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Today is my 1st day driving with the STi. I notice that even with the volume turned all the way up, I can barely hear the alerts and I cannot hear the voice at all while my windows are down and stereo is on at a reasonable level. I do not have this problem with my V1. Has anyone else found this to be true?
Another brand new owner; I noticed the same thing. Also have a Solo and I thought they all would be similar in volume, but Solo could go much louder.
If the external speaker works then I'll install it and be happy, but living in VA I have to run in dark mode and rely on what I hear. I love everything about my V1 with remote display, but with Spectre showing up, I'm a little unsettled.
Use the external speaker..You'll be happy!!
I sure hope so. I have the volume turned full blast. I have an Infinit G35 and even stopped at a stop light, with my windows down and music at normal volumes I still could barely hear the voice alert and the tone wasn't loud at all. With the windows up it's very acceptable, but my V1's volume is tremendously louder. This detector is extremely quiet in comparison to my V1. It's actually scarey. I'm so used to my V1 going off like crazy when passing shopping areas. Even with the Bel on Highway or Autoscan is earily quiet when passing some of these areas. Until I run across some more LEO's, I won't be able to judge. I never realized how much nicer the V1's mount is. I'm able to get my V1 up very high on the windshield to a point that it's just barely visible from the rear of the car. The Bel sits lower and while you can't tell what it is, you know somethings there. The STi is a pig of a detector. It's just huge in comparison. I might go LEO hunting again tonight :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by mrcllusb
I also haven't installed the external speaker. Just a PIA if you ax me. Shouldn't have to have one.
I also am surprised by the eerie quiet in some shopping areas vs the Solo.
I'm still in the adjustment period, I guess.
Even on it's dimmest setting it sticks out like a sore thumb from behind the vehicle. I also have 30% tint on the rear. I must run this detector completely dark to remain stealth in VA. Although I really enjoy the quietness, I also realise it's quiet because it has a narrower field of view in comparison to my V1. We shouldn't be required to install an external speaker on a detector costing this much. The volume is unacceptable.
Will the external speaker be tremendously louder when it's located underneath the dash?
I live in Ontario and do the same thing.
I am sure none of you listen to music as loud as I do :lol:
And yes, it works great under the dash.
Hi Virion,Quote:
Originally Posted by Virion
The Bel external speaker is extremely loud. Its loudness with your STi set at minimum volume is about the same as the STi's internal speaker at maximum volume. Using the external speaker, you can increase the STi's volume setting to the point where the external speaker is piercing to the ear. You will have absolutely no problem hearing the external speaker if you mount it under your dash -- even with the windows open and with your car stereo turned up quite loud!
As for your STi being too bright even at night for VA use, tomorrow evening or this weekend I will post some simple modifications which you can do to dim it way down for nighttime use. One modification dims the display and button illumination, and the other modification will cause the STi to begin to darken in any conditions which are darker than a very overcast day. :)
Thank you! I am trying to like this detector. It's hard going from my V1 which has been nothing short of stellar. I have absolutely no complaints for the V1's performance. I find some shortcomings with the STi, one of which sounds like it will be resolved by the external speaker. That was a big one. Another is the STi's ramp up volume. It's bad. It only appears to have 2 speeds. I'm concerned about it's poor laser performance in comparison to my V1's. I've been lucky and received a few stray laser hits from cars close to me. Lastly, I need to find a way to mount it up a tad higher. My V1 fit flush to my headliner. The STi sits a few inches below the headliner. If I could get the mount to stick on the windshields minute bubble strip, I can get it to work. The bubble stip is only about 2 inches wide if that.
I have also run into the same issues listed above. I just sold my Cobra xrs9700 the other day to a friend and upgraded to the Bel rx65 pro. Lots of people knock the cobra's but I'll tell you what I kinda want to switch back to it. :x For starters the Bel's display wraps around the top which lets sunlight in and makes it harder to see unless you bump the brightness way up. Then there's that clumsy volume button that is a PITA, the cobra had a scrolling display that was cooler looking, the Bel's sound effects sound kinda gay, the voice alerts are WAY TOO QUIET on the Bel, there's no compass on the Bel (which helped me out quite a bit before) and as someone else noted you can see the display from 5 miles away even on low brightness and with the least amount of text displayed. Oh well I'll give it a little more time but so far $300 seems a little much of a waste and I maybe should have just kept the Cobra since it seemed to work just fine. Just my 2 cents.
Unless your in a state where they are illegal,why are folks so worried about how dim the display can get.I run my RX65 in the dimmest setting and it's just fine..I have it mounted at the top of my windshield behind my tint strip.In the new Milan,the rear of the vehicle sits high so no matter what you do,if your looking from the rear,you will see something,unless you run your detector in total dark like the STI has but the RX65 doesn't go to blackout.
I have my new STi on my motorcycle. I use in-ear speakers so the volume is fine. I like the announcement of "x band" or "k band". so far, so good.
I switched back to the V1 today because I longed for my arrows. I never noticed how many false alarms the V1 had. Even though I have automute at 4 led's, it's still annoying. The STi is phenominal with false alarms. I'm sure most of it has to do with the V1's superior off axis k band, but when it's a real radar source the STi seems to detect k band well.
I wish Bel used a female voice for the radar detection. That dudes voice is kind of scary. It's like he's gonna reach out and grab my junk, or try and make out with me.
LOL - My wife complained about the voice the other day.
She thought it was saying "Cave Man" (K-band)....too funny.
I dunno why they use a voice that deep.You would think they would sample a voice that's alot clearer.
You know I never noticed that with my Bels. Now a female voice would inspire that kind of thought, but then, I don't think I would mind :lol: :lol: :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by JUS2MCH
I had a Whistler once and it had a female voice. Then when I switched to Bel I was kind of disappointed to hear the dude talking to me. I don't think it would be very hard to change the voice. There is probably a good reason Bel went with the male voice, maybe it's because a good amount of the time when a woman starts talking all I hear is bla bla bla bla bla.