Autocom super pro avi and tired of plugging in.....

[4INer]

So do I just start over and buy a Sena?

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Sena and Cardo seem to be the two big players but there are many much cheaper and very capable units on the market. I have a Sena 20S Evo. I don't have any complaints about it. It works very well. I think it is a serious shortcoming that it is not waterproof however. This seems to be rather ridiculous considering not only what their intended use is but how much they cost.

If I were purchasing now, and wasn't concerned about what fellow riders are using, I would have a look at the Cardo Packtalk line. I think they might even be cheaper than Sena and they are waterproof. I have read a couple of comparisons and they seemed quite impressive.

If you are intending to use it primarily for communication with other riders, then your best choice is to go with whatever brand they are using be it Sena or Cardo. You can pair any model with any other model using the universal intercom mode but I have found that this reduces the usable communication distance compared to what you can get with two communicators of the same brand. They generally do not get the 1.2 mile range that they advertise to begin with, so if the distance is important to you this is something to consider.

 

[paulcb]

IMO, yes. Sena or Cardo. I have some old Senas that still work, but I think the new Cardos are quite good, plus I hear they have good customer service.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

So do I just start over and buy a Sena?

@The Dan has a deal for you- Two for less than the price of one.

 

[st11ray]

I gave up the Autocom last year for a Cardo PackTalk Slim. It takes some getting used to but I would say ditch the Autocom and go wireless.

 

[Shawn K]

Call me crazy, but I'm considering going back to an Autocom unit.

I have a couple of Sena 10S units (one for me and one for my wife), and while they work well enough, over time I've found that my Autocom unit had better intercom VOX, a little more overall volume, and less batteries to remember to charge. I thought that going Bluetooth would be so much better when I could just not have to unplug anything, but then I lived with it for a while and realized that unplugging wasn't such a big deal.

Ultimately it's all down to your priorities, so the better question to ask is what is making you think about switching to Bluetooth? Your Super Pro is a fine piece of hardware.

 

[SMSW]

Talk to these guys. Sierra Electronics specializes in audio equipment for motorcycle riders. I went there with a friend (his second purchase from them, and a committed customer) and was very impressed. No hard sell, straight talk and he recommended what he thought best met my needs. (I was not buying, and despite telling him that up front, he spent the better part of half an hour showing me different units and talking with me). They also install the gear in helmets for walk-in customers. A Harley rider walked in (OMG - the guy was enormous!) and chatted with us. He just got his new bike - prev. one had been wrecked in a crash - and spent more than a thou in the store. He said everyone in his club came to this place - and he would not go anywere else.

 

[Uncle Phil]

The folks at Sierra Electronics are top notch and I have also visited their place.
They got me setup with my original Valk System that I am still using.

 

[RaYzerman]

I'll throw out another option..... I too am debating to go back to Autocom, with a bluetooth module that transmits to your wireless headset. I was able to pick up an earlier Wire3 bluetooth module a year or two ago, never got around to try it... I believe it is mono, and there may be a stereo module available now... not cheap of course, but it gets rid of wires assuming you're willing to get a wireless headset.... OTOH, if you can place your plug-in more conveniently, you might stick with the wire. Intercom in groups, I'm not all that enamoured with anyway.

 

[4INer]

When I ride solo; I love good music, want to be able to sing along without the box cutting the tunes off (Autocom does that so long as I can get my iPhone to play music via the bt link with my Zumo), I like having the ability to take a call from home in case I’m needed and to make a call when I want to extend the ride (I can answer a call with my autocom and hear, but ever since going from IPhone 7 to a 10 can no longer talk), and having audio to the Zumo is a nice feature. But I just can’t get the autocom to cooperate anymore plus would love to unplug.
Then when riding 2 up: my wife could do without my tunes and just wants to talk. I’m thinking with the Sena, she can talk on her phone while I listen to some good jazz......
But what’s the audio quality on the senna compared with the autocom (with J&M headsets)?

 

[SteveST1300]

The Sena's are not waterproof but they are water resistant I have worn mine in many rain storms including a 400 mile ride in pouring rain on the way home from Moonshine I have never had any issues with water. I have the 20S the new I think its a 50 series seems like it would be great if you ride with a group.

 

[mcycleboy]

I hate to admit it but it's time to unplug the Autocom. I loved my Autocom for the best of the best intercom and music system out there. It was great after I got the bugs worked out of it. The sound quality at speed was fantastic. Alas...last summer I bought Cardo Smartpack Bold units and I can say that it it miles ahead of my Autocom system in almost all ways. I think perhaps the sound quality of the Autocom was slightly better but stacked up against all the added advantages of the Smartpack units there really is no comparison. After getting the Smartpack units I still kept the Autocom system wired up in my bike just incase I wanted to go back to it. Last week I got the wire cutters out and snipped out all the wires to old Autocom from my bike. My Autocom days are hereby ended!

 

[Larry Fine]

I bought some Velcro and a square black foam rubber window seal gasket, and made a couple of different-thickness extenders to bring the Cardo earphones to my ears in my helmet. BIG improvements in loudness, quality, and wind noise reduction.

 

[st11ray]

I bought some Velcro and a square black foam rubber window seal gasket, and made a couple of different-thickness extenders to bring the Cardo earphones to my ears in my helmet. BIG improvements in loudness, quality, and wind noise reduction.

If you want really noticable improvement, switch to earbuds.

 

[jfheilman]

I intend to stick with my Autocom devices. The only issue for me is I have to purchase them from overseas. No US vendors that i have found, still in business.

I don't want to worry about one more "battery" to keep charged (well two if you ride two up). I like the variable settings with the noise sensor that increases the audio as you get more wind noise.

Cables, not a real issue. Also, the Autocom is set and forget. No worries about pairing or connections to my various devices. My cell phone can connect to my GPS or to my bike, as I select. I am in full charge of what happens with no buttons to push or other "activities". Oh and it is tied to my J&M CB. No paring or other activities required.

Its less complicated and I am happy with its operation. I even bought a spare Autocom Spa hub as a backup since my Autocom Super Pro is about 13 years old.

Also its easy to keep spares on hand to rebuild my mic if needed, a spare noise sensor, and a spare cable for the helmet ,if and when needed due to wear.

I use earbuds and the special Autocom helmet cable thet has the earphone connection. I have used earphones with the Autocom system for at least 10 years. Ear Inc products I first saw on the forum.

The only issue I have with the system is I have to do some extra work to change out the connecting devices in the helmet. I use hot glue and it works find and just takes some extra time to remove and install a cable when it needs replacement (or if I buy a new helmet).

 

[Larry Fine]

If you want really noticable improvement, switch to earbuds.

Recommendations? Not that I use anything with plug-in speakers, but I can splice wires if there's a good-enough reason to.

Right now, I'm using a helmet with a Sena 10U built-in setup, so there's no unplugging, but the sound quality is great as is.

 

[jfheath]

I am an Autocom fan. Still have a Super Pro Avi, and keep spare coiled leads and a spare mike and headset under the seat.

I have tried Bluetooth a couple of times and I have not been convinced. Fiddling around trying to get everything paired up is a pain. It should just do it, but if you then start 'playing' and pairing with other devices, re-establishing the correct configuration can be awkward.

My most recent set up is to have wired rider to pillion. We have music from the Zumo if we want it, and we had rider to rider communication when riding with the club such that we could both take part in the conversation. We had a cheap 'thickphone' connected by Bluetooth for a while and this allows both of us to take part in a conversation if necessary. There was a time when we wanted to be available if members of the family needed help, and this facility was important to us.

Recently I have got a smartphone, and I link that to the Zumo by Bluetooth. That gives data (such as traffic and weather) displayed for the route ahead, provides the same phone link for both of us, the same audio for both of us, and music, if we want it can be controlled from the satnav - either by using the onboard MP3 files, or accessing Spotify on the smartphone - which can be controlled with voice commands. Not that we listen to music much. It can be distracting.

We have just bought a Zumo XT - which doesn't have wired input or output - so we are stuck with Bluetooth for sound from the satnav. I was keen to have sound and phone going to and coming from both rider the and pillion headsets. I was sold a BT device that plugs into the autocom to allow all two way communication between the Autocom and the Zumo. I have yet to test this out.

The inability of any BT headset (that I have researched recently) to allow rider and pillion to communicate with each other and also satnav / music / phone to communicate with both headsets makes them not suitable for our needs, and the wires - they are just part of the ritual of getting onto the motorcycle.

 

[Uncle Phil]

One nice piece of kit is called an Amplirider - which is a three into one wired amplifier running off the bike's power. If communication is not a 'need', it does a fine job of merging three input devices. You could probably hang a Bluetooth dongle off the output 3.5 mm jack and go to a wireless headset.

 

[st11ray]

Recommendations? Not that I use anything with plug-in speakers, but I can splice wires if there's a good-enough reason to.

Right now, I'm using a helmet with a Sena 10U built-in setup, so there's no unplugging, but the sound quality is great as is.

I use these right now (https://www.plugfones.com/product/guardian/) and they sound pretty good. I have some Westone CR1 custom molded earbuds. They are old and don't fit as well as they used to. Your ear canal changes over time and I don't want to spend the money on them again.

I do agree with John that the Autocom is the best. You plug in and can do 14 hour days without recharging. The Autocom works until it doesn't and then you have to buy cables and stuff. I would probably still be using my Autocom if you could find parts for it.

I have the Cardo Packtalk Slim now. It has cool voice actvatived dialing, nav, music, bike to bike, intercom and I don't know what all. It's great when it all works and it does, most of the time. Sometimes Miss Cardo is like my wife and doesn't pay any attention to my instructions. And it's Bluetooth, so you always have the occasional cutting out and reconnecting but overall I am pleased with it.

 

[T_C]

I have some Westone CR1 custom molded earbuds.

They will re-mold for original owner... don't know the price.