Car is a spec E46, so caged, noisy, no windows. Road course with instructor or passenger.
Helmet currently has no built in speakers/mic, though I'm not opposed to adding them (generally do it with my motorcycle helmets for Bluetooth communicators), or I could be talked into just buying a helmet with integrated speakers/mic.
Driver is going deaf. I like to wear foam ear plugs in both ears, but I've found that some instructors comms are not loud/clear enough to hear over the ear plugs, so I end up wearing one in one ear and not the other, and I still can't hear comms at certain speeds/RPM. Looking to have a solution in the car that I know works for me, with ear plugs in, and I will either have an IMSA cord for instructor/passenger helmet, or the standard "student" shove-in speaker/boom mic.
Speedcom box for ~$150 looked like a reasonable solution, but I don't know what I don't know. Is there something better? What else should I be considering? Will any "permanent" box require a PTT button vs what I'm used to (you just talk, no buttons). What's used in amateur rally cars? They're probably loud, and there's lots of talking required between the two seats in rally, right?
Are you the instructor or student? With our clubs (BMW CCA) the instructor will provide the intercom system.
Having said that even if you don't need to supply the full intercom you can still get your helmet setup best for you. I think for your race car and hearing issues earbuds will work best for you cutting down on car noise while being able to hear your passenger. I bought my helmet kit from raceradiosdirect.com which has a few options, I just went with speaker style as I'm in my street car. Note that it looks like the also carry the same intercom as speedcom for $10 less. If you are doing a setup for a passenger I feel like the Trac-com helmet boom is best for just shoving into a helmet, you can get them with IMSA connectors too.
When I did my setup last year I tried the Zero Noise Brave as they really talk up their noise filters hoping that would cut out some of the wind noise in my car on track and make it easier to hear. Frankly, I don't think it was any better than the Trac-com systems I had been using with my instructors and it's not as loud as I'd been hoping. I'd probably give one of those Speedcom/Raceradiosdirect intercoms a try though and might buy one still as I'm pretty disappointed with the Zero Noise.
In reply to adam525i :
I'm firmly student, and yes, instructors all provide comms, but quality (and comfort) of what's provided varies wildly. Last weekend I had a great instructor that I could only hear if I spent half a lap off pace/a gear high, for example.
Trying to have something in the car that I know works for me.
Like Adam, I was going to recommend getting earbuds that use hearing aid tranducers. I have them for my endurance racing radio and they're amazing in addition to being proper ear plugs. Just be really careful that you always start with the volume low, as they get painfully loud quick depending on your source.
Since it sounds like you need to provide your own solution, I'd talk to GRM Sponsor (I believe?) HMS Motorsports and see about getting a Trac Com setup how you like it, and then either have a spare boom mic setup for your instructor or a IMSA/NASCAR plug adapter.
That said, I use motorcycle intercoms and they work well even fully caged cars, but I don't use ear plugs when I'm instructing so that'll be a wash.
In reply to WonkoTheSane :
I guess my concern with earbuds is just making sure what I have for earbuds is compatible with what instructor sits down with 10 minutes before the first session.
Are there many choices for plug types among the popular communicators for track days? And what about the mic side of things?
I have a similar level of noise in my race car (E46 M3 in ST4), and for my radio headset I use OSHA-approved "christmas-tree" style hearing protection with built-in speakers. They're basically designed so that a guy operating a jackhammer can listen to tunes while doing it, and they work pretty well:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078YFYJFT
I guess with your current situation having the intercom hard mounted in the car with it powered by 12V would actually be a really nice setup. I'd get it setup with IMSA connectors but have Stilo and Trac-Com adapters handy so your instructor can just plug in and go. That would probably take care of 95% of the people jumping in the right seat and they'd appreciate not having to hold onto the intercom out on track.
Alternatively, Just get your helmet setup with the mic and earbuds on an IMSA connector (the mic harness will have a male IMSA plug to go to the intercom and a 3.5mm female port where the earbuds would plug into) and then grab some adapters so you can plug into a variety of intercoms that they will supply.
Here are some adapters and hear are some pinouts of the various plug setups.
