How to listen to GPS and radar detector- also, best helmet speakers?

[zimm]

I'm finally geeking out my R1200S.

I just installed my Valentine 1 in my tankbag with the remote audio panel mounted under the tach. I have an audio cord going back through my tankbag and I can plug in my $15 cheapo velcro'd in helmet speakers to hear the beeps.

I just ordered a RAM mount for my Garmin Nuvi 660. It can play MP3's from a SD card as well as give me directions.

1) can I just get a y-splitter for both and hear them at the same time? I can adjust both volumes individually.

2) what are some good in-helmet speakers, or should I use some sort of ear buds that knock down on the wind noise?

[Guest24]

Virginia huh. Stealth measures are a must in that state. I wish Bose would step up and bring noise cancelling to helmets.

[SergioK]

I don't think you can do just a Y splitter... audio signals won't like that. You'll need either a passive or active mixer. I have the MixIt2 mixer and I works great, especially the priority input (V1) which mutes all others (MP3 & GPS).

To date I can't ride and listen to tunes... mainly cause I wear earplugs. Even when I did experiment with tunes, wind noise is too loud.

[zimm]

Well my GPS is mostly on mute anyway. I guess I could just switch the audio cord from the detector to the GPS when needed, such as in an urban area for direction, and back roads for radar detection.

What did the mixit2 cost?- nevermind, it's $179 plus another "box" to install.

Are you guys sure you can't use a radio shack y-cord? The GPS directions and music will come though, and if the radar detector beeps, it should send that signal too. I'm not worried about muting the gps if I have the beeps turned to full volume. I'm only worried about it wrecking the garmin from voltage going into the audio jack. hmmmm.

[PFFOG]

For the radar detector get this http://www.marcparnes.com/Visual_Alert.htm combine it with the remote display so you can monitor the arrows, then just listen to the GPS

[bradzdotcom]

have you thought about getting the HARD heads-up unit for your helmet? it gives you a bright blinking light inside your helmet when the valentine 1 goes off. works very well. it's much more noticable and way less irritating than the audio signal. i even take the HARD out of my helmet and stick it in the truck for longer drives. (can't always hear the V-1 over the stereo.....bike or car).
http://www.legalspeeding.com/product.htm

best speakers i've found are actually ear molds. they greatly cut down road and wind noise and deliver the best sound. i like the Westone earplugs, but if you go to just about any hearing aid store, they'll be able to set you up with custom ear molds that have built-in speakers. (and nobody can borrow 'em!).
i run these.
http://www.westone.com/content/221.html
they have many others:

[zimm]

I had the cruisader with LED on dash and one in helmet. I thought it was distracting. Plus with the visual alert and no display on the bike, I only care about Ka band on my way to work. That's all the VA state troopers use and the V1 picks it up over a mile away.

I think I'll try some ear buds as well.

The other option is to have one speaker on radar duty, and the other on GPS duty- but that rules out any type of music.

[AndrewA]

Originally Posted by zimm

Are you guys sure you can't use a radio shack y-cord? The GPS directions and music will come though, and if the radar detector beeps, it should send that signal too. I'm not worried about muting the gps if I have the beeps turned to full volume. I'm only worried about it wrecking the garmin from voltage going into the audio jack. hmmmm.

Ha! I toasted two Garmin 2610s before I finally got a "isolation transformer" from Gary at http://www.electric-avenues.com/ . Fortunately, Garmin replaced both units for no charge (even thought they were way out of warranty). Nice.


You can indeed use a radio shack y-cord, but it's highly unlikely that there will be enough volume from the GPS to hear either voice prompts or music while under way (especially if your gonna use headphones). You will also run the risk of muting the Nuvi forever. Further, the V1 has a mono output, so you need to purchase stereo cables, and then heat shrink the V1 end into place so you dont short-out the Garmin output. Can be done, but it's tricky.

The best setup would be using an amp with multiple inputs (with an isolation transformer!!!), and etymotic ear buds. Helmet speakers suck. You should email Gary at Electric-Avenues. He is the extremely helpful and responsive.

[Bob in Tucson]

I have really enjoyed Etymotic e6i earphones; attenuate lots of sound and are much more comfortable than ear plugs. Can be had for about $80.

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er6i.aspx

[AndrewA]

Originally Posted by Bob in Tucson

I have really enjoyed Etymotic e6i earphones; attenuate lots of sound and are much more comfortable than ear plugs. Can be had for about $80.

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er6i.aspx

+1

Here's a review:
http://www.bmwforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=2715.0

[klennop]

Originally Posted by bradzdotcom

have you thought about getting the HARD heads-up unit for your helmet? it gives you a bright blinking light inside your helmet when the valentine 1 goes off. works very well. it's much more noticable and way less irritating than the audio signal. i even take the HARD out of my helmet and stick it in the truck for longer drives. (can't always hear the V-1 over the stereo.....bike or car).
http://www.legalspeeding.com/product.htm

best speakers i've found are actually ear molds. they greatly cut down road and wind noise and deliver the best sound. i like the Westone earplugs, but if you go to just about any hearing aid store, they'll be able to set you up with custom ear molds that have built-in speakers. (and nobody can borrow 'em!).
i run these.
http://www.westone.com/content/221.html
they have many others:

If you don't mind me asking, how much were the westones? Are they actually earplugs with speakers or just molded earbuds. The site doesn't really say.

[SergioK]

They are custom molded earplugs with speakers built into them. They are known as the Motorcycle Headset (MH-1). The site doesn't list them but they do list the RH1 (racing headset).

[dlong]

Zimm...I routinely use a pair of Radio Shack Y connectors and ER6's to monitor my Escort Solo and Garmin Nuvi, while listening to the IPOD, all in the tank bag. Adjust each volume control appropriately. Works fine. Use a coiled extension available from Rider Wearhouse to connect the tank bar stuff to the ER6's. If I really need to hear all the voice prompts from the GPS (rarely) I mute the IPOD. The Solo alerts come through loud and clear. No need for mixers or other complicated solutions. The ER6's were comfortable enough to wear all day on a Saddle Sore 1000 and provide great noise isolation even when not listening. And its an easy rig to move from bike to bike. If you want to add cell phone, blue tooth, bike-to-bike, you may need something like an Autocom. Hope this helps.

[pwillikers]

I'd not connect the audio outputs of your devices together with y connectors. Depending on their characteristics, one device could back feed and fry another's output circuitry. Radar detectors especially often have funky audio circuits that require special provisions to be amplified/mixed safely.

I have an Amplirider that I've modified for my purposes. Send Gary, the owner of "electric-avenues.com", the mfgr. of the amplirider, an email if you have questions. Very nice, helpful, ethical guy. He coached and I built a custom version with the special circuitry for my Beltronics radar detector (really required for all radar detectors), a power jack and the volume control integrated inside the amplifier case. I'm obsessive about space utilization so you'll not be faced with this nonsense unless you're a bit nutty. Gary offered to custom build them if asked. The audio quality is very clean and it's capable of being quite loud which is good if you're planning on using helmet speakers at speed.

The "rat's nest" on the right side is my doing. His product is very tidy.

[JonyRR]

my setup:
I run a valentine1 velcroed on top of my tankbag, talking to a val1 audio output and a HARD transmitter. that output talks to a mixit2 mixer, the other side is waiting for a GPS with audio prompts, which then (this is the cool part) talks to a radio shack 2.4GHZ wireless headphone setup...the xmitter is tiny and has a Nimh battery..the headphones have an integral receiver, also nimh powered, and you plug both into the supplied charger.
I had to disassemble the headphones and pull the speaker assemblies and receiver off the plastic part that rests on your head. I carved up an Arai's interior (but not much) to get the headphone speakers in.
I went to that trouble so I don't have to take my eyes off the road at speed; the HARD tells me there's radar, the audio tells me what type of radar (X, K, Ka, laser) a trait that's unique to valentine1, I believe.
between a gerbing's setup and wired audio, I was starting to look like a borg (is there such a thing as a chubby borg? egads!) with all the wires!

[smallj]

This is sort of off topic, but has anyone tried a throat mic for communicating with other bikes over a 2 way radio?

[Rapid Dog]

...ditto what Unk Brad sez...even with "good" helmet speakers, you won't hear anything above about 55mph...then turning it aup tp 11 will only help you with your future and inevitable hearing loss.
A guy's gotta get those custom earplug speakers to hear anything.

Visual on the V1 is the only way to go. I've got the HARD on...

[bradzdotcom]

rapid~
i've been using the molded earplug/earbuds for so long i'd forgotten about that part.
guys who don't want music can get "swimmer's" earplugs, also custom made. westone calls theirs "aqua-nots". they cut down about 27 db of noise....pretty significant.
i use them when i get tired of hearing music and just want some (mostly) quiet time while riding.

[Rapid Dog]

...yes...some quiet time is good...

[martincito]

Originally Posted by bradzdotcom

have you thought about getting the HARD heads-up unit for your helmet? it gives you a bright blinking light inside your helmet when the valentine 1 goes off. works very well. it's much more noticable and way less irritating than the audio signal. i even take the HARD out of my helmet and stick it in the truck for longer drives. (can't always hear the V-1 over the stereo.....bike or car).
http://www.legalspeeding.com/product.htm

best speakers i've found are actually ear molds. they greatly cut down road and wind noise and deliver the best sound. i like the Westone earplugs, but if you go to just about any hearing aid store, they'll be able to set you up with custom ear molds that have built-in speakers. (and nobody can borrow 'em!).
i run these.
http://www.westone.com/content/221.html
they have many others:

I use the HARD red led in my helmet. It Works pretty good but there is no difference in the color/speed, or anything in the blinker light, to know what kind of radar are you approaching or how far it is.
For $160 would be nice to have the light blinking faster or changing the color according to the situation.