Cardo Scala G4 earbud mod

[JetGrl]

Hello inmates,

My name is Eileen Kelleher. I am a retired IT worker and former professional electronic technician. I have been riding motorcycles since I moved away from my parent's house and they couldn't tell me I couldn't anymore (many moons ago).

I used a Sena SMH10 for about a year before I gave up on it due to so many reliability problems, I was tired of completing rides in silence due to technical difficulties and breakages. They were good customer service wise but the product just doesn't last.

I stepped up to the Cardo Scala G4 unit and it works much better but with the smaller speakers it just didn't put out enough volume to be heard over the wind noise and earplugs like the Sena could (when it was working).

After some googleing I found the thread on this board describing how to put in a headphone jack and use earbuds. Seemed like just the ticket, it worked perfectly. I had to get a volume control to cut down the volume to the earbuds.

With a little research I found the S-Plug in canal earbuds with 22" cord (plugup.com and cyclebots.com). They offer all day comfort and no interference with the helmet. Plugup.com has the volume control headphone adapter.

I saw others were charging more than $40 to mod the G4 and then left a little jack on a pigtail coming out of the clamp, just putting the jack inside seemed much cleaner.

I will do the mod for you for $30. Just send me an email and I will send you my contact information so you can send your clamp to me. Just send the clamp along with a self addressed return envelope and I can get it turned around for you the same day, Paypal or check.

I will even trust you for the $30. You can enclose it or send it back after receiving your modded clamp. I'm just happy I can help you guys out.

Eileen Kelleher
eileen.kelleher@gmail.com



That's me wearing my earbuds on a recent SS1000, 16 hours of use in 1 day The wire going down to the tank bag connects to a mixer with my ipod, gps, and radar detector mixed and prioritized and jacked into the mp3 input.

[GB]

Interesting mod.. Would you happen to have pics of your mod?

[JetGrl]

I do it just like in Golevi's post: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=628028

I have the same jacks and do it exactly like he did.

Eileen

[rockinrog]

So once this mod is done.. do you stick the ear buds in your ears ...then put the helmet on and then plug the ear buds into the g4?

[GB]

Eileen, I emailed you a query.

[JetGrl]

Originally Posted by rockinrog

So once this mod is done.. do you stick the ear buds in your ears ...then put the helmet on and then plug the ear buds into the g4?

Yes, you can plug it in before you put it on as well, that is the way I do it. The jack is right at the back and is pretty easy to use even if you plug it in after you put on the helmet.

Many people are used to riding with earbuds already since they like to listen to an mp3 player while riding. The G4 is really easy to hear this way, no matter how much wind and/or engine noise is going on.

FYI
Eileen

[GB]

I'm wondering if it's possible to do the mod for the earphones and maintain sound to the speakers so when someone needs an ear canal break from the earphones, you can still listen through the speakers?

[JetGrl]

Originally Posted by rockinrog

So once this mod is done.. do you stick the ear buds in your ears ...then put the helmet on and then plug the ear buds into the g4?

Yes, that is exactly how it works. You can also put on the ear buds, plug them into the helmet, and then put the helmet on. That way you don't have to plug it in by touch.

[JetGrl]

I've done this mod now for several of the inmates here. A couple of them have posted back to the original mod posting here: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showp...6&postcount=53

I have had questions about the ear buds and setup that I use. I tried using ear buds last year once and gave up on it because the buds I had pressed on the padding inside the helmet and irritated my ears. After I did this mod I got a new set of ear buds from cyclebots.com, the S-Plug ear buds. They are very soft and pliable and fit inside the ear so they don't rub or irritate your ears. I have worn them for 16 hours straight with total comfort. I also have a friend that wears them all the time, he has run in 2 Iron Butt Rallies (11 days, 11,000 miles).

The plugup.com website has a volume control extension cable that can be used as well to take care of the increase in volume when using ear buds. http://www.plugup.com/volume_control..._p/ad%20vc.htm

If you purchase the S-Plug ear buds in the 22" length (short) and use this extension to cut down the volume you can then use the G4 normally. The S-Plugs can also be found on the same website: http://www.plugup.com/the_S_plug_ear...22-3.5-4.5.htm

Eileen

[Golevi]

Originally Posted by JetGrl

I've done this mod now for several of the inmates here. A couple of them have posted back to the original mod posting here: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showp...6&postcount=53

I have had questions about the ear buds and setup that I use. I tried using ear buds last year once and gave up on it because the buds I had pressed on the padding inside the helmet and irritated my ears. After I did this mod I got a new set of ear buds from cyclebots.com, the S-Plug ear buds. They are very soft and pliable and fit inside the ear so they don't rub or irritate your ears. I have worn them for 16 hours straight with total comfort. I also have a friend that wears them all the time, he has run in 2 Iron Butt Rallies (11 days, 11,000 miles).

The plugup.com website has a volume control extension cable that can be used as well to take care of the increase in volume when using ear buds. http://www.plugup.com/volume_control..._p/ad%20vc.htm

If you purchase the S-Plug ear buds in the 22" length (short) and use this extension to cut down the volume you can then use the G4 normally. The S-Plugs can also be found on the same website: http://www.plugup.com/the_S_plug_ear...22-3.5-4.5.htm

Eileen

Something I discovered about using the ear buds in a helmet is that they would begin hurting my ears after a while in the saddle, mostly my lower ear lobe where the wires come out; it seemed that the padding would push it into my ear lobe... Some worse than others... Now, I put the ear buds in upside down with the wire pointing up and it stays within my ear instead of pressing against my ear lobe... There is a little sliding tie (I use the 20 dollar Sony ones from Wal-Mart) that takes up slack on the wires that I slide close to the top of my head, put my helmet on then plug it into the G-4 and it is COMPLETELY pain free! I have worn them this way for up to 8 hours, and I do not even know they are there...
Just my experience...

[SkooterG]

Nice photo! Since no credit was given, I wonder who took that great shot?

[JetGrl]

Some guy who kept riding in front of me.... I had to follow him for over 1000 miles before I could get around him. It is a great photo though, thanks!

See - on this forum I can be an FJR Pilot instead of a FNG.

I really did have a good time on that ride though, makes me want to go back and spend some time seeing the things we sped by the first time.

Do you have a good Bun Burner Gold route? I felt like I could have kept going the last time. I loved following the Rally too!

[JetGrl]

I have put a plug on the speaker wires after removing them so you can plug them back in to the new jack.

I have done it for those who asked. I will do it at the same time as the mod for an additional $5.

It's not too hard since I desolder the speaker wires and remove them the ends are bare and tinned so I just solder them onto a plug, remove the old strain relief, and put the new one on.

Regards...





Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk

[intr1gue]

can you PM me your contact info so I can get mine to you as soon as they arrive? I'll be picking up a pair of G4's for myself and my wife and we'll want this mod done ASAP. Thanks!

--Ranjan

Originally Posted by JetGrl

I have put a plug on the speaker wires after removing them so you can plug them back in to the new jack.

I have done it for those who asked. I will do it at the same time as the mod for an additional $5.

It's not too hard since I desolder the speaker wires and remove them the ends are bare and tinned so I just solder them onto a plug, remove the old strain relief, and put the new one on.

Regards...





Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk

[Britome]

Are you able to do your mod on the new G9?