Mix-It Personal Amplifier

[Mellow]

I just got this last night but I love it!!!!

I use a mini-tankbag with an Archos Jukebox MP3 player.

I also have a Garmin 2610 GPS, RAM mounted to my Heli-bars, in the center.

The MP3 player has always had an OK volume but I know I was loosing lots of sound quality so I decided to try the Mix-It to see if it would help. I also wanted to add the optional Garmin 2610 patch cord so I could hear the audio alerts from the GPS.

I use some Sony earbuds plugged into the Mix-It output jack. The MP3 is plugged into one of the four input stereo jacks and so is the Garmin 2610.

The results were incredible.

Pros:
Amplifies the signal and allows you to reduce the volume of the MP3 player, creating a higher quality of sound and saving on the MP3 batteries. I can't say enough about the difference in sound quality this item makes.

Comes with a cig lighter 12volt power cord, I cut the end off mine and added a bmw plug for plugging into my right fairing.

A large volume knob makes it easy to turn the volume up or down quickly, yet it is firm enough to not accidentally turn itself, as in a tank bag.

There are two more available input jacks for a radar detector, cell phone (in case you want to hear it ring) or XM Radio.

Cons:
I don't think it's waterproof, would be nice to have a version that you could install in a fairing or right/left fairing pocket lid, something more permanent.

http://www.cyclegadgets.com/images/MI-M1-HAND.gif

Price $149 at Cycle Gadgets (http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/product.asp?Item=MIXIT)

[crazykz]

I've used this for the last year on my Harley and soon on my ST. I think it works great and really like it.

John Brown who makes it is a terrific guy and a great help with any issues you might have using it. I had all kinds of power noise and ground loop issues that he helped me sort out. It had nothing to do with the Mix-It, it had to do with all the other crap I was trying to hook up into it but John helped me with all of it.

I never wrote up a full review on that stuff but you can get a feel for what I was doing with from a couple things I posted on my website. Basically I found a small fly fishing tackle box that I could fit the Mix-It in and then drill holes in it to get to the power, volume, and all the jacks. After I did that I ran the MP3 player, GPS, radar detector, and cellphone all into and ran the output into the line-in on the Harley's stereo. Worked great and managed to figure out a way to use the intercom for the voice input to the cellphone so I could talk on the phone. All that will some cables and the Mix-it. Can't say enough good things about it.

You can see the volume knob in some of these pictures for the mix-it. It points out the bottom of the little tackle box and has a cover over it to protect it from the elements.
Cellphone Project (http://www.hard-core-ware.com/howtos/index.php?page=cellphone)

The whole setup (http://www.hard-core-ware.com/howtos/index.php?page=farkles)

Curt

[Mellow]

Great info. Thanks Curt!

[basco]

Another place is 2wheelinnovations (http://www.2wheelinnovations.com/new_page_2.htm)

[PizzaHog]

Any updates on this product? The 2 is out now, but @ $180.

Compare/contrast to the AutoCom/StarCom products?

[:crickets]

It seems a little less expensive, because it doesn't have the multi-person comm capabilities. For me, that's no big deal...

PH

[Schavlan]

I use this:

http://www.electric-avenues.com/amplirider.html

It's bike powered, and has a remote knob so you can mount the unit inside the fairing and just run the audio plugs where you need them.

Gary is very helpful and is happy to do custom work. I got mine with an extended cable to the volume control that allows me to mount the unit in the tail fairing next to the intercom box and still have the volume control up on the handlebars.

Last year his price was about $65.00

My Magellan GPS has a very low volume when connected to the intercom system, so Gary is making me up a new volume control that will double the amplification.

I'll let you know how it works out.

[Maura]

I have the mix-it 2 on my dash shelf. I made it reasonably waterproof by making a neoprene cover. Has the added benefit of hiding the many unsightly patch cords. My inputs are the garmin 376C directions, and XM sat radio, sirius sat radio, valentine one radar detector. I concur with John Brown being a terrific guy, extremely helpful. You can buy the unit direct from him http://www.mixitproducts.com/reviews.html

Maura

[Blue STreak]

You can hide the mix-it inside the fairing by adding an in-line volume control (from Radio Shack, among other places) between the mix-it and your earphones. I have an line control mounted on the left handlebar, just behind the clutch master cylinder. I can reach over with my thumb and adjust the volume without taking my left hand off the bars.

Set the inline mix-it or other amp to near max, and use the inline volume control to reduce the level as appropriate.

I plan to add a mix-it 2, or something similar, this winter, so I can combine outputs from my XM, Garmin, Valentine and maybe an ipod.

BTW, Maura: I'm curious. Why do you subscribe to both XM and Sirius?

[UNTMatt]

I use this:

http://www.electric-avenues.com/amplirider.html

It's bike powered, and has a remote knob so you can mount the unit inside the fairing and just run the audio plugs where you need them.

Gary is very helpful and is happy to do custom work. I got mine with an extended cable to the volume control that allows me to mount the unit in the tail fairing next to the intercom box and still have the volume control up on the handlebars.

Last year his price was about $65.00

My Magellan GPS has a very low volume when connected to the intercom system, so Gary is making me up a new volume control that will double the amplification.

I'll let you know how it works out.

+1 on the Amplirider (http://www.electric-avenues.com/amplirider.html). Remote volume control, bike powered, flexible mounting options, and half the cost of the MixIt2.

[ccryder]

+1 on the AmpliRider. Gary even has them with priority over-ride so one input, ie: radar detector, would over-ride your XM/ MP3. He is great with support on cables and everything else that crops up with Audio and 2 wheels.

Neil S.

[PizzaHog]

+1 on the AmpliRider. Gary even has them with priority over-ride so one input, ie: radar detector, would over-ride your XM/ MP3. He is great with support on cables and everything else that crops up with Audio and 2 wheels.

Neil S.

Huh. This is different info than what I got from Gary the other day:

"Several months ago I actually did try adding a priority system
to the amp. The priority system was ruining the quality of the
audio output and that made me uncomfortable though. It was also
making the price of the amp go up too much so I decided to
abandon that model and leave the amp the way it was."

This isn't to say that I wouldn't consider the AmpliRider - in fact, I'll probably get one as I simply can't see how the override would be worth ~$100 [as Gary suggested, one can simply turn up the output volume of the GPS...]. Plus, his familiarity with the various GPS/radar detectors/etc. already helped him make a suggestion to me that could prevent making the install process complicated.

[Blue STreak]

That's too bad. I looked at the ampliRider a while back, and decided not to get it because of the lack of a priority override. I actually corresponded with Gary and he said he was considering adding it.

[ccryder]

Sorry my conversation with Gary was prior to yours. I guess he is not offering that feature ;+{. Anyway using the AMpliRider with my Starcom (which has a priority overide) it works GREAT! I'm only routing: MP3, XM, AM/FM/ Weather/ 8500X50 and FRS. I don't have my Quest routed through there but, I do have an extra input (where is that 6" patch cord???)

Time2Ride (102degF! More water, MORE ice!!)

Neil S.

[Maura]

BTW, Maura: I'm curious. Why do you subscribe to both XM and Sirius?

I had Sirius (Canada) and I liked it. Then I bought a garmin 376c gps with integrated XM and weather. I found that using the XM radio through the GPS did not work well for me, I hated much of the XM programming and excessive commercials, especially after Sirius, but the weather was essential. I do not mean the weather channels, I mean the real weather on the map. SO I have to keep subscribing to XM for the weather, but I listen to Sirius, mostly CBC which is not on XM. In Canada, Sirius subscribers outnumber XM subscribers 4 to 1. At home and in my car I only use Sirius. I still want the voice commands from the gps, so the gps goes to the mix-it, but I rarely listen to the XM radio programming.

Maura

[Fat Man Bass]

I have searched for this kinda item for years. Happy I didn't find it, because I would prefer a slightly different setup now.

I sent Gary an email:

Here is my question.

I own a Honda ST and have a Garmin 2820 GPS with BT and a Interphone BT helmet set.(mono).
I also have a Ipod Nano with Etymotic ER6i earplugs.
I could use my cell phone via BT, but I ride on the road and I call in the office (or car).

What I would love to have is this:
An amplifier to connect my Ipod and Etymotic earplugs to carry in my jacket.
A wireless remote would be excellent, but not absolutely necessary.
This amp should be able to receive the GPS instruction via Blue-tooth.
If she speaks, she should tell Ipod to shut up for a while.

The benefit for me is that I still can listen through my favorite earplugs and can get rid of the BT helmet set.
If my Ipod is on a little high volume and my ST on a little high speed ( sometimes I cannot stop her doing that, but that is not a problem you have to solve) the instructions are hard or even not to hear. I think in my setup/ idea it will.
Ideal would be, if I could adjust the volume of the GPS.
I do not use communication, so it is only amplifying the Ipod and receive the GPS stories (please make a U turn ASAP) and receive it in one set of earplugs.
Also, the GPS may (if necessary) come in on only one channel, if 2 channels would make the stereo mono.

I hope you understand my question

If anyone here knows if this is doable (or already done) I would appreciate getting info on that.