How to install microphone to work with VLine VL2 System

[admin]

Depending on your vehicle, you might need to install the aftermarket microphone, to work with GROM VLine VL2 system. If your setup requires the external microphone, it is included with the VLine VL2 system kit.

The microphone needs to be positioned so it is away from noise, and there is nothing obstructing the sound. We created the video that provides the tips for the installation of the microphone into the VLine VL2 system. Please check here:

https://youtu.be/CafflZKsV6E

[kaws]

Is it possible to supply the VLite mic input with a line output? I am using stock microphone placement in my 2001 GS Lexus and it is pretty far from driver (50 cm)
So even 99 mic gain does not make my voice loud enough. I have put a VLite supplied microphone capsule into stock mic housing and it's still very bad
I am thinking about adding a mic amplifier. What voltage level would be acceptable by the unit?

[admin]

You first need to adjust the microphone gain, here is how to:
https://youtu.be/ODCCTMaSUM4

[kaws]

I know about the gain, and as I already mentioned

So even 99 mic gain does not make my voice loud enough.

I will try different microphone capsule, but I still would like to know if VLite is fine with accepting Line Output from either amplifier, or active microphone through it's mic input.
Thanks

[Heath]

The VLine uses the amplified factory microphone in some vehicles, so there should be no issues with trying an amplified or active microphone. When you test it, I would recommend lowing the mic gain back down from 99-100% to around 30-40%. In some cases, you might have a great microphone signal, but the VLite's Microphone gain is too high and will cause some major audio clipping.

[kaws]

Thanks a lot for the reply, Heath

I still can't get a good sound even with an active amplification.
No matter what I try- microphone sound absolutely horrible (also super quiet if not amplified). It sound very "bassy", there is lots of lows, they resonate in a very unpleasant way. Mids are super low, so overall my voice sounds like I am speaking from a metal barrel.
It is actually so bad, that Siri has no clue what I am talking about, even simple "What time is it?" is replied with "There is nothing to repeat".
All of the mentioned above only applicable when engine is off. If engine is on, even just idling- microphone becomes simply unusable. Completely.

I have multiple solutions tried out, two self made phantom power-powered amplifiers (thought they are doing bad job), so I tried active solution- EDIROL UA-1EX



It is an external USB interface with "monitor" function (basically can function as an amplifier). It has proper microphone input and amplified headphone out (so it has no problem pushing trough Vlites mic input phantom power). It is an old, but somehow professional device that does an amazingly good job of extracting audio form $1 microphone. Recording audio with a PC through it results in a great recording with excellent voice quality. So i tried connecting it's headphone out to Vlite's mic input and... voice memos still sound like s... , veeeery bad

Of course I tried adjusting output level and gain.
So at this point I have no other suspects rather than VLite mic input itself.

The only way around it that I see is using external interface for microphone. I tried connecting mine to VLite's USB since it turned out to be Android compatible, Samsung test phone can recognize the interface and it treats it like a headset, routing both input and output through the USB interface. Mic also sound very good this way. I was hoping to get a similar result with VLite, but they were bit more interesting

It does recognize the sound card, it does recognize the input, but... instead of using it as new mic input- it monitors it . I can hear the mic in my speakers. But it does not use it for carplay or as mic at all.

So summarising all said above- it would be absolutely great if VLite could use external microphone input.

Routing also the output through it would additionally bump up the music quality, though, I understand it will require modifying the wiring by connecting L and R channels to respective RCAs, but I can totally handle that.

[kaws]

The update:

Another test later I am pretty sure standard microphone input has an upper frequency limit of about 500 Hz.
I have tried supplying it with microphone signal band of 1-4 kHz (this way voice sounds like an Airplane "Your captain Speaking" which is unnatural, but very clear and keep most of the car noise out), but it seems like VLite completely ignores that band, and that makes no sense, since those exact frequencies are responsible for voice clarity. And everything below 500 Hz is where engine sound, all the other nasty noises are.
Is it a software or hardware limitation? If software- can mic post-processing be disabled?

Thanks

[admin]

There should not be any problems using the microphone that we supply with VLite VT2 system standard package. Two most important factors that can affect the microphone function are:

1. The way you positioned the microphone. Make sure it is positioned towards you, and away from the street noises. If you drive with open windows, the microphone will pick up the street noise. Simply move the mic into a different location such as a gauge cluster.

2. Make sure you adjust the gain as shown here:
https://youtu.be/ODCCTMaSUM4

Do not set it to 99 as it will increase the noise pickup. For the aftermarket microphone such as the one we supply with The VLite VT2 system, we recommend setting the microphone gain to 45.

If you will keep experiencing troubles using the microphone with VLite VT2 system, contact our technical team at https://gromaudio.com/support.html We will help!