Louie Louie
I have a tiny Ipod Shuffle..Its great for the gym but too small to ride. Looking for a good setup or a bigger Ipod or MP3. Pictures of your setup welcome. Doesnt have to be ram mounted but it would be nice.
OP
OP
Louie Louie
snowmoer said:
Cool....I will check it out on friday..
vnsfxr
Ex-Dirty Rider
iRiver hooked into the Autocomm. I just set it on shuffle and toss it into the tank bag.
The thing I like 'bout iRiver is you can do direct in-line encoding. So I can hook it up to the back of my satellite receiver at home and set it to record and get my fav sat stations for on the road listening without the need of a receiver.
Mine is a 1GB flash memory, approx 250 -280 songs and has a built in FM receiver.
They have models over 20GB............so you could do your whole music collection?
The thing I like 'bout iRiver is you can do direct in-line encoding. So I can hook it up to the back of my satellite receiver at home and set it to record and get my fav sat stations for on the road listening without the need of a receiver.
Mine is a 1GB flash memory, approx 250 -280 songs and has a built in FM receiver.
They have models over 20GB............so you could do your whole music collection?
crinteastwood
Flatlands of Canada
I use a 20Gig I-Pod, just in the rear pocket of my tank bag. It has a Griffin Air Click remote (controller is velcroed to the master cyl) and I have the power adapter running to an acc socket that I put in the right hand pocket. Works great for me - running about 3000 songs on there right now - hit shuffle and I am good for about 2 weeks or more without hearing the same song twice.
Mick
Mick
Cmon guys...you can't be seriously listening to these things with earbuds on inside your helmet! If you are, then you either need a smaller helmet so that it fits properly, or your ears aren't nearly as sensitive as mine.
What I really need to know is if anyone has installed a traditional stereo (marine or otherwise) with speakers and is actually able to hear it above 60 MPH. I don't want to spend the money until I hear some results.
I don't like the idea of piping music into my helmet directly (beyond the comfort issues) anyway - feel like the music needs to be part of the other ambient noise for safety's sake.
Pags
What I really need to know is if anyone has installed a traditional stereo (marine or otherwise) with speakers and is actually able to hear it above 60 MPH. I don't want to spend the money until I hear some results.
I don't like the idea of piping music into my helmet directly (beyond the comfort issues) anyway - feel like the music needs to be part of the other ambient noise for safety's sake.
Pags
crinteastwood
Flatlands of Canada
Pags: maybe its the weird shape of my head, but I always wear an XL helmet (full face HJC) and always have horrible wind noise on the ST. Ear buds with silicone sleeves take away a lot of the roar and let me hear my tunes - but I still have the roar going on after quitting riding at the end of a 10 hour day.
Mick
Mick
vnsfxr
Ex-Dirty Rider
ajpags said:
I use attenuating ear plugs for the wind noise
The Autocomm speakers are set flush with the lining and under the liner. You don't even know they are there and actually sound better with the plugs in. It's really amazing what my crafty lady can do with a router bit on a dremel tool.
As to getting it loud enough with external speakers............ya it can be done but your gonna have to give up your full face helmet.
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2005
- Messages
- 315
- Location
- Scripps Ranch, San Diego, CA
- Bike
- '05 ST-1300A
- STOC #
- 5410
Fairing Speakers
Pags,,
I installed 4X6 3 way speakers behind the STeed's fairing grills and I can hear them fine up to about 80. I have a Sony radio/CD mounted in the left pocket with a Sony wired remote on the clutch reservoir for radio around town. On the road, I carry my iPod (with 6 DAYS!! of music) in a Mini tank bag. The iPod didn't like the vibration of a RAM handlebar mount.
I have an Autocom with helmet speakers too. I set the volume on the Autocom to the wife's liking, and if I want it louder, I turn up the fairing speakers. She can't hear the external speakers. Also, the speakers are nice for camping provided you have respect for your neighbors.
I agree with you on the ear bud phones. They are great while mowing the lawn as they knock out almost all external sound, but, on the STeed, I'd like to hear sirens, horns, and whistles.
I also like having the option of having both music sources along with the intercom feature when she's along.
John
Pags,,
I installed 4X6 3 way speakers behind the STeed's fairing grills and I can hear them fine up to about 80. I have a Sony radio/CD mounted in the left pocket with a Sony wired remote on the clutch reservoir for radio around town. On the road, I carry my iPod (with 6 DAYS!! of music) in a Mini tank bag. The iPod didn't like the vibration of a RAM handlebar mount.
I have an Autocom with helmet speakers too. I set the volume on the Autocom to the wife's liking, and if I want it louder, I turn up the fairing speakers. She can't hear the external speakers. Also, the speakers are nice for camping provided you have respect for your neighbors.
I agree with you on the ear bud phones. They are great while mowing the lawn as they knock out almost all external sound, but, on the STeed, I'd like to hear sirens, horns, and whistles.
I also like having the option of having both music sources along with the intercom feature when she's along.
John
number9
I've got an RCA Lyria - 128MB flash memory and an SD card slot. I rip my mp3's as .wmv files (which are a lot smaller than .mp3) and the player holds around 40 songs I think - of course it holds lots more on the SD card depending how big a card you have. I think I may have around 60 songs in it right now, which is plenty for me as I only load in songs that I think will be good riding songs. Some guys have 1000 songs in their mp3 player - I can't even think of 1000 songs I like enough to listen to.
I like it a lot. It was cheap so if I drop it, get it wet, loose it, no big deal. It runs on 1 AAA battery and battery life is VERY long.
Mixer you see in the pic was made by me with the direction of Ray Antasek by way of his great drawing at http://www.frontiernet.net/~st1300rider/04-24-06/audio.htm The mixer lets me pipe my mp3, V1 radar and GPS voice thru the aux input of my Valk CB/Int unit and on into my helmet. Cost me $35 to build and works great.
I like it a lot. It was cheap so if I drop it, get it wet, loose it, no big deal. It runs on 1 AAA battery and battery life is VERY long.
Mixer you see in the pic was made by me with the direction of Ray Antasek by way of his great drawing at http://www.frontiernet.net/~st1300rider/04-24-06/audio.htm The mixer lets me pipe my mp3, V1 radar and GPS voice thru the aux input of my Valk CB/Int unit and on into my helmet. Cost me $35 to build and works great.
number9
Hi Louie!
I'll throw in my .02 - I'm always good for that!
Over the years, I've owned many mp3 players - from the 'jukebox' type units (hard drive -based units) to the smallest of the small (flash-based units) from a number of different manufacturers -- Apple, Creative, Sony, and RIO.
Originally, I used mp3 players for yard work, airport delays, and running. Last year I started to listen to music while riding. I can speak with experience that hard drived based units are more prone to failure with the vibrations they are suject to on a bike - I had one fail and once they are gone, they're gone. And with the price of flash-based memory coming down each month, and capacity going up, I strongly believe that flash units make more sense.
With the tiny players with tiny buttons, unless you are content to set it on 'shuffle' and ride, you won't like trying to manipulate those little buttons with gloves for changing songs and volume. But since you have an iPod Shuffle, you probably already know this. Likewise, you'll find the higher capacity iPods with clickwheels difficult to use with gloves.
Most of these companies seem to have the software down pretty good. I personally prefer the Apple solution. The combination of iTunes, their store, the ability to listen to your purchased music across five computers, and ease of use, makes it my favorite.
Which leads me to the Apple iPod Nano. Having tried the standard (click wheel) iPod and the Shuffle on the bike, I wasn't thrilled with either. If I'm going to ride a few hundred miles, I want to choose my songs and am not content to do shuffle all day long. The Nano is a nice solution. It's easy to use. The controls are easy to get to and can be controlled with all but the thickest of gloves (or, at least they work fine with GX Air mesh gloves and Held Steve gloves). There are many accessories available for them, including a very nice waterproof case made by Otter. And with a 1GB model available for $140 and a 2Gb for $185, it's reasonably priced. Since I usually ride with a tank bag, I toss the player in the bag and have not mounted one to the bike. I'm not an Apple computer user at all, but I am an ardent fan of iTunes and iPods. They just work.
I'll throw in my .02 - I'm always good for that!
Over the years, I've owned many mp3 players - from the 'jukebox' type units (hard drive -based units) to the smallest of the small (flash-based units) from a number of different manufacturers -- Apple, Creative, Sony, and RIO.
Originally, I used mp3 players for yard work, airport delays, and running. Last year I started to listen to music while riding. I can speak with experience that hard drived based units are more prone to failure with the vibrations they are suject to on a bike - I had one fail and once they are gone, they're gone. And with the price of flash-based memory coming down each month, and capacity going up, I strongly believe that flash units make more sense.
With the tiny players with tiny buttons, unless you are content to set it on 'shuffle' and ride, you won't like trying to manipulate those little buttons with gloves for changing songs and volume. But since you have an iPod Shuffle, you probably already know this. Likewise, you'll find the higher capacity iPods with clickwheels difficult to use with gloves.
Most of these companies seem to have the software down pretty good. I personally prefer the Apple solution. The combination of iTunes, their store, the ability to listen to your purchased music across five computers, and ease of use, makes it my favorite.
Which leads me to the Apple iPod Nano. Having tried the standard (click wheel) iPod and the Shuffle on the bike, I wasn't thrilled with either. If I'm going to ride a few hundred miles, I want to choose my songs and am not content to do shuffle all day long. The Nano is a nice solution. It's easy to use. The controls are easy to get to and can be controlled with all but the thickest of gloves (or, at least they work fine with GX Air mesh gloves and Held Steve gloves). There are many accessories available for them, including a very nice waterproof case made by Otter. And with a 1GB model available for $140 and a 2Gb for $185, it's reasonably priced. Since I usually ride with a tank bag, I toss the player in the bag and have not mounted one to the bike. I'm not an Apple computer user at all, but I am an ardent fan of iTunes and iPods. They just work.
I should have mentioned that I ALWAYS ride with plugs in...every ride, no matter what. Racing and hearing loss will do that to a guy.
Ditto on the comment that you'll hear important noises better with plugs than without.
Thanks for the tip on the 4x6 speaker solution - up to about 80 will work nicely so I think I might go this route. After 80 you can't hear much of anything but wind rush anyway. Then I can plug the nano in to the back as an alternative source for long rides as well.
One tip that I learned - if you seal off the bottom part of your helmet (under the chin area), your helmet will be MUCH quieter. Some helmets used to come with a flexible deflector there for that purpose.
Pags
Ditto on the comment that you'll hear important noises better with plugs than without.
Thanks for the tip on the 4x6 speaker solution - up to about 80 will work nicely so I think I might go this route. After 80 you can't hear much of anything but wind rush anyway. Then I can plug the nano in to the back as an alternative source for long rides as well.
One tip that I learned - if you seal off the bottom part of your helmet (under the chin area), your helmet will be MUCH quieter. Some helmets used to come with a flexible deflector there for that purpose.
Pags
OP
OP
Louie Louie
Ken said:Hi Louie!
I'll throw in my .02 - I'm always good for that!
Which leads me to the Apple iPod Nano. Having tried the standard (click wheel) iPod and the Shuffle on the bike, I wasn't thrilled with either. If I'm going to ride a few hundred miles, I want to choose my songs and am not content to do shuffle all day long. The Nano is a nice solution. It's easy to use. The controls are easy to get to and can be controlled with all but the thickest of gloves (or, at least they work fine with GX Air mesh gloves and Held Steve gloves). There are many accessories available for them, including a very nice waterproof case made by Otter. And with a 1GB model available for $140 and a 2Gb for $185, it's reasonably priced. Since I usually ride with a tank bag, I toss the player in the bag and have not mounted one to the bike. I'm not an Apple computer user at all, but I am an ardent fan of iTunes and iPods. They just work.
Thanks Ken...I thought the Nano was as small as a shuffle. You are absolutely right about the difficulty w/ the shuffle. I dont ride w/ a tank bag. Do you still think the Nano is a good option. I was certain you were gonna say a larger one. I also love Itunes.
Thanks
Last edited by a moderator:
OP
OP
Louie Louie
number9 said:
Very Nice!
NanoLouie Louie said:
Dimensions: 1.6 x 3.5 x 0.27 inches
Weight: 1.5 oz
Shuffle
Dimensions: 3.4 x 1 x .3 inches
Weight: .8 oz
Yes, I think it's the best mix of iPod functionality, size, and storage. And I love that it's flash based.
OP
OP
Louie Louie
vnsfxr said:
Why is the sound better w/ plugs in. I also ride w/ plugs (Er6i's) and think they are great.
Those are good points, Reiner and BC. There are TONS of accessories available for the iPods, even the newer Nanos. I've heard about the Air Click but never seen one or even read about them - time to check that little guy out. Thanks for the tip!