Autocom - FANTASTIC!

[Tom B]

Wow! Please keep it coming. We are just building an ALL NEW WEBSITE (now that we have our own in-house web-developer) and so this is ALL GOOD STUFF.

[Paul Szilard - Australia]

How about having a Wizard on the site, so the user just enters what inputs and requirements he has and it then selects the best product(s) and cables, etc.?

[CoarsegoldKid]

Pictures are worth a thousand words I was told.

[bobbybob]

Pictures are worth a thousand words I was told.

 

 

+++ And those line drawings in the new PDF price list are just plain confusing. Why not show pics of the cables-etc as shown in the Topgear website? I can relate to those...but make them larger and better rez.

[UberXY]

If anyone is thinking about a new Autocom, THIS is the unit. And if you're thinking about any other communication system, do NOT - make sure you get an Autocom. Why would you think about any other device? Tom hangs out here on the board and gives lots and lots of help, the product works perfectly with no muss or fuss. Why wouldn't you get the best?

 

 

 

Jim

 

 

I used the Autocom system for a few years. It worked flawlessly. My only complaint was the generic Autocom accessories that were overpriced by about 500%. One Autocom tech warned me that using a $10 Radio Shack cable (already overpriced) instead of the $50 Autocom equivalent cable "could result in damage to my expensive electronic equipment".

 

But when I got my Zumo, I ditched the Autocom and went stereo Bluetooth with WiRevo and Camos. Like Autocom, these have worked flawlessly, plus no cable running to my helmet, and I am getting XM/Phone/GPS/Valentine audio just fine.

[bobbybob]

I need to correct my post above... the Helpful Guide is located at:

Autocom UK home page --> Downloads---> Helpful Guides---> select your system.

 

 

 

Don't see it...?

[Muneio]

Anyone else have a volume issue using the Autocom with a Zumo? I have the volume turned all the way up on both devices the passenger volume all the way down, and still don't get the volume I would like. But if I plug into my iPhone instead of Zumo I get plenty of volume so I think it's a zumo output issue? I tried the headphone amp I was using before I got the Autocom but got lots of static.

 

Thanks

Bill

[bobbybob]

Anyone else have a volume issue using the Autocom with a Zumo? I have the volume turned all the way up on both devices the passenger volume all the way down, and still don't get the volume I would like. But if I plug into my iPhone instead of Zumo I get plenty of volume so I think it's a zumo output issue? I tried the headphone amp I was using before I got the Autocom but got lots of static.

 

Thanks

Bill

 

 

The Autocom is definitely lacking sufficient volume for me--run it wide open all the time. Not with Zumo, but with GPSMAP 478 and XM radio. However, I do wear earplugs, but still...so do millions of other riders.....guess this is one issue the next gen Autocoms are addressing per Tom B.

[Albert]

+1 I can run my iPod full bore with the Autocom up full while standing in my garage (no bike running). It's not that loud in there. Definitely needs more umph.

[Tom B]

Volume?

 

If you take the headset out of the helmet and hold the speakers properly over your ears, you will find that, with most audio devices, the sound level of your Autocom systems can be very high if turned up. So why do a few people say its too low, yet everyone else says its great, and how come Autocom has won every back to back test for the past 18 years if it isn’t?

 

Let’s take a look at the typical things we sometimes see when customers come to us saying ‘the volume could do with being louder’.

 

1)

The most common issue is normally due to the helmet speakers not positioned correctly in the helmet. When we plug another headset into the customers systems and test it, it can be very loud, and when we ask the customer to test it they hear that it is very loud and say ‘its a lot louder than their headset in the helmet’. So we take their headset out of the helmet and get them to try it, holding their speakers properly in place directly over their ears, and they say ‘Wow it’s a lot louder what have you done?’ and we say just moved your ears into the correct place to suit your misplaced speakers! So we then help them correctly position the speakers in the helmets, per the instruction manual! And off they go, smiling telling all their friends just how good their Autocom is.

 

2)

Sometimes the audio device they are using may not have its volume turned up, or is just not loud enough even when the volume is turned up, yet like above in the post, when they try various other audio devices it has plenty of volume. So the Autocom is plenty loud enough with most audio devices, and so this points to some audio devices just not being suitable. However some people buy an audio booster which can help.

 

3)

Sometimes the customer is just plan deaf, or perhaps has deafened themselves by using over attenuating earplugs, not realising that for every -3dB attenuation they halve the original volume. To understand this better; try colouring about 1000 lines in column A of spreadsheet, then in column B colour just 500 lines (that’s just -3dB) then in column C colour just 250 lines and that’s equivalent to about -6dB. Then in column D colour just 125 lines and that’s -9dB. In column E colour just 63 lines and that’s -12dB. In column F colour just 31 lines and that’s -15dB. In column G colour just 16 lines and that’s -18dB, can you see there this is going if you are using -30dB earplugs? Try using earplugs with about 3dB less attenuation and your will double the volume, and with 6dB less attenuation you will have 4 times more volume, with 9dB less attenuation you will have 8 times more volume. Move the speakers ¼ inch closer to your ears and you may have another 4 times the volume and so on.

 

4) We do see some people using over attenuating earplugs, with the speakers way out of position, and have a very low output audio device, so I guess you know what we do to help them.

 

We once made a system so loud that it would compensate for all of the above, but then customers complained that their speakers kept blowing, and blamed us for not making it so that they couldn’t blow their speakers? I would suggest that if they were watching the TV and then went next door and turned the TV up in their house to compensate so that they could still hear it next door, they could expect the TV speakers not to last long.

 

Other things that can reduce sound levels are; the VOX is incorrectly set and so is on, (as if you are speaking) which reduces the audio levels by 50%. Show the customer how to use the microphone properly and then they can turn the VOX level up and then the audio isn’t muted.

 

On the Pro systems which have front/rear music fader control, set it to the middle so that both headsets receive equally audio levels and you have not muted it in one of the headsets.

 

Our systems have become much louder over the years to help with lower level audio devices and over attenuating earplugs, and our new 2009 systems have far more volume, for example; with an old Active or Pro AVI you may have had your Zumo volume set to full, but with the new 2009 systems you will reduce your Zumo volume to about 2 or 3.

 

Hope this helps

 

Autocom UK Tom

 

[Muneio]

Hi Tom, Thanks for the reply. I will check the speaker position again but I've already spent a couple of hours finding the best position I could? I have a feeling it's the Zumo output as I said in my original post at least thats what I was trying to say. It could be the vox because I can't detect a drop in music volume when I speak? But wouldn't the music get louder when I came to a stop and was not speaking into the mic, even with bike turned off sitting in my garage the zumo output is low? Also as I said my iPhone has more then enough volume when I run that through the Autocom but the Zumo is another story.

 

Thanks again

Bill

[Tom B]

Bill

 

If the VOX is turned all the way down, then the music will be 50% muted all the time, even when you are stopped.

 

If you can’t hear the audio level reduce when you speak, then you either have the audio plugged into a socket that does not mute when you speak, or the VOX is on and already muted the audio.

 

Which Autocom system do you have and what have you got plugged into what sockets?

 

If you need a reminder of what each socket was designed for, and which audio input is affected by other things and how, then you can look at the download section of www.autocom.co.uk under instruction manuals.

 

Autocom UK Tom

 

[allikanbe]

Tom

You are way more helpful than so many other dealers out there. I have a Super Pro system that is great. I only wish I needed one of the new systems.

When I had a volume problem with my zumo, autocom, etc, I found that it was the zumo that was not adjusted correctly. There are about 3 different ways to set the zumo volume and any one of them can make it seem like there is a problem. Anyone with a zumo should log in to www.zumoforums.com for tons of info and help.

Thanks for the great Autocom product.

[bobbybob]

Volume?

If you take the headset out of the helmet and hold the speakers properly over your ears, you will find that, with most audio devices, the sound level of your Autocom systems can be very high if turned up.

 

......some people buy an audio booster which can help.

 

 

 

Tom, I agree with the first statement; in my case I have tried that and yes, the volume is much better when placed right over the ears. The PROBLEM I have is when I place the speakers like this, after about 30 minutes my ears are hurting so badly from the constant rubbing I have to move them away. My wife is exactly the same. We really need a "little" more volume. (And no, the mute isn't on continuously)

 

Audio booster: do you know of one that can go inline with the Autocom headset cable and amplify *everything* coming out of the Autocom? Including the audio from the B2B radios? I know about the Boosteroo, etc.--they don't help the B2B issue and are a real pain when used with other inputs as the batteries are always running down, or low and causing distortion. Not a good solution.

[Muneio]

Tom

I have the Active Rider Kit 200(Active-Plus) and I have a #1299 plugged into the Aux 3 socket then the #1294 & #1308 cords plugged into the Zumo I haven't touched the vox setting so I believe it's at the factory setting?

PS I have the volume on the Zumo all the way up.

 

Thanks

Bill

Bill

 

If the VOX is turned all the way down, then the music will be 50% muted all the time, even when you are stopped.

 

If you can’t hear the audio level reduce when you speak, then you either have the audio plugged into a socket that does not mute when you speak, or the VOX is on and already muted the audio.

 

Which Autocom system do you have and what have you got plugged into what sockets?

 

If you need a reminder of what each socket was designed for, and which audio input is affected by other things and how, then you can look at the download section of www.autocom.co.uk under instruction manuals.

 

Autocom UK Tom

[allikanbe]

Volume?

If you take the headset out of the helmet and hold the speakers properly over your ears, you will find that, with most audio devices, the sound level of your Autocom systems can be very high if turned up.

 

......some people buy an audio booster which can help.

 

 

Get a Boostaroo http://www.boostaroo.com/store_detail.php4?id=14 solves your volume problems. Batteries last forever. OR, get in ear speakers like Etymotic ER 6i. They work great.

 

 

Tom, I agree with the first statement; in my case I have tried that and yes, the volume is much better when placed right over the ears. The PROBLEM I have is when I place the speakers like this, after about 30 minutes my ears are hurting so badly from the constant rubbing I have to move them away. My wife is exactly the same. We really need a "little" more volume. (And no, the mute isn't on continuously)

 

Audio booster: do you know of one that can go inline with the Autocom headset cable and amplify *everything* coming out of the Autocom? Including the audio from the B2B radios? I know about the Boosteroo, etc.--they don't help the B2B issue and are a real pain when used with other inputs as the batteries are always running down, or low and causing distortion. Not a good solution.

[Shaman97]

Trust me - call them and get a unit. You will NOT be disappointed.

 

OK. Called and ordered a unit (Logic) with all the required leads. Should be here next Tuesday.

 

Troy in UT was quite helpful.

[grbrown]

Getting the speakers right to optimise sound levels in the helmet is a good idea, but how on earth does one diagnose where to fit the things, especially if the helmet concerned has dimples to take speakers? I cannot see any easy way of positioning the things correctly for best performance.

 

What's the trick?! Next to using an x-ray machine, to see where ear-hole and speaker are!

[Boffin]

HI Graham

 

The Autocom speakers have a raised dot in the middle. With the helmet on, slip a finger up into the helmet and feel for the dot. In the correct position your ear canal is centered on your fingernail. On my helmet, to align with my ear position, I had to take asoldering iron to the foam to allow the speakers to mount in the right place.

 

BTW, your name came up at work today in a conversation about the NHS

 

Andy

[RBertalotto]

Does Autocom make a simple audio amplifier with at least three inputs and an output for headphones and a remote volume control?

 

I use a bunch of Ampliriders for various folks, but they are not high quality and I have noise and problems with the 1/8" stereo plugs not making good contact. But at $69 you get what you pay for.

 

I'm looking for a much higher quality unit, but it must have remote volume control.