I want a Noise Cancelling Headset...

[hopz]

Yes, I have googled the subject and find that there are some products available that uniformly fail to work.

 

Bose makes active noise cancellation earphones, why can't we get the same sort of product in a motorcycle helmet? Plus one with Bluetooth connectivity to the GPS and also has passenger intercom- also bluetooth.

 

Each and every item in such a setup already exists- do we know any systems integrators out there?

 

People will pay for this... I know I would.

 

Ear plugs do not work for me because I have a goofy shaped ear channel courtesy of the U.S. Army... besides, if I get a really effective plug... I cannot hear my headset.

 

Any thoughts?

[Bill_Walker]

I'm thinking a true noise-canceling set would cancel some noises that you WANT to hear, but since I've never used a good one, I don't know. Any pilots here? They'd be the ones to know.

 

Have you tried custom plugs with in-ear speakers like Arizona Al's? A lot of us use them and find they work great.

[Eric S]

I have a set of Westone custom made in-ear monitors. They are not cheap, but you will continue to pay the idiot tax on things that just don't work until you get them. These are not the earphones with the "mushroom" ends. This is where you get a mold made of your inner ear. If they are made right they can be worn for hours on end without discomfort - get a poorly fit pair and they are a bitch. The key is getting a good mold made.

 

For example when I got my first pair of custom made ear plugs (non earphones, just protection), I went to a local place to get the mold made but they did not do a good job. Leaks in the fit means noise creeps in. When I got the Westones made, I was at a music industry convention and they stuck a foam spacer in my mouth that was about 1" thick. This opens up the ear cavity and then they squirt in the fast set mold gunk. These are what I have:

http://www.westone.com/content/192.html

This type is much less expensive than the fully formed kind (e.g. http://www.westone.com/content/135.html), but they will protrude a little from your ear so your helmet will have to have a decent ear cavity. And don't waste your time on single driver, get at least dual drivers for much better sound. You will be sitting in your own little world of comfort!

[hopz]

Thanks for the tip... part of my specification is bluetooth connection to the GPS and to the Passenger. Looks like this brand, while efficient, is a passive ear bud that connects with wires to a source.

 

If I wanted wires I would go to an Autocomm system with custom ear pieces.

 

Bill... yes, true cancellation might cancel some desirable sounds, but even with a Bose earphone you can hear the human voice. I just want to knock out the wind noise at cruise speed on an all day ride... while still hearing the passenger and the GPS.

 

All this may be impossible but... still, I'm just askin'.

[der Wanderer]

No reason you could not connect the bluetooth to in-ear plugs. Those are independent issues (but you may need to adjust plugs/connect the right wires).

 

I have tried every noise cancelling solution available commercially I think. I still prefer by far well-done passive noise attenuation. Removes more noise and just works (even if you don't have power, etc).

 

Noise cancellation only removes specific frequencies (mostly lower), and is a complex task. Passive attenuation works across a broader range of frequencies and is rather simple.

[Selden]

ANC technology may have improved to a point where my comments are obsolete, but I doubt it. I had an early ANC headset, and found that it worked quite well in airports, on airplanes, and in other places where the background noise was relatively constant. When I tried using it in an automobile, the dynamics of sounds in that environment were more than the electronics could deal with, leading to some very unpleasant artifacts -- ANC was actually worse than nothing with the windows open. I would expect a motorcycle helmet to be an even worse environment, due to wind blast. I just don't think ANC is feasible (at an acceptable cost) for a motorcycle helmet.

 

Foam earplugs are hard to beat for effectiveness and cost.

[Pennys Dad]

Find Arizona Al and get plugs from him. The plugs will be custom to your ear and you can get straight plugs or you can get plugs that allow music. I use mine when I travel on airplanes and when I ride.