I am looking for solutions to reduce the sound output to molded ear pieces from the radios we have to use at race tracks. I currently have 2 different styles of molded ear pieces that come from racing radios and Racing electronics to use with Motorola and Kenwood style radios. The problem I have seen with both is that the sound is too loud even at the lowest volume setting. I am looking for suggestions to reduce it and allow the volume knob to be adjusted higher with less output to the earplugs by use of something like a dash pot or resistor. The connections to the PPT and headset are 5 and 6 pin din connectors. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Trying to reduce the volume level when using molded ear plugs on XPR3550 style radios
- Thread starter spgren
- Start date
I'm confused. How can the sound be too loud. Turn the volume down on the radio. I've used the ones from Raceing electronics multiple times and never had an issue. If you can't figure it out I'd call RE and talk to them. This isn't their first rodeo.
Definitely sounds like the minimum volume (as set in CPS) is set to a value above the default of "muted". Should be a simple change in programming, no need for external modifications.
I have the radio volume down as low as they can go. I cannot re-program them as they are given to me from the tracks I work at. If I turn the volume down any lower it turns off. Its not with just one headset it with both from two different companies and almost all radios especially anything digital. Some analog ones allow me to turn the volume up about halfway and work fine. All I am looking to do is build an inline option that would allow me to bring the volume lower so I can turn it up off zero where it cuts off and I miss calls. Its not my first rodeo either and I am not the only one that has the problem! Unfortunately RE and RR do not make anything to do it.
Unfortunately the radios are given to me when I work the races and I do not have the option to reprogram them. I am just looking for an inline din connector style option to reduce the gain on the output to the molded earplugs either before or after the PTT button.
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I see now. However, I'm not at all familiar with those headsets, how they interface or function, so I'll have to defer to others, sorry.
One such acoustic earpiece claims an impedance of 90 ohms and power rating of 0.01W. So, a voltage divider with an 82 ohm resistor as Z1 and 10 ohm resistor as Z2 should give you about a 20 dB attenuator (probably too much reduction, but it's a starting point). Here's a pic from this calculator:
Vin is the radio and Zload is the earpiece. Choose Z1 and Z2 such that it still presents about a 90 ohm load to the radio, that is Z1 + 1 / (1/Z2 + 1/Zload) = 82 + 1 / (1/10 + 1/90) ~= 90.
Vin is the radio and Zload is the earpiece. Choose Z1 and Z2 such that it still presents about a 90 ohm load to the radio, that is Z1 + 1 / (1/Z2 + 1/Zload) = 82 + 1 / (1/10 + 1/90) ~= 90.
