Ear plugs / Sena / hearing loss / ear buds / your thoughts

[mobyfubar]

I use a Sena 20S with the Etymotic MC5 earbuds. They block outside noise very well, quite comparable to foam earplugs. Since the sound is piped past the noise isolation, it does not need to be turned up loud at all in order for me to hear my riding companions quite clearly. I find that this setup is vastly superior to foam earbuds and the Sena helmet speakers.

Good luck, Tabasco. Hearing loss sucks.

 

[RIDEMYST]

I try to protect my hearing. I read an article many years back that said that continuous noise was harder on your hearing than loud noise. The article suggest you do a test prior to a ride. Place a chair in front of a speaker and turn down the volume to the point that it was only slightly in your hearing range, go for a typical ride, return to the chair with the volume unchanged. If you cannot hear the sound you may have an indicator of hearing loss.
That said I use the custom audio plugs by Plugup.com, they seem to work fine.
Hope this helps. -JEP-


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[jbrown]

I'm in the same boat. I want to wear earplugs that cut out the wind noise, and I want to hear music on my 45 minute freeway commute.
I have a Sena SMH10, and it is not loud enough to get through the ear plugs.

I am trying out some ear plugs that don't cut out as much noise (http://downbeats.com/). The Sena is loud enough with these, but there is more wind noise than I'd like. I'm not yet satisfied.

 

[Gigitt]

I'm a fan of in-ear isolating ear phones that use the silicon 2 or 3 fin seal (MeeAudio M6P).... but not under a helmet!

I tried it for a month before i got the Sena 20S, and found that every time you slide your helmet on you move or pull on the ear phone and that breaks the isolating seal letting in noise.

Also the db noise isolating rating is lower on ear-phones than proper ear plugs.

I use custom Insta-Mold earmolds ear plugs (AU$80) from www.earmold.com.au and they can do lots of options for audio ear plugs.

Conact http://www.instamold.com/ for USA dealers.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

I've used custom molded plugs for years. I agree that your ears do change shape over the years. The custom plugs can become uncomfortable at times. Usually able to fix it with a good coating of baby oil.

I'm frequently annoyed with the sound quality and volume of my Sena 20S. Generally just cannot get enough volume out of it to hear what's is being said when riding at higher speeds. I've moved the speaker countless times and never found a spot that helps. Lately I've found tilting my head to the right while lifting my right shoulder gets the speaker close enough I can finally hear what's being said. It's a awkward riding position, but it has worked for me. I'd really like to find a better solution. Like others, I'm trying to preserve what I have left of my hearing and riding without plugs is not on the table.

 

[Sierra1]

If I know that I'm going to spend a lot of time riding, without taking the helmet off, I will use ear buds. Around town, doing errands, helmet on/off a lot, the 20S speakers do fine. The volume adjust only changes the music, voice comms are always loud and clear. ::001::

 

[patrickg450]

First off great thread........

I guess I am a do-do brain as I never looked to see if the Sena 20 (I have) has the ability to unplug the speakers. Need to look at that, I have some noise canceling earbuds from when I used an old iPod. Guess I will try them out.

So how big of a P.I.T.A is it to put you buds in then add the helmet to your nugget? How about the wire flapping around?

 

[Xsv]

First off great thread........

I guess I am a do-do brain as I never looked to see if the Sena 20 (I have) has the ability to unplug the speakers. Need to look at that, I have some noise canceling earbuds from when I used an old iPod. Guess I will try them out.

So how big of a P.I.T.A is it to put you buds in then add the helmet to your nugget? How about the wire flapping around?

Provided you have the right earbuds, it’s not. ( I’ve had great success with the old Er6i as well as the current mc-5 earbuds)They seat deep and stay in place. Normal earbuds are a major pita. I loop the wire and tuck it into the front of my coat or shirt so there is no flapping around.

 

[Mellow]

I recently started using s-plugs
http://www.plugup.com/the_S_plug_stereo_earbuds_s/67.htm

They are great! they go far enough in that they aren't uncomfortable after a long time which I found with others.

The base of the end is a bit thick so you'll have to use an adapter like this:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WKS8QG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

With this setup, music is much clearer, intercom is better and you still get the noise cancelling.. plus the senna feature to hear outside noise by double tapping the bottom mount button is actually useful.

 

[fac191]

I use a Shoei Neotec which is flipfront and makes it alot easier.

 

[Stridey]

I know a lot of people suffer from hearing loss and have said that on here. For me using an Arai Tour x 4 helmet with standard OEM screen and a small deflector mounted atop the screen and adjustable to alter deflection I am lucky to have little wind noise and just listen to my acrapovic mellow sound. I think the Arai Tour x 4 has better sound reduction than my previous Tour x 3?
I’ve tried silicone buds with attenuators in but find them too uncomfortable and get lost when taking of the helmet so I don’t bother now.
What was that! Eh!


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[EricV]

I know a lot of people suffer from hearing loss and have said that on here. For me using an Arai Tour x 4 helmet with standard OEM screen and a small deflector mounted atop the screen and adjustable to alter deflection I am lucky to have little wind noise and just listen to my acrapovic mellow sound. I think the Arai Tour x 4 has better sound reduction than my previous Tour x 3?
I’ve tried silicone buds with attenuators in but find them too uncomfortable and get lost when taking of the helmet so I don’t bother now.
What was that! Eh!

Some of the new generation of helmets are significantly better/quieter than not so very old helmets. That said, no helmet is hearing protection. You should strongly consider wearing some form of hearing protection when riding. Foam plugs are one of the cheapest, most effective methods to prevent hearing loss due to riding noise.

 

[yoyo]

I always big up the need for hearing protection, I spent 2yrs with a 50 mile each way commute and didn't use plugs, my tinnitus now keeps me awake at night and I'm really kicking
myself for being so stupid.

 

[Checkswrecks]

First off great thread........

I guess I am a do-do brain as I never looked to see if the Sena 20 (I have) has the ability to unplug the speakers. Need to look at that, I have some noise canceling earbuds from when I used an old iPod. Guess I will try them out.

So how big of a P.I.T.A is it to put you buds in then add the helmet to your nugget? How about the wire flapping around?

I answered this in Post #6.

 

[ace50]

I think its obvious but worth pointing out that an effective screen etc is the first thing to do to minimise wind noise etc.

::026::

 

[patrickg450]

I answered this in Post #6.

nope

















it was 7

 

[~TABASCO~]

I recently started using s-plugs
http://www.plugup.com/the_S_plug_stereo_earbuds_s/67.htm

They are great! they go far enough in that they aren't uncomfortable after a long time which I found with others.

The base of the end is a bit thick so you'll have to use an adapter like this:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WKS8QG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

With this setup, music is much clearer, intercom is better and you still get the noise cancelling.. plus the senna feature to hear outside noise by double tapping the bottom mount button is actually useful.

Thanks, I'm going to look into this product !

 

[rfulcher]

I use custom molded earphones and find them more comfortable than S-plugs. However my wife and a good friend prefer S-plugs to custom molded. The friend has a long used top of the line custom molded earphone and now uses S-plugs. My wife has custom molded earphones but still prefers S-plugs. I sometimes prefer S-plugs on the interstates as they seem to block high speed wind noise slightly better than my custom molded earphones.

I like good tunes without wind noise.

 

[Checkswrecks]

nope



it was 7

Don't make old people mad. Now get off my lawn.

 

[EricV]

Don't make old people mad. Now get off my lawn.

Throw a dirt clod at him!


The wife has made me promise to build her a trebuchet to 'throw' dirt clods at people when we get 'old'. She's 60 this year, so I'm going to have to get busy soon on that trebuchet. 8)