J & M headset cords

[Guest Ken8143]

I like my J & M headsets on my full face Arai helmet with one bothersome exception. It seems the upper cord keeps going kaput. have to replace it more than once. Anybody have an idea of h ow to keep the wires from breaking where the cable joins in at the headset?

 

Those daggone things are expensive.

[Thom]

by the way i like mine to , i got them sat. and its in the mail

[Al Bates]

Had the same problem, Hard wired the two ends.

[juggler]

I've only had to replace one in three years. They are expensive.

 

I've done a little reading on Blue tooth and it's entrance into the motorcycle market. The setup from J&M is expensive, but there are no wires from the bike to your helmet.

 

http://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/product.asp?item=JMBT

 

[Guest Swifty]

same experience here...got 1 of 3 sets replaced under warranty.

[WIKD]

I actually looked into the blue tooth idea since I was just getting ready to set up a helmet with headsets

Nolan helmet - 250.00

J M headset - 99.00

Bluetooth receiver box - 250.00

 

All in all it was going to run about 600.00. I could reduce the cost of the helmet, I wanted a flip up full face and liked the new Nolan, and I could buy a lesser priced headset but still too expensive. Supposedly there is only one bluetooth box so they can ask whatever they want for it.

[Lone Eagle]

I am enjoying this thread. I have the J M 2003 CB - with the XM radio. I had Sierra install the headsets in the new Nolan Flip Up Helmet. I must say that the speakers are very high (as in treble sounding) for my taste. And those cords!!!! I have gotten into putting them under my zipped up coat - and still have problems with them cutting out, shorting out, whatever. And, even though I have adjusted this unit 10 ways from Sunday, it is still difficult to understand the wife (checked to make sure the mike was the right way), and some of the other riders state they have a hard time hearing me, wind noise, etc. I have also switched cords with the wife's plug in cord, still have the same problem.

I went from a Shoie full face to the Nolan this year - $500.00 per helmet with the headsets installed. So, guess I have to live with this nonsense for a while, but not really enjoying it.

[86er]

I don't know if Sierra uses J&M or not, but I have heard that what they install is not the best sounding.

If my memory serves me right, I know one guy that had Sierra install his in Daytona and after riding with them for a while went back and had them remove it and he put in his own J&M. He has the new Nolan 3/4.

 

I'm having trouble with mine too. The mike doesn't seem to work now (for a while it was intermittent). I didn't know if it was the headset or the radio until I borrowed Dragonrider's helmet. Plugged his in and it worked, plugged mine in and it didn't. I switched back and forth several times with the same results. Now I'm going to switch with another friend who has the 2 part cord like mine (Lewis' is one piece cord) to find out if it's a cord or the mike. I can't seem to make anything change by bending and maneuvering the wires.

 

 

[Guest Ken8143]

Todd - I am having the same issue right now and I am pretty convinced is the cord - generally it is right where the cord fits into the pin connector. Some times you can wiggle it around and sometimes not. That is not a good sign!

 

I will just spring for a new cord - and in my experience it is generally the upper cord. Right now I can hear just fine, but the mic is off and on. I believe the mike is fine and the cord is kaputt

[Lone Eagle]

That's what I was going to do, Ken, is buy a new upper cord - as I have to fiddle with it as well - with it cutting in and out, etc. But, that's also why I swapped it with the wife's cord - figuring there couldn't be two bad cords. I am, now after reading some of these, wondering if the cord that comes out of the helmet might be defective.

But, having said that, I am hoping that "something" else might be out there - for me. I would just like these products to work as they are supposed to - I can accept a "little" issue - but still, don't like the hastle. The IMS show comes to town in a month - maybe someone will have something "cool" coming out then.

[86er]

Todd - I am having the same issue right now and I am pretty convinced is the cord - generally it is right where the cord fits into the pin connector. Some times you can wiggle it around and sometimes not. That is not a good sign!

 

I will just spring for a new cord - and in my experience it is generally the upper cord. Right now I can hear just fine, but the mic is off and on. I believe the mike is fine and the cord is kaputt

 

Thanks Ken.

When it first went out in Wy. I thought it had to do with temperature, it didn't work as we left one morning at about 40 degrees but started working as we rode and it warmed up. But it has since gone out, and started working in all temps!

 

I can't run a diagnostic on it just yet as the Venture is not up to a trip to my friends for cord testing. After 9,000 miles of dealing with an oil leak (Yea, it smoked through my whole trip!) I have the exhaust off and have found the leak. I'm now waiting for the oil seal where the clutch rod goes into the crankcase.

 

[kbran]

Todd - I am having the same issue right now and I am pretty convinced is the cord - generally it is right where the cord fits into the pin connector. Some times you can wiggle it around and sometimes not. That is not a good sign!

 

I will just spring for a new cord - and in my experience it is generally the upper cord. Right now I can hear just fine, but the mic is off and on. I believe the mike is fine and the cord is kaputt

 

Mine does the same thing except I don't think it is the upper cord. I can reach my finger in by wire the mike is attached to the helmet and wiggle the small wires to the speaker and it will work for a while. I once pulled the speaker and wires out and disconected the small conector from the speakers to the mike and replugged and it worked fine for a while. It is now starting to act up again, but if push on those wires at the connector it works again for that ride.

[86er]

Kenny, thanks to what you and others have posted, and a friend saying "You know, there is a plug for the mike inside the helmet." Saturday night I pulled the small plug inside the helmet apart, put it back together and wiggled it. I didn't even use any contact cleaner of dielectric grease and it worked perfectly all day yesterday. Today I'll take it back out, clean it up and add a little dielectric to it to counteract future sweating and stuff.

 

Guess that saved the cost of new stuff!

 

 

[V7Goose]

I rode every day to/from work, shopping, etc. for three years on my 05 before I retired this year, and I use the headsets 100% of the time, so mine got a lot of use and abuse in plugging, unplugging, twisting, etc. Several things I have learned From that and my experience as an avionics com tech:

 

The tapered ribbed rubber sleeve over the end of the cord near the plug is intended to act as a strain relief and make the cord bend slowly near the end to prevent breaking of the wire. With lots of use, this outside rubber piece will eventually break down or break, thus becoming ineffectual. You can repair that just by smearing a moderate coat of silicone sealant all over it and a short way down the cord, keeping it tapered to provide the same benefit in making a slow bend in the cord. Actually, the stuff I prefer for this is called Heavy Duty All Purpose Welder. It comes in a silver tube and creates a thick solid coating somewhere between Silicone and Goop in consistency. Don't use too much, as you need it to bend slightly just from the weight of the cord.

 

The 5-pin DIN plug that connects to the bike (on the top of the tank) will usually go bad before anything else. This type of connector is notorious for loosening up and causing intermittent problems. Replacing the cord MAY help, but the problem is usually in the female side of the plug (on the bike). As long as there aren't any broken wires, I have had 100% success in permanently solving problems with this plug by using hemostats to create a slight "S" curve in each pin (very slight - almost cannot tell it when you look). This causes the pins to continue making good contact even as the socket wears out. Sometimes I have to slightly bend the outside metal barrel of the plug also, to ensure the ground continues to make a good connection. A plug treated this way will fit much tighter on a bike where the female jack isn't already worn from use, so I don't do it unless I begin having problems.

 

Determining just where your problems are is NOT always easy. Reaching up and fiddling with the cord where it attachés to the helmet will move the whole cord enough to cause the bad DIN connection to cut in and out, even though you are not messing with that plug. To test the DIN connector, try just slightly twisting it when your are having the problems (like trying to unscrew the plug). This will cause the pins to push against one side of the plug and stop an intermittent problem for a while.

 

As for sound quality - I did a review a few months back on this site of the different levels of J&M headsets. In short, the middle grade of headset SUCKS! No bass. Either go for the cheapest J&M and save your money, or dump the big bucks to get their premium headset.

 

Here is an open offer to all here - I can fix just about any problem with J&M headsets except for a broken pin on the short cord. I'd be happy to provide these repairs for any of our members. Just slip your cord and/or headset in a $4.65 flat-rate Priority Mail envelope and send it to me. The only thing I ask is that you pay for the return shipping too. If you have the mid-range junky sounding J&M headsets and want better sound, I can replace the speakers. I think the cost is about $25 for a pair, but I'll have to check to be sure. Ride Safe and ,

Goose

[Guest r-retzke]

Autocom headsets are an entirely different arrangement than the J&M headset, and contrary to what I've read, they DO your with 5-pin systems. My ears aren't what they used to be and I'm not going to say that one has better sound than the other... but the Autocom does not use a clamp and the pigtail can be positioned anywhere you want it and swing.

 

Here's how to adapt them to a DIN 5-pin system like the 1st & 2nd generation Yamaha:

[ATTACH]13300[/ATTACH]

 

Rog in NH

[Morph]

........... I have adjusted this unit 10 ways from Sunday, it is still difficult to understand the wife (checked to make sure the mike was the right way), and some of the other riders state they have a hard time hearing me, wind noise, etc. ...........

 

Lone Eagle,

 

You gotta make sure that your mics are up against your lips. Also remove the windsocks to make sure that neither is twisted 180 degrees, and pointing outward away from your lips.

 

Mic-Mutes can help you manage the wind noise on the intercom of your JMCB2003-DU at times between intercom conversations or CB transmissions.

 

Have a look:

 

www.Mic-Mutes.com

Bil Morphy

[Royal Venturer]

Bill,

I recieved my mic-mute the other day. Wife wants it to be my xmas gift.......but it looks like a early winter project to me. she'll be surprised when I open the present to an empty box!!! Thanks ....it came promptly.

Jim Crockett

[midnightventure]

I haven't had much luck with the J&M junk. I don't know how they got the reputation they have. The only time I use mine is when my wife rides with me which isn't really that often. I think they probably developed problems the second ride we went on. I bought replacement upper cords which didn't hold up. Now I have made my own which I haven't had a chance to use because the weather turned cold and my wife doesn't ride in the cold. I have dissected the old cords and found that the solder joints have separated where the wires join with the pins.

 

3/2/08 We went for a ride today using my homemade patch cords. I think thats the first ride we didn't have problems with the communications. Worked better than the J&Ms new.

[dddeering]

MightnightVenture,

It would be really nice for us less inclined to see some pic's, spec's/ parts list.

[midnightventure]

I bought a couple of cables off ebay that had 5pin din ends and a couple that had 5 pin mini din,cut the up and reattached them to to each other. Hopefully I have attached a drawing of which pins need to go together.

[SamB]

had the same problem i have taped up the area near the headset and made it more rigid. I think all the bending helps to break up the wires there.

[dddeering]

Thanks Midnight,

I appriciate it.

I'll go see what I can find at the junk store.

[Guest Ken8143]

had the same problem i have taped up the area near the headset and made it more rigid. I think all the bending helps to break up the wires there.

 

On the new cords I got, I took a section off the end of a cable tie, and taped it to the areas near the end of the cords in an effort to spread the bending stress out a bit more. Hope it works

[Freebird]

J&M cords have always been problematic. That is why I switched to the AirRiders the last time I bought headsets. They are no better at all and is why I will be going a different route next time.

[Marcarl]

Don't want to through water on this discussion, but I bought Chatterbox 2 years ago, use them regularily because I can't go anywhere without my wife and so far the only problem I had with them is when Marca decided that a twist was a good thing in trying to connect her two cords which bent the pins in the middle of the night.