Ear Bug Virgin

[spud786]

I've been an ear bud virgin till today, I wore a pair of Jvc Marsh mellow type ear bugs, I had them in for 5 hours and by that time I was ready to get them out.

They seem to work adequately and My helmet goes right on without knocking them out of place.

Has anyone liked these Ear bugs , but found something else even better?

By the way whats the best Mp3 small player under $55

[hawglet]

for an on the bike MP3 player I use a RCA Lyra which contains an internal memory of 512 I think but you can also put an SD card into it thus expanding it a couple of what ever you'ld like. It great as it's very small and respectably priced. I think I gave like $80 for mine about 3 years ago. It also allows for FM transmission so whne you've heard all of your songs a time or two you can tune to a local station for a while (I suggest doing so while stopped!). I really like it on the bike as if it should get lost or fall out of the jacket pocket it's not a HUGE $$$ loss, like an iPod would be. Have tried those ear buds but there are a ton of them out there, some better than others. If you do a searh it's been discussed at length and if I remember right Slammer wrote a review of a great set although I can't remember the manufactuer they are something like ER3 maybe. Not to sure. sorry.

[Guest]

I am huge into SHURE, they are a little pricey but you get what you pay for and they have some great warranties!

http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/Product...hones/index.htm

[HispanicSlammer]

I have had three sets of Etymotic Research ER6 Isolator In-Ear Earphones. They isolate sound very well and fit inside the ear and dont stick out so the helmet does not interfere with the fit at all. Some times they cause discomfort if inserted too far or worn for long periods of time, or if I snag the wire and it yanks on the ear. They dont have great bass response but overall are very clear sound. Some people find that a deal breaker, but when I am riding a bike I want to be able to hear a bit of the outside noise so I know whats going on. I like that I dont have to turn up the sound too much to hear the music and dont suffer from incessant helmet noise. They act just like earplugs when turned off.

There are lots of newer speakers on the market that isolate the outside noise, but they seem to stick out of the ear and that is very uncomfortable. These ER6 dont stick put enough to cause discomfort like that, if they stick out the helmet liner just pushes on the speaker and you end up with very irritated ears. Sometimes the mushroom style buds get a bit itchy or just gunk up with wax, or just irriatate the skin - only after prolonged periods of riding. I usually switch the bud to the foam tips and get some more miles - less wind noise is filtered out but its more comfortable than the silicone buds. They give you a set of both foam and silicon plugs and offer different sizes of bud to best fit your ear.

My next perchase will be custom earmolded speakers

[Guest]

Slammer, be careful with custom molds. As an audio engineer I have had a couple pairs. Usually they are ok size-wise, if they are high end and actual molds with the drivers built -in. The types that are just molds you plug the ear buds into are way too big to get under a helmet. I have been amazed by the size of my ER6i set. While they don't sound the best, the isolation and the size combined with the price and the sound is truly amazing. I think perfect for a motorcycle.

[vfrcapn]

The Koss earbuds have worked well for me for years, are really cheap and usu. get good reviews. http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Koss-E...rs-p-16305.html Also available through Target and other stores. About $17.

[Beck]

I am huge into SHURE, they are a little pricey but you get what you pay for and they have some great warranties!

http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/Product...hones/index.htm

Pricey??! their best model is only like $400+!! :warranty: What's in those things, genuine moon dust and super powerful magnets from Mars??!

I really have to meet the people who shells out that amount of dough for a set of in-ear phones. Must be people in Paris Hilton's filthy rich "parteyhott" gang who just have to have the latest and most expensive trinkets! :P

No thanks Shure, I'm totally fine listening to my compressed MP3 music files through my "cheap" Sennheisers!

Beck

95 VFR

[TommyHoffman]

I tried the Koss. They sucked and hurt my ears.

I've had the best luck with the Shure product.

Picked up a set at Sharper Image, came with case and a bunch of different sizes of plugs cuz no two ears are the same.

Now if I can only remember where they are....cant seem to find them after the last road trip. <_<

[Guest]

I am huge into SHURE, they are a little pricey but you get what you pay for and they have some great warranties!

http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/Product...hones/index.htm

Pricey??! their best model is only like $400+!! :rolleyes: What's in those things, genuine moon dust and super powerful magnets from Mars??!

I really have to meet the people who shells out that amount of dough for a set of in-ear phones. Must be people in Paris Hilton's filthy rich "parteyhott" gang who just have to have the latest and most expensive trinkets! :P

No thanks Shure, I'm totally fine listening to my compressed MP3 music files through my "cheap" Sennheisers!

Beck

95 VFR

By no means am I rich I work for the goverment, the pair of Shures that I got were 75 and I got them not for the VFR but because I ride on gverment planes all of the time, and if any one here has ever ridden on a KC-10, C-130, or C-5 they can tell you that they are so loud that normal ear phones will not be loud enough! But the Shure block out 99% of backround noise, some people may not liek that for on a bike but it does not bother me, it is just like being in my truck with the sound system on!

[wera803]

I use custom molded stereo plugs. Of course I am biased since I take impressions and sell the stereo plugs. I also do custom molded ear plugs, musicians plugs, bluetooth headsets, etc. :D

They act as 30dB ear plugs, blocking out all of the wind noise, and pipe the sound right into your ear. Most people that use ear buds say the volume is usually 3/4 to full just so they can hear them. With these stereo plugs, volume is usually less than 1/4. It also makes your battery last about 3 times as long in your iPod.

Sounds like I need to make sure I can make it to the Texasmac this year as well and take impressions for HS. Hmm, could write the whole trip off on business too. :rolleyes:

Big Ear

[Daniel Paul]

Ear buds tend to hurt my ears after a couple hours of riding, that is why I prefer the "in helmet" audio option... Helmet Speakers

[vfrcapn]

Ear buds tend to hurt my ears after a couple hours of riding, that is why I prefer the "in helmet" audio option... Helmet Speakers

Do you get good sound out of those? Or are they just audible above the road noise? Do you use them with earplugs?

[Daniel Paul]

Ear buds tend to hurt my ears after a couple hours of riding, that is why I prefer the "in helmet" audio option... Helmet Speakers

Do you get good sound out of those? Or are they just audible above the road noise? Do you use them with earplugs?

I've never used them with ear plugs... but they are very audible, even without a signal booster for my iPod. More so audible on my VTR than the VFR because the VFR's windscreen gave me a lot of wind noise. I also used a program to slightly turn the volume up on all of my mp3's called Mp3 Gain. The whole setup is very tidy and unobtrusive. The speakers themselves seem to help decrease wind noise by taking up space next to your ears.

[Beck]

I am huge into SHURE, they are a little pricey but you get what you pay for and they have some great warranties!

http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/Product...hones/index.htm

Pricey??! their best model is only like $400+!! :rolleyes: What's in those things, genuine moon dust and super powerful magnets from Mars??!

I really have to meet the people who shells out that amount of dough for a set of in-ear phones. Must be people in Paris Hilton's filthy rich "parteyhott" gang who just have to have the latest and most expensive trinkets! :P

No thanks Shure, I'm totally fine listening to my compressed MP3 music files through my "cheap" Sennheisers!

Beck

95 VFR

By no means am I rich I work for the goverment, the pair of Shures that I got were 75 and I got them not for the VFR but because I ride on gverment planes all of the time, and if any one here has ever ridden on a KC-10, C-130, or C-5 they can tell you that they are so loud that normal ear phones will not be loud enough! But the Shure block out 99% of backround noise, some people may not liek that for on a bike but it does not bother me, it is just like being in my truck with the sound system on!

Sorry if it sounded like I was directing the the less than complimenting comment on the top of the line units from Shure on you. I didn't think that anyone in VFRD (I hope) would even consider buying those 400 dollar Shures when we all know that money like that is better spent towards something like a nice replacement rear shock or a new helmet. I still would like to see when someone ever buys those. the display racks i've seen with them on it never seem to get touched by buyers.

Beck

95 VFR

[tok tokkie]

I bought a pair of Sennheiser CX 300 ear canal headphones which I use with my Zumo. I was amazed by the sound when I got them. Clear top end = cymbals and surprising base = base drum. Base guitar out of range mostly. I have recently done a 10 day trip wearing them all day without problem. They come with 3 different sized silicon skirts; I use the small for my left ear & medium for my right. They are ear canal phones so the helmet does not interfere. I run the wires horizontally forwards above that little lump thing on my ears.

Very happy with them. I chose the white ones

http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/sennhei...7-31727753.html

[lizard]

I use custom molded stereo plugs. Of course I am biased since I take impressions and sell the stereo plugs. I also do custom molded ear plugs, musicians plugs, bluetooth headsets, etc. :D

They act as 30dB ear plugs, blocking out all of the wind noise, and pipe the sound right into your ear. Most people that use ear buds say the volume is usually 3/4 to full just so they can hear them. With these stereo plugs, volume is usually less than 1/4. It also makes your battery last about 3 times as long in your iPod.

Sounds like I need to make sure I can make it to the Texasmac this year as well and take impressions for HS. Hmm, could write the whole trip off on business too. :unsure:

Big Ear

What's the sound quality of the stereo plugs offered? Bass sound OK? Can you compare the sound quality to an available set of earbuds for comparison?

I haven't found sound quality I'd be willing to pay more than about $20 for in earbuds. I'm not trying to knock your product, I'd be willing to pay for something that sounds good and will protect my hearing from wind/external noises. It doesn't seem I can try that product without ponying up some serious $. At least with earbuds that aren't custom molded I may have a chance to return them if the sound quality is not satisfactory. I am currently going without tunes on the bike and just using good quality 33dB reducing foam earplugs (100 pairs for under $35 shipped, good for my ears and my wallet). I'm still looking for a good option that will allow me to have decent quality music with hearing protection from the wind/external noise that will cause permanent hearing damage.

Is the link your site? What other products are available?

[Nicole]

I use custom molded stereo plugs. Of course I am biased since I take impressions and sell the stereo plugs. I also do custom molded ear plugs, musicians plugs, bluetooth headsets, etc. :D

They act as 30dB ear plugs, blocking out all of the wind noise, and pipe the sound right into your ear. Most people that use ear buds say the volume is usually 3/4 to full just so they can hear them. With these stereo plugs, volume is usually less than 1/4. It also makes your battery last about 3 times as long in your iPod.

Sounds like I need to make sure I can make it to the Texasmac this year as well and take impressions for HS. Hmm, could write the whole trip off on business too. :unsure:

Big Ear

What's the sound quality of the stereo plugs offered? Bass sound OK? Can you compare the sound quality to an available set of earbuds for comparison?

I haven't found sound quality I'd be willing to pay more than about $20 for in earbuds. I'm not trying to knock your product, I'd be willing to pay for something that sounds good and will protect my hearing from wind/external noises. It doesn't seem I can try that product without ponying up some serious $. At least with earbuds that aren't custom molded I may have a chance to return them if the sound quality is not satisfactory. I am currently going without tunes on the bike and just using good quality 33dB reducing foam earplugs (100 pairs for under $35 shipped, good for my ears and my wallet). I'm still looking for a good option that will allow me to have decent quality music with hearing protection from the wind/external noise that will cause permanent hearing damage.

Is the link your site? What other products are available?

I have a set of custom molded ear buds. Mine were done via my husband's racing connections so maybe they are designed for speech, not music, I don't know. The bass is not as good as the Koss ones I have (which I don't use b/c they hurt my ears) but I am used to them now. I LOVE THEM!!! The don't hurt at ALL. I can ride 8 hours with no problems.

I would imagine there are different types, so perhaps other types besides mine have a better bass sound!

[Auspanglish]

I use custom molded stereo plugs. Of course I am biased since I take impressions and sell the stereo plugs. I also do custom molded ear plugs, musicians plugs, bluetooth headsets, etc. :D

They act as 30dB ear plugs, blocking out all of the wind noise, and pipe the sound right into your ear. Most people that use ear buds say the volume is usually 3/4 to full just so they can hear them. With these stereo plugs, volume is usually less than 1/4. It also makes your battery last about 3 times as long in your iPod.

Sounds like I need to make sure I can make it to the Texasmac this year as well and take impressions for HS. Hmm, could write the whole trip off on business too. :unsure:

Big Ear

What's the sound quality of the stereo plugs offered? Bass sound OK? Can you compare the sound quality to an available set of earbuds for comparison?

I haven't found sound quality I'd be willing to pay more than about $20 for in earbuds. I'm not trying to knock your product, I'd be willing to pay for something that sounds good and will protect my hearing from wind/external noises. It doesn't seem I can try that product without ponying up some serious $. At least with earbuds that aren't custom molded I may have a chance to return them if the sound quality is not satisfactory. I am currently going without tunes on the bike and just using good quality 33dB reducing foam earplugs (100 pairs for under $35 shipped, good for my ears and my wallet). I'm still looking for a good option that will allow me to have decent quality music with hearing protection from the wind/external noise that will cause permanent hearing damage.

Is the link your site? What other products are available?

I have a set of custom molded ear buds. Mine were done via my husband's racing connections so maybe they are designed for speech, not music, I don't know. The bass is not as good as the Koss ones I have (which I don't use b/c they hurt my ears) but I am used to them now. I LOVE THEM!!! The don't hurt at ALL. I can ride 8 hours with no problems.

I would imagine there are different types, so perhaps other types besides mine have a better bass sound!

Cool!! now if I could just find my IPOD!! :salesman: :salesman:

[YoshiHNS]

I am huge into SHURE, they are a little pricey but you get what you pay for and they have some great warranties!

http://www.shure.com/PersonalAudio/Product...hones/index.htm

Pricey??! their best model is only like $400+!! :unsure: What's in those things, genuine moon dust and super powerful magnets from Mars??!

I really have to meet the people who shells out that amount of dough for a set of in-ear phones. Must be people in Paris Hilton's filthy rich "parteyhott" gang who just have to have the latest and most expensive trinkets! :P

No thanks Shure, I'm totally fine listening to my compressed MP3 music files through my "cheap" Sennheisers!

Beck

95 VFR

By no means am I rich I work for the goverment, the pair of Shures that I got were 75 and I got them not for the VFR but because I ride on gverment planes all of the time, and if any one here has ever ridden on a KC-10, C-130, or C-5 they can tell you that they are so loud that normal ear phones will not be loud enough! But the Shure block out 99% of backround noise, some people may not liek that for on a bike but it does not bother me, it is just like being in my truck with the sound system on!

Sorry if it sounded like I was directing the the less than complimenting comment on the top of the line units from Shure on you. I didn't think that anyone in VFRD (I hope) would even consider buying those 400 dollar Shures when we all know that money like that is better spent towards something like a nice replacement rear shock or a new helmet. I still would like to see when someone ever buys those. the display racks i've seen with them on it never seem to get touched by buyers.

Beck

95 VFR

You don't have to be rich to afford a pair of shures. If you are an audiophile, and you don't have many expensive hobbies, like riding, then it is well worth it. The shures are expensive because they are the best. If I spent the money on a Cowon mp3 player, which is most likely the best sounding mp3 player brand, why would I use cheap $10 ear buds. But if you're like most people who aren't audiophiles and don't care about all the details lost in their music, then $20 buds will do fine for them. An example of detail loss: using an ipod and their ear buds, i can hear the lead vocal, and the backups blend in with the lead vocal. With my samsung and good earbuds, I can distinctly hear each individual voice.

As for mp3 players below $50, it depends on what you are looking for. If you want new, then you're a bit limited. I would recommend the Creative Stone, Sansa Clip, iRiver T30, Sansa e260, all which can be found new for $30-$40, all pretty good players. If you want to spend money on a better player, I highly recommend the Cowon i7. It has a 60 hr battery life, which is great for being on the road for long periods of time.

[Silver#788]

Radio shack

Noise-Isolating Earbuds with In-line Volume Control

Cost $39 And are foam like ear plugs SUPER easy on the ears and great sound. I use them with my Zumo 550 gps. I also wear a flip face helmet that makes noise and they cancel that out.

Get them Here

I tape the volume control in on place. The wind can move it above 90mph

[jeremy556]

Ear bugs?

[wera803]

What's the sound quality of the stereo plugs offered? Bass sound OK? Can you compare the sound quality to an available set of earbuds for comparison?

I haven't found sound quality I'd be willing to pay more than about $20 for in earbuds. I'm not trying to knock your product, I'd be willing to pay for something that sounds good and will protect my hearing from wind/external noises. It doesn't seem I can try that product without ponying up some serious $. At least with earbuds that aren't custom molded I may have a chance to return them if the sound quality is not satisfactory. I am currently going without tunes on the bike and just using good quality 33dB reducing foam earplugs (100 pairs for under $35 shipped, good for my ears and my wallet). I'm still looking for a good option that will allow me to have decent quality music with hearing protection from the wind/external noise that will cause permanent hearing damage.

Is the link your site? What other products are available?

Sound quality is good, of course it is subjective as well. I've been told by many that they sound better than Shure's or Bose. I have generic sets in both the single transducer and dual transducer (with crossover) for people to try before the buy. I'm a big believer of knowing what I am going to get for my money and the best way for that to happen is to allow people to listen. I encourage them to bring their MP3 player with their current headset for comparison. Listen to their music and be able to compare back to back. I've had people walk away not wanting to spend the money, but I've never had anyone say theirs sounded better than mine.

I am an independent provider of the product. Big Ear was started by 2 brothers that ride Busa's. They wanted something to protect their hearing and still be able to hear music. Truly made for motorcyclists by motorcyclists. We offer a range of products starting at $170 single transducers up to a triple transducer with 2 crossovers in it (for professional grade mixing equipment - live music). The motorcycle version runs $299.

If you want to spend $750, the dual transducer with a crossover is like having the band playing in your head. The sound is unbelievable for a set of in-ear speakers. They are professional grade musicians plugs, so they sound really good. I've sold 4 or 5 sets of those since September. People try the generic set and can't believe the sound quality. Normally I tell them not even to bother listening to them if they don't want to spend $750.

Columbia, SC looks to be about 2 3/4 hours away from me here in Athens. Maybe we should just take a bike ride some day and meet. You can try the generic ones out for yourself??

[wera803]

I have a set of custom molded ear buds. Mine were done via my husband's racing connections so maybe they are designed for speech, not music, I don't know. The bass is not as good as the Koss ones I have (which I don't use b/c they hurt my ears) but I am used to them now. I LOVE THEM!!! The don't hurt at ALL. I can ride 8 hours with no problems.

I would imagine there are different types, so perhaps other types besides mine have a better bass sound!

One thing about the racers is they usually have them wired in mono and not stereo. That will affect the sound some. I can have mine wired either way, just have to tell the lab what/who they are for. I did two sets of mono plugs for drivers at the Petit le Mans this year.

[cruzinaz]

Ear buds tend to hurt my ears after a couple hours of riding, that is why I prefer the "in helmet" audio option... Helmet Speakers

Do you get good sound out of those? Or are they just audible above the road noise? Do you use them with earplugs?

I've never used them with ear plugs... but they are very audible, even without a signal booster for my iPod. More so audible on my VTR than the VFR because the VFR's windscreen gave me a lot of wind noise. I also used a program to slightly turn the volume up on all of my mp3's called Mp3 Gain. The whole setup is very tidy and unobtrusive. The speakers themselves seem to help decrease wind noise by taking up space next to your ears.

:unsure: on these, tried several different ear bugs, oh wait, buds, they all were uncomfy to me,,, Icon helmet is made for these, nice pocket they slip into and dont move around. :thumbsup:

But hey,,, thats just me, everyone is different, good luck!

[TommyHoffman]

So I poped by the CompUSA that is closing and picked up a set of Bose, in ear headphones.

I am not a big fan of Bose. (Boy Our Stuff is Exspensive) But these sound pretty good. A bit more bottom end than the Shure. (Still cant find them) They also are pretty comfy. I hope thay work with the helmet and onthe Bicycle. The Bose units was $79 about 20% off.