Audio and Intercomm makers?

[Rusty McNeil]

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

I'm currently looking at driver to passenger intercomm, helmet headsets and hopefully a system that has the capability to not only pass thru an MP3 signal but to amplify it as well.

J & M and Chatterbox both make systems that do this (the chatterbox I'm not sure of about the amplification part)

The Chatterbox system is only about $150 ($29 each for the headsets and $75 for the box) for everthing and the J&M is about $400 ($169 for the box, which is the "integrator IV" and $109 each for the headsets)

Does anyone know if these units are significantly different in performance etc. any info would be helpful.

Thanks,

Rusty

 

[Move'n Up]

Stay away from Chatterbox, it's crap.
Myself and several friends wasted plenty of money on the top model GMRS-X2 and several have broke within the first year with only limited use. I just had a second unit fail, both after the warrenty was up.
JUNK

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Stay away from Chatterbox, it's crap.
Myself and several friends wasted plenty of money on the top model GMRS-X2 and several have broke within the first year with only limited use. I just had a second unit fail, both after the warrenty was up.
JUNK

I ended up buying a J&M Integratr IV and two of thier headsets, expensive but VERY pleased with it. Last ride I did a few people had various chatterboxes and none of them spoke very warmly about their quality.

Rusty

 

[Reved]

http://www.collettcommunicators.com/ is an option. Some like them other find them crap. There was a group buy on these, the snofone version on a ontario sled site and half wanted there money back from collect because they were unusable. I have used a set off Platinum and they were OK, not great just ok. I found the range to be very limited. If you are riding within 50 feet of each other they work fine. I tried them on a sled and when the group gets spread out, it in impossible to hear the other riders. I do not think they are worth it. http://racing-radios.com/ is something I'm interested in but the price is a little higher. They sell a voice activated mic and a push to talk model the you supply your own radio for. This may be the way to go.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

http://www.collettcommunicators.com/ is an option. Some like them other find them crap. There was a group buy on these, the snofone version on a ontario sled site and half wanted there money back from collect because they were unusable. I have used a set off Platinum and they were OK, not great just ok. I found the range to be very limited. If you are riding within 50 feet of each other they work fine. I tried them on a sled and when the group gets spread out, it in impossible to hear the other riders. I do not think they are worth it. http://racing-radios.com/ is something I'm interested in but the price is a little higher. They sell a voice activated mic and a push to talk model the you supply your own radio for. This may be the way to go.

The way the J&M integratr works is primarily mp3 amplification and rider to passenger intercomm. It has an input for a gmrs/frs radio you supply that works just fine. The motorolal gmrs/frs radio I have works at LEAST 4 miles away when on the FRS channels. I use it primarily for hunting but have used it on the bike and the results were great. The Voice activation squelch/sensitivity and microphone sensitivity are fantastic with their headsets as well.