Originally Posted by Cycletography

There's no irony here. Whether I have an external speaker or not has nothing to do with passing protocol / etiquette. If you call out your intention to pass at a normal volume and I don't hear you, that's on me. If you decide to not announce because I have music playing at a moderate volume or you just can't announce because you have an issue with your voice, that's on you. Perhaps you should get a bell or a horn so you can properly announce. Via your own acknowledgement, my ability to hear you (or not) has more to do with you than my music. Don't blame me for your problem.

I'm not really sure why some cyclists dislike external speakers (even when played at volumes that do not compromise safety). Perhaps Reflector Guy can shed some light on this "Puritanical" opinion. My working hypothesis is that some cyclists are just stuck in their ways and are pretty closed-minded to anything that does not conform to their rigid expectations of what other people are supposed to be doing (or not doing) on their bikes.