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Avionics

Audio Panel Upgrades: PS Engineering is Tops

In the old days, audio panels were simple devices that allowed the use of headphones and handled switching and separation of the communications radios. These days, audio panels are audio control hubs handling radios, patching through traffic and terrain alerts, supplying the intercom and controlling cabin entertainment. Its not so important to choose one brand over the other. Its all in the installation and how fancy you want to get with entertainment.If we can offer a single piece of advice on any audio system upgrade its this: Dont skimp on the wiring. In the high-stakes game of cabin audio, shortcuts are unacceptable. Forget about chopping the connector from an old Narco CP135 audio panel and wiring up the new hardware. The same is true for most older intercom systems. This will drive up the cost-$4000 for the parts and labor isn't unreasonable-but thats what it takes for crystal-clear sound.

Larry Anglisano
Verified

In the old days, audio panels were simple devices that allowed the use of headphones and handled switching and separation of the communications radios. These days, audio panels are audio control hubs handling radios, patching through traffic and terrain alerts, supplying the intercom and controlling cabin entertainment.

Its not so important to choose one brand over the other. Its all in the installation and how fancy you want to get with entertainment.

Audio Panel Upgrades

If we can offer a single piece of advice on any audio system upgrade its this: don’t skimp on the wiring. In the high-stakes game of cabin audio, shortcuts are unacceptable. Forget about chopping the connector from an old Narco CP135 audio panel and wiring up the new hardware. The same is true for most older intercom systems. This will drive up the cost-$4000 for the parts and labor isn’t unreasonable-but thats what it takes for crystal-clear sound.

Garmin reliablity

Weve always been impressed with the feel and look of the bezel, rotary knobs and the selector buttons on the Garmin panels. They offer a positive, high-quality feel. The green LED annunciator lighting built into each button tells you what is active at a glance.

The GMA340 has been a hugely popular choice in panels, especially during GNS 400- and 500-series upgrades. The GMA340 has an integral intercom that supports up to six seats, with independent volume and squelch control for pilot and copilot (all passenger volume is on a single control), and there’s isolation for the pilot or both front seats. It supports three comm radios (the extra could be for a UHF radio or a cell phone), two inputs for aural warnings, two entertainment inputs and an integral marker beacon with lights.

In our view, the GMA340 is a capable and reliable panel, but not the best for entertainment. Whenever someone speaks on the intercom or there’s a radio transmission, the music automatically mutes. This can be a nuisance with chatty passengers.

There’s a modification available that provides a mute inhibit feature, but it requires a panel-mounted switch and extra wiring. Discuss this with your installing shop beforehand, as adding this feature when its all back together is far from practical.

Upgrading to the GMA347 (see May 2006 Aviation Consumer) adds an automatic squelch (with reversion to manual squelch), a full-duplex cell-phone interface and a digital voice recorder. The cell phone interface allows private phone calls by isolating the intercom station making the call, and the recorder can replay the last

Larry Anglisano

Editor in Chief Larry Anglisano has been a staple at Aviation Consumer since 1995. An active land, sea and glider pilot, Larry has over 30 years’ experience as an avionics repairman and flight test pilot. He’s the editorial director overseeing sister publications Aviation Safety magazine, IFR magazine and is a regular contributor to KITPLANES magazine with his Avionics Bootcamp column.