small earphones

[paul13]

hi,

can anyone suggest a smaller earphone to be used in the lid with my starcom unit,

I purchased the starcom ones and changed the flanges,

Its really comfy with the lid on, but when i pull the lid off, its really hard, and the pieces get caught, and hurt like hell.

We want to use them as noise reduction as well, but find them a bit big in the ear.

Any help is appreciated as doing 500 miles to Scotland in a few weeks.

Paul

 

[jammyk]

small phones

Paul you got a couple of routes

1. get some smart custom moulded monitor phones - takes a while to fit correctly and you will need to go to an audioligist to get the moulds taken. links on google. this seems to be the most expensive option.

2. use the plugs you already have but do what the racers do and tape them to your ears with some surgical tape from the chemist. if you notice the f1 drivers and bike racers do this to stop the plugs from moving when lids go on and off and also to stop the cables from flapping. the surgical tape is porous so wont make you sweat.

3. buy some etymotic research small plugs - these are smaller than regular plugs and if you use them tape they are comfy in any lid. they also have nice snug silicon fit which stops all noise without having to power noise cancellation phones.

4. get some regular ear plugs and buy some cheap helmet attached speakers - fleabay has some of these most of the time but the sound reproduction is what you pay for i.e. cheap = crap.

hope this helps (i ride with option 3, longest was 21 hours ride and my ears ached by the end - not through pain but through the continued sounds being blasted into my grey matter.

 

[sparkplug]

OK so I'm not really impartial but...
You don't need to go to an audiologist for ear impressions, specsavers do them as do NHS ear nose and throat departments. If you want to hear audio and block out damaging noise then monitors (custom earplugs with built in speakers) are the best option. Cost varies but I do monitors for £110. Ask around, be informed and choose what works for you. Green Leopard (that's me!) do an air tube system, but I understand that Ultimate Ear (the main competition) are starting to do the same (PM Judge for details)

 

[miles away]

cant find green leopard monitors anywhere on the green leopard sit. its pretty crap to navigate the site, any of the lists bring up tons of sunglasses on the first page, followed by acoustic tubes. ddo they only do acoustic tube setups or do they sell in ear electrical monitors too???

 

[judge]

Yep option 1 all day long, I used to be impartial when I made this decision for me personally, but now as I rep for Ultimate Hearing Protection I am not impartial

As my learned friend Schiannini points out Ultimate now offer a choice on their monitors starting with the air-tubed system (which you won't find on their website yet) to the full electrical drivers in the plugs in a 'Bio' material of the ultra comfy Q-tipped version, the latter are both on the site as are the prices (RRP ).

As for getting some there are a multitude of ways as Schiannini points out ENT departments of hospitals, Specsavers on the High St, Ultimate also have a network of audiologists around the country who will take the impressions for you (chargeable locally), pop them in the post to our Kent HQ from where we will make the product to your specifications (off-setting the cost of the impression taking from the price).

See them at a show, again many around the country, visit their offices in Kent or call and enquire of any IAM/Club meet or Bike Dealer they are planning to attend in your area.

You will not be disappointed.

Alternatively give 2, 3 & 4 a go and when you've blown over a one'r on trying stuff out which is crap and a waste of money, ours won't seem so out of reach

 

[snoopy]

I've just bought a pair of these to give ago. I found normal earphones excellent but with a tendency to fall out inside the helmet. I'm hoping these will still slip in and out easy.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260243221636

 

[Dave The Driver]

See them at a show, again many around the country,

Judge, are they at this w/end bmf Detling


ps. Im thinking of getting some

 

[judge]

Judge, are they at this w/end bmf Detling


ps. Im thinking of getting some

Yep, look for a Blue marquee and an Ultimate flag (sail on a telescopic pole). As the show is at a new location I don't know where in the show they'll be but they will be there as will I at some point Sunday

 

[Dave The Driver]

Yep, look for a Blue marquee and an Ultimate flag (sail on a telescopic pole). As the show is at a new location I don't know where in the show they'll be but they will be there as will I at some point Sunday

I'm only donw the road so depending on weather bbc and metcheck say okish sunday is the day for me. I'll be there first thing 0830-0900

 

[bowser]

earphones

Try a set of shure headphones, I have the EC2 an you can pick them up for 25 or so now, they come with foam and plastic type ear plug bits and they come in S/M/L, if you dont like them then have a look at the EC3 a few quid more but a bit smaller and a different shape, the sound is fantastic and they are very good earplugs as well.

 

[Dave The Driver]

Try a set of shure headphones, I have the EC2 an you can pick them up for 25 or so now, they come with foam and plastic type ear plug bits and they come in S/M/L, if you dont like them then have a look at the EC3 a few quid more but a bit smaller and a different shape, the sound is fantastic and they are very good earplugs as well.

for me they are the best (ec2) earphones I have, but I paid about £95 4 or 5 years ago

 

[jammyk]

UE impressions

Recent track day one of my mates had some monitors, chose not to plug in the MP3 and was just as happy. my day glow green sponge/foam earplugs are alomst out, so its time i go for the real mccoy. As i sai (hoped to imply) in my initial response, option 1 is by far the best.

although my Er6 plugs work fine for the £30 i paid for them - still better than the OE plus you get with most MP3s.

the ONLY thing i have been warned about is for folks with a norrowing ear canal custom plugs can get uncomfortable when a pressure differential builds up, how true this is i have no personal experience, but even so, customs have got to be the best, most comfortable, most longlasting and effective form of ear protection/musical enjoyment.

 

[alimey4u2]

Sony MDR-EX71 given me years of good service, getting a bit tatty now though & will replace with the same....

 

[judge]

Me thinks Paul13 needs to decide if he wants some earphones for use on his bike or whether he wants something he can use in conjunction with hearing protection. Much of what is being offered here (myself and Schiannini aside) offer no stated hearing protection and certainly what is classed as 'noise cancelling' earphones is not designed for the purpose of using in a noisy environment like riding a bike where you already expose your hearing to prolonged periods of unsafe noise levels.

Use these and you will be compensating for the noise in your helmet by cranking up the volume from your music player and therefore increasing the noise already in your environment.

Say goodbye to your hearing if you continue down that route.

 

[bowser]

for me they are the best (ec2) earphones I have, but I paid about £95 4 or 5 years ago

don't speak to me about it, I am in same position, but did a quick check on fleabay and found a set at £14 no bids yet buy now of £20 DAMN. There are a set of EC3 up for £31 BIN but I have always preferred the shape of 2's and they fit my fat head better

 

[bowser]

Me thinks Paul13 needs to decide if he wants some earphones for use on his bike or whether he wants something he can use in conjunction with hearing protection. Much of what is being offered here (myself and Schiannini aside) offer no stated hearing protection and certainly what is classed as 'noise cancelling' earphones is not designed for the purpose of using in a noisy environment like riding a bike where you already expose your hearing to prolonged periods of unsafe noise levels.

Use these and you will be compensating for the noise in your helmet by cranking up the volume from your music player and therefore increasing the noise already in your environment.

Say goodbye to your hearing if you continue down that route.

Got to say I find the opposite, I use the Shure EC2 these are designed as monitor earphones for musicians, in particular Rock, on stage with very loud sound systems,
They block out outside side sound quite nicely and I often use mine without being plugged into either the sat nav or ipod and they are equally as good at blocking out sound as my moulded ear plugs.
When I was riding bikes daily and had hearing checkups every couple of months I actually took them down with me and was given the ok to wear them in place of plugs, or foam plugs. They are not quite as good but not sufficiently bad as to harm hearing.

I also find that as they are so good at blocking out sound from the outside I have the volume a lot lower than I would say with speakers in the helmet.

 

[Packer]

These:- uep 75

Here:- http://www.ultimateear.com/motorcycle.htm

Brilliant noise reduction and great sound quality from MP3, telephone etc. All day comfortable as well. So good in fact that when I broke the cable to one of them I sent the moulds away to have a new pair made. Once I got those back I sent the original ones back to be repaired so that I now have a spare set.

I use mine in conjunction with a Starcom unit and their Bluetooth module!

 

[Eunuch]

I use the Shure EC2

+1 Shures.

I've had the Shure EC3's for about a year now and they've transformed my riding experience. Once you get the right fitment for you (you receive a number of different sizes and types) and plug in your Nano the quality is quite literally amazing, particularly as you're riding a bike listening to incredible detail and blocking out a huge amount of noise. And I'm real particular about my hearing. Used in conjunction with a Whisper kit on my Shoei I couldn't be happier.

I think they still sell them in the Apple Store and usually have a set of samples to try hidden away somewhere so worth trying if you can get to an Apple Store. Mind you, you need to feel comfortable with these inserted some way into your ear and not everyone gets on with them. Takes some time to work how best to insert them too.

 

[Dave The Driver]

Yep, look for a Blue marquee and an Ultimate flag (sail on a telescopic pole). As the show is at a new location I don't know where in the show they'll be but they will be there as will I at some point Sunday

Nice to put a face to a name and thanks for all the info. Q tip Monitors on the way and am still thinking about blockers as well