In ear headphones for Motorcycling - HiFi Headphones Forum - online headphone & earphone community forums

VFRHawk · 02-20-2011, 12:55 PM

Hi all,

Just wondered whether anybody had experience of using any of the mid priced (circa £70) IEM under a full face crash helmet on a motorcycle? I've tried wearing normal ear buds, but they fall out, and the one's you can buy that velcro to the inside of the crash helmet generally cost a lot and sound dreadful. I know the background noise from the bike is going to destroy a lot of sonic clarity anyway, but I'd like a set that I can use off the bike too. I'm looking initially at the Klipsch Image S4's. Wondered if anybody had any feedback on how far they protrude from the ear? Anything more than a couple of mm's might be a problem with the foam inside the crash helmet pushing on them. Also, how are they in a noisy environment at isolating the background noise? I'm obviously asuming a good seal here, part of the reason for looking at the Klipsch is they seem to offer a good range of tips, and they're shaped to your ear.

Any feedback much appreciated.

Graham

brougham · 02-20-2011, 08:59 PM

I started with the Senn CX300's then to the Etymotic ER-6i and have been looking to get a backup pair for a bit. Looks like I'm too late. The ER-6i's were fab! nice and small with excellent wind protection.

If anyone queries the safety of wearing earphones on a motorcycle- basically you get a lot of wind noise in a crash helmet and would do serious damage if you didn't wear anything in a very short time. I have ear plugs- which I wear on track days but find the level of noise reduction too high. The ER-6i's were the perfect balance and fit nicely in your ear with very little sticking out. They do sound good too.

VFRHawk · 02-21-2011, 12:23 PM

Actually, just did a slightly wider search and found this in one of the other forums on here:

"You didn't mention a budget, but an earphone that fits very neatly inside the ear and has robust cabling is the Phonak Audeo PFE.

These earphones would fit neatly under a helmet. They actually fit so flush that you can wear them laying down without discomfort.

I'd definitely recommend Comply Foam tips if you are using them while riding a motorcycle as they offer excellent sound isolation to cut out wind and engine noise. "

So it looks like that might be a good alternative. Might order a pair next week when I get paid.

Graham

brougham · 02-21-2011, 03:49 PM

I read other threads talking about the Phonak Audeo PFE, my only hesitation was that I was hoping to get a set of custom earmolds but they don't appear on the list as being compatable

ShaunG · 02-23-2011, 04:55 PM

Yep, the Phonak PFE would be a good choice as it sits flush with the ear. I'd recommend Comply Foam tips if on a motorcycle as this well reduce the noise much better than silicone tips.

We've definitely sold custom sleeves for Phonak earphones in the past - they work really well with a custom mould. Please do give us a call and ask one of the guys (Robin or Jon) to confirm that with the lab at ACS.

VFRHawk · 02-24-2011, 09:19 PM

Thanks for the update.

As a matter of interest, do the Comply tips match sizes? So if I bought a pair of these headphones and found, say, that the small size tips work best I'd want to buy the small size Comply tips too?

Sorry to sound like a noob, but not bought a set of in ear headphones before!

Graham

brougham · 02-25-2011, 08:14 AM

Do all the PFE's share the same body shape so a common sleeve would fit all the models?

Eunuch · 02-27-2011, 12:42 PM

This is interesting because I am in the same position wanting to look for a back-up pair of motorcycling in-ear monitors for motorcycling (5-8K miles a year 'social' riding) after a few very good years service from my Shure SE310's. I'd hate to go on a bit trip across Europe and be without my vibes, not to mention the protection they provide in terms of noise isolation.

And more interestingly .. my Phonak Audso PFE 012's have just arrived though I haven't had a chance to try them yet. Good reviews led me towards them and though I didn't buy them here (sorry guys, only found you afterwards when I went looking for the comply foam tips) I was disappointed to see there is no carry pouch, no ear guides (incidentally not on the Shure's either but their cable is a little more pliable and 'shapes' more easily) or cleaning tool (I'll use the Shure's kit).

I will say though for anyone else that is interested I've fund that looping them over the ear is critical if you don't want to dislodge any in-ear monitors when you put your helmet on. This way any tug is on the top of the ear which doesn't affect the position of the monitor. Leaving the cable directly down from the ear will tug at the monitor and dislodge (or irritate 20 mins later when you are in the swing of some great roads) position/comfort.

I'll post an update on how well they perform in due course. I'm no audiophile, but I have excellent hearing, LOVE my vibes and understand the need for noise isolation on a motorcycle.

PS - VFRHawk. Had 3 x VFR's over the years and loved them. Great choice in motorbikes ;-)

Rgds,
Darren

VFRHawk · 03-01-2011, 09:26 PM

Hey,

How did you get on with Phonaks? Just been paid so thinking about ordering a set.

Shame about the lack of accessories though.

Graham

PS I'm on my second VFR, both 750's. Had an 800 as a hire bike last year, not as impressed with it as I'd hoped to be, so will just run this until it dies on me! Is one of the later 750's, so has a lot of years of development and refinement behind it.

Eunuch · 03-02-2011, 06:31 PM

Graham,

I can certainly vouch for the sound quality but I'll have to defer how well they work on the bike.

The large foam comply tips I bought for £15 that are generally recommended for the Phonaks are too small and don't isolate enough background noise indoors with the TV on let alone out on the bike - I have to be picky because we're on a bike. The largest of ones that came with the (considerably more expensive) Shures that I have been using for 2 years is a good size larger than the ones I just bought. Annoyingly the foam tips from the Shures won't fit the Phonaks and I can't find any larger foam comply tips on the internet for the Phonaks it might be a case of having to be return them because I can't get them to fit. Guess I've got an odd shaped head ;-)

Disappointed because they aren't what I need for a bike, but seem very good for the price in terms of sound quality if I was just walking along the street.

If I manage to find a solution I'll let you know.

Darren.

PS ref bikes - I think the 750's were the best version but I never owned one (RC30's in disguise ;-)). I had an 800FI and 2 x Vtec's.

Ride safe.

02-20-2011, 12:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
VFRHawk Headphone Newbie Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	In ear headphones for Motorcycling Hi all, Just wondered whether anybody had experience of using any of the mid priced (circa £70) IEM under a full face crash helmet on a motorcycle? I've tried wearing normal ear buds, but they fall out, and the one's you can buy that velcro to the inside of the crash helmet generally cost a lot and sound dreadful. I know the background noise from the bike is going to destroy a lot of sonic clarity anyway, but I'd like a set that I can use off the bike too. I'm looking initially at the Klipsch Image S4's. Wondered if anybody had any feedback on how far they protrude from the ear? Anything more than a couple of mm's might be a problem with the foam inside the crash helmet pushing on them. Also, how are they in a noisy environment at isolating the background noise? I'm obviously asuming a good seal here, part of the reason for looking at the Klipsch is they seem to offer a good range of tips, and they're shaped to your ear. Any feedback much appreciated. Graham

02-23-2011, 04:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
ShaunG Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 416 Thanks: 2 Thanked 78 Times in 60 Posts	In-ear headphones for riding motorcycles Yep, the Phonak PFE would be a good choice as it sits flush with the ear. I'd recommend Comply Foam tips if on a motorcycle as this well reduce the noise much better than silicone tips. We've definitely sold custom sleeves for Phonak earphones in the past - they work really well with a custom mould. Please do give us a call and ask one of the guys (Robin or Jon) to confirm that with the lab at ACS. __________________ Shaun @ HiFi Headphones HiFi Headphones - the UK Headphone & Earphone Store That's Serious About Headphones Ultimate Ears, Grado, Phonak Audéo, Klipsch, Shure, Audio-Technica, Sennheiser and many other high quality brands - visit our store. Join us on FaceBook

02-27-2011, 12:42 PM	#8 (permalink)
Eunuch Headphone Newbie Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	This is interesting ... This is interesting because I am in the same position wanting to look for a back-up pair of motorcycling in-ear monitors for motorcycling (5-8K miles a year 'social' riding) after a few very good years service from my Shure SE310's. I'd hate to go on a bit trip across Europe and be without my vibes, not to mention the protection they provide in terms of noise isolation. And more interestingly .. my Phonak Audso PFE 012's have just arrived though I haven't had a chance to try them yet. Good reviews led me towards them and though I didn't buy them here (sorry guys, only found you afterwards when I went looking for the comply foam tips) I was disappointed to see there is no carry pouch, no ear guides (incidentally not on the Shure's either but their cable is a little more pliable and 'shapes' more easily) or cleaning tool (I'll use the Shure's kit). I will say though for anyone else that is interested I've fund that looping them over the ear is critical if you don't want to dislodge any in-ear monitors when you put your helmet on. This way any tug is on the top of the ear which doesn't affect the position of the monitor. Leaving the cable directly down from the ear will tug at the monitor and dislodge (or irritate 20 mins later when you are in the swing of some great roads) position/comfort. I'll post an update on how well they perform in due course. I'm no audiophile, but I have excellent hearing, LOVE my vibes and understand the need for noise isolation on a motorcycle. PS - VFRHawk. Had 3 x VFR's over the years and loved them. Great choice in motorbikes ;-) Rgds, Darren Last edited by Eunuch; 02-27-2011 at 12:47 PM.

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02-20-2011, 08:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
brougham Headphone Newbie Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I started with the Senn CX300's then to the Etymotic ER-6i and have been looking to get a backup pair for a bit. Looks like I'm too late. The ER-6i's were fab! nice and small with excellent wind protection. If anyone queries the safety of wearing earphones on a motorcycle- basically you get a lot of wind noise in a crash helmet and would do serious damage if you didn't wear anything in a very short time. I have ear plugs- which I wear on track days but find the level of noise reduction too high. The ER-6i's were the perfect balance and fit nicely in your ear with very little sticking out. They do sound good too.

02-21-2011, 12:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
VFRHawk Headphone Newbie Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Actually, just did a slightly wider search and found this in one of the other forums on here: "You didn't mention a budget, but an earphone that fits very neatly inside the ear and has robust cabling is the Phonak Audeo PFE. These earphones would fit neatly under a helmet. They actually fit so flush that you can wear them laying down without discomfort. I'd definitely recommend Comply Foam tips if you are using them while riding a motorcycle as they offer excellent sound isolation to cut out wind and engine noise. " So it looks like that might be a good alternative. Might order a pair next week when I get paid. Graham

02-21-2011, 03:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
brougham Headphone Newbie Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I read other threads talking about the Phonak Audeo PFE, my only hesitation was that I was hoping to get a set of custom earmolds but they don't appear on the list as being compatable

02-24-2011, 09:19 PM	#6 (permalink)
VFRHawk Headphone Newbie Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the update. As a matter of interest, do the Comply tips match sizes? So if I bought a pair of these headphones and found, say, that the small size tips work best I'd want to buy the small size Comply tips too? Sorry to sound like a noob, but not bought a set of in ear headphones before! Graham

02-25-2011, 08:14 AM	#7 (permalink)
brougham Headphone Newbie Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Do all the PFE's share the same body shape so a common sleeve would fit all the models?

03-01-2011, 09:26 PM	#9 (permalink)
VFRHawk Headphone Newbie Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 7 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hey, How did you get on with Phonaks? Just been paid so thinking about ordering a set. Shame about the lack of accessories though. Graham PS I'm on my second VFR, both 750's. Had an 800 as a hire bike last year, not as impressed with it as I'd hoped to be, so will just run this until it dies on me! Is one of the later 750's, so has a lot of years of development and refinement behind it.

03-02-2011, 06:31 PM	#10 (permalink)
Eunuch Headphone Newbie Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Graham, I can certainly vouch for the sound quality but I'll have to defer how well they work on the bike. The large foam comply tips I bought for £15 that are generally recommended for the Phonaks are too small and don't isolate enough background noise indoors with the TV on let alone out on the bike - I have to be picky because we're on a bike. The largest of ones that came with the (considerably more expensive) Shures that I have been using for 2 years is a good size larger than the ones I just bought. Annoyingly the foam tips from the Shures won't fit the Phonaks and I can't find any larger foam comply tips on the internet for the Phonaks it might be a case of having to be return them because I can't get them to fit. Guess I've got an odd shaped head ;-) Disappointed because they aren't what I need for a bike, but seem very good for the price in terms of sound quality if I was just walking along the street. If I manage to find a solution I'll let you know. Darren. PS ref bikes - I think the 750's were the best version but I never owned one (RC30's in disguise ;-)). I had an 800FI and 2 x Vtec's. Ride safe.