[TemtnF8]

I actually have an idea for this, but I don't know if it'll work...

When you install the mic, do you actually remove part of the hard foam in the helmet, or not?

[The CyberPoet]

I actually have an idea for this, but I don't know if it'll work...

When you install the mic, do you actually remove part of the hard foam in the helmet, or not?

Depends on clearance and how the mike mounts. For most premade systems (such as Chatterbox) you just mount it to the inside of the helmet without cutting away the foam.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[TemtnF8]

The reason I ask is you could cut out a bit of the foam to mount the mic in and create a 'dead air' space around the pickup, then put a sticker or something over the open side. Would that reduce wind noise and still allow the mic to pick up your voice?

How does the chatterbox deal with wind noise?

EDIT:
Also, would removing a bit of the hard foam from the shell reduce the integrity of the helmet? This may be necessary if the speakers are to deep.

[The CyberPoet]

The reason I ask is you could cut out a bit of the foam to mount the mic in and create a 'dead air' space around the pickup, then put a sticker or something over the open side. Would that reduce wind noise and still allow the mic to pick up your voice?

The problem is that most helmets have air passages right in front of where the mic mounts to permit airflow up the inside of the visor (to reduce fogging). Thus, cutting away any foam usually adds to the problem, depending on the the helmet is designed.

How does the chatterbox deal with wind noise?

POORLY. At least at the speeds I travel. I have a couple...

Also, would removing a bit of the hard foam from the shell reduce the integrity of the helmet? This may be necessary if the speakers are to deep.

It would depend on the design of the helmet, the size of the head and the the size of the speakers -- plus how much foam you removed. The helmets that I own all have a foam at the ear -- not styrofoam, but standard foam (like what's over the microphone), and are designed not to transfer force directly onto the ear in the event of a crash (applying the pressure around the ear in a circle instead). The speakers I have in each helmet (the Phillips in the Nolan N100E, the Chatterbox speakers in the HJC) still leave quite a bit of space between the highest spot in the speaker and the styrofoam surround, so the speaker should still not be a point of contact. If you cut the styrofoam back substancially to fit a larger speaker, this may no longer be the case.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[TemtnF8]

Could I get a picture of how yours are mounted with and without the padding? My scorpion has an opening in the padding that the ears go in to, and there is nothing between the ears and the hard styrofoam except air. I put my mock-up speakers in there and put the helmet back on and it seems that there is enough room, but I want to see how you've got it set up first.

[The CyberPoet]

Could I get a picture of how yours are mounted with and without the padding? My scorpion has an opening in the padding that the ears go in to, and there is nothing between the ears and the hard styrofoam except air. I put my mock-up speakers in there and put the helmet back on and it seems that there is enough room, but I want to see how you've got it set up first.

My speakers replace the stock padding, which is pull-out and attached by velcro on the backside (I used the same velcro as the mounting method for the speakers). I'll try to get a pic of it in the next day or two (kind of swamped at the moment with other projects).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[JACKAL]

I found that these work great with my full face helmet

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...eadphones_hear

I've used these and to tell you the truth I really didn't like them. Really hurt putting my helmet on and especially taking it off.

Personally, I prefer these.

http://reviews.designtechnica.com/review1144.html

MD86 turned me on to them and they are AWESOME !!!

Not to be an ass but, did you actually disassemble the headphones and remount the speakers in the helmet? I did some testing with some hard pieces approximating the dimensions last night and it seemed to work fine, and didn't have a hard time getting the helmet off and on.

I guess I should've put that in my post. My helmet does not offer alot of room for putting speakers of any kind in it. So, that being said, I didn't dissasemble them in any way. Just put them on and threw on the helmet. For anyone looking to just put them on, throw on the helmet, and go, the koss "the plug" speakers work the best.

As for being an ass, I'll hold judgement until more information can be gathered

[zerocool61]

Does anyone know of an alternative communicator to the chatterbox? I wanted to get one and the ranger of 5 miles seemed pretty good but from what I have been gearing/reading the mic is crap.

[ablank]

CP, do you use the stock drivers on your Chatterbox?

I have an X2 that I've been messing with, tried changing the drivers with some Sony's to get a little better bass response, but wound up blowing them in about 2 hours.

Trying to find something else that will handle the power output of the Chatterbox.

I agree the noise reduction sucks on them. I have to turn the sensitivity all the way down and use the handlebar PTT button. Mine also has a neat feature when there is too much input on the mic (blast of wind, shutting the visor) it turns the unit off.

[The CyberPoet]

CP, do you use the stock drivers on your Chatterbox?

I haven't used my chatterbox set-up in a couple years... it just wasn't that useful, and I haven't gotten around to replacing it with another off-the-shelf solution. I have a different helmet I use with my MP3 player that has the good speakers integrated (but no microphone/two-way).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[Lurker]

These are the ones I use and I find them very comfortable with a full-face helmet http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTE...FontopiaEarbud. They have different gasket sizes so it really can make quite a good seal in your ear and thier small enough that they don't get too uncomforable on long rides. I used them on my trip to Montreal from here in Saskatchewan (4 days ride) and I never had a problem.

[SweetLou]

Corey and I are looking into a way to mount something like a cell phone headset into the helmet, but I would like to intigrate it with my Koss Earbuds, so I can have the sound sealed in my ear, but mount the mic somewhere in the helmet. I dunno, we have some tearing apart of stuff to do though!!!!! Radio Shack, here we come!!!!

[Getnprops]

I've seen something used by members of our local SWAT team that goes on their throat and they can talk real softly and it comes out pretty clear on the other end. The mic is attached to an elastic type material that just wraps around. I'm not sure what kind of impact the wind would have on these though. But if the mic is snuggly on the throat I would think there is not a lot of room for wind to get up in there.

[The CyberPoet]

I've seen something used by members of our local SWAT team that goes on their throat and they can talk real softly and it comes out pretty clear on the other end. The mic is attached to an elastic type material that just wraps around. I'm not sure what kind of impact the wind would have on these though. But if the mic is snuggly on the throat I would think there is not a lot of room for wind to get up in there.

Direct-conduction or bone-conduction mike. I've been trying to find a decent one that could integrate into the Chatterbox or some other off-the-shelf solution without great sucess (I had a link to one, but misplaced it!).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet