Are all audio panels pretty much equal?

FORANE

FORANE

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FORANE
I have been chasing comm troubles lately and considering replacing my old Collins AMR350.

Are all current generation audio panels pretty much equal quality? I understand features on individual models will vary. Are the current generation audio panels any better than older yet functional audio panels such as the Collins AMR350?
 
Still enough variety to encourage strong competition in this space.

But if I owned an aircraft and was shopping for an audio panel, I'd take a good look at the PS Engineering 8000 series. http://www.ps-engineering.com/PMA8000B_Series.shtml Lots of good features, and enough happy installations to call it a good choice for the money.

The other one you will see frequently is the Garmin 340 https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/in-the-air/avionics-safety/audio-panels/gma-340/prod93.html Also a good choice.
 
I currently use the garmin audio panel however I always liked the ps engineering audio panels.
 
I'm also wondering if they aren't pretty much equal.

If you can talk on the radio, talk with your PAX, listen to the ATIS, and listen to the NAV identifier -- what else really matters?
 
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The aux inputs and music seem to be a big deal now.

NoHeat said:
I'm also wondering if they aren't pretty much equal.

If you can talk on the radio, talk with your PAX, listen to the ATIS, and listen to the NAV identifier -- what else really matters?
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And to address your question of old vs. new. Yes, the new ones are worth it in terms of auto-squelch, monitoring capability, inputs available, and noise reduction.

I had the PS8000B installed and there isn't really a comparison to the original equipment audio panel. In addition to full cellphone connection, it has numerous switched and unswitched inputs to cover the full range of available equipment and toys. I've even got a "*****'n Betty" altitude etc. alerter.
 
Evidently, or people wouldn't be swapping out the old ones that do all the stuff you mentioned for the new ones that do the other stuff too.

NoHeat said:
Yes, but do they really matter?
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I flew for 21 years behind a KMA20 and switched over to a PS Engineering 8000BT. Never knew what I was missing out on until I made my first call to a remote CD using a Bluetooth phone connection from the 8000BT to my headset. The ability to have passengers listen to a second music source while crew is working the radios and listening to their own music source is really nice. Or to have everyone but the pilot (me) on the intercom is nice when concentrating on an approach. Nice built in additional features as well.

When I got quotes, I did ask each avionics shop which unit they preferred. All of them picked the PS Engineering unit.
 
There are minor features differences between the PS and Garmin panels, so check the details to see if those differences matter to you. However, having flown a good bit with both, they are both close enough and good enough that you won't go wrong with either. And there really isn't any other viable third choice today for light planes.
 
If I had it to do over again, I'd stay away from the POS Garmin. It works fine when it works, but Garmin's repair policy is egregious on this. If you don't mind being AOG when the thing turns all your com into sounding like a kazoo, go for it.

Frankly, I'm beginning to wish I kept my old KMA24 (the one with all those cute buttons).
It has the BEST UI compared to the goofy way montioring additional channels work on most of the so-called "modern" replacenents.
 
I like (but rarely use doing nearly all my flying single pilot) the split comm function on my garmin. When flying with a second pilot (or trustworthy non pilot) it is nice to be able to get the weather while still being able to talk on comm 1
 
One of the reasons I haven't changed. The panel has an input for the XM (and probably other stuff as well but I don't use it and don't care) that provides muting for ATC, so I want a new own but can't figure out why I should spend the money. The Bose has a bluetooth for the phone but I haven't used that either. Or maybe I have to plug it in.


flyingron said:
If I had it to do over again, I'd stay away from the POS Garmin. It works fine when it works, but Garmin's repair policy is egregious on this. If you don't mind being AOG when the thing turns all your com into sounding like a kazoo, go for it.

Frankly, I'm beginning to wish I kept my old KMA24 (the one with all those cute buttons).
It has the BEST UI compared to the goofy way montioring additional channels work on most of the so-called "modern" replacenents.
Click to expand...
 
Well I just bought a PMA8000BT. My system likely needed to be rewired anyway as when I turn on the power to comm 1 the volume on comm 2 will drop by about 50%. I have been happy with my old PS engineering intercom the PM 1000 II and I like the bluetooth feature for the ability to pick up clearance with my phone. Hope the quality of the audio will improve with the new audio panel.

Looks like a will have an old audio panel and intercom to sell soon.
 
Once installed and flown a few times, be sure to report back with the results!
 
Is the new Avidyne AMX240 available yet? http://www.avidyne.com/products/amx240/index.asp


AXP340-3-4-450.jpg
 
FORANE said:
I have been chasing comm troubles lately and considering replacing my old Collins AMR350.

Are all current generation audio panels pretty much equal quality? I understand features on individual models will vary. Are the current generation audio panels any better than older yet functional audio panels such as the Collins AMR350?
Click to expand...
All the current audio panels are significantly improved over your AMR350. First and foremost is the inclusion of a stereo intercom. Your AMR350 simply routes the radio headphone outputs through switches to the aircraft headset jacks without any buffer amplifiers so the output is greatly affected by the impedance of the headphones and the volume level can change when you select more than one source at the same time.

The best units (PMA 8000 series and Garmins GMA350 feature auto squelch for the intercom channel and most include the ability to connect an iPod or phone with a wire or via Bluetooth. Personally I favor the PS Engineering brand as they've consistently outdone all the others and their prices are competitive.
 
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I just got a PS Engineering PMA7000B installed in mine about a month ago and it is exceptionally good. Highly recommended.
 
NoHeat said:
I'm also wondering if they aren't pretty much equal.

If you can talk on the radio, talk with your PAX, listen to the ATIS, and listen to the NAV identifier -- what else really matters?
Click to expand...
CD player, and audio inputs?
 
Kainalu said:
I just got a PS Engineering PMA7000B installed in mine about a month ago and it is exceptionally good. Highly recommended.
Click to expand...

I have the PS Engineering 6000, very happy with it for 5 years now.

It has a plug to put my ipod into and listen to easy music while monitoring the comms.
 
FORANE said:
I have been chasing comm troubles lately and considering replacing my old Collins AMR350.

Are all current generation audio panels pretty much equal quality? I understand features on individual models will vary. Are the current generation audio panels any better than older yet functional audio panels such as the Collins AMR350?
Click to expand...

They are all pretty much the same except the RST Engineering series, and they are head and shoulders above everybody.

:goofy:(Just kidding, folks.)
 
AggieMike88 said:
Once installed and flown a few times, be sure to report back with the results!
Click to expand...
OK
I just picked up the plane today after audio panel install. I have only flown it once so far and only for a short reposition.
Tremendous improvement in audio quality! To be fair, I may have had poor wiring and or bad connections on my existing panel the AMR 350. I had frequent squelch break on the Garmin 430 - gone now. I had low volume on the 430 when the other com was on - gone now.
I have not tried the bluetooth phone connection yet but sure will soon as that is one feature I intend to use.
I underestimated the value of a good audio panel prior to this install.
 
I replaced the ancient KMA-20 audio panel in my Warrior with a PS Engineering 8000BT, and would do so again in a heartbeat. My old King audio panal also had the "one radio gets quieter when the other is selected" issue - a common problem on old audio panels with amplified and unbalanced inputs.

One not-often mentioned feature that I used meaningfully for the first time on a recent 3000+ mile trip was the digital playback feature, which let's you replay previous transmissions that you might have missed, for example when your passengers are talking on the intercom and Center calls you, but you did not catch everything they said. Priceless.

And until you have flown a trip longer than an hour and realized the value of bluetooth connectivity to your phone or tablet, well just wait. Oh, and ForeFlight can then announce the runway incursion warnings straight to your intercom. Bonus level achieved.
 
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+1 for PS Engineering. They're the tier 1 maker of all things audio panel and intercom these days.
 
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