Help with buying custom ear plugs

[texasaggie97]

I wanted to see if I could get some advice on the best sounding affordable custom ear plugs to wear under my helmet. I also want to know if you can wear them if you want to get a Audiocomm. Please give me some good sites I can look at. I have use the challengers and I wanted to know if there were and others that have better sound quality.

Any advice would be of great help.

[paulcbrowne]

I've been through three sets -- fortunately got my money back on two. Save your money. Buy a set of Etymotic ER6 earphones. They're as good or better than any custom-molded set I've tried.

[texasaggie97]

Do the ER-6s feel as good as the custom ones under the lid. I love to ride long distances and I hate to have my ear hurting. Just wanted to know your opinion. Is the ER-6 and the ER 6i are they the same or what is the diffrence?

[j4bberw0ck]

A quick Google says the difference is slightly higher sensitivity on the 6i's, and about £10 / $20.

 

I use Shure e3c in-ear phones which are similar at least in concept to the Etymotics. All very fine, but I no longer trust them... one time after wearing them for a while I pulled them out of my ears and both silicone plastic "seals" (the bit that seal your ear canal to external noise) stayed where they were. I'd just got on a car ferry so the first port of call for me was the sick bay, so a very amused first aid wallah could pick the damn things out of my ears with forceps. The ear seal has no means - other than friction - of staying attached to the earphone body. It may just mean I was using the wrong size seals, of course, but I didn't think so.

 

I'm going for a pair of Ultimate Ears moulded plugs. At least they won't get stuck inaccessibly.

[BB_Two]

I have been interested in getting earphones that block out much of the ambient wind noise. How well do the ER-6s stay in place while pulling a helmet on? Go they stick out past the ear much? I have some inexpensive Koss ear phones but couldn't keep them in place while pulling on a helmet. I took my helmet with me and tried the new Bose earphones. They stayed in place but they are not designed to block out the background noise. Any suggestions?

[John Diakonis]

Ear Inc. or Arizona Al if he's still on the board. If I have to spend the money I don't want them pulled out everytime I put the helmet on or off. I'm getting another set made, my dog wanted my first set Competition Sports Monitors are what I had. Sealed out noise and good music quality.

[snod]

Check out http://www.westone.com/. They make custom earmolds for many purposes. I have used two different styles. I don't know what their model numbers are for the ones I use? They are semi soft, kinda like set-up RTV silicone caulk. I had a local hearing aide shop make the impressions and get the molds from Westone. I believe I paid $70.00 for each pair? They are ALL DAY and then some comfortable! I have worn mine for several days straight and no sore spots. I keep them in a small plastic container along with a small piece of sponge that has maybe a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil in it. I can put them in, or take them out with deerskin gloves on. I use them with my Autocom and ave no problems hearing the V1, Garmin, MP3, or cell phone.

[Kroref]

Save your money. Buy a set of Etymotic ER6 earphones.

__________________________________________________________

+1 on the Etymotics,Great sound at lower volume levels.

BUY.COM usually has the best price 76.99 w/free shipping

[markgoodrich]

Westone is the way to go. Check their website, (they've changed the model neme...call them if you can't find it, they're real nice) and go to a local audiologist who is a Westone dealer, get the pair that retails for around $300. Shop around a little. I got mine for $200. Great sound, and excellent noise attenuation. You'll also need the Autocom splitter thing. I wear mine all day, without pain. I also have a pair of Etymotic ER4 earphones that actually sound at least as good, but they don't offer as much hearing protection, and have a hard plastic "arm" that sticks out, hits the helmet, and becomes very painful within minutes...for me, anyway. My wife wears them all day without complaint.

 

I tried a pair from the Earplug Super Store, a do it yourself deal. They didn't last six months.

[2wheelterry]

I love my Arizona Al plugs!. Here's a link to an old post.

[WURTY]

After 100000 miles of riding WITHOUT Arizona Al's earplugs this weekend at Torrey he made me a set.

Of all the farkels I ever bought that was the best money so far in rider comfort.

I actually heard the music my Ipod was making and when I turned it off NO wind noise.

AL will be at the Auburn Ralley this weekend.

Look him up and spend the money.

 

Love Wurty

[texasaggie97]

What were you charged for Al services. I would love to have a pair but I can not seem to be in the same place he is to have them made.

[gottago]

After 100000 miles of riding WITHOUT Arizona Al's earplugs this weekend at Torrey he made me a set.

Of all the farkels I ever bought that was the best money so far in rider comfort.

I actually heard the music my Ipod was making and when I turned it off NO wind noise.

AL will be at the Auburn Ralley this weekend.

Look him up and spend the money.

 

Love Wurty

 

+2 on Al's earphones. Had him make me and Gar a set this weekend at Torrey. Mine with speakers - Gar's without. Wish we'd done it long time ago. Worth the money.

[Davis]

If you can't get up with Al, you can order direct from EAR Any audiologist or hearing aid store can make the molds to send in. If you catch them at a slow time, they may even do the molds for free, mine did.

[KMG_365]

The advantage to Al's new model is that there are no electrical wires going to the plugs, just air-tubes. The transducers stay safely isolated from the ear wax and ear lube down at the Y-joint. I had the original model with the transducers in the molded plugs from Ear Inc. for years and went through a few sets over the years (we ride 30+K miles a year so they get a LOT of use/abuse). The thin wires would break from the constant movement or get pulled on or caught and break right at the plug, or the transducers would get contaminated with ear wax/ear lube and stop working. This was expensive and frustrating and I had to do without them for weeks while I sent them back for repair.

 

With the new style, the sound is much better (much better low-end fidelity and gain) I have to turn my inputs way down. I was concerned about microphonic noise pick-up from the air tubes, but behind the RT's CeeBailey's screen it's a non-issue. If you're on a naked bike, Al suggests tucking them into your riding jacket which works great as the tubes are tightly coiled to stretch and give easily while turning your head side-to-side. Al doesn't have to send in molds to Ear Inc. anymore and he can repair/replace them on the spot at any of the hundreds of gatherings/rallies he goes to.

[Kitsap]

Al made me a pair of his plugs on the Monday prior to Torrey. The moment I used them that oh sh*t moment hit me, what a waste prior audio purchases were. The ride to Torrey and home was spent listening to great tunes with very little volume needed.

 

Still grinning Al

[WURTY]

I just mowed my lawn with Al's earplugs and Stevey Ray Vaughn.

Oh my god... I'm gettin a woody..

 

nuff said ???

[Kitsap]

Put the yellow jacket back on Wurty, don't want any sheep straying to near in your condition

[gottago]

What were you charged for Al services. I would love to have a pair but I can not seem to be in the same place he is to have them made.

Looks like Al is going to be at the Big Bear Rally June 9th.

[EffBee]

The problem with the Etymotics is that you have to have ear canals that are large enough not only to hold the speaker, but the external sealing rings as well. Many people don't.

 

Then there's the issue of what sticks out beyond your ears. For some people, this back part of the in-ear speaker snags on the helmet when you put it on and take it off. Truly a PITA. Nice sound, but not always an easy solution.

 

If you go to the Big Bear Rally and get with Al, he'll make you a set of molds on the spot. He'll de-burr the edges and you can try them on and let him know how they feel. He'll make whatever adjustments are necessary. You can even go wear them, strictly as earplugs, for an hour or so, to make sure they're comfortable.

 

Then you can bring them back to him and he'll core them, slide in the tubes coming up from the attenuators, and you will have THE MOST COMFORTABLE in-ear speakers I've ever experienced. And yes, I've tried the Etymotics as well as some custom in-ear plugs with the attentuator actually IN the plug. Nothing beats the comfort and the sound quality (for the money) of Al's plugs. And yes, I am biased, especially when something works this well.

[Couchrocket]

I also want to know if you can wear them if you want to get a Audiocomm

To answer this part of your question: YES! Autocom makes a cord that has noise isolation and a 3.5 mm stereo jack for ear-plug speakers.

 

+1 For AZ Al's custom ear-plug speakers. They are so good that I threw away my Autocom in-helmet speakers and just taped up the wires.

 

Follow Al's advice about carrying a tiny bottle of olive oil with you. Just a trace of oil in each ear canal will make the custom plugs comfortable all day long.

 

Just "this Torrey" I got an Autcom hooked up in my tank bag, w/ iPod, GPS, FRS, all integrated. While I like to ride in quiet most of the time, on a group trip like this and long sections going and coming on the slab, the FRS, music, etc. was really great. I downloaded a good audiobook that took me all the way home from Torrey to SoCal on our last day. Very cool. Seems to lower the fatigue factor too, for some reason (the audio, that is).

 

My advice, figure out a way to hook up with Al. The difference over anything else is worth it. I have some "spendy" Sure E500 ear speakers that I use at home for listening. The AZ Al's are "almost" as good as the E500's, and "on the road" w/ the ambient noise of the bike and wind etc. they are actually better "sounding" in those conditions.

 

No connection w/ Al other than being a friend, slash, satisfied customer! BUT, I was a satisfied customer first!

[texasaggie97]

I am in and I will be in Big Bear joining the Al ear plug group. Thanks for the great feedback that is why I love this group never afraid to give an opinion and very helpful.

Thanks Todd

[John Bentall]

Al is certainly very enthusiastic - he tried to sell me a pair of his earplugs...... and I live on the other side of the Atlantic!

[texasaggie97]

I can not blame him I would fly over to make you a set and he could write the whole trip off as buusiness. AL could you teach me the trade and I will be the overseas ear guy. Now that is a job I could ride all over Europe and help Al with his business. Are there any mentor ship open AL.

Blessings

[beammeup]

ER6's...Good!

 

Custom molded ear pieces....GREAT!

 

 

Any local hearing aid vendor can make a TIP mold that is custom tailored to your ear canal and your speaker. With this setup, the ER6's ride totally inside of my outer ear and cause no discomfort.

 

Use of a Helmet Slik or similar liner will prevent the earbuds from being disturbed as you don your helmet.