Using intercom with ear plugs.

[ZigZag]

Hi folks, I regularly wear molded earplugs when I'm riding. I'm considering getting a blue tooth style intercom mainly to communicate with others and to listen to tunes. I want to know if I will be able to hear the intercom with my earplugs in place. Does anyone have experience with this combination? Also if this combination does work, is it possible to make phone calls?
Thanks.

 

[RCinNC]

You're going to get varied opinions on this. I've done it both ways, and found that at highway speeds, I can't hear audio from a set of helmet speakers while wearing earplugs well enough to do tasks like making a phone call or talking to another person via the comm unit. Music is also very muffled.

I used a set of earplugs specifically made for motorcycle riders (I'm not at home right now so I can't confirm the brand), and the experience was still unsatisfying. I went back to using earphones plugged into my comm unit.

I know other riders who are fine with the earplugs/speaker combo, so it's something you may have to personally try it and see for yourself.

 

[bimota]

yes as RCinNC says you,ll get a few different answers here

i have the CARDO PACKTALK bold with JBL easr pieces io have no issues with talking, hearing music, and answering the calls with ear plugs in molded type, i fined the JBL ear pieces are superb

rob

 

[fac191]

I have used these with helmet speakers.
https://www.etymotic.com/product/er20xs/


For listening to music / calls ect some ear buds are fine.
I use these tips i got a cheap pack with small medium large so i could find my size. I ended up cutting a pair down to 2 flanges as they can go in to far and close up at the end. A bit of super glue to hold them on as they can come off.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/ALXCD-Isolate-Silicone-Connector-Earphone/dp/B0776ZHJLV

 

[RCinNC]

Just for reference, I looked up my earplugs on line, and they're Alpine Motosafe Tour earplugs. The comm system I was using at the time of the earplugs experiment was a Cardo Freecom 4x using JBL speakers.

 

[ZigZag]

Thanks for all the quick responses. I've checked out the links and its given me some more ideas so I appreciate that. There are a lot of variables at play in this scenario. People's hearing is a big one along with helmet brand and also the device you have connected. I've tried this without ear plugs in the past and it was great with a Sony phone but not enough volume with an iPhone.
Has anyone used noise cancelling ear buds in their helmets?

 

[ZigZag]

Actually don't answer that last question. I'm over thinking this.

 

[fac191]

Actually don't answer that last question. I'm over thinking this.

Pretty sure the noise cancellation will not work. You can buy inline battery powered amps for between iphone and buds to beef it up. I have done it with walkmans.

 

[SkunkWorks]

I use "EarPeace" ear-plugs, and Sena 50S, and can hear comms and music just fine.
The EarPeace plugs are not a full sound-block type, but rather have a certain level of DB decrease. (they mostly block the higher frequency noises like wind-noise)
They were originally designed for musicians who perform on stage directly in front of their speakers, but they have evolved to offer "Moto" versions as well.

 

[fac191]

I use "EarPeace" ear-plugs, and Sena 50S, and can hear comms and music just fine.
The EarPeace plugs are not a full sound-block type, but rather have a certain level of DB decrease. (they mostly block the higher frequency noises like wind-noise)
They were originally designed for musicians who perform on stage directly in front of their speakers, but they have evolved to offer "Moto" versions as well.

Most comfortable plugs i have used.

 

[jbrown]

I use a Sena SMH10 bluetooth paired to my android phone. I also use downbeats ear plugs, meant for reducing the volume at loud concerts. For phone calls, this works great. For music, it's barely good enough. I need to have the volume at full once I'm moving at anything over 40 MPH. And the android OS thinks I'm going to hurt myself, so after 20 minutes, it reduces the volume and refuses to increase it again until you acknowledge a pop up (which I can't do because my phone is in my pocket!). This warning is supposed to only happen once per power-on of the phone, but it seems to randomly fire as often as it wants to. The Sena in-helmet speakers are not very good, but it's so much more convenient that wired ear buds. I've never used the intercom feature, but I'd expect that to be at least as good as phone calls.

 

[EricV]

Just for reference, I looked up my earplugs on line, and they're Alpine Motosafe Tour earplugs. The comm system I was using at the time of the earplugs experiment was a Cardo Freecom 4x using JBL speakers.

Whoa! I looked those up just now. 17 & 20dB ratings. Man, that class action lawsuit for hearing loss is going to put that company out of business at some point when people figure it out.

I've used helmet speakers with foam 27-32 NRR rating earplugs and been ok with the music/comm level, but don't think I'd be happy with phone use that way. I've used custom earmolds wired for sound and the required volume level is far lower with clearer comm/music. If I needed to use the phone while riding, I'd go that way again. The earmolds were only about the same as foam plugs in actual noise reduction, in my case. They were fitted at one of the IMS events.

 

[WJBertrand]

I use those disposable foam earplugs and find I can actually hear the intercom better using them than not. I think the earplugs block out the wind noise more selectively than the voice/music from my Cardo.

 

[MattR]

I use Ultimate ears with my Cardo packtalk edge. The Ultimate ears have a small hole that allow enough sound through so I can hear my Edge but I do need the edge turned up full.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[-=clinton=-]

I use the cheap Chinese tree shaped plugs from amazon that I bought 12 pairs fro 5 bucks or something. And I have a Sena SRL in my Neotech. I had a SRL in my GT air 2 but it got destroyed in my wreck last year. The tree type plugs, IMO, are better than the foams. they block the wind but not to the point of blocking traffic and sirens. And because they don't block out everything you dont have to have the volume up so loud which makes the battery last longer. After a couple days of foams my ears get itchy also. The flight doc once told me that wearing foams all the time will make your ears grow a form of fungus, hence the itch. I dont know. I can wear the tree shapes, ride all day and when I get done my ears aren't screaming. win/win.

 

[-=clinton=-]

OH. And noise canceling won't work. The constant "canceling" makes the ear buds pop. Think static crackle. The noise cancel is essentially a delay between the noise and whet you hear. Wind noise overwhelms the algorithm and makes it turn off and on.

 

[Chav]

Shuberth helmet, cardo packtalk bold with jbl, earplugs all day, no issues hearing anything on the com or music or podcasts at highway speeds.

 

[Wallkeeper]

I am with WJB and Eric. I use Foam disposables and actually hear music and intercom better with them in. I do not (will not) make calls so I cannot comment on phone usage

 

[MIKE R]

yes as RCinNC says you,ll get a few different answers here

i have the CARDO PACKTALK bold with JBL easr pieces io have no issues with talking, hearing music, and answering the calls with ear plugs in molded type, i fined the JBL ear pieces are superb

rob

I have exactly the same set up as Rob and also have no issues at all hearing anything although I have the volume at max. Nearly blows my head off if I forget to put in my earplugs!

Mike

 

[mybackhurts]

Cardo 4x 69420 or whatever it is. Jbl speakers. Foamies.

Former howitzer crewman so noises like wind or a room full of people talking drowns my ability to hear anything specific.

I struggled to hear the other rider at times tbh. Could have just been him being softer spoken.

Speakered ear pro is something I want to explore.