[brusk]

Gathering things to start my install in my RAV4. Picked up a Pioneer 4660NEX but remember I wasn't exactly impressed with the noise the microphone picked up on my last few vehicles. Is there a better microphone I can upgrade to?

 

[INFRNL]

I don't know why car manufacturers and HU manufacturers can't provide better mics or handsfree processing. I have a Kenwood and my wife always says something about the way it sounds or what not. My brother uses the built in mics of his vehicles and I can always tell when he's on it. How hard is it to make the system like a good quality noise cancelling headset. I have my own semi and drive for a living; we have headsets that are clear as day even with background noise, windows open, etc.

I'll be curious if there are better options but the actual system built into the HU might be the main source of the issue, IDK

 

[Mikescotland]

Had pretty same problem with my pioneer. I'm not sure what how on earth they deem the microphone they provide is alright with their head units. Quiet, etc etc.
I sorted it out by connecting Primo EM172. Successor now is EM272. They are capsule microphones with highest gain I could find. Allows me now to have it installed between sunvisors and not to have to shout when talking.
Connection is very simple, pioneer tip of the jack is a hot one, bearing power, so must be connected to the hot pin on the microphone. Sleeve on the jack doesn't bear the power, so ground pin on the mic.
Pioneer microphone input is in fact symmetrical with voltage applied to one of the signal line. Not the best combination with their original microphone or my solution but it works. I wanted to build an op amp symmetrical output preamp for the microphone for pioneer but after a few trials with Primo capsules and the fact I'm rarely on the phone if ever, I abandoned it. I might return to it because I remember the factory radio and mic were just outstanding compared to Pioneer.

Looking at the Bluetooth modules in pioneer and kenwood, they actually have two separate mic sets inputs. Bluetooth module dynamically and automatically can switch between them (passenger, driver etc). But, second input is not connected. Of course 😁

 

[brusk]

That sounds perfect, I can stick it in the factory spot above the head liner.

 

[Mikescotland]

That sounds perfect, I can stick it in the factory spot above the head liner.

Also remember to turn microphone gain at the headunit to max. This is done just once during an active call and HU remembers it. In my model during the first call I had to press "track next" to bring the value from default 1 to 3.

 

[brusk]

I'll have to check that out when I get things hooked up. I don't really talk on it much but I will use it for speech to text messaging.

 

[Mikescotland]

I'll have to check that out when I get things hooked up. I don't really talk on it much but I will use it for speech to text messaging.

BTW I've changed my pioneer headunit to older kenwood KDC-BT60U which has a Parrot BT module built in (like 12 years old). It's a night and day.. With this high sensitivity microphone that was "just" for pioneer i can now literally whisper and I'm understood over the phone.. Thank you Pioneer... 😂

 

[brusk]

I've been waiting a week for my EM272 which finally shipped today. I've got everything else ready to go I can't wait to see now it works.

 

[Mikescotland]

I've been waiting a week for my EM272 which finally shipped today. I've got everything else ready to go I can't wait to see now it works.

Great. Just an advise, if you plan to use it with already installed wire in the car, check polarity, tip of the 2.5mm is the hot wire and it will have around 2V and it must be soldered to + pin on the capsule (right side one).