Noise Cancelling Earbud recommendations

[The Rocketman]

I just upgraded from a Garmin StreetPilot 2720 to a Zumo 660 after about 10 years. (‘Bout damn time!!)

I have the stereo audio output via hard-wire (as I have no luck with Blue Tooth or rechargeable power tools ever!) and great helmet speakers with a 3.5mm male plug, which gazzinta a 3.5mm female plug from the GPS. I’ve always worn foam earplugs (Home Depot Specials) and the 2720 volume was great.

The 660 volume s-u-c-k-s. Tried it for the first time yesterday on a 345 mile ride and couldn’t hear crap with the foam earplugs in even with the GPS volume at 100%. Had to ride with no plugs to barely hear directions and the wind noise was quite annoying.

Do you have a recommendation for good quality stereo ear buds that do noise cancellation and have good quality sound, without breaking the bank? Would also like something comfortable that doesn’t stick out too far to hit the inside of my Shoei MultiTech helmet.

 

Thanks again....

Larry

 

[The Rocketman]

Found this comprehensive thread after posting my questions. Sorry if it sounds like another oil thread.

RM

 

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=946912&page=1

[moshe_levy]

I just purchased Etymotic HF5 to replace my trusty old (and sadly, discontinued) ER6i. Very happy so far.

 

-MKL

[eddd]

I just purchased Etymotic HF5 to replace my trusty old (and sadly, discontinued) ER6i. Very happy so far.

 

-MKL

 

Sound quality of the HF5 is good but be aware that they protrude from your ear enough to be a real comfort issue with some helmets. They are unusable with any of my four helmets.

[The Rocketman]

I've been advised by some very good friends (Brian and Shira from BackRoads Magazine) that they have tried many and prefer the Plug Up S Plug for $135.00.

http://www.plugup.com/best_and_most_comfortable_canal_stereo_earbuds_p/s%2022-3.5-4.5.htm

 

I'm leaning towards these due to the comfort factor, many good reviews, personal recommendations, and the 30-day trial period offer. Still researching......

[moshe_levy]

I just purchased Etymotic HF5 to replace my trusty old (and sadly, discontinued) ER6i. Very happy so far.

 

-MKL

 

Sound quality of the HF5 is good but be aware that they protrude from your ear enough to be a real comfort issue with some helmets. They are unusable with any of my four helmets.

 

I'm using them with my Arai Corsair V, which has helmet speakers installed to boot. No clearance issues so far.

 

-MKL

[eddd]

I've been advised by some very good friends (Brian and Shira from BackRoads Magazine) that they have tried many and prefer the Plug Up S Plug for $135.00.

http://www.plugup.com/best_and_most_comfortable_canal_stereo_earbuds_p/s%2022-3.5-4.5.htm

 

I'm leaning towards these due to the comfort factor, many good reviews, personal recommendations, and the 30-day trial period offer. Still researching......

 

These are my primary earplugs. Prior to this I had used ER6i exclusively. Unfortunately the ER6i is now longer manufactured. The S Plugs don't have the same sound quality and they aren't quite as comfortable when I wear them for 8 or more hours in a day, but they are the best option I've found.

[The Rocketman]

That's good to know. Do you have the generic blue tipped ones, the custom molded ones, and the single or dual drivers?

[The Rocketman]

Also, what was so great about the ER6i's? Were they as comfortable as the S Plugs? Sound quality, etc? I've seen used ER6i's for sale on Fleabay for $50-60, but not sure its worth taking a chance on something used.

[eddd]

ER6i had remarkable sound quality, were small enough that they never interfered with the helmet when on or when you don or doff it. You could outfit them with foam inserts that were more comfortable than the flanged tips that you usually see.

 

I went with the single driver basic model since I was unsure how they would work out.

[The Rocketman]

I'm going to place an order right now for the S Plugs from Plug-Up and hope for the best. With a 30 day return guarantee and the weather in the Northeast far from Winter, that should give me plenty of time to test them out. Thanks a lot for the advice and insight.

[eddd]

I'm going to place an order right now for the S Plugs from Plug-Up and hope for the best. With a 30 day return guarantee and the weather in the Northeast far from Winter, that should give me plenty of time to test them out. Thanks a lot for the advice and insight.

 

The 30 day return helped make up my mind as well. Like you I figured I didn't have anything to lose.

[PadG]

I am assuming that you don't really mean noise-cancelling, but meant noise-isolating, which is what everybody had in their replies! I have read reviews of noise-cancelling earbuds, and they had been rather disappointing.

 

As for the more common noise-isolating earbuds, I have tried many brands, and my most favorite one in term of sound quality, and more important, comfort after many hours of continuous wear, are Klipsch earbuds! Their patented oval tips really work to seal out the external noise and make the fit inside the ear canal very comfortable, at least for me.

 

It just so happen that Woot have the Klipsch R6/R6i (factory refurbished) up at a very low price ($29.99 + $5 S&H), just for today! http://sellout.woot.com/offers/klipsch-in-ear-headphones-7?ref=so_cnt_gw_dly_tl

[The Rocketman]

Yes, you're right. I learned noise-cancelling need power and have a battery that need re-charging, and noise-isolating is just muffling the noise by plugging up your ears. Noise-isolating is the info I was looking for.

 

Order was placed yesterday and has already been shipped for the S plugs.

[Glenn Reed]

 

It just so happen that Woot have the Klipsch R6/R6i (factory refurbished) up at a very low price ($29.99 + $5 S&H), just for today! http://sellout.woot.com/offers/klipsch-in-ear-headphones-7?ref=so_cnt_gw_dly_tl

 

Thanks for the heads up. I don't ride with music, but could use a better pair of earbuds than those I'm currently using. At that price, I figure I can't go wrong, so I just ordered a pair.

[The Rocketman]

Got the S Plugs today. Very pleased. Much improvement over the old foam Home Depot Ear Plugs and my helmet speakers combination. Used to have to crank the GPS at 100% volume to just barely hear it. Now 30-40% is perfect. So far I just went for a short ride today and I'm happy. Guessing these are about 90-95% as effective as the old foam earplugs at keeping down wind noise. And they are comfortable, but a longer ride will tell more. So far, so good.

[The Rocketman]

OK so the Plug Up S-Plugs are working out fine, but now that I can actually hear things waaaaay better than before, I have a low tick-tick-tick-tick in my ears whenever the engine is running. The ticks do not get louder or faster as I open the throttle. They stay steady and at the same volume. I hear it whether I have my earplugs plugged into the Garmin audio-out plug from the Zumo 660 harness, or if I plug directly into the unit itself. I'm guessing its the RFI I've read about here, but I'd like to make it go away. I have the power coming from the extra frame mounted GPS plug that was formerly hidden and taped to the front frame. Never heard ticking before when I had the Garmin 2720 with helmet speakers. Only now with the 660 and earbuds. But the quality of the S-Plugs may be accentuating the noise. I now have the excess Zumo wiring harness bundled up and running along the right side of the frame, under the side panels, and just behind the intake snorkel, with the audio out plug coming up just under the front of the seat. With the 2720, I used the same power plug, but zip tied the miles of extra cable between the 2 forks, not beneath the body panels. Do I need to relocate something somewhere, or is this not fixable?

[The Rocketman]

?

[roadriderg]

Do you have a recommendation for good quality stereo ear buds that do noise cancellation and have good quality sound, without breaking the bank? Would also like something comfortable that doesn’t stick out too far to hit the inside of my Shoei MultiTech helmet.

 

Thanks again....

Larry

 

One thing you might try is a boostaroo headphone amplifier. It is a headphone amplifier that boost everything just enough to hear, so you can lower your garmin to reduce distortion. It comes either battery operated or 12v bike powered. If you use the bike powered put a ground loop isolator between the boostaroo and any bike powered audio.

 

Also a good quality balanced armature earphone (not diaphragm) will help also.

 

On mine I use j&m 55mm helmet speakers with big ear molded earplugs. I find it filters out the wind noise leaving an acceptable audio volume. The molded earplug although expensive at first have lasted me over 11 years and still fit great.

 

If on a long ride I might use ear phones I use the westone um-1 (I think it is discontinued) it is a balanced armature single driver earphone. I reverse from left to right so the lead drops straight down instead of over the ear they fit nicely flat under a tight helmet. And filter out the most wind noise.

 

The whole idea is to get clean sound, little windnoise without blasting you ears.

 

I am not sure on the 660 but the 550 had two volume controls , one hidden in the setup, and the one you can access while riding,

you might check this.

 

[Great_Kubuki]

Couple things that may help. I am assuming you hard wired the GPS to the bike, so a RF filter for between the power source to Garmin should help with hiss/tick on audio. Consider books on tape or podcasts for sd card on Garmin, makes a nice compliment to trip.

 

I love the S-Plugs, nice sound, good plugs for noise. However, they were outrageous on price to repair them when one side died. Paid about $130. and they wanted $85. plus shipping to repair! Makes them worthless to repair. After only one year this was a big disappointment. I went with RHA with a much better warranty and sturdiness. Hope this helps.

[The Rocketman]

Thanks for the advice and have been perusing RF filters on the web. I think the 1st thing I'll try is peeling off the plastic (again) and relocating the wires until the tick goes away, if that works at all. Hopefully, I'll still end up with the audio-out plug at the seat's edge where it is now. If not, I can always get a 3.5mm extension cable, lump all the wires between the forks (especially the power wire) like I used to have them, and still have the plug by the seat. We'll see.....