[Bill Mueller]

I have several questions regarding my audio system.

I'm thinking of going to using earbuds and have a concern regarding the volume levels of different inputs and also within my ipod. I'm afraid I'll switch from ipod to fm or xm and blast my ears causing damage. I think there is a program that will level the audio recordings within Itunes? Any recomendations? I'm assuming on the physical switching of inputs I just need to trial and error and try to match all of them up?

Also, I bought my current bike used and it has a large amp and subwoofer installed in the trunk. It sounds great but want to reclaim trunk space. I had EC's amp on previous bike and was pretty happy with the sound. My question is that if you use earbuds is any amp required? It seems like it wouldn't be required to drive the small speakers in earbuds?

I also have a Garmin 2730 and remember reading sometime ago(long before I had a unit) that you could delete some of the standard Garmin files to increase disk space for more MP3 files, any issues with doing this and is there a place I could look and identify what functionality I would lose by deleting some files?

Thank you in advance fror your help. Bill

 

[Morph]

Bill,

I think that you shouldn't be concerened about the audio volume level differences between songs or or audio source causing any hearing damage. The difference is probably more an inconvenience than a danger to your hearing.

But you will need to be carefull when switching between external loud speakers and headset. If you have the volume set too high going to external speakers, you could hit your ears pretty hard when you switch the bikes audio output to headset.

I've blown out 3 or 4 sets of in-ear speakers by over driving them from the audio output to the helmet headsets. Those earbuds won't survive the same drive level as the helmet headset speakers will. My mistake has always been when standing next to the bike with helemt off and earbuds still plugged in but not in my ears, and trying to listen to or test some audio device expecting to hear from the external speakers. I had mistakenly selected headset on the AU, and with the earbuds plugged in, I then cranked up the volume only to realize that the audio was routed to my helemt or now in-ear earbud speakers. By then it was too late!

I've done this same switch between external and helmet outputs a time or 2 while riding and gave my wife and I a very painful blast of loud music.

 

[Morph]

BTW, You won't need an amp for the buds. There's more than enough drive from the stock AU headset output.

 

[boxmaker]

When I went to ER6i ear buds my volume level went from 28 or 30 at 70 mph to 6 or 8. Sound is much better plus they provide protection from wind noise.