Helmet speakers with earplugs?

[TampaJim]

I've owned touring bikes with dashboard speaker systems and found that using earplugs actually helped hearing the music at highway speeds because it blocked out helmet wind roar.

 

Has anybody out there tried helmet speakers with earplugs and does it work?.

 

[Boffin]

Yes and yes.

 

Andy

[OoPEZoO]

Yes, I used helmet speakers with foam earplugs for years. Eventually I started blowing out the helmet speakers though because I had to run them at or close to 100% volume. Once I went wireless I decided to try a different route because having my wireless headset (Sena-SMH10) at max volume for hours on end really put a hurting on the battery life.

 

I ended up making myself a set of custom earplugs with earbuds molded into them. I've had them for about 5k miles now and I'm really pleased with the results. The earplugs do an excellent job of killing the ambient noise, and I can hear the sound much clearer than i ever could with helmet speakers. I can also keep the volume turned way down now, which allows me to ride all day without having to worry about killing the battery.

 

here are the DIY custom earbuds I bought. LINK

 

I like them so much, that I now also use them when traveling and for doing things around the house like mowing the lawn. I was riding around on the mower yesterday afternoon listening to the NFL through the data connection on my iPhone. Gotta love technology.

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Jim

 

Yes, I did for a while BUT when I stopped the bike or slowed down I found the helmet speaker volume was VERY HIGH so I quit using them.

 

All that volume was definitely going to harm my already marginal hearing.

 

It just seems to take so much speaker volume at higher speeds & all the noise so close to the ears is not a good thing.

 

 

 

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

What? Huh?

Actually, yes and yes. My Multitec is way too loud to ride without earplugs. Cardo Scala G4 Bluetooth connection from Zumo works out well.

 

No, I don't hear everything else but, I'll be able to hear for years longer.

[Caddis]

I use foam earplugs, and have a Cardo Scala Rider system with helmet speakers. This works great for me, and I don't have any problem with the volume change when riding vs. stopped. The volume level seems just about the same, as long as the speakers are pretty much up next to my ears.

[DiggerJim]

I use foam earplugs, and have a Cardo Scala Rider system with helmet speakers. This works great for me, and I don't have any problem with the volume change when riding vs. stopped. The volume level seems just about the same, as long as the speakers are pretty much up next to my ears.

The Scala has an automatic volume control based on the noise it "hears" so when you're going slower (or stopped) it's speaker volume is lower than when you're riding.

[Mrs. Caddis]

I pair up with Kevin (Caddis) but I did have trouble hearing with the foam plugs. Had Arizona Al make me a custom set of plugs that replace the speakers. One of the best purchases I have made for riding.

[kltk165]

I wear custom earplugs and have a J&M wired headset and a BMW Comm Bluetooth headset. The wired headset through the J&M JMCB-2003 CB/Audio system is more than enough to have quality audio and volume with the earplugs in.

 

With the wireless setup I have to run everything at full volume to have adequate audio/volume.

[BerndM]

Hey TampaJim

 

Here is what you need.

Very comfortable for hours even under a helmet and they cancel out virtually ALL outside noise and have fantastic audio quality.

These and an mp3 player and you will be very very happy

 

http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er6i.aspx

 

 

[OoPEZoO]

I wear custom earplugs and have a J&M wired headset and a BMW Comm Bluetooth headset. The wired headset through the J&M JMCB-2003 CB/Audio system is more than enough to have quality audio and volume with the earplugs in.

 

With the wireless setup I have to run everything at full volume to have adequate audio/volume.

 

Thats the last wired system I had on my bike before I went wireless. I had 3 gripes about it. I could never manage to get rid of the engine whine regardless of how I wired it. It acted up EVERY time I got it wet. And for some reason, I kept blowing out the helmet speakers. They replaced them 3 times under warranty, but it was a bit of a hassle. When I retired my RT, I decided to make the jump to wireless. I miss having the CB, but everything else is 10x better.

[tallman]

Arizona Al's system is great.

 

Big vote for earplugs with speakers and custom ones like his.

[rocks]

here are the DIY custom earbuds I bought. LINK /quote]

 

Thanks Keith.. I always had trouble justifying the $200 for custom plugs. How long have you had these do-it yourselfers?

[OoPEZoO]

here are the DIY custom earbuds I bought. LINK

 

Thanks Keith.. I always had trouble justifying the $200 for custom plugs. How long have you had these do-it yourselfers?

 

I hear ya, that was my hangup as well. I didn't want to spend that much and then find out they wouldn't work for me. I was wiling to take a $50 gamble. I've been using them since June (about 5k miles on the bike), so not too long, but they have exceded my expectations. So far, I am 100% satisfied with them. The bass response is not as good as some of my other earbuds, but the sound deadening, overall sound quality, and price is damn hard to beat. Music, talk radio, and intercom functions are all crystal clear. If I set the knob to a normal listening volume in the garage, I don't have to reach for the volume control until I'm doing around 80mph......and thats on a GS with a really noisey helmet.

 

The time I enjoyed them the most was on a bus trip to Atlantic City. On the way home, they had some loud action movie playing and the bus was pretty rowdy. I popped them in my ears, turned the music on to a low volume, and I was out like a light. I slept the whole way home. My wife was less then pleased that I managed to sleep through the whole bus ride while she was dealing with all of the noisey distractions. She was using $60 set of noise canceling earbuds, and they couldn't block it all out. I had no idea anything was happening except my music.

[Starfighter]

So.....I lost one of my custom earplugs and have ordered a set of DIY earplugs w/ speakers........

Now....it occurs to me.....how do you put earplugs in when wired into helmet.....I mean do you perch helmet on top of head put ear plugs in and then helmet on or ????????

OR.....must I add a connector outside my helmet ?

OR...........

[eddd]

Yes, I used helmet speakers with foam earplugs for years. Eventually I started blowing out the helmet speakers though because I had to run them at or close to 100% volume. Once I went wireless I decided to try a different route because having my wireless headset (Sena-SMH10) at max volume for hours on end really put a hurting on the battery life.

 

I ended up making myself a set of custom earplugs with earbuds molded into them. I've had them for about 5k miles now and I'm really pleased with the results. The earplugs do an excellent job of killing the ambient noise, and I can hear the sound much clearer than i ever could with helmet speakers. I can also keep the volume turned way down now, which allows me to ride all day without having to worry about killing the battery.

 

here are the DIY custom earbuds I bought. LINK

 

I like them so much, that I now also use them when traveling and for doing things around the house like mowing the lawn. I was riding around on the mower yesterday afternoon listening to the NFL through the data connection on my iPhone. Gotta love technology.

 

I gave these DIY ones a try as well. I really liked the cords...strong and not prone to tangle, but they went into the trash after one ride. They failed miserably at noise reduction and sound quality when compared to the Etymotic er6i I've been using and will continue to use.

[OoPEZoO]

I guess it depends on how you have it all wired up. My custom earplugs stay separate from my helmet. There is a short coiled extention cable that goes from the Sena interface on the side of my helmet to the jack on the end of my headphones. I keep the coiled up extra headphone wires in my left chest pocket with the jack hanging out about 3" and the headphones hanging out far enough to put them in my left jacket pocket when not in use.

 

When mounting the bike. I put in my earplugs, plug the jack into the extention cable, and then put my helmet on. There is enough slack/give in the coiled extention cord that I can stand next to the bike and sit my helmet up on the handlebars, but it coils up tight enough that it doesn't get in the way when riding or moving around.

[realshelby]

I have spent a fortune over the years on helmet speakers. Never could get the volume high enough to hear them well at speed for the most part. I always wear ear plugs/ear buds. I recently bought a Sena SMH-10 pair so my wife and I could converse. For the first time, even with ear plugs, the speakers work at speed! Plenty of volume! These would be fine if all you listened to was talk/sports radio and used the comm units. I found the sound quality for music lacking. When I bought the Sena I bought the accessory mount that has the ear bud plug built in ( no speakers ). I tried it this morning. Perfect setup. Even though I have to put in the ear buds and connect them each time I put on the helmet, the sound is so much better. Even the mono bluetooth music from my Zumo to Sena sounds pretty good. Phone calls are hard to tell they are from a motorcycle. Helmet speakers have their place for some, I will stick with the ear buds ( Shure SE 210 ) because of the noise suppression and quality of sound.

[EffBee]

I wear Arizona Al's earplugs with speakers. But I don't listen to music at any real volume. I like to have it in the background, so I keep my volume low. I do turn it up a little on occasion, as I'm a sucker for anthem songs. Especially while riding. What a pick-me-up on the boring slab! But otherwise, I treat my ears carefully. Both of my maternal grandparents, coincidentally, went deaf in their old age, and my mother, at 88, has lost all her hearing (which is truly sad as she was once a philharmonic pianist). I don't know what my later years will hold for my ears, but I'm not going to help mother nature on this one. I want protection, and I want decent, enjoyable music at low levels. AzAl's earplugs do it for me.

[dirtrider]

----The Scala has an automatic volume control based on the noise it "hears" so when you're going slower (or stopped) it's speaker volume is lower than when you're riding.

 

 

Morning Jim

 

Unfortunately having auto volume is no better than turning the volume up manually as it still has to be loud at hiway speeds to hear it. Just because it sounds OK at high speeds doesn’t mean it isn’t getting loud enough to damage your hearing.

 

Set your unit to manual control (if possible) then ride it at hiway speeds & manually set the volume to about the same as it would go automatically. Now leave it set there & stop the motorcycle. What you hear stopped is the same noise going into your ears at hiway speeds only you don’t realize it due to the other wind & ambient noises.

 

 

 

[marcopolo]

Another vote for Arizona Al's plugs. This year I used them with my new Sena Bluetooth intercom and they performed very well. I had also used them for four years with my Autocom and they performed very well in that setup as well.

[ThomasJ]

Yes, I used helmet speakers with foam earplugs for years. Eventually I started blowing out the helmet speakers though because I had to run them at or close to 100% volume. Once I went wireless I decided to try a different route because having my wireless headset (Sena-SMH10) at max volume for hours on end really put a hurting on the battery life.

 

I ended up making myself a set of custom earplugs with earbuds molded into them. I've had them for about 5k miles now and I'm really pleased with the results. The earplugs do an excellent job of killing the ambient noise, and I can hear the sound much clearer than i ever could with helmet speakers. I can also keep the volume turned way down now, which allows me to ride all day without having to worry about killing the battery.

 

here are the DIY custom earbuds I bought. LINK

 

I like them so much, that I now also use them when traveling and for doing things around the house like mowing the lawn. I was riding around on the mower yesterday afternoon listening to the NFL through the data connection on my iPhone. Gotta love technology.

 

I came at this from the other direction...initially tried the Sony noise canceling earbuds without much luck. Then went to the DIY custom earbuds mentioned above....inexpensive enough to give it a go...hurt my ears something fierce...after an hour or two they had to come out. Now that I have the Sena unit I use cheapie foam ear plugs and everything is grand...however, I ensure its well charged up before an all day ride....for overnight trips the bike charges it back up.

tom

[DiggerJim]

Now that I have the Sena unit I use cheapie foam ear plugs and everything is grand...however, I ensure its well charged up before an all day ride....for overnight trips the bike charges it back up.

One of the things I like about the Sena is the ability to charge it while using it. I have a standard car accessory power socket on the bike in addition to the Powerlet sockets so I could use the standard adapter & curly cord that ships with the Sena but you could always replace the standard plug end with a Powerlet adapter. So, most of the time I'm wireless but when needed I can plug into the bike & still have tunes or phone. My Scala couldn't do that so I would spend the last half of a day's riding listening to the wind instead of tunes/GPS/etc.