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Controlling ipod volume from handlebars

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Marclev
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PostPosted: 21:57 - 07 Sep 2015    Post subject: Controlling ipod volume from handlebars Reply with quote
I've searched what feels like all of Google and haven't found a cost effective solution for this, but am convinced it must exist...

I have an ipod touch and a set of noise isolating ear buds. Great so far but...

I either need to crack the volume up to ear shattering levels while stationary or can't hear the music at motorway speeds.

Does anybody know an easy solution for controlling volume while riding? Everything I see seems to involve helmet modification with unclear results, but all I want is basically a thumb operated volume dial!

Any help appreciated.
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duncan111180
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PostPosted: 22:16 - 07 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/headphone-extension-cable-with-volume-control-l43af

not sure if it is something like this could maybe couple it with another 3.5mm jack extension to give you enough length
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Albigularis
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PostPosted: 22:39 - 07 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Bluetooth remote should work? Stick one of these on your keys - https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLUETOOTH-CAMERA-SHUTTER-WITH-MUSIC-REMOTE-CONTROL-FOR-IPHONE-IPAD-SERIES-/261732043664?nav=SEARCH

Or spend a fortune on this to look nice - https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Apple-iphone-models-4-5-6-Bluetooth-Motorcycle-handlebar-remote-control-/271781526573?nav=SEARCH
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monkeybiker
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PostPosted: 07:53 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Re: Controlling ipod volume from handlebars Reply with quote
Marclev wrote:
I've searched what feels like all of Google and haven't found a cost effective solution for this, but am convinced it must exist...

I have an ipod touch and a set of noise isolating ear buds. Great so far but...

I either need to crack the volume up to ear shattering levels while stationary or can't hear the music at motorway speeds.

Does anybody know an easy solution for controlling volume while riding? Everything I see seems to involve helmet modification with unclear results, but all I want is basically a thumb operated volume dial!

Any help appreciated.


If it's ear shattering when stationary then it's still ear shattering at motorway speeds, don't you think you may be at risk of hearing damage?
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DrSnoosnoo
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PostPosted: 08:36 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Re: Controlling ipod volume from handlebars Reply with quote
[quote="monkeybiker"]
Marclev wrote:
I either need to crack the volume up to ear shattering levels while stationary or can't hear the music at motorway speeds.
quote]

If it's ear shattering when stationary then it's still ear shattering at motorway speeds, don't you think you may be at risk of hearing damage?


I struggle to hear the music over the wind noise in and around my helmet. It wouldn't damage his hearing more than the wind noise would be, Shirley?
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Marclev
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PostPosted: 09:14 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Re: Controlling ipod volume from handlebars Reply with quote
monkeybiker wrote:
Marclev wrote:
I've searched what feels like all of Google and haven't found a cost effective solution for this, but am convinced it must exist...

I have an ipod touch and a set of noise isolating ear buds. Great so far but...

I either need to crack the volume up to ear shattering levels while stationary or can't hear the music at motorway speeds.

Does anybody know an easy solution for controlling volume while riding? Everything I see seems to involve helmet modification with unclear results, but all I want is basically a thumb operated volume dial!

Any help appreciated.


If it's ear shattering when stationary then it's still ear shattering at motorway speeds, don't you think you may be at risk of hearing damage?


That thought did occur to me, but seeing as I can't hear it over the environmental noise, even though the ear buds are meant to be noise isolating (which I somewhat understand to be the equivalent of wearing a pair of ear plugs), that would mean that I'm screwing my hearing just by riding a bike right, music or not, as Snoosnoo says above?

So how do people generally do this? Or should I be content just listening to the hum of the engine and the wind on long journeys??
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monkeybiker
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PostPosted: 10:08 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Re: Controlling ipod volume from handlebars Reply with quote
snoosnoo wrote:
It wouldn't damage his hearing more than the wind noise would be, Shirley?


But would it not need to be louder than the wind noise, Shirley?

I've never used music on the bike as I've never felt the need so I don't know how good the headphone ear plugs are compared to normal ear plugs.
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DrSnoosnoo
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PostPosted: 10:13 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Re: Controlling ipod volume from handlebars Reply with quote
monkeybiker wrote:
snoosnoo wrote:
It wouldn't damage his hearing more than the wind noise would be, Shirley?


But would it not need to be louder than the wind noise, Shirley?

I've never used music on the bike as I've never felt the need so I don't know how good the headphone ear plugs are compared to normal ear plugs.


It wouldn't have to be louder, up to the same volume, as it's closer to your ear, you should preferentially hear that, over the wind noise.

So if the volume is not louder than the wind noise experienced, there won't be an added risk to hearing damage. It seems logical to me.
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Stobo91
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PostPosted: 10:13 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
I use the Apple headphones which is fine for my short commute, hurt my ears when used for 30+ mins at a time though.

These have volume adjustment on the wire which sits near your chin. 3 buttons - Vol up and vol down, then the button in the middle is press once to pause/play, double press to skip track.

Not sure if this is any use for motorway riding as im only on a 125 but it works for me on town road etc.
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monkeybiker
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PostPosted: 10:28 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Re: Controlling ipod volume from handlebars Reply with quote
snoosnoo wrote:

It wouldn't have to be louder, up to the same volume, as it's closer to your ear, you should preferentially hear that, over the wind noise.


Not sure I agree with this.
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DrSnoosnoo
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PostPosted: 10:48 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Re: Controlling ipod volume from handlebars Reply with quote
monkeybiker wrote:
Not sure I agree with this.


You're in a very loud nightclub, your friend can talk to you in your ear. Is your friend louder than the sounds coming from the speakers?
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Az
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PostPosted: 10:53 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Don't iPod's come with the adjustable volume buttons on the headphones like they do with iPhones? So you can play/pause and adjust the volume up and down while on the move?

If not, a pair of these could be your solution or similar styled headphones with a remote attached to the headphones.
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c-m
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PostPosted: 11:54 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
The problem isn't the volume it's the isolation.

If you have to have it turned up so loud all you are doing is masking wind noise. It's still going into your ears and causing you permanent damage.

I would suggest trying some comply tips. You should be able to find a set that will fit your earphones. The ones I used to use on my Sony earphones isolated very well almost as good as ear plugs, but you have to insert them correctly.

Failing that, you're best bet would be to get some customs made up. I did this at at the London motorcycle show. Cost £100 but was worth it. On the cord there is a button that will also let me pause/stop music if I need to stop and have a conversation with someone.
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Albigularis
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PostPosted: 12:19 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
If you need to turn it up very loud, you either have an ill-fitting helmet or earphones which aren't producing much isolation. What type of earphones and buds are you using OP?

c-m wrote:
If you have to have it turned up so loud all you are doing is masking wind noise. It's still going into your ears and causing you permanent


Yup. It's actually worse to use bad isolation and turn music up to compensate, if anything, the frequency combination of the music and wind noise is worse than either alone.

snoosnoo wrote:
monkeybiker wrote:
Not sure I agree with this.


You're in a very loud nightclub, your friend can talk to you in your ear. Is your friend louder than the sounds coming from the speakers?


Yes, it has to be, or you wouldn't hear them. Or at least at a close enough level that you can distinguish what they say. Either way, them shouting is adding to frequencies that are coming via the music and making those particular ones even louder, which is bad. Nightclubs are way too loud IMO.
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DrSnoosnoo
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PostPosted: 12:27 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Albigularis wrote:


snoosnoo wrote:
You're in a very loud nightclub, your friend can talk to you in your ear. Is your friend louder than the sounds coming from the speakers?


Yes, it has to be, or you wouldn't hear them. Or at least at a close enough level that you can distinguish what they say. Either way, them shouting is adding to frequencies that are coming via the music and making those particular ones even louder, which is bad. Nightclubs are way too loud IMO.


So you're saying the friend is then shouting louder than the music? If he/she was shouting louder than the music, everyone would be able to hear them. And by your observation of a particular frequency increasing in intensity by the words, some frequencies will be reduced and should make those ones quieter, which is good (?)
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Albigularis
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PostPosted: 13:14 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
snoosnoo wrote:
So you're saying the friend is then shouting louder than the music? If he/she was shouting louder than the music, everyone would be able to hear them. And by your observation of a particular frequency increasing in intensity by the words, some frequencies will be reduced and should make those ones quieter, which is good (?)


They're shouting louder than it sounds at your particular point. Going any further to say that some frequencies will cancel each other out is a bit complicated. You need to then look into the phase of the frequencies and take all the harmonics into account. Along with reflections and so on. The main reason you can hear them is because the voice has a distinctive pattern and frequency layout, very unlike that of music. They still need to kick out a fair racket to be heard, probably about 90dB@0.5m in your average club. The chances of the cancelling frequencies actually having an effect is more likely to just alter the voice you hear slightly.

Example.

My ZX10R with Racefit can sitting idling, and a 125cc bike with a standard can sitting 50 yards up the road. If you stand right beside the 125 you'll hear both it and my bike, but if you go 50 yards further, you'll only hear my bike.

The size of the source counts as well as the actual decibel level.
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t121anf
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PostPosted: 13:24 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Why not try making some headphones that are built into ear plugs?

<Borrowed this link from Roger a while back>
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171030151826
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smegballs
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PostPosted: 13:24 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've been on dancefloors with mahoosive funktion one soundsystems with crystal clear sound and yet you can still talk to people next to you okay despite the loud music. Then I've been on dancefloors with shit speakers that are less loud, but heavily distorted sound (dj well in the red for example) and you can't hear a word.

Clean sound seems much easier to talk over than distorted sound for any given volume.
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DrSnoosnoo
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PostPosted: 14:10 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Albigularis wrote:
snoosnoo wrote:
So you're saying the friend is then shouting louder than the music? If he/she was shouting louder than the music, everyone would be able to hear them. And by your observation of a particular frequency increasing in intensity by the words, some frequencies will be reduced and should make those ones quieter, which is good (?)


They're shouting louder than it sounds at your particular point. Going any further to say that some frequencies will cancel each other out is a bit complicated. You need to then look into the phase of the frequencies and take all the harmonics into account. Along with reflections and so on. The main reason you can hear them is because the voice has a distinctive pattern and frequency layout, very unlike that of music. They still need to kick out a fair racket to be heard, probably about 90dB@0.5m in your average club. The chances of the cancelling frequencies actually having an effect is more likely to just alter the voice you hear slightly.

The size of the source counts as well as the actual decibel level.


I understand. I just used your general assumption that talking would amplify (perhaps not used in the correct sense) certain frequencies. So you're saying that it wouldn't have much of an effect then.

And also, that the friend is indeed, not louder than the music? Thumbs Up

I said this because I stated earlier that the music needn't be louder than the wind noise - you confirmed this with "Or at least at a close enough level that you can distinguish what they say"

Also define, "size of the source". I presume you refer to the range of frequencies being fired out, not as in, "that speaker that's 10 feet tall is louder than the 2 feet tall one because size matters" ?
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Albigularis
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PostPosted: 14:41 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
snoosnoo wrote:
I said this because I stated earlier that the music needn't be louder than the wind noise - you confirmed this with "Or at least at a close enough level that you can distinguish what they say"


That's right. The primary idea behind playing music and wind noise, is that it's loud enough to be clearly distinguished, so that your mind focuses on the music rather than the wind noise. It doesn't have to be louder, but it helps and it's easy to achieve with decent isolation.


snoosnoo wrote:
Also define, "size of the source". I presume you refer to the range of frequencies being fired out, not as in, "that speaker that's 10 feet tall is louder than the 2 feet tall one because size matters" ?


When you look at the creation of the sound.

So, a 6" drive unit putting out a 100hz tone, beside a 12" drive unit putting out a 100hz tone. If you set a microphone up, 1m directly in front of each and registered 100dB, the 12" drive unit would distort less, and offer a much larger dispersion of sound as they are moving more air. When you combine that with reflections, you will effectively hear it from further away/larger area. The larger drive unit will also have louder harmonics.
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DrSnoosnoo
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PostPosted: 15:55 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Albigularis wrote:
That's right. The primary idea behind playing music and wind noise, is that it's loud enough to be clearly distinguished, so that your mind focuses on the music rather than the wind noise. It doesn't have to be louder, but it helps and it's easy to achieve with decent isolation.


Good, cheers.


Albigularis wrote:
So, a 6" drive unit putting out a 100hz tone, beside a 12" drive unit putting out a 100hz tone. If you set a microphone up, 1m directly in front of each and registered 100dB, the 12" drive unit would distort less, and offer a much larger dispersion of sound as they are moving more air. When you combine that with reflections, you will effectively hear it from further away/larger area. The larger drive unit will also have louder harmonics.


Genuinely interested; do you mean you would hear a 12" from further away than a 6" full stop or you would hear a clearer sound from the 12" than 6" ?
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monkeybiker
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PostPosted: 22:09 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
snoosnoo wrote:
Albigularis wrote:


snoosnoo wrote:
You're in a very loud nightclub, your friend can talk to you in your ear. Is your friend louder than the sounds coming from the speakers?


Yes, it has to be, or you wouldn't hear them. Or at least at a close enough level that you can distinguish what they say. Either way, them shouting is adding to frequencies that are coming via the music and making those particular ones even louder, which is bad. Nightclubs are way too loud IMO.


So you're saying the friend is then shouting louder than the music? If he/she was shouting louder than the music, everyone would be able to hear them. And by your observation of a particular frequency increasing in intensity by the words, some frequencies will be reduced and should make those ones quieter, which is good (?)
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Marclev
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PostPosted: 22:31 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
Albigularis wrote:
If you need to turn it up very loud, you either have an ill-fitting helmet or earphones which aren't producing much isolation. What type of earphones and buds are you using OP?


Thanks, this prompted me to actually take a good hard look at my helmet. Running my fingers around the visor, there was a gap about half a finger wide either side near where the visor clips in. Turned out it wasn't seated correctly, so I removed it and clipped it back in.

Seal is now tight, will see how it performs tomorrow, expecting good things. This thread may have saved me from hearing damage!
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Albigularis
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PostPosted: 22:49 - 08 Sep 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote
snoosnoo wrote:
Genuinely interested; do you mean you would hear a 12" from further away than a 6" full stop or you would hear a clearer sound from the 12" than 6" ?


You should hear the 12" from further away, yeah. More dispersion means more noise.

A decibel is a measurement of how pressurised the air is due to sound waves. Think of a sound level measurement device like a thermometer. You could sit the thermometer in front of a hair drier and register say 60 degrees. You could sit it in front of a propane industrial heater at the same distance and get the same temperature, but which do you think would travel farthest? The larger heater heats up and moves more air, just as the speaker has a larger surface area, and vibrates more air.

The 12" should sound clearer but you get bad 12" drivers, much like you get good 6" drivers. In a general sense, the 12" should be better in every way. They don't need to move as far in and out (referred to as 'throw' length) to make a given decibel level at a given frequency. Which means it's less likely to hit its limit and distort. You seldom see proper high-end speakers with anything smaller than 8-10" bass drivers for that reason. Also why all concert speakers are 12-16" units.
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sickpup
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PostPosted: 09:42 - 09 Sep 2015    Post subject: Re: Controlling ipod volume from handlebars Reply with quote
Marclev wrote:
I have an ipod touch and a set of noise isolating ear buds. Great so far but...

I either need to crack the volume up to ear shattering levels while stationary or can't hear the music at motorway speeds.


getting noise isolating ear buds that actually work would be a step in the right direction.
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