bought an aftermarket screen for the bike that seemed to work pretty well, but it wasn't perfect. I traded somebody who had the larger stock screen for the small stock screen, and I'm now trying the larger stock screen out with brackets a company makes that lets you adjust the screen. No decision on that system yet. But audio-wise, the system is fine below 80 MPH. Once I go above that the wind noise becomes an issue, and all Starcom does to compensate is increase the volume. So pretty soon you're listening to music at levels that when combined with the wind noise are pretty unhealthy. Seeing as how I am an audio engineer by profession, my hearing means a lot to me, so I tend not to listen to music at such levels. This bike is one that I do have to wear ear plugs with if I'm going to ride it for a long time. Short jaunts to work where I rarely get above 70 MPH, I don't worry about earplugs, but otherwise I have a set of custom molded plugs I wear. That does kill my listening ability though. I'm not a fan of earplugs and loud music on any bike.

 

My advise is to test out different windscreens, if you can, and when you can find a combination that kills the wind noise, your listening pleasure regardless of what brand (if any) intercom you end up with will be fine regardless of bike or speed. Plus find a good set of earphones, such as the Etymotic ones mentioned here previously.

 

Wayne

 

[Barrie C]

Thanks for all this everyone - very informative!

 

I have tried using an iPod into a quality set of noise isolating in-ear headphones before but found that I nearly ripped my ears off when I removed my helmet!

 

I'm planning to buy a Schuberth S1 Pro so that ought to really help with external sound levels.

 

Maybe I'll get the helmet first & then see how well in-ear buds fit for comfort.

 

 

[Tom B]

Having a speaker correctly positioned inside your ear and sealed with a plug is obviously going to be good, I have some and I know they work well, but they are not always what everyone wants and some may find the extra cost, fiddle of using them and sometimes discomfort not what they want, so what’s wrong with Autocom’s standard speakers.

 

Well if you take the Autocom speakers out of your helmet and hold them directly over your ears and play your favourite piece of music, the sound quality should be very good.

 

If you turn the volume controls up on the Autocom and music device you should find that it is VERY LOUD, (unless you have a quieter type audio device or leave the Ear-Guard on) but please remember that with the SP-AVi the Auto-Volume control will be compressing the music volume low while you are not in high noise condition, unless someone blows hard on the Ambient Noise Sensor (ANS), or you can switch the Auto Volume off via an internal switch that will remove all audio compression allowing full volume control via the external master volume control for each headset.

 

Now if you used standard foam earplugs you can set the master volume control to near full, set your music device to about 70% to 75% and it will be incredibly loud, considering the compact/slim speakers. Without earplugs it would seriously hurt/damage your hearing it’s that loud. With earplugs it will be adequate for 100mph to 140mph.

 

Here’s a test, without earplugs, set all volumes to a reasonable level, hold the speakers directly over your ears and the music will be very good, but you will not hear any outside ambient noise, not even if someone shouts or bangs, revs the bike to 10,000 rpm etc, BUT move the speakers just a little away or out of alignment from your ears and the sound quality will be considerably reduced and by letting the ambient noise in it will contaminate the sound quality of the music. But so long as the music is playing and the speakers are positioned directly over your ears you will hear no background noise.

 

Now if you can simulate that speaker positioning in your helmet the sound of music will normally be good up to about 100mph, and with normal foam earplugs the sound should still be good even up to 140mph, but ONLY if you have the speakers correctly position directly over your ears, like you experienced before.

 

The main reasons for anyone not enjoying the standard speakers is normally because they have not experienced them working as well as they can when properly poisoned, maybe because the helmet straps are in the way.

 

I am not saying that I could make our standard speakers sound any better than in-ear-speakers, perhaps not even as good in some conditions, but I do believe that with a reasonable helmet (by which I mean one that is reasonably designed to accommodate helmet speakers without straps coming directly over your ear) something like and Arai Quantum etc, I could position the speakers so that they are very comfortable so much so that you don’t even know they are there, and the sound quality can be so good even at 140mph most would say, wow! Who could ever expect or want anything better than that. Now with that quality and performance available who wants the extra hassle and cost of in-ear-speakers?

 

If it sounds like I am just protecting my speakers it is because I believe that what I just said above is true, but I can’t argue that for some their helmets may not allow for correct speaker positioning and so in-ear speakers will be preferred. While I know it is harder to experience just how good the speakers can be while trying to fiddle and find that out within a helmet, anyone can easily experience this by holding the speakers properly/directly over your ears. I know this for sure, as I have a sound chamber that can duplicate the helmet noise of over 200mph (130dB) and I test in this frequently. Perhaps someone on this forum has been in one of our THUNDER-POD’s and experienced this themselves and can confirm this.

 

Autocom UK tom

 

[Tom B]

If anyone wants some good advice about what helmets work best with headsets, have a word with paul.barrett@autocom.co.uk as he fits hundreds of helmets every year and can at least let you know what to expect and perhaps offer some sound advice before you buy.

[John Bentall]

....................some sound advice before you buy.

 

and for those that have bought already.......

 

because headset installation is so fundamentally important to a good listening and speaking experience, the Autocom graphic designers have gone to very considerable lengths in the new 2009 product manuals to guide those doing it themselves.

 

For example, access the downloads section of Autocom's website, www.autocom.co.uk , choose the SPA manual and look at the middle of page 5 onwards.

Note also all the "top tips" that appear in thse new guides.