Need audiophile help please.

[choptop]

Although I love to listen to music, I have never spent a lot of money on music or equipment. over the last couple of days I have spent 50.00 on Itunes in anticipation of riding on my new bike. What is the easiest way for me to listen to that music and have some control over what I listen to. Thanks in advance.

[chipmaker]

I just throw all my music on a thumb drive and plug it into cable in left saddlebag. You can adjust volume and folders and songs with left hand controls.

[yellow rex]

choptop make sure you us one of the audio file players that works with
the Honda it does not like all audio players if not it will not play well
plenty of post about this.

[F6B-RICH]

I use a Apple Ipod and plug it in the saddlebag port.I can control everything from the handlebar controls.Change songs/volume works great .batman-smilie.

[Scotrod]

I've tried to be content with listening to music played through the OEM speakers while wearing a helmet,,,

I guess the best way to put it is "it doesn't quite fulfill my listening expectations" and leave it at that, so,,,,

I'm venturing into the land of helmet speakers.

I rec'd and installed a set of TORK XPRO helmet speakers last weekend. I'm waiting on a few more parts to complete the system, and I haven't road-tested them yet, but I hooked up the helmet to my PC and they are far better sounding than the wing speakers or the SENA SMH-10 speakers in our Bluetooth com sets.

They are rated at far more mW than what my PC puts out, and most likely far more than the Honda OEM DIN output.

FIIO makes some pretty decent/economical headphone amps, or so I'm told,,, have one of them on order,,

I purchased a DIN adapter to plug into the Honda audio system.

I did mention SENA Bluetooth sets a bit ago,,, I have (2) plans,, One with and one w/o the Sena's.

Music source for both systems will be USB stick in saddlebag. USB run through handlebar controls out to Honda DIN plug / Din adapter, then it goes:

(1) Straight to the amp and into the helmet/speakers.

(2) Plug the DIN adapter output (3.5 mm Stereo plug) direct into the SMH - 10 unit itself. Sena makes a separate baseplate for the SMH-10's ($30) that have an output for earbuds/speakers. (3.5 stereo plug again) Connect output to amp then speakers.

The 2nd set up should allow the wife and I to com and also listen to my tunes through the 'Wing controls.

I've previously hooked my Sansa clip direct into the SMH-10 unit, but the 'medium' output of the Sansa combined with the Sena OEM speakers was a rather 'shrill and unfulfilling' experience!!! :icon_frown:

[Scotrod]

I have spent 50.00 on Itunes .

DISCLAIMER:

I am not 'well versed' on ITunes or their capability's, but,,,,

In speaking with a Gwing rider last weekend, I believe this is what he said:

I believe he had an Iphone hooked to the USB input in his trunk. He mentioned he had "Iheart radio", or something to that effect, and listed to that combination through his phone going down the road. the only disadvantage was, if he lost signal, he had to stop and fiddle with the phone in the trunk to get the tunes back.

Again, I have zero experience with that kind of set up, so maybe I'm completely mistaken. Surely someone more tech-savy can comment or correct 'what I thought he said'.

[austin_tech]

DISCLAIMER:

I am not 'well versed' on ITunes or their capability's, but,,,,

In speaking with a Gwing rider last weekend, I believe this is what he said:

I believe he had an Iphone hooked to the USB input in his trunk. He mentioned he had "Iheart radio", or something to that effect, and listed to that combination through his phone going down the road. the only disadvantage was, if he lost signal, he had to stop and fiddle with the phone in the trunk to get the tunes back.

Again, I have zero experience with that kind of set up, so maybe I'm completely mistaken. Surely someone more tech-savy can comment or correct 'what I thought he said'.

I just plug my iPhone into the audio cable in the front left fairing compartment and set Audio input to 'Aux', and rock and roll to iHeartRadio, Pandora, or whatever audio streaming app I want on my iPhone. No need to navigate files/folders/artists/songs, set up a Pandora station and go. And it's free.

I do have tons of iTunes songs on the phone, and have thought about hooking it up in the left saddlebag and trying to play them that way, but the navigation/control is a hassle, even in my wife's SUV that has GOOD/intuitive controls. We do Pandora/iHeartRadio in her SUV, too.

[Bama Bagger]

FIIO makes some pretty decent/economical headphone amps, or so I'm told,,, have one of them on order,,



I have one and use it on my Hayabusa. The FIIO is a GREAT PRODUCT! :yes::yes::yes:

[unsub]

edit: BIG BOO BOO

Should be @choptop

My apologies, Scottrod:icon_doh:

Page 95 of the owners manual describes what storage formats you can use with the USB port in the rear saddlebag. Personally if I'm traveling with music I use an inexpensive USB drive. After all, the on screen menu display up front is the same if you're using a stick or an ipod touch, ect.. and I doubt there is any difference in the integrity of sound on either storage option if you use similar mp3 file sizes.

For listening I'm experimenting with a cheap [at 68.00] hardwired J&M open face headset and mic - part #HS-8154B-OF through Wingstuff. They're not the fastest in shipping but the price was right.

Passenger pigtail part number #HSPT-GL15 if you want to hook up your passenger.

The audio through the headset in radio and USB on the bike, on a scale of 1-10, is about 7.5-8.0

The more expensive Bluetooth units get my attention but I also like the fact that with a wired set there's no fuss associated with charging or pairing and the bike already has AM/FM/Intercom, so why duplicate?

Ride safe!

[Scotrod]

@Scottrod

. Personally if I'm traveling with music I use an inexpensive USB drive.

Same here, just not happy w/ sound quality of the Honda speakers filtered through my helmet.

For listening I'm experimenting with a cheap [at 68.00] hardwired J&M open face headset and mic - part #HS-8154B-OF through Wingstuff. They're not the fastest in shipping but the price was right.

Passenger pigtail part number #HSPT-GL15 if you want to hook up your passenger.

:icon_biggrin: No passengers, and the wife rides her own bike. I'd need a pigtail and an extra-long cable to hook her up to my bike! :yikes: :crackup:

The audio through the headset in radio and USB on the bike, on a scale of 1-10, is about 7.5-8.0




The more expensive Bluetooth units get my attention but I also like the fact that with a wired set there's no fuss associated with charging or pairing and the bike already has AM/FM/Intercom, so why duplicate?

Ride safe!

Thanks for the tips,,, We already have the Sena Bluetooth units and they work pretty darn good for bike to bike com,,, just upgrading the 'speaker-side' of things now. :yes:

[motoman]

Couple things here...

Everyone knows the stock F6B audio system is weak. All of the audio controls on the left fairing just make a mockery of that. The audio is a big selling point on this bike, and does not deliver. Harley has the F6B beat hands down in this department. :icon_doh:

I want to look into replacing the amp with a more powerful one. I assume a good car stereo shop should have no problem with this project. Has anyone looked into or done this already?

As far as music sources, I use Spotify. It's free or for $10/mo I can download unlimited music. Can't be beat! iTunes cannot compare. Pandora is also good, if you have a good signal.

[timjoebob]

I've used the aux connection in the left fairing pocket but it doesn't give you the capability of skipping songs, repeating songs, etc. (I believe). Therefore I have an iPod Nano in my left saddlebag. You can see what's playing, skip, repeat, jump from one playlist to another, etc.

The Nano is the least expensive iPod you can use. The iPod Shuffle does not work. Yes, your iPhone (if you have one) will work, but I prefer to have that separate.

As far as needing an amp: not for what you're using it for. If you play the music on your external speakers, yes, you might need an amp. But I don't care what you ride, if you listen to music on the external speakers, the sound quality isn't as good as your Sena or my Scala Rider, providing you have a connection to the F6B audio system. My connection is through a cord from the headset to the rider's intercom connection next to the left fairing pocket. Electrical Connection makes an adaptor that plugs in there.

I'm not sure about Spotify, but if it's web-based or cloud-based, then you're at the mercy of a satellite connection, which isn't always available.

A flash-drive should work as stated above, but I've read of folks having problems with various drives or file formats. An iPod is a no-brainer for me.

[Scotrod]

But I don't care what you ride, if you listen to music on the external speakers, the sound quality isn't as good as your Sena or my Scala Rider, providing you have a connection to the F6B audio system. My connection is through a cord from the headset to the rider's intercom connection next to the left fairing pocket. Electrical Connection makes an adaptor that plugs in there.

.

Yeah, ya pretty much have to have BIG bucks wrapped up in external aftermarket speakers / amp systems to overcome all the other noise, and even then, with a helmet on,, eh,,, just doesn't seem natural!!!

The Sena stuff I have, or should I say, at least the output/speakers, is a bit weak as far as tunes. There's little to no comparison between the Sena speakers and the TorkX Pros. (Probably b/c the Pros are larger and run about 80 bucks for a pair.)

I had no idea 'headphone' amps were available until recently.

Helmet speakers, headphone amp, DIN adapter and replacement Sena baseplate will run me just under 2 Ben. Not really 'cheap tunes', but it should be pretty darn decent,,,

[choptop]

Thanks guys. Will get my manual tomorrow, when my bike arrives. So many options, Don't wear a helmet so those things are out. Don't know if I will subscribe to some of the music things or just get a Nano and either put it in the trunk or wear it w/headset.

[unsub]

I guess the option that hasn't been discussed is a pair of decent earbuds, since you're not wearing a helmet. This bluetooth option linked to your ipod might be convenient for your purpose. I'd shoot for the HBS700 myself. The audio quality is no different than the 730.

http://www.lg.com/us/cell-phone-accessories/lg-HBS730

[GONRDN]

Whatever you do, do not put music on an Iphone 5s, I'll repeat do not put music on Iphone 5s. It wont work on the f6b. Iphone 5 and anything prior will work.

[Ericb445]

I plug this http://www.amazon.com/VicTsing-Portable-Bluetooth-Streaming-Receiver/dp/B00GX71GNO/ref=pd_sbs_pc_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0YBTBMT2RJW0ERR3QBGX
in my 12vdc plug in the left cubby and play my ipod touch through it via Bluetooth..Works very good. iPod in my jacket pocket and I can skip tracks very easy. Or just plug the ipod in the left saddle bag and just leave it there, they both work awesome.

[Yeahoo Whoyah]

Whatever you do, do not put music on an Iphone 5s, I'll repeat do not put music on Iphone 5s. It wont work on the f6b. Iphone 5 and anything prior will work.

GONRDN: Huh? Please elaborate. I frequently play music from my iPhone 5s plugged into F6B left fairing compartment.

[Dirtstiff's F6B]

I down load to a Pony audio jump drive, have over 200 songs loaded with almost an infinite amount of room left. Control by the left bar and fairing switches does everything except sort. So I sort them on the drive from the computer when down loading Free music. Good sound quality, cheap, easy to use and free music...
I may do speaker and amp upgrade later, but sound is pretty decent depending on windshield heights.

[Wmorgan2k]

I have a lot of iTunes music so I just use one of my old iPhones as an iPod and I leave it plugged into the left saddlebag. I even setup a little holster for it to sit in so it's out of the way. As mentioned you control everything through the stereo and off you go!

[GONRDN]

GONRDN: Huh? Please elaborate. I frequently play music from my iPhone 5s plugged into F6B left fairing compartment.

You're right, it does work. But you can't control it from the left handlebar knobs. Try hooking it into the saddlebag and you might get unreadable on dashboard screen, at least I do. I use my ipad mini in the saddlebag and it works great. I can even control songs from handlebar knobs.

[Philbert40]

So far no one has talked about my favorite choice....XM radio. Over 100 different stations.....coast to coast.

[jaygollner]

I tried my memory stick for the first time today and the results were very poor.
The song would only play for 2 or 3 seconds and then it would stop for up to ten seconds and pick up where it left off.
I have 1,189 songs on this stick and they are formatted in a bitrate of 320kbps, looking at the owners manual it appears that I may have to make folders and put 250 songs per folder, can anyone add a little light to this?
As a side note I went to Radio shack and bought a 6 foot long 5 pin Din cable and two inline stereo mini jacks and made a nice little cable that works well. I also took a set of headphones with metal strip adjustment bands and after removing the top plastic the metal strips slip between the half helmet and it's liner holding the earphones in the perfect position. So for twenty bucks a little solder, some heat shrink tube and a little time I can listen to music.
Next project will be a four pin inline connector so I can try a cell phone headset set with the intercom, if anyone has tried this I would love to hear how it worked.

[Pedro66]

I tried my memory stick for the first time today and the results were very poor.
The song would only play for 2 or 3 seconds and then it would stop for up to ten seconds and pick up where it left off.
I have 1,189 songs on this stick and they are formatted in a bitrate of 320kbps, looking at the owners manual it appears that I may have to make folders and put 250 songs per folder, can anyone add a little light to this?
As a side note I went to Radio shack and bought a 6 foot long 5 pin Din cable and two inline stereo mini jacks and made a nice little cable that works well. I also took a set of headphones with metal strip adjustment bands and after removing the top plastic the metal strips slip between the half helmet and it's liner holding the earphones in the perfect position. So for twenty bucks a little solder, some heat shrink tube and a little time I can listen to music.
Next project will be a four pin inline connector so I can try a cell phone headset set with the intercom, if anyone has tried this I would love to hear how it worked.

Yes just format the stick with folders as the manual and it should work better

The headset will not work straight to the bike, cellphone headsets use a powered MIC the wing intercom uses dynamic non powered MIC, you will need to add a power source to the bike to use the headset or change the MIC on the headset.

[projectapollo]

I bought a $19 adapter for the intercom plug to mini plug -- for in ear headphones. Plugged in my older iPod and my pretty good ear buds and am happy. The speakers are not much use with my full face helmet at much speed. Ok for talk radio, though.

[Scotrod]

Got my setup pieced together/operational. Sounds GREAT in the driveway! Need to road-test ASAP!!!! :yes:

[CoCoKola]

Good info. I ended up getting http://www.amazon.com/Streambot-Wireless-Bluetooth-Streaming-Headphones/dp/B00KINSDK8 unit for the NFC and auto-connect. I will probably not use the handsfree portion of this.. I just liked it uses the latest low-power bluetooth 4.0 for a little more. It does not meet the needs of the original post, but fit my needs.

Now to keep searching to find out more about replacement speakers. ..

[Fla_rider]

So far no one has talked about my favorite choice....XM radio. Over 100 different stations.....coast to coast.

Phil- this option has no future. You pay for satellite radio every month when everyone else gets free streaming audio? Some say it's not really free if you pay for data, but T-Mo doesn't count steaming audio against your data plan


I use a old ipod classic, you can use an old iphone if you want or like others have said a USB stick drive will work too. Audio level out of the plug in the left cubby is much lower volume and like others have said you cant change playlist or skip to different artist like you can from the rear left saddlebag. In addition the left saddlebag provides power. The left cubby jack is just that an audio jack. I also find using the Bagger shield I can listen quite well to the speaker system up to 80.

But then I shift into 2nd and go over 100.....faster red model! :moon::stirthepot:

[mercator1]

I've used the aux connection in the left fairing pocket but it doesn't give you the capability of skipping songs, repeating songs, etc. (I believe). Therefore I have an iPod Nano in my left saddlebag. You can see what's playing, skip, repeat, jump from one playlist to another, etc.

The Nano is the least expensive iPod you can use. The iPod Shuffle does not work. Yes, your iPhone (if you have one) will work, but I prefer to have that separate.

As far as needing an amp: not for what you're using it for. If you play the music on your external speakers, yes, you might need an amp. But I don't care what you ride, if you listen to music on the external speakers, the sound quality isn't as good as your Sena or my Scala Rider, providing you have a connection to the F6B audio system. My connection is through a cord from the headset to the rider's intercom connection next to the left fairing pocket. EC makes an adaptor that plugs in there.

I'm not sure about Spotify, but if it's web-based or cloud-based, then you're at the mercy of a satellite connection, which isn't always available.

A flash-drive should work as stated above, but I've read of folks having problems with various drives or file formats. An iPod is a no-brainer for me.

If you use your phone, it would also broadcast GPS directions if you were using a Navigation app, right? I do that through Bluetooth in my car. My free phone GPS app beats the crap out of the $1500 head unit navigation.

[Spanky]

I don't have many audio issues. Use a half helmet( novelty) and stream from my phone slacker radio. Bluetooth is a really cheap dongle that works great. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008AGQMQC
Have it plugged into the jack. This way nav and music comes through the speakers. Even at speed, the radio is not above 13 most of the time. I also have a cheaply made USB drive with 50 mp3 files on it.

[smokinjoe187]

my setup is simple
aux in bluetooth for the phone and pandora(with no handle bar control other than volume or mute)
and i have my old iphone 4 connected and in the bag with the manual it syncs wifi and i can add music as i need to
and i have full control