Ultimate Ears and Autocom

[Sleeptalker]

Hi all,

Just wondering whether any of you had used "Ultimate Ear" plugs (the non-monitor type) alongside the built in speakers on the Autocom system?

I'm getting fitted for a pair on Friday and paying full whack for the monitor version (an additional £120) is a bit hard to justify and so I was wondering whether anyone had had any experience of using their normal plugs and whether they can still hear the Autocom through them?

Are the UE plugs really as good as people say? I'm sick and tired of being deafened - even WITH my normal foam earplugs in!

Cheers,

Anders

 

[Magwych]

Hi Anders, I have a set of Pure Tone moulded plugs, fitted with filters. They deaden most helmet noise, yet I can hear my helmet speakers. Sound quality is reduced so this would not be much use for listening to music. If you wanted to listen to music, I would go for a monitor type plug.

After 29 years on bikes I have a permanent form of tinitus, the use of ear plugs had never been considered when I was younger.

Although that could also be related to too much time spent with my head in a bass bin at gigs .....

 

[Annette]

Hi Sleeptalker

I have a set of ultimate earplugs with monitors, and they are absolutely fanstastic. They cut out noise brilliantly. I've found that if I have them in with no music going I can only just hear someone talking to me, so I don't know whether you would hear your autocom with them in.

 

[Macfie]

+1 for Ultimate ear monitors. Real hi-fi music as you ride along, a complete range of tones. Just perfect. I also have Autocom speakers in my helmet, but with custom moulded plugs in I can't hear them.

M

 

[judge]

Anders it sounds like you're thinking of going for the squidgy passive blockers (or UEP 87's as we call them) or the cheaper ones as you might know them

They will give a higher level of noise reduction than any disposable generic plugs you have used with your Autocom speakers, how did you get on with these? Could you still use the Autocom successfully on a run?

I started out with my first pair of plugs a number of years ago and I too went for the same blockers you are contemplating. I found they were too efficient for my helmet speakers so I had them fitted with filters which allowed more noise to pass through the plug allowing me to hear the Autocom speakers.

In the end my decision to move over to monitors was down to a change of helmet and me not getting a comfortable fit with the helmet speakers.

I've spoken with Dave Marshall tonight re your impending visit and the suggestion is to do a 'helmet on' fitting, which will allow you to plug your helmet in to the Autocom they have so you can determine the likely performance of your speakers with the moulds in which will give a similar result to your finished product. What they cannot do is recreate the rest of the ambient noise that goes with riding and listening etc.

We always suggest in this situation to take the 87 without filters and try them out by increasing the input volumes you might get away with though you are increasing the noise in your environment when you do so, if they are too efficient then pop them back in and filters can be retro-fitted, the filtering cost is the same before or after so its only a bit of postage for you to pop them in.

 

[Sleeptalker]

Cool!

Sounds like they are indeed the mutts nuts!

Last question - i've seen a few postings about the monitor type having issues where the wires break off after a while?

Has anyone had experience of this and - Judge - are they covered by any kind of warranty?

 

[SilverFish]

One of my monitor wires broke; took it to the Ultimate Ear's stand at the BikeSafe show and the repaired and returned them, under warranty in about 10 days.

They were bought at the NEC Bikeshow last year, and worn pretty much every day since...

Whilst they were away, I went back to using my Etymotic ER6i's. These are pretty highly regarded by audiophiles out there, but the Ultimate Ear's Monitors were far superior; both in terms of audio quality and efficient noise reduction.

If you can afford and justify it then I would definitely go for it!

Mike

 

[judge]

Cool!

Sounds like they are indeed the mutts nuts!

Last question - i've seen a few postings about the monitor type having issues where the wires break off after a while?

Has anyone had experience of this and - Judge - are they covered by any kind of warranty?

This type of construction means they are vulnerable and susceptible to damage much of which is down to how they are handled, i.e. manipulating the plug by means of pulling the cable, also keeping a tight cleaning regime is key, a cleaning tool is supplied and I keep mine clean with baby wipes.

The monitors are supplied with a 1 year warranty and the blocker (the one you were originally looking at) has a 2 year warranty.

My original monitors which were used most days in all weathers had a cable replaced after 3 years due to them becoming brittle, they are no longer using that brand of cable.

Over 5 years the product is always being refined due to better technologies being available and user experience. The soft-tipped version of the monitors being the latest iteration of the product, a set I've had since Christmas (mainly so I have experience of the new product as my originals are working fine) and they really are exceptional and I'm sure well worth the money

 

[bb1]

Go for the monitors if you can.

They are first class. The Ulimate Ear soft tips ones can be worn for hours without discomfort. I got them at the bike show in Birmingham and I use them with an autocom, two way radios and a zumo.

I have a System5 Helmet and with wind noise the helmet speakers were very hard to hear.

 

[Cole]

+1 for Ultimate ear monitors. Real hi-fi music as you ride along, a complete range of tones. Just perfect.

+another 1 for in the UE monitors. I ride mostly in an Airoh Rock trials helmet. Not only is it open, but it has unaerodynamic openings and no padding around the ear so that the trials rider can hear perfectly his engine tone.

Riding with that at 80+ mph is like having a jet engine roaring in your ear. But spit all over the ear monitors, stick them in, and the world around goes quiet. Turn on the MP3 player and at 80 - 100 mph, even with trials helmet, you only hear the tunes.

They are a bit less comfy than the plugs, but you get used to them quickly, and riding all day in them is barely noticable. The only inconvenience is having to pull them out to have a conversation with anyone.

 

[Kritou]

To keep costs down I use just one UE monitor and a yellow foam in t'other ear - not good for stereo music tho'

 

[AA388]

I've been using the UE Monitors for a few years and found them perfect, about 2 months I ripped them out while on an exercise machine, broke the cable and split the monitor on my right ear. They charged me £75 for a full repair which I think was good value as it was half the price of a new pair. I think they charge £35 for a cable replace and £30 for an ear rebuild out of warranty.

While I was thinking of the repair I used the good one and a normal ear plug and found it strangely unbalancing.

John

 

[Paullyfuzz]

UE

This type of construction means they are vulnerable and susceptible to damage much of which is down to how they are handled, i.e. manipulating the plug by means of pulling the cable, also keeping a tight cleaning regime is key, a cleaning tool is supplied and I keep mine clean with baby wipes.

The monitors are supplied with a 1 year warranty and the blocker (the one you were originally looking at) has a 2 year warranty.

My original monitors which were used most days in all weathers had a cable replaced after 3 years due to them becoming brittle, they are no longer using that brand of cable.

Over 5 years the product is always being refined due to better technologies being available and user experience. The soft-tipped version of the monitors being the latest iteration of the product, a set I've had since Christmas (mainly so I have experience of the new product as my originals are working fine) and they really are exceptional and I'm sure well worth the money

Judge are you a rep for UE ? The reason i ask is that im after a pair and was wondering if we get any kind of discount n here ?

Cheers,

Paul

 

[judge]

Judge are you a rep for UE ? The reason i ask is that im after a pair and was wondering if we get any kind of discount n here ?

Cheers,

Paul

I've given an answer here hope it helps

 

[judge]

But spit all over the ear monitors, stick them in, and the world around goes quiet.

Yeuuuuuukkk - tell me you don't do that

The finish of the plug should ensure moistening the plug isn't necessary, if you find it is might I recommend using a baby wipe or something

There's an ear infection just waiting to happen there.

 

[Pauly S]

website address?

This could be a solution for me, i am looking to get a schuberth c2, but have been told fitting it with an autocom headset is a pain in the ares.can you still use the autocom mike and the UE together?
If so how do you plug it all in?
am i right in saying they were in sidcup kent?
Many thanks PAul

 

[judge]

This could be a solution for me, i am looking to get a schuberth c2, but have been told fitting it with an autocom headset is a pain in the ares.can you still use the autocom mike and the UE together?
If so how do you plug it all in?
am i right in saying they were in sidcup kent?
Many thanks PAul

Ultimate's monitors interface with the Autocom system by changing the headset lead for a part 1187 or part 1188, the headset loom and boom mike remain the the speakers can be removed.

And yes Ultimate are in Sidcup, Kent

 

[JDH]

Yeuuuuuukkk - tell me you don't do that

The finish of the plug should ensure moistening the plug isn't necessary, if you find it is might I recommend using a baby wipe or something

There's an ear infection just waiting to happen there.

+1. I used to do this, and learned the error of my ways unfortunately whilst on a trip to France resulting in a very painful experience, trip to the docs, antibiotics etc. Don't do it!

JDH