Audio on the bike

[Krazyjohnny]

Who makes a good set of earphones for audio on the bike? I rode with a guy this weekend that had his radar detector, GPS with NEXRAD, 2way radio, am-fm radio and Ipod all integrated into one device that had a volume control. It looked like he could be communicating with launch control with all of this gear that was compactly stored in his tank bag and powered through one plug.

 

[DDS]

Any set of earphones will be fine,

I prefer the type that look a little like ear plugs and can be molded a little something like this:

I use these type to hook into my iphone for gps and actually helps block my exhaust noise

 

[dean owens]

i start with earplugs. then i have a cheap set of helmet speakers i got of ebay. i think they were 5 bucks shipped. they attach with velcro to the inside of the helmet. plug it into my ipod and i'm good. cranked up it just feels like a normal listening volume. and i know it's not killing my hearing because when i get off the bike and take out my earplugs i'm often annoyed by how loud the world is around me.

 

[MHS]

I used to use cheap earbuds -- worked fine on a 400mi ride, could still hear the road around me, and wasn't deaf when I stopped.

Now I have the Sena SMH10 mounted, so use those speakers with earplugs in and it still is perfectly audible at highway speeds.

 

[dean owens]

no nothing about the seller. this is just the first auction i saw so you can know what i was talking about.

ATV Motorcycle motorbike Helmet Speaker Volume Control | eBay

 

[stryken]

I get the skull candy lower end headphones for $10. at target. They sounds as good as the higher end skull candy "inked" series but for almost half the price. These are the bust sounding buds I have found for a responsible price. I go though about 3 of these a year because I wear them almost 8 hours a day at work with music and audio books. They often get jerked out of my ears by accident because of my work and wear and tear with the helmet. In a better environment I'm sure you would get a year or more out of them.

 

[texcollect]

I had a problem with the Skull Candy line digging into my ears, but I bought a pair of [ame="http://www.amazon.com/MEElectronics-M6-CL-Sound-Isolating-Headphones-Players/dp/B0038W0K2U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306209138&sr=8-1"]MEElectric M6s[/ame] and they are lower profile, but come with triple flange ear tips which work just great.

 

[Humperdinkel]

I use & recommend TDK EB900 , they are brilliant :thumbup:

 

[stryken]

I had a problem with the Skull Candy line digging into my ears, but I bought a pair of MEElectric M6s and they are lower profile, but come with triple flange ear tips which work just great.

I like the looks of these... how is the sound, do they have any bass to them or more high sound?

I use & recommend TDK EB900 , they are brilliant :thumbup:

Nice roped cord... but pricey!

 

[Signal 50]

I had a problem with the Skull Candy line digging into my ears, but I bought a pair of MEElectric M6s and they are lower profile, but come with triple flange ear tips which work just great.

I have those and like them a lot.

I have to say, in my opinion any set of earbuds will NOT be fine. I tried 4-5 differernt pairs ranging in price and style and really didn't find anything that worked for me until the MEElectronics M6's. The 3 teired tip that comes on them has without a doubt worked best for me.

It sounds funny to describe, but you can push them really far into your ears without causing any discomfort. I find that the largest of the 3 flanges seals me ear like an ear plug, allowing me to turn the volume down, and hear the music clearly at speeds.

The wrap around design also keeps them very snug in place when putting your helmet on. For 20$ I can't say enough good things about them.

 

[racebrooks]

IMO....nothing beats great speakers and/or headphones. I cannot tolerate poor sound quality. I have tried Skull Kandy's, Sony, and og Ipod head phones.

So far, by far, the best is a set of Bose IE2 for about $100. They are low profile, have 3 sizes of soft touch silicone ear tips.

 

[texcollect]

I like the looks of these... how is the sound, do they have any bass to them or more high sound?

Like all in ear phones if you get a good seal then the bass is great. I tried comply earpieces on them, but in the end the original triple flange tips worked best for me. I wear a helmet liner and my helmet just slips straight over them. For $20 they are really hard to beat. I may buy some more just in case they stop making them

 

[Krazyjohnny]

I have a pair of both the Bose and the Shure earbuds. They work great as far as sound quality goes. Just do not know how well they will fit in the helmet. I have also been looking at the AutoCom stuff from www.autocomdirect.com.
It looks very interesting as well does the Mixit2 Device. I need to contact some folks to ask some questions before I lay out the cash for some gear like this. I really like the modularity of it and how it all works together with all of the different devices. My big question is that my iPhone has the GPS function built in it as well as the Mp3 function and of course the phone as well. One device with all of that capability. Makes my life simple. Simple is good and I wonder if I need all of that extra capability at that greater expense of the AutoCom.

 

[spdyike]

I use some helmet speakers I got off of ebay. They are iAsus XSJ with line control. They work pretty good, I like that they are thin enough to place behind the ear pads of my helmet (HJC Carbon). Good sound and I can still hear stuff going on around me.

 

[novaks47]

How can anyone hear music while riding? I've been tempted to pop in my Klipsch S2's(not too bad for the money, they work best with different foamies, like the Shure "olives"), but I doubt I'll be able to hear the music. Even with earplugs, all I can hear is deafening wind noise, followed by a hint of engine/exhaust, if I'm lucky.

 

[Pa fz6]

I have the Klipsch s2's and I love them. Good review of them on cnet.com. Haven't tried different foamies other than the ones they came with. They sound great. Haven't tried them on the bike yet because my helmet is pretty damen tight. AGV Stealth 2X and I can't even use the face pads because I can't even put it on with them in. I'll have to to try it at some point.

 

[novaks47]

I have the Klipsch s2's and I love them. Good review of them on cnet.com. Haven't tried different foamies other than the ones they came with. They sound great. Haven't tried them on the bike yet because my helmet is pretty damen tight. AGV Stealth 2X and I can't even use the face pads because I can't even put it on with them in. I'll have to to try it at some point.

At first I was a bit apprehensive of mine, as they were very harsh out of the box. Mid-bass was a bit sloppy too. But, following the advice of people over on the headfi forum, I hooked 'em up to a player, put 'em in a drawer, and began the burn in process. I still had my doubts, but at around 50hours, the highs were MUCH better, and the mid-bass was better defined. I then just used then like normal, and at 60hrs, they hit their peak, and sound their best. I do recommend the Shure Olives over the stock inserts, as they seal much better, and are more comfortable. I couldn't for the life of me get a decent seal with the stock ones, so bass suffered.

Like you said too, I'm now not sure if they'll even fit under my helmet either. lol They stick out a bit much. I guess I'll try it at home, as there won't be much riding for a while, courtesy of more frickin' rain.

 

[Jim Karam]

I can assure you that I tried lots of cheaper alternatives before buying my AutoCom system some years ago. In this case, you really do get what you pay for. I recommend it without reservation. The sound and side tones makes music, radio, intercom, etc great.

I have a pair of both the Bose and the Shure earbuds. They work great as far as sound quality goes. Just do not know how well they will fit in the helmet. I have also been looking at the AutoCom stuff from www.autocomdirect.com.
It looks very interesting as well does the Mixit2 Device. I need to contact some folks to ask some questions before I lay out the cash for some gear like this. I really like the modularity of it and how it all works together with all of the different devices. My big question is that my iPhone has the GPS function built in it as well as the Mp3 function and of course the phone as well. One device with all of that capability. Makes my life simple. Simple is good and I wonder if I need all of that extra capability at that greater expense of the AutoCom.

 

[Signal 50]

How can anyone hear music while riding? I've been tempted to pop in my Klipsch S2's(not too bad for the money, they work best with different foamies, like the Shure "olives"), but I doubt I'll be able to hear the music. Even with earplugs, all I can hear is deafening wind noise, followed by a hint of engine/exhaust, if I'm lucky.

For me, the key was to find a set of ear buds (headphones, what have you) that sealed in my ears properly. On the first page myself and another guy referenced the MEElectronics M6 earbuds. Those work incredibly well.

I tried Skull Candies but they didn't seal my ear and I still heard loads of wind noise, enough that it ruined the music so there was no point in even having it on.

 

[dean owens]

How can anyone hear music while riding? I've been tempted to pop in my Klipsch S2's(not too bad for the money, they work best with different foamies, like the Shure "olives"), but I doubt I'll be able to hear the music. Even with earplugs, all I can hear is deafening wind noise, followed by a hint of engine/exhaust, if I'm lucky.

as i stated earlier, i wear earplugs and have helmet speakers. with this setup i can hear the wind, my engine, horns, etc. and i can hear my music at a comfortable (not loud) listening volume. this is with my ipod cranked all the way up. i don't think i could listen to anything like a podcast, but music comes through just fine. you could give it a try. the speakers are less than 5 bucks. you don't like 'em... just take 'em out.

i've tried earbuds... and had some skullcandy ones that were pretty good. i went this route because i was concerned about my hearing. and some states have laws against earbuds. but not many have any laws against speakers in the helmet.