What is your favorite Audio Panel?

[WDD]

What is your favorite Audio Panel to drive two coms? Simplicity is appreciated, outer/middle/inner markers not needed, blue tooth nice to have, and plays well with GARMIN mandatory. I will probably never in my life ever listen to a nav frequency. Don’t have a speaker in the plane or a separate hand held mic. My pilot isolation function of choice is to tell people to be quiet.

GARMIN or PS ?

GARMIN 350, 345?

 

[RussR]

My pilot isolation function of choice is to tell people to be quiet.

You discount this, but in my experience this is one of the best, most useful, and safety-enhancing features of any audio panel.

 

[WDD]

You discount this, but in my experience this is one of the best, most useful, and safety-enhancing features of any audio panel.

That … I would not have guessed. Do you use it for mostly when people are in back seat or when significant other is in right seat?

 

[Jesse Saint]

My go-to favorite is the PMA8000G.

 

[mscheuer]

What is your favorite Audio Panel to drive two coms? Simplicity is appreciated, outer/middle/inner markers not needed, blue tooth nice to have, and plays well with GARMIN mandatory. I will probably never in my life ever listen to a nav frequency. Don’t have a speaker in the plane or a separate hand held mic. My pilot isolation function of choice is to tell people to be quiet.

GARMIN or PS ?

GARMIN 350, 345?

Hi WDD! While this post is 2 years old, I think it is still relevant. Being focused on audio control only has allowed us to provide solutions that don't have any "surprises" and an easy to use interface.

Garmin GMA 350/35 vs PS Engineering PMA 450

My 310 has a GMA 340 now. I’m not entirely happy with the audio quality. I’m going to overhaul the panel soon, so now is my chance to go with a remote audio panel or stick with the panel cutout and slide in a new audio panel when my bank account heals a bit. Can anyone here give a PIREP from...

www.pilotsofamerica.com

Thanks for asking the question WDD
Mark Scheuer
PS Engineering

 

[RussR]

That … I would not have guessed. Do you use it for mostly when people are in back seat or when significant other is in right seat?

All of the above and more.

Wife is trying to comfort young daughter who is crying/fussing/etc while on final. Isolate pilot.
Passengers want to talk about the game/movies/beer/whatever and keep stepping on ATC. Isolate pilot.
Passengers want to listen to XM's Prime Country channel while you're more of a Hair Nation type. Isolate pilot.
(Stereotype warning) You and a buddy in front, wife and buddy's wife in back, neither gender wants to listen to the other. Isolate with crew/pax split.

I have more than once just turned on isolate so that I could concentrate or hear ATC instructions.

 

[WDD]

What panel do you have?

 

[Hang 4]

PMA 450 in a heartbeat. Agree with all that isolate button is a key feature. Also don't need a BT headset, has a USB C charger port, tons of other features. All the rest of panel is Garmin, no issues compatibility wise.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

What is your favorite Audio Panel to drive two coms? Simplicity is appreciated, outer/middle/inner markers not needed, blue tooth nice to have, and plays well with GARMIN mandatory. I will probably never in my life ever listen to a nav frequency. Don’t have a speaker in the plane or a separate hand held mic. My pilot isolation function of choice is to tell people to be quiet.

GARMIN or PS ?

GARMIN 350, 345?

If you want the thing where you can talk to your panel, Garmin 350c. It's what I've got, and it's cool to be able to say "Show Traffic" and have the GTN 750 switch over.
Also, if you have a GTN and you don't want physical buttons, you want to control the audio panel from the touchscreen on the GTN, that will require Garmin.

For anything else, PS Engineering is the way to go. They do only one thing, and they do it very well.

 

[WDD]

Seems to be tilting to PS

 

[RussR]

What panel do you have?

None, I don't own, but speaking generically about the isolate function. Most will have at least pilot/crew/all settings.

 

[a572mike]

PS Engineering. I have a PAR 200B in my 182, but in your situation I'd go with a PMA 450C.

 

[asicer]

plays well with GARMIN mandatory.

It's an audio panel. Anything plays well with everything.

That said, I'd go with PMA-450B. Here's why:

 

[MackMooney]

love love love my PMA8000G, could see a PMA450c but i still haven't used all the capabilities of the 8000

 

[WDD]

Shoot - PS seems to be everybody’s favorite.

 

[asicer]

Passengers want to listen to XM's Prime Country channel while you're more of a Hair Nation type. Isolate pilot.

PMA450B has 4 different music inputs, 2 wired plus 2 Bluetooth. Each seat can have its own music source.

Passengers want to talk about the game/movies/beer/whatever and keep stepping on ATC. Isolate pilot.

PMA450B has a mode where the pilot can hear everything but passengers can't hear the radio. And with HRTF (dimensional audio, IntelliAudio, 3D audio), it's easier to listen to 2 different conversations.

 

[WDD]

What music source would you hard wire in?

 

[asicer]

What music source would you hard wire in?

A 3.5mm jack.

 

[Pinecone]

I just picked my plane up from a major avionics upgrade. 10" and 7" G3X Touch, G-5, GFC-500, GTN-750Xi and GTN-650Xi, GTX-345R, WX500m'

My choice for audio panel. PS Engineering 450B.

 

[DreadPirateWill]

I just picked my plane up from a major avionics upgrade. 10" and 7" G3X Touch, G-5, GFC-500, GTN-750Xi and GTN-650Xi, GTX-345R, WX500m'

My choice for audio panel. PS Engineering 450B.

We recently did similar in our R182. 2x 10" G3X touch, G5, GFC500, GNX375, GTR20, GNC255... and a PS Engineering PMA 450B. I've barely touched a lot of the functionality of it yet. So far my only very minor squawk is the auto squelch is a bit higher than I'm used to on other gear I fly. Minor thing to get used to really.

 

[bnt83]

Have two PM8000BTs. Will buy PS Engineering again

 

[WDD]

I guess the question is PMA 450B or C?

 

[SebIp]

What music source would you hard wire in?

Turn table? If you can’t scratch at altitude, what is the point of the audio panel?

 

[Ed Haywood]

The built-in one in my GTR 225.

 

[mscheuer]

We recently did similar in our R182. 2x 10" G3X touch, G5, GFC500, GNX375, GTR20, GNC255... and a PS Engineering PMA 450B. I've barely touched a lot of the functionality of it yet. So far my only very minor squawk is the auto squelch is a bit higher than I'm used to on other gear I fly. Minor thing to get used to really.

Hi Dread Pirate Will, thanks for the kind words. You can adjust the IntelliVox from the front panel. If you can give me a call, I'll be happy to send you the instructions. You simply take the audio panel out, flip a switch, reinstall the 450B and then use the document I will send you to adjust the sensitivity and the trip level. This is typically never necessary but in this case, it sounds like it is.

 

[asicer]

I guess the question is PMA 450B or C?

Basically comes down to whether you think you would tweak the 3D audio settings (450B) or if you think the factory got it right and want to save $200 (450C).

Remember, the "C" stands for "cheap".

 

[mscheuer]

Basically comes down to whether you think you would tweak the 3D audio settings (450B) or if you think the factory got it right and want to save $200 (450C).

Remember, the "C" stands for "cheap".

Lower cost, not cheap (LOL). The is a $400 difference in Minimum Advertised Price (MAP).

When I was a young engineer with Hewlett Packard back in the 80's, HP stood for High Price. Cheap to me makes me think of something that lacks quality. So thanks to your text....I thoughtfully came up with what PS could stand for "Premium Solutions" at a reasonable price. OK, so I'm not a marketeer!

Couldn't resist in chiming in Asicer.....appreciate your kind words (and dropping the YouTube SoCal Flying Monkey video!)

 

[flyingron]

I was always fond of my old KMA24 with all the buttons.

 

[DreadPirateWill]

Hi Dread Pirate Will, thanks for the kind words. You can adjust the IntelliVox from the front panel. If you can give me a call, I'll be happy to send you the instructions. You simply take the audio panel out, flip a switch, reinstall the 450B and then use the document I will send you to adjust the sensitivity and the trip level. This is typically never necessary but in this case, it sounds like it is.

Thanks Mark! Sent contact@ an email.
Cheers, Will

 

[WDD]

So...... PS Audio Panel ..... Fan club, or .....

 

[asicer]

Lower cost, not cheap (LOL). The is a $400 difference in Minimum Advertised Price (MAP).

When I was a young engineer with Hewlett Packard back in the 80's, HP stood for High Price. Cheap to me makes me think of something that lacks quality. So thanks to your text....I thoughtfully came up with what PS could stand for "Premium Solutions" at a reasonable price. OK, so I'm not a marketeer!

Couldn't resist in chiming in Asicer.....appreciate your kind words (and dropping the YouTube SoCal Flying Monkey video!)

Ha! Sorry. I meant "C stands for Cost-reduced".