• Registered: 2011-01-25
  • Posts: 21

Topic: Question about radio headsets/earpieces/mics

I'm curious to hear what kind of experiences everybody has had with the variety of earphones/mics for their in-car radios.

First off, I'm not asking about wiring/interconnect issues. I'm a music-tech and I have tons of TRS/XLR/RCA/etc connectors and a soldering gun and don't think I won't use 'em. So, connecting to a radio isn't a problem, unless the mics require some kind of phantom/bias power and the radio doesn't supply it... bue, even that, I can solve.

What I'm after are experiences about sound quality, both from the earphone and mic ends.

For example, there are the plain ol' loose earphones and mics which you have to figure out how to put into your helmet (velcro, hot-melt glue, chewing gum). It seems like, if those earphones are more than about 1/2" away from your ear, they could get hard to hear over the din of the car. Also, I understand that many of the mics aren't good at picking up voice over the car noise, either.

On the other hand, I've also seen some throat-mics on eBay, where the earphone is an in-ear type, fed by a clear, coiled tube running from the actual speaker which is also in the throat-mic collar. How do these compare to others as far as: mic picking up voice louder than in-car noise and the earphone being more-easily heard than the mounted-to-helmet types?

Lastly, and I'd understand if this wouldn't pass tech, but... if it's firmly secured like everything else...  has anybody toyed with wiring an mp3 player into the headset with the radio, so that you have something to listen to during the drive? tongue

- Joe

2 Reply by Serj (edited by Serj 2011-01-26 11:43 AM)

  • Serj
  • Serj
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  • From: Cincinnati, OH
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
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Re: Question about radio headsets/earpieces/mics

From a sound quality perspective, we REALLY like the Midland GXT walkies. easy to use, and when combined with the Midland Motorcycle helmet heatset and the PTT wire, everything on both ends comes across clear as a bell (unless you're running a lightly muffled rotary or E30, then i probably can't help you)

Downside: this is a VERY common configuration amongst many racers and with only 14-20channels available, you're practically guaranteed to get cross-talk. We just deal with it and share a channel. Some people aren't that considerate or you may even have someone's 8yr old running around with one. I kinda like hearing from some of the more vocal/polite teams while I'm on a stint. Almost like Teamspeak while playing counter-strike, lol

  • From: Santa Monica CA
  • Registered: 2010-04-21
  • Posts: 25

Re: Question about radio headsets/earpieces/mics

We use Motorola Radius 120 UHF radios up in the 464 mHz range.  Nobody else up there.  We purchased hook over the ear headsets with boom mics (ebay $4.95 shipped) and an inline  PTT button.  The rig worked fine at Gingerman, I don't know how many races the headsets will survive but at $5 apiece I'm not too worried.

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Re: Question about radio headsets/earpieces/mics

We used the same setup as Serj and it worked really well.  My team mates might say to well since I tend to get chatty while driving under yellow.

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  • From: Charleston, SC
  • Registered: 2009-08-08
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Re: Question about radio headsets/earpieces/mics

take lots of batteries and/or chargers...

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  • From: INDIANAPOLIS
  • Registered: 2010-01-31
  • Posts: 85

Re: Question about radio headsets/earpieces/mics

We liked the midland gtx stuff but the motorcycle ptt hookup was always a problem for us.
3 of the 4 motorcycle kits we bought had issues from the start.

Eric Subliminal racing #711 e30
11 detroit dnf, 11 autobahn 4th, 12 detroit 2nd, 12 autobahn 1st
Rip #71 crx killed at autobahn 2010. 10 smt pt, 10 bull gp,10 rod b. smashed
  • Registered: 2011-01-25
  • Posts: 21

Re: Question about radio headsets/earpieces/mics

indysupra wrote:

We liked the midland gtx stuff but the motorcycle ptt hookup was always a problem for us.
3 of the 4 motorcycle kits we bought had issues from the start.

So how does the PTT stuff work? Does it connect through the mic jack somehow? I looked at the manual for several of the Midland radios and they didn't mention a PTT jack at all, so I figured I was just going to have to crack open the case and solder the wires for an external switch to the PTT contacts on the circuit board.

Would be nice if I didn't need to do that. Although, if the other PTT offerings are all crap, I might do it anyway.

- Joe

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Re: Question about radio headsets/earpieces/mics

the ones I see connect between the headset and the radio.  So you place the ptt button somewhere convient and then put the place where the headset in the helmet connects to it.  That way its just unplug to get out of the car or plug in when you get in, which if you have everything strung right should be quick.

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  • From: Langhorne, PA
  • Registered: 2010-12-19
  • Posts: 50

Re: Question about radio headsets/earpieces/mics

We use Motorola talkabout radios with Motocomm headsets. Cheapest and they work awesome. No problems even at the 2+ mile tracks.

These are the headsets: https://www.motocomm.com/products.php?I … tCatID=172

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  • Registered: 2011-01-25
  • Posts: 21

Re: Question about radio headsets/earpieces/mics

BoB wrote:

the ones I see connect between the headset and the radio.

Looking closely at some of the photos of the ear/mic-with-PTT sets, it looks like the mic jack has three contacts, so I'm figuring that one of those (the ring, probably) is for PTT. This should make it easy to make a little PTT line that I can wire to the shift knob.

- Joe

  • Serj
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Re: Question about radio headsets/earpieces/mics

we have our PTT on the dash bar, within 2" of the wheel. I don't like cinching wires to control surfaces.

  • From: INDIANAPOLIS
  • Registered: 2010-01-31
  • Posts: 85

Re: Question about radio headsets/earpieces/mics

jemenake wrote:
indysupra wrote:

We liked the midland gtx stuff but the motorcycle ptt hookup was always a problem for us.
3 of the 4 motorcycle kits we bought had issues from the start.

So how does the PTT stuff work? Does it connect through the mic jack somehow? I looked at the manual for several of the Midland radios and they didn't mention a PTT jack at all, so I figured I was just going to have to crack open the case and solder the wires for an external switch to the PTT contacts on the circuit board.

Would be nice if I didn't need to do that. Although, if the other PTT offerings are all crap, I might do it anyway.

- Joe

It plugs right up to  the radio. We used a "boost-a-roo" to up the volume so we had to get some adapters for the leads but if you dont run that it plugs right into the radio. We put the ptt button on the shifter so you car push it with your thumb.

Eric Subliminal racing #711 e30
11 detroit dnf, 11 autobahn 4th, 12 detroit 2nd, 12 autobahn 1st
Rip #71 crx killed at autobahn 2010. 10 smt pt, 10 bull gp,10 rod b. smashed
  • From: Charleston, SC
  • Registered: 2009-08-08
  • Posts: 466

Re: Question about radio headsets/earpieces/mics

I use a Ridercomm system for my helmet and haven't had any issues with uor UHF Black Box radios. At only $89 it's the best and cheapest for what we need.
http://www.hitechwireless.com/RiderComm … 2C129.aspx

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