Garmin 2720: is the speaker volume low?

[rdwalker]

Did any of you try out the 2720 with cigarette-lighter plug speaker? It appears to me that the speaker volume is quite low – I am curious if this is just a characteristic of the text-to-speech design or if I have a bad unit.

This weekend I started playing with my new 2720. I still have the 2610, which allows me to compare them side by side. I did not get yet a chance to use the motorcycle kit audio cable; I used use cigarette-lighter speaker, swapping both speakers to assure that they are not a factor.

The 2720 has a different volume control (0-100%), as opposed to the 1-10 scale of the 2610. Beyond that, I would expect the volume control to work the same way, but it seems to be much less proportional than the older design: 100% setting seems to exceed capabilities of the speaker and distorts the output, while going just to 80% makes the audio a lot quieter – subjectively maybe by a half.

In general, I found that the 2720 audio is lower and more distorted than that on the 2610. Even pre-recorded voices on the 2720 not as loud and clear as on the 2610 (only pre-recorded, of course).

The TTS (Text-To-Speech) voices on the 2720 are worse yet: lower and not very intelligible.

I do understand that speech synthesis will give radically different sound than recorded utterances. I would live with lower quality voice in order to have the convenience of hearing street names, but the problem is that at almost maximum setting I barely hear and understand navigation prompts over car noise and music - never a problem with the older unit. Setting speed volume control to highest did not seem to help much.

What is your experience with that? How about direct audio over motorcycle-kit cable, is it any better?

Regards, Robert.

[jackd]

I don't have any direct experience with either unit but you have two newer GPS units. I would have expected that the only difference between them would have been that the newer model would be at least as good but hopefully it would be noticeably better, not the other way around.

Technology increases should have improved both the manufactured and prerecorded speech.

I would suggest a call to Garmin just because of the reduced volume levels. If there is an issue with the audio driver or hardware that would possibly show up as distortion or volume issues.

[JATownsend]

I use a 2720 in my van with the car kit and on the LT via an AutoCom Pro 1 intercom system. It works every bit as well or better than my SPIII did in both vehicles.

The required volume settings are different for each application, but the voice is crisp and clear either through the helmet earphones on the LT or from the cig-speaker. No muffled or distorted voice is apparent.

Perhaps you need to adjust the volume more critically or perhaps there is an issue with your unit. I have had good results with Garmin Tech Support in the past...many have not...if your problem persists, contact them. Good luck!

[messenger13]

FWIW, my 2720 has less volume output than my old 2610. In the cage I used to run the 2610 on '7'. On the 2720, I run it at 90%.

[rdwalker]

My experience is similar. I used to run on 5 or 6-setting on the 2610, but the similar setting on the 2720 seems to be 90-100%.

I think that, as per other suggestions, I will be writing a note to Garmin tonight.

R.

[wilbar00c]

Robert, have you gone to; Menu/Volume/Settings/; my 2730 has 7 choices, the first is Audio Output, and the last is; Audio Jack/Headphone or Line Out. I have a Internal Speaker or FM choice which you do not have with the 2720.
On the bike I seem to get a signal strength difference when I am using the side port for Audio Out (for headphones or line out) and I chose different "Audio Settings".

I'm guessing that by internal speaker Garmin means the speaker in the power cord that you are discussing! See if different settings make a difference. Barnett

[messenger13]

Then again, I am using the same cig lighter speaker I did with my 2610. Tomorrow, I'm going to try the one that came with my 2720 and see if that makes any difference.

[messenger13]

Today, I used the cig lighter speaker that came with my 2720 for the first time. I've been using the old one that came with my 2610. My first observation was that the new unit's speaker is larger by about .5" (see attachment). It also has a greater dynamic range (higher fidelity). This makes sense as Garmin's new units are becoming more involved in music audio, i.e. mp3s and satellite radio. But as for a volume difference, I'd say it still is not quite as loud as the old cig lighter speaker.

The 2720 does not have the same audio settings that the 2730 and 2820 units have. The only other setting we have besides the volume is the 'Speed Adjusted Volume' setting. Playing with this setting may yield better results.

I have found that the audio output from the 2720 is of better quality though. The 2610 was mostly all mid-range, whereas the 2720 has some nice bass and treble to it.

As for the TTS voices for the 2720. I found most of them sounded very robotic. But I did settle on "Emily", one of the British-American voices. She's pretty good. And the extra information that the TTS voice gives you is worth the sacrifice in natural phonetics. "Emily" can be downloaded on this page (http://www.garmin.com/support/collection.jsp?product=010-00408-02).

FWIW, both the 2610 and 2720 are too loud for my IntaRide intercom's input. Even on the lowest setting of either unit, the sound was terribly distorted. But using a $6 inline volume control took care of that issue easy/cheap enough.



http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=9552

[rdwalker]

Hi, Joe: thanks for your note.

Indeed, cigarette-lighter speakers are different between the 2610 and 2720 - that is why I tried all combinations in my initial expereiments, but did not find much difference.

I do have the newest voice files and find that the 2720 has lower fidelity, both with prerecorded and with text-to-speech output (although that may be a matter of personal perception).

I did send a note to Garmin - will let you know if they reply.

Regards, R.