Music for my GSA

[Xlntcfp]

I finally road from Colorado to see friends and family in Pa, NJ and NY. 4200 miles. I had the Neotec 2 helmet ready to play music and an audible book but once at 75 + mph the wind noise and my aging ears could barely hear anything so I ditched the music and went without. Outside Omaha at the dealer I met someone who did 19 ironbutts, (he looked and sounded like he had done his homework) and he said he hooked up a system to his RT that was awesome. Unfortunately, I couldn’t remember the set up, except it was one that BMW did not support. 

 

Any suggestions based on what I already have to upgrade my volume? I’m riding a 2018 BMW 1200 GSA.

 

Thanks in advance!

[TEWKS]

Gonna sound counterintuitive but are you wearing ear plugs? Assuming helmet speakers. I find the plugs quiet down the wind noise enough and lets me hear the music (full volume) through the helmet speakers. Nice bike, welcome to the site! 

[Xlntcfp]

yes I do wear earplugs....my hearing is getting worse....

[Bernie]

What brand or model bluetooth system are you using? Some units can use a earplug speaker setup, which replaces the ear plugs with speakers.

These plug into your bluetooth helmet set and really increase the volume, besides they also work as ear plugs.

The Cardo systems and most of the Sena units can be used with ear plug speakers.

Now the Schubert or BMW systems can'y and have to modified to be used with ear plug speakers.

The sam applies to the Sena system for the Shoei Neotec 2 helmet, I believe.

 

[Xlntcfp]

57 minutes ago, Bernie said:

What brand or model bluetooth system are you using? Some units can use a earplug speaker setup, which replaces the ear plugs with speakers.

These plug into your bluetooth helmet set and really increase the volume, besides they also work as ear plugs.

The Cardo systems and most of the Sena units can be used with ear plug speakers.

Now the Schubert or BMW systems can'y and have to modified to be used with ear plug speakers.

The sam applies to the Sena system for the Shoei Neotec 2 helmet, I believe.

 

I have the sena srl in the neotec 2, I use my iPhone mostly for music, not sure if that answers the question

[powwow]

18 hours ago, Xlntcfp said:

 

I have the sena srl in the neotec 2, I use my iPhone mostly for music, not sure if that answers the question

With my Cardo (and I believe your Sena), it has a 3.5mm female plug that I can use to connect my in-ear monitors.  Rather than just using ear plugs and the system speakers, I remove the speakers to make room for my in-ear monitors in the helmet ear pockets.  On my 2015 RT,  I can run the volume very low and still clearly hear the music being streamed from my iPhone.  The  Cardo (installed on my Arai helmet) has the latest 4.0 bluetooth, so the fidelity is quite good (vs. the BMW 2.0 bluetooth communication system in my Schuberth helmet).  I also have a Motochello audio bridge installed on the RT, so if I'm using the Schuberth helmet, I plug the in-ear monitors directly into the Motochello system for really good fidelity, also able to run the volume at very low levels.

[Bernie]

The SENA SRL system doesn’t provide a place for ear plug speakers. If you want to use ear plug speakers, you will either have to get a different Bluetooth headset system or have some one modify it to let you use ear plug speakers.

On a different note, #MarcoPolo used this system on his GSA without any volume issues. You may want to try to relocate the speakers in your helmet to get them closer to your ears. I think SENA has extra spacers to get the speakers closer to your ears.

[AZgman]

I would second the recommendation to experiment with speaker placement, in all 3 dimensions. A small adjustment can make a big difference. You will need the foam pads that came with the Sena to move the speakers closer to your ears if required. It was required for me. I also went from a Sena SMH10 to a Sena Evo20S. Better speakers and more power. The best sound I got was with earbuds plugged into the Sena, but I got tired of them coming out of my ears as I moved and with them generally being a hassle whenever I took off my helmet.

[Xlntcfp]

16 hours ago, powwow said:

With my Cardo (and I believe your Sena), it has a 3.5mm female plug that I can use to connect my in-ear monitors.  Rather than just using ear plugs and the system speakers, I remove the speakers to make room for my in-ear monitors in the helmet ear pockets.  On my 2015 RT,  I can run the volume very low and still clearly hear the music being streamed from my iPhone.  The  Cardo (installed on my Arai helmet) has the latest 4.0 bluetooth, so the fidelity is quite good (vs. the BMW 2.0 bluetooth communication system in my Schuberth helmet).  I also have a Motochello audio bridge installed on the RT, so if I'm using the Schuberth helmet, I plug the in-ear monitors directly into the Motochello system for really good fidelity, also able to run the volume at very low levels.

I couldn’t find a female jack but I did see some diagrams of splicing into harness and adding a jack...don’t want to go down that path

[Xlntcfp]

15 hours ago, Bernie said:

The SENA SRL system doesn’t provide a place for ear plug speakers. If you want to use ear plug speakers, you will either have to get a different Bluetooth headset system or have some one modify it to let you use ear plug speakers.

On a different note, #MarcoPolo used this system on his GSA without any volume issues. You may want to try to relocate the speakers in your helmet to get them closer to your ears. I think SENA has extra spacers to get the speakers closer to your ears.

I’ll relocate speakers, seems to the consensus and let you know. Thanks for the input from everyone!

[RPondaRoad]

I'll bet relocating your speakers makes a difference.  Since we humans have ears that are sized differently and placed in slightly different places on our heads, it would be nice if the helmet makers made the speaker pockets larger so that we could move our speakers to where they are needed.  

I've tried a variety of the tuned silicone plugs and haven't been satisfied with the noise reduction.  I keep going back to the 32db foam plugs.  So, in my mind, earplug speakers may give me better music, but I am concerned that I wouldn't have the protection from the wind noise that I want.  But...I haven't tried 'em.  Who knows?  

I use a HJC RPHA 90 helmet.  While it's pretty quiet with the outer visor down, it's not supposed to be as quiet as your Neotec 2.  I have a new Cardo Freecom 4+ bluetooth comm system with the JBL speakers.  (Bought the double pack for intercom to my pillion)  The HJC pockets don't allow me to place my speakers exactly where I'd like them, but they are close.  With 32db foam plugs and sitting behind the windshield on my RT cranked about 1/4 way up at over 70mph, I have my music volume set two or three notches below full tilt boogie. I can hear the nuances of my be-bop jazz collection very well considering I'm in a helmet environment. I have the Cardo system bluetoothed directly to my Moto G-6 phone.  I don't have the integrated BMW bluetooth system.  Please let us know how your speaker relocation works out.  

[Xlntcfp]

great info! 

 

thanks

[realshelby]

I will second the placement of the in helmet speakers as critical. I have removed foam to get them right. Takes some listening to them to get it right. You WILL know when you hit the sweet spot. Volume, or at least perceived volume, is much higher when speakers are in exactly the right place. Which seems to be the center of the speaker aligned with the ear canal or very close. 

 

Next is the windshield. Yes, that is part of why I developed the one I sell for the RT. The smaller GS screens are noisy. There are aftermarket screens that will improve that. 

[Xlntcfp]

The speakers in the shoei neotec 2 are in a fixed position, no way to move them, may just live with what I’ve got for now and figure out what seat I’m going to buy

[VaR1200RT]

Are you using the BMW bluetooth to your SENA SRL or your phone?   Some systems have a bluetooth volume and if the system you are using does, check the volume.  I use my Iphone to bluetooth to my helmet and once the bluetooth volume got turned down very low.  I could not hear the music but my GPS was blasting my ears.  Took me awhile to figure that one out.

[Xlntcfp]

I just Bluetooth from iPhone to srl,

not sure where to find Bluetooth volume