Headphones????

[Papa Lazarou]

I have (nearly) entered the digital age. I was given an Ipod nano for my birthday but sans headphones.

So, I went out to the nearest shop and bought a pair of Sennheisers with over ear clips. They do not fit under my helmet.

So, what fairly cheap headphones do? I need to listen to BBC radio 4 on my very boring and quite long commute to work.

[caasland]

Etymotic's.

[Hotbrakes]

I've had expensive and cheap.  Cheap seems to work just as well with the wind and noise in the background and I don't cry when I step on them or otherwise destroy them.  What you need is in the ear types.  Just got another pair of Sony's for $15 and they work great.

[expatbrit]

I've had expensive and cheap.  Cheap seems to work just as well with the wind and noise in the background and I don't cry when I step on them or otherwise destroy them.  What you need is in the ear types.  Just got another pair of Sony's for $15 and they work great.

I've found that the more expensive ones isolate noise much better -- but you do cry when you step on them. I still have a set of ER6is which are fantastic; noise isolation is amazing and sound quality is better than I care to distinguish, especially inside a helmet.

Sadly, no longer made. Also, not cheap.

In the end, fit is my first concern withunder-helmet earphones;  noise isolation is a close second. Audio quality is nice, but I just want to be able to hear what I'm listening too. The Etymotics have been /so/ much better than anything else that I've been willing to replace broken ones, rather than going thru' several inferior sets. The HF5, I believe, is the best replacement for the ER6i, but -- not cheap.

[Stripes]

SOL Repulics are awesome! But not they're not cheap. $60ish

[miles]

A good-enough inexpensive set are the Skull Candy Ink'd earbuds. Decent isolation, decent sound, and and cheap.

[mellow_gold]

I've found that the more expensive ones isolate noise much better -- but you do cry when you step on them. I still have a set of ER6is which are fantastic; noise isolation is amazing and sound quality is better than I care to distinguish, especially inside a helmet.

Sadly, no longer made. Also, not cheap.

In the end, fit is my first concern withunder-helmet earphones;  noise isolation is a close second. Audio quality is nice, but I just want to be able to hear what I'm listening too. The Etymotics have been /so/ much better than anything else that I've been willing to replace broken ones, rather than going thru' several inferior sets. The HF5, I believe, is the best replacement for the ER6i, but -- not cheap.

Love my ER6i's. Have been using them pretty much daily for the last three years at work and on the bike   Well worth the cash and I wish they still made them although I suspect the replacements will be good too!

[Papa Lazarou]

Well, I've explored the net a bit. Some people say the Skullcandy ones hurt their ears worn under a crash hat, some reviews say the Etymotics stick out a bit.....I'm confused.

However, I have found a make that look decent quality and get rave reviews.    

Phonak Audeo. I had never heard of them before...

[miles]

Phonak is a hearing aid company.

[Papa Lazarou]

Which now makes very well reviewed headphones.

[miles]

Well, they have decades of practice making in-ear speakers, so they should be good at it by now.

[Orson]

I warned you not to sell the Guzzi.

[Papa Lazarou]

I warned you not to sell the Guzzi.

 

[Mr.Black]

A good-enough inexpensive set are the Skull Candy Ink'd earbuds. Decent isolation, decent sound, and and cheap.

[three west]

A good-enough inexpensive set are the Skull Candy Ink'd earbuds. Decent isolation, decent sound, and and cheap.

these work for me, I tried the Asym and they are a lower profile, but they do not isolate that well.
Everybody's ears are different, the right one gets sore after about 3 hrs under helmet.

[Waterbeds]

I use these New Balance Sport ear buds personally, but only one at a time, i actually cut the other off as to only use one at any given time. But i love these because , they dont seal off the rest of the world too much, there comfy and they hook on the bud actually makes putting my helmet on and taking it off easy without having to try an manage the headset

[ConPilot1]

A good-enough inexpensive set are the Skull Candy Ink'd earbuds. Decent isolation, decent sound, and and cheap.

+100    15-20 dollar skull candy's. I've used lots of different earbud phones and these sound just as good if not better than most.
Personally I cannot stand earbuds in my ears when wearing a helmet.

Speakers, that's the way to go if you ask me. I do not like the sound isolation unless I'm sitting on my couch.

[JReazor]

A good-enough inexpensive set are the Skull Candy Ink'd earbuds. Decent isolation, decent sound, and and cheap.

Yep, every now and again they'll show up on Amazon for $10 a pair. They're not the best buds on the market but they're pretty darn good for the price.

[Papa Lazarou]

Well, I got a pair of phonak audeos. Fit is very good indeed. Shame that I can't turn the Ipod Nano off and the fecking thing runs out of battery juice in hours.

[agent9]

Yep, every now and again they'll show up on Amazon for $10 a pair. They're not the best buds on the market but they're pretty darn good for the price.

We use those for backups earphones with our IEMs in a couple of bands I'm in. They aren't bad at all for the price.

Sent from your iPhone

[saltcreep]

I did this:
http://www.howtogeek.com/57481/how-to-make-custom-silicone-ear-molds-for-your-in-ear-monitors/

using a  set or MEE M6 headphones (http://www.amazon.com/MEElectronics-M6-CL-Sound-Isolating-Headphones-Players/dp/B0038W0K2U)

And am very very happy with the setup.  Before using the Silicone , they would block out a decent amount of noise, but not enough for highway speed level.  With this setup they now block out as much noise as a set of regular ear plugs, my hearing is protected and I don't need to run my music up as high.  I'm using them with the SENA SMH10 and my phone via bluetooth and really digging it.

[lj516]

I did this:
http://www.howtogeek.com/57481/how-to-make-custom-silicone-ear-molds-for-your-in-ear-monitors/

using a  set or MEE M6 headphones (http://www.amazon.com/MEElectronics-M6-CL-Sound-Isolating-Headphones-Players/dp/B0038W0K2U)

And am very very happy with the setup.  Before using the Silicone , they would block out a decent amount of noise, but not enough for highway speed level.  With this setup they now block out as much noise as a set of regular ear plugs, my hearing is protected and I don't need to run my music up as high.  I'm using them with the SENA SMH10 and my phone via bluetooth and really digging it.

I was literally just about to post a link to that exact site! This is totally the absolute best way to go when looking for earbuds that not only protect your hearing but really let you hear quality music. Not to mention you NEVER, i reapeat, NEVER have to worry about them falling out. One of my favorite motorcycle mods ever..
LJ

[motormike]

I just upgraded my two year old phone to Samsung Galaxy and Pandora sounds excellent.  I'm  now considering listening while on rides.  

I have Bluetooth but never used it.

Should I go Bluetooth headphones or corded?

[lj516]

I just upgraded my two year old phone to Samsung Galaxy and Pandora sounds excellent.  I'm  now considering listening while on rides.  

I have Bluetooth but never used it.

Should I go Bluetooth headphones or corded?

Corded for sure. The only bluetooth headsets I have had experience with have the battery pack and earbuds as one unit(not going to fit in a helmet). Plus you loose audio quality over wireless.
LJ

[highside]

A good-enough inexpensive set are the Skull Candy Ink'd earbuds. Decent isolation, decent sound, and and cheap.

+1

I am pretty rough with my headphones and these last a long time with decent sound quality and isolation. I don't feel bad having to replace them once or twice a year. You can get them on-sale at target for $10 - $15.

[chriskoz]

FYI- I always wear an REI doo rag under my helmet. Apparently my ears have a factory flaw and the buds don't sit in them right but the doo rag keeps them in place and makes putting on and taking off helmet much easier.
Hope it helps.

[Scoop]

I sell the Audeo's and have a pair myself (being an audiologist).  Much better than the old Etymotic's that I had, and they were fantastic.

[dan88z]

I have some Sony earbuds that have the soft latex type of covers. They have an inline volume control which I like having. I use my Sirius/XM radio most of the time, other times my tablet with GPS.

[Papa Lazarou]

I sell the Audeo's and have a pair myself (being an audiologist).  Much better than the old Etymotic's that I had, and they were fantastic.

they are very, very good.

[Bullstankle]

etymotic HF5 are not cheap, but they sound even better than my er6i's did and fit in both of my helmets fine. The sound quality is the best I have heard in an earbud.

[highside]

Skull Candy ink'd for me too, about the best dollar to sound ratio for a cheap earbud and they are low-profile enough to fit under anything.

[Bounce]

If you're wanting ear buds or headphones, then consider Senheiser.

http://www.sennheiserusa.com/home

Excellent sound and quality builds. Skull Candy brands fall apart on me far too easily to justify their cost.

If you're wanting to listen on the bike, then nothing can beat custom molded ear monitors from places like Now Hear This. You get hearing protection and audio in one solution. Professional musicians use these on stage all the time for just those reasons.

[Dan K]

I was literally just about to post a link to that exact site! This is totally the absolute best way to go when looking for earbuds that not only protect your hearing but really let you hear quality music. Not to mention you NEVER, i reapeat, NEVER have to worry about them falling out. One of my favorite motorcycle mods ever..
LJ

Looks like a great idea.  

[bomber]

Looks like a great idea.  

When making any custom ear plug/phones, put your helmet on while the casting agent is setting up in your ears . . . .. saving potnetial pain later . . .

[JReazor]

A guy I work with is thinking about a pair of these.

http://ultimateears.logitech.com/en-us/home/18-Pro

He says that they're well worth the money. He also runs his iPod through and external DAC so take that for what it's worth.

[Oscar]

A guy I work with is thinking about a pair of these.

http://ultimateears.logitech.com/en-us/home/18-Pro

He says that they're well worth the money. He also runs his iPod through and external DAC so take that for what it's worth.

WOW!   $1350?    Too rich for me.

[Papa Lazarou]

WOW!   $1350?    Too rich for me.

Cheapskate. Sell your dog.

[Flyer]

$1350?

That's just nuts..."studio monitor quality" is lost at anything above a walking pace on an electric motorcycle...
I love my Etymotic HF5s, but will definately check out Scoops Audeos when I wear these out.

[sprint_st]

I used custom earplugs with a set of speakers in the helmet for a long while.  I thought they were good but I had to run volume at max. I run Shoei and Arai helmets that are pretty quiet too.  That's "pretty" quiet, all of them have wind noise when you crack sixty.  Then I got a a set of ER6's and haven't looked back.  Unless you can block the ear canal, like the ER6 you have to blast the volume.  

[Oscar]

Cheapskate. Sell your dog.

    I'd rather listen to my Holeshot in the wind!  

[sprint_st]

    I'd rather listen to my Holeshot in the wind!  

Maybe not intentionally, but I think you bring up a good point.  When I get into the twisties I turn off the MP3.  Rather hear the engine and some songs interfere with the rhythm of the turns.

[miles]

A good-enough inexpensive set are the Skull Candy Ink'd earbuds. Decent isolation, decent sound, and and cheap.

I need to change this recommendation.  Skull Candy just redesigned the Ink'd line and they no longer work for me at all.