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Chatter Box

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94GTVert

94GTVert

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May 9, 2007
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Location
Midland, Texas
First Name
James
Last Name
Pritchard
Who owns them? Any complaints? I was asked what I want for Christmas today and I'm thinking about those...

thanks

-James
 
94GTVert said:
Who owns them? Any complaints? I was asked what I want for Christmas today and I'm thinking about those...

thanks

-James
Click to expand...

We did not care for it when we had it. Poor sound quality.

I'm going to recommend Autocom. Expensive but worth it.
 
Give a look at Collett. My son and I have set and we talk bike to bike and to our passengers, our wives. They have a 3 year warranty and cheaper than most.

Ok, no comment Artcwolf, mine are still working fine, may upgrade to a Autocom someday.
 
I have a Chatterbox, but don't often ride with other people that have them or use them. I was having trouble with the audio so I got an adapter that lets me hook my noise-canelling earphones into them - but my adapter is broken so I can hear fine but my mic doesn't work. (CB didn't make the adapter, some other company did)

I like the Autocom and Starcom options, but I just don't have the $$$.
 
It depends on what you're wanting to use them for and how much you want to invest in the equipment. We went through heavy searching for communicators before our big Missouri trip and ended up with Chatterbox Multi-Sports which we used heavily on the trip.

The Multi-Sports worked very well, allowing us to have bike-to-bike communication (so we could talk with the kids) and listen to music. The voice activation actually worked quite well, but we used the open face headsets in our full face helmets based on recommendations from others and the manufacturer. Overall, I was very pleased with the systems. BUT-they were not our first choice. We actually purchased 2 systems from BackChat for use on our trip, but a strike at the Royal Postal Service delayed their delivery and we had to pick up the Chatterboxes at the last minute.

SHAMELESS PLUG: I have the unopened BackChat systems for sale here...

If you don't need bike-to-bike, this would be an inexpensive way to have a rider to passenger communication system with an audio connection, too.
 
The chatterbox brand gets a bad name for sound quality from some but I have no complaints what so ever. My wife and I both use them as well as a couple of people I ride with. Great for bike to bike comm and intercom if someone is riding with you. One thing you have to remember its not a ipod and you should not expect that kind of quality. For heaven sake your riding a noisy windy machine. Anyway I use and endorse this product.

Squeaky said:
I have a Chatterbox, but don't often ride with other people that have them or use them. I was having trouble with the audio so I got an adapter that lets me hook my noise-canelling earphones into them - but my adapter is broken so I can hear fine but my mic doesn't work. (CB didn't make the adapter, some other company did)

I like the Autocom and Starcom options, but I just don't have the $$$.
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Squeaky,

your adapter may not be broken. One thing that alot of people don't know or dealers for that fact is they make two different models for each unit. One is noise reducing the other is not. The extension cables and adapters are not compatible with eachother. Make sure which one you have and get the appropriate adapters and it might just work. For example if you have a noise reducing headset but not unit you in fact will still hear but not to noise reducing quality but the mic will not work. Different pins on the connectors or something like that. Everything will still hook up properly but functionality is lost. I know this because of the problems I was having with two units I bought for me and the wife and one was noise reducing and one wasn;t so each time we ride we just grab one from the charger and go but they had to be matched to the headset. I made several calls and emails to figure it out.
 
msnyder755 said:
Squeaky,

your adapter may not be broken. One thing that alot of people don't know or dealers for that fact is they make two different models for each unit. One is noise reducing the other is not. The extension cables and adapters are not compatible with eachother. Make sure which one you have and get the appropriate adapters and it might just work. For example if you have a noise reducing headset but not unit you in fact will still hear but not to noise reducing quality but the mic will not work. Different pins on the connectors or something like that. Everything will still hook up properly but functionality is lost. I know this because of the problems I was having with two units I bought for me and the wife and one was noise reducing and one wasn;t so each time we ride we just grab one from the charger and go but they had to be matched to the headset. I made several calls and emails to figure it out.
Click to expand...

Interesting. The adapter I am speaking of is like a Y - it splits off the earphones and the mic so that I don't have to use the headset speakers. instead, I use my standard earphones (normal pin on the end) and then plug the Y adapter into the line going to the base unit. I might have to try out some different cables. I know at least one of my headset extension cables doesn't work, but I don't know which headset I have (hand-me-down).
 
I like my chatterbox. its every thing I needed. for the price its a good system. ya they will not work at 100mph but do you want to be talking at that speed? I mostly use them for stop lights and heckling when missing a turn.. Its also nice to know when I need to look in the car as the group is going by or something in the road, or deer.

I have mine in the tank bag with mp3 player on the top of the bag. with ear plugs in I can still hear the songs with no problem, (now is the my hight quality sound no but its better then wind noise..)

good unit for the $$, from what I hear the blue tooth is not worth the extra $$ just get the gmrx1
 
One of the most eerie things to hear is the sound of your spouse crashing and her verbalizations in the communication coming through loud and clear. That was an instance of the Chatterboxes working too well.
 
ST/SV said:
Give a look at Collett. My son and I have set and we talk bike to bike and to our passengers, our wives. They have a 3 year warranty and cheaper than most.
Click to expand...

There are other folks that use them and are happy with the performance.

However, the Collett units operate on a unique 900 mhz frequency and can only talk between specific "groups".

The Chatterbox, Autocom with separate radio, and several others operate on standard goverment FRS/GMRS channels and can all talk to each other if the proper channel is selected, including GMRS to FRS if the overlapping channels (1-7, I think) are used.
 
My wife and I each have a Chatterbox X1. We use them mainly for music and bike-to-bike communications, but we also have headsets in our kids' helmets so they can talk while riding pillion. They seem to work great depending on what helmet you use. In my HJC full face, I found the Chatterbox to have really good audio quality while listening to music from the iPod and for communications. One thing though, I use it with earplugs and the volume turned up. The earplugs filter out the road noise really well and the proximity of the speakers to the ear allows the music to come through quite nicely. All that changed, however, when I got my Arai XD helmet. It is much noisier at highway speeds, and on my trip this past weekend I found that I couldn't listen to music very well at all even with earplugs, though the communications seemed to work well. Overall I'm happy with the Chatterbox, but I may see about getting some custom fitted ear phones and an adapter for use with my XD helmet.
 
If I wanted to listen to my wife, I'd take the truck....:giveup:
 
I have Chatterbox FRS-X2. It is a good middle of the road solution. It is superior to the inexpensive hand held/headset combo and has input for auxillary audio source such as radar, mp3, etc. + cell phone

It is battery powered, and on all day rides have managed to deplete it riding with others.

Autocomm and Starcomm are no doubt superior, and more expensive.

ps. I've tried both in helmet speakers and custom fitted earphones. I've grown weary of the earphones pulling loose, and the time to fit them. Now have a good quality helmet speaker 'XPRO' at www.helmettown.com
 
Gilk51 said:
The Chatterbox, Autocom with separate radio, and several others operate on standard goverment FRS/GMRS channels and can all talk to each other if the proper channel is selected, including GMRS to FRS if the overlapping channels (1-7, I think) are used.
Click to expand...

+1

The Autocom, Chatterbox, and others using GMRS/FRS can communicate together. If you connect a CB to the Autocom you can communicate w/Wing riders and truckers. On the Autocom and IMC MIT-100 you can swap between radio types as necessary.

We use Arai ff helmets and with the Chatterbox X1 we found the audio to be useless above 60 mph. We just didn't talk to each other (rider/passenger) because we couldn't understand what each other was saying. The VOX system on the Chatterbox was horrible and we constantly had to listen to amplified wind noise while we were riding. Music and GPS integration was a joke and batteries die in the most opportune times.

Autocom allows for a almost endless supply of accessories to 'customize' the system to work for your situation. I have experence with the Chatterbox, IMC MIT-100, and now the Autocom Active-PLUS Duo and can say, hands down, the sound quality and performance is far superior on the Autocom. If the cost puts it out of question, my fallback would be the IMC MIT-100; however, sound quality isn't as good and the connectors are not as robust (MIT uses mini-din/ps2 while the Autocom uses full size DIN) but it performes far above the Chatterbox and you don't have to worry about batteries dying.
 
sparkyphotog said:
My wife and I each have a Chatterbox X1. We use them mainly for music and bike-to-bike communications, but we also have headsets in our kids' helmets so they can talk while riding pillion. They seem to work great depending on what helmet you use. In my HJC full face, I found the Chatterbox to have really good audio quality while listening to music from the iPod and for communications. One thing though, I use it with earplugs and the volume turned up. The earplugs filter out the road noise really well and the proximity of the speakers to the ear allows the music to come through quite nicely. All that changed, however, when I got my Arai XD helmet. It is much noisier at highway speeds, and on my trip this past weekend I found that I couldn't listen to music very well at all even with earplugs, though the communications seemed to work well. Overall I'm happy with the Chatterbox, but I may see about getting some custom fitted ear phones and an adapter for use with my XD helmet.
Click to expand...

I would just like to add that we bought the on-bike power adapter so that we don't have to worry about the batteries dying in the middle of a ride, which has happened to me a couple of times. With the on-board power, there are no more problems with that. And we don't use the VOX at all, we use the remote PTT switch. I have mine mounted to the left mirror stalk.
 
Squeaky said:
Interesting. The adapter I am speaking of is like a Y - it splits off the earphones and the mic so that I don't have to use the headset speakers. instead, I use my standard earphones (normal pin on the end) and then plug the Y adapter into the line going to the base unit. I might have to try out some different cables. I know at least one of my headset extension cables doesn't work, but I don't know which headset I have (hand-me-down).
Click to expand...

Squeaky, for the Y-adapter and other cables, check cycle gadgets:
http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/product.asp?Item=HA

notice that on the Y-adapter, there is one specific for the X1-X2 chatterboxes, otherwise you'll have compatibility issues with the noise reducing cables as mentioned in this thread.
 
Thans Ana, that's a great site - I might need to order a new one. I really like the idea of having the earphones and the mic working together.

When I bought the adapter I have, there was nothing about noise-cancelling headsets or cables in the description. There was one adapter for Chatterbox, and it was the right plug configuration (6-pin).

Anyone have a non-noise cancelling headset that might want to try my adapter?
 
Squeaky said:
Thans Ana, that's a great site - I might need to order a new one. I really like the idea of having the earphones and the mic working together.

When I bought the adapter I have, there was nothing about noise-cancelling headsets or cables in the description. There was one adapter for Chatterbox, and it was the right plug configuration (6-pin).

Anyone have a non-noise cancelling headset that might want to try my adapter?
Click to expand...

Just make sure you are matched correctly. I hate to harp on this but both the X1 and X2 come in non noise reducing and noise reducing. As far as I can tell the only way to know is by the box it came in. I spent alot of time and money (buying different cords and so forth) to make mine work before I figured it out. Just don't want you to make the same mistakes I did.
 
I'm another dissatisfied Chatterbox user. One of the two units we bought was DOA, and we waited 3 weeks for a replacement unit. Installation in my Arai Signet FF was not ever perfect, though installation on the other Arai worked pretty well. The control unit is supposed to fit around the outside of the helmet, with one edge under the pad; I could never get it to stay put and the boom mike would move 1/2" into the air stream too easily. Underway, the unit worked well at 30mph or slower, but we had too much noise from air at highway speeds, where I did most of my riding.

Eventually, we retired the units into a box, where they still sit.
 
jtormo said:
I'm another dissatisfied Chatterbox user. One of the two units we bought was DOA, and we waited 3 weeks for a replacement unit. Installation in my Arai Signet FF was not ever perfect, though installation on the other Arai worked pretty well. The control unit is supposed to fit around the outside of the helmet, with one edge under the pad; I could never get it to stay put and the boom mike would move 1/2" into the air stream too easily. Underway, the unit worked well at 30mph or slower, but we had too much noise from air at highway speeds, where I did most of my riding.

Eventually, we retired the units into a box, where they still sit.
Click to expand...

If you want to get rid of them let me know I buy them cheap. Got some buddies who want them but can't really pay full price.
 
The remote PTT switch is great if your using it for bike to bike. If you're communicating with your passenger, you're stuck with VOX. You can turn the VOX sensitivity way up but then it becomes almost impossible to activate unless you're yelling.

Mind you, this is with the FF kit and not the 'boom' mike kit for hybrid helmets.

Some are happy with the Chatterbox. It was recommended to me when I was first looking by a friend that was happy with his. My experence was a complete 180 and I would rather ride in silence than own another one.
 
Squeaky said:
Then I'm out of luck. Mine was second hand and came in a bag-o-stuff. :giveup:
Click to expand...
Squeaky,

Since I jumped into the Chatterbox bandwaggon at the IMS, and have the Y-cable, you're welcome to try mine and see if it works on your chatterbox.
 
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