Autocom Pro M1 - low volume?

[Gregori]

I'm loaning a Pro M1 system to a friend for a 2-week, 2-up trip, and when we were setting it up, the volume seems *exceedingly* low. I seem to recall that a shorted headphone plug into the hi/low socket boosted the volume, but when we tried that could not tell any difference. (Additionally, one of the headsets does seem slightly louder than the other...)

 

Can anyone (Fernando?) confirm the hi/low socket is supposed to operate as I recall? (I'll open it up and clean the contacts if it's just not working, but if it cuts the sound, I won't bother.)

 

FWIW - I'm well aware of the importance of speaker placement. We tested the unit by plugging in an iPod (ultimately at full volume) with the uninstalled speakers in hand, and it was pretty weak just standing in the quiet driveway. I'm pretty sure that it would be inaudible installed in a helmet with any sort of wind noise. (The VOX seemed to work, but it too is VERY quiet - it was hard to tell if any voice was coming out of the speakers at all.)

 

I've got a multi-input (Electric-Avenues AmpliRider) amp that I could wire in, to boost the music/GPS, but that certainly wouldn't help the rider/pillion intercom, which is the primary reason for the loan/installation. Additionally, this 'fix' wouldn't mute music to prioritize the GPS output, which is a lesser concern.

 

 

 

[johnlt]

I believe you are correct that a shorted plug into the hi/low socket is suppose to increase volume. I never needed it so can't tell you how much difference it makes.

[ArizonaAl]

If I'm not mistaken, the shorted plug only has an effect on the intercom volume-- all other volume is controlled at the source.

 

Al Schibi

[Gregori]

I see I wasn't clear above... sorry.

 

Yes, I was aware that the shorted jack is supposed to affect just the rider-to-pillion part, as the Autocom won't amplify any of the auxiliary inputs, but just passes them through.

 

However - both the intercom AND the pass-through accessory sound levels are WAY too quiet. When I used the unit on my own bike, I wore earplugs and STILL heard the audio just fine at highway(+) speeds.

In fact, when I was trying to figure out how to make wearing your earplugs tolerable, I velcroed the speakers on the outside, on the rear of my helmet, and could STILL hear it (albeit faintly) from inside, even wearing foam earplugs.

 

We really want the rider/pillion communication to work - the auxiliary sound inputs would be nice, but it's WAY down on the priorities.

(And of course, we're working on the system less than a week before he leaves on his trip...)

 

It's not a crisis - if we can't make it serviceable, he's no worse off than if we hadn't tried at all.

Well, not MUCH worse off - but I've been drinking a lot of nice wine and port out of his cellar while we work on it.

 

I'm headed back out to his place mid-day tomorrow (Monday) to hopefully get more out of it.

[FlyingFinn]

If the audio is not audibly distorted, I would guess the Autocom unit is still fine.

 

Can you try other speakers (a helmet setup that's known to work) with this unit?

Or earbuds with the Autocom adapter lead instead of helmet speakers.

 

In the older 5-wire headset loom the speakers have a common ground. If that ground connection is broken somewhere (in the loom, at the DIN connector, or even all the way back at the Autocom board where helmet cable connects to the board) you would still get some audio, but very faint.

 

Try another helmet setup if you can. If that helps try to find a bad connection in the wire loom.

 

--

Mikko

 

 

[Gregori]

Thanks for all the help, folks! Fortunately, the problem is solved - I took a close look at everything, and the culprit turned out to be installer error.

 

Despite my efforts to get proper speaker placement, I wasn't specific enough about explaining the importance of it. While my friend was helping me by tucking all the loose wires up behind the cheek pads, he'd inadvertently rearranged the speakers in order to clean up wire routing. (And was so focused on the wires that he didn't remember (or think about) how critical the speaker placement was.)

 

With the speakers in the right place, it works just as well as I'd expected it to.