Open Operator Station Stereo's - what are you using? Anyone tried a bluetooth amp?

[woodlandfarms]

Jim, here is my system...

Amazon.com: 3M Peltor Listen-Only Headset, MP3 and 2-Way Radio Compatible: Home Improvement

Of course there are various versions of this but I was looking for the ones I could plug in.

I then velcroed this to the side of the headset.

Britelink Bluetooth Audio Receiver: Portable, Bluetooth Music Receiver with Stereo Output (3.5 mm)f - Rakuten.com

I have found these for less (like around $15) but it was what came up in my first google search. Works pretty good. in reality, thought, while the noise is cancelled out the headphones powered this way are not as loud music wise as I would like.

Hope this helps a bit in your search.

 

[M5farms]

I use a standard pair of ear buds and the HF ear muff. You can still hear the tractor and equipment but its a much more manageable level. I just tune into Pandora and go to work.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I just use the Peltor Work Tunes. YEars ago, I went to a thrift store and bought some Big Old Stereo Headphones, the kind that went out of favour and are now coming back. Plugged those into some little shirt pocket AM/FM radio. The cord was always a PITA!

Love the Peltors except the antenna is always going into the fan when getting into and out of my wheel loader cab! I put a stereo in that, but the machine is too loud to be of any use as you are sitting right on top of the motor!

 

[Jim Timber]

I have some Sennheiser's that are good for around -26db and my wife hates them because I'm in my own little world wearing them and she can't nag or interrupt what I'm listening to or doing while wearing them. Sadly, those have a jumbo coiled cord and would be awful in the woods.

The little BT dongle thing Woodlandfarms posted is very interesting. Once I see how things shake out with me cutting more than a couple hours a day, I'll reevaluate how things are working and go from there. Having tunes on the tractor will be handy for more than just skidding logs, so it's something I'd like to get done.

 

[Richard]

I don't do the bluetooth thing.

I use an Ipod. I have some Klipsch Custom 3 in ear monitors for listening. Those alone will knock out a lot of the ambient noise. I then wear a pair of -30 db Peltor (over) ear muffs and now, the external sound is just a background sound and all I hear is the music.

This isn't 100% true.... my brother in law said he prefers nothing so he can hear if the machine has an issue. I tried to tell him that I can still hear the machine even if it is reduced by 30 db's and can still tell the difference between it humming alone and a stump getting caught in the cutter.

Works great for me. Put the Ipod in my pants pocket, cord under the shirt and off I go.

 

[Jim Timber]

Cord under shirt and phone in pocket leaves cord dangling at belt line and that's where it's getting snagged for me.

My RE Audio amp should arrive Tuesday.

I don't do Apple anything. They were the first to jump at the chance to give up your data to the feds. I know the gov't is going to get my data, but I'd like to think my service providers will at least make them work for it a little.

 

[Jim Timber]

Amp showed up today and I spent a little time playing with it in the driveway. I can get about 80' from it and then put a 24" silver maple between us and it'll start breaking up, but it's right back to it when I get around the tree. I haven't done a good line of sight test yet, because it's late at night and I'm not going to be that neighbor. I'll probably do that during the day tomorrow though.

So far, it behaves appropriately to how I'd like it to work. If Pandora is paused, it will play as soon as the amp pairs to the phone from being powered on. If Pandora is playing and the amp powers down, the BT pairing terminates and the phone's speaker will come on. So the only question left is whether it'll kick over to the phone's speaker if I get out of range or if it'll just break up and cut out until the signal is regained.

I also wonder about a better antenna for the amp. There's some reasonably priced modest gain antennas for 2.4Ghz that are made for outdoor installations. I'm looking into a local source for one to play with (so I can return it if it doesn't pan out).

 

[woodlandfarms]

I just saw these.... No experience with them but they could go under a set of muffs very easy. I just hate stuff in my ear

Amazon.com: Newest Stereo Smallest Wireless Invisible Bluetooth Mini Earphones Earbuds Headsets Headphones Support Hands-free Calling For iPhone Samsung Xiaomi Sony Lenovo HTC LG and Most Smartphone. (Black): Cell Phones & Accessories

 

[Jim Timber]

3.5hr's music time makes them a no go. I've done several 11 hour days of seat time, and I've only owned the machine since Feb.

 

[Jim Timber]

My RE Audio amp suffered the short life of the other poster on amazon - ended up not linking up on day two of testing. So it went back for a full refund.

Now I have some waterproof speakers and no amp. Back to the drawing board.