Calling Arizona Al

[Jerry_75_Guy]

I've been given a "deal" on a pair of custom speaker earplugs, but wanted to see if Al could do the same or better.

 

I've PM'd him without results, and assumed he's out working shows and rallys.

 

Does anyone have a contact # I could use?

[Ken H.]

Al's been in Europe most of the summer, may still be. He's been on this board very little.

[Jerry_75_Guy]

Al's been in Europe most of the summer, may still be. He's been on this board very little.

 

Alrighty then.

 

I'm having a bit of trouble doing the "search" thing on the site, so I'll just paint a brief picture and ask the question here.

 

A vendor I met in Oshkosh (the airshow) in July claimed they could "try"

and make custom molds for my Eytmotic 6i's that would fit under the helmet,

but still allow me to remove the transducers to replace the filters. They charged $105.

 

After all was said and done, the molds fit fine, but the whole arrangement

wouldn't fit under the helmet. I called the company direct. The tech guy there

was nice enough, but explained that their salesman was in error, and that they couldn't make a setup like I wanted, but that they sold custom molds

with the tranducers (theirs, not my 6i's) embedded in the mold for $250,

and if I returned the molds I have, they'd sell me the new ones for the difference in price. Not much of a "deal", but I would't be out the $105 for

the current molds. Alternatively, the salesman offered to take the molds back,

credit my card and call it a day, if I wished.

 

So...

 

Is $250 pretty much the going cost for such things, or can someone else,

like Al, do better?

 

I bought the 6i's just for this purpose, since others here claimed they had done this, and had good results, but it is too late to return them and start

over if my original plan won't work.

 

I suppose I could give the 6i's to my wife to use with the standard supplied

two flange tips (she won't do customs..long story), and get somethong else

for myself.

 

Comments or suggestions?

[DavidAnthony]

I was talking to Al in the spring and he quoted me $175US.

[Jerry_75_Guy]

Thanks Dave.

 

1. I assume that was the price when you supply the 6i's?

 

2. Did you get a pair, and, if so, is it fairly flush with

your outer ear?

[DavidAnthony]

I didn't get a pair at the time. Still haven't actually. But all I was suppose to supply to him was molds of my ears and he would take care of the rest.

[johnlt]

Mine from Al were $175 complete and work great. $250 seems a bit steep.

[decorbin]

I got mine from Earinc.com a couple years ago, and they have been excellent. I must have damaged them washing them or something, but they just refurbished them for $45. You might take a look at their site, specifically the motorsports sets.

[Davis]

$250 is very steep, the Competition Sports Monitors from EAR are only $175, which is what Al would likely quote you as well. If you can't get up with Al, any audiologist or hearing aid store can make the molds for you to send to EAR. My local Miracle Ear dealer did it for free, so shouldn't be a significant charge to have the impressions made locally. If you call EAR, they can recommend somebody local to you to make the impressions. Another option and price point is Bob Weis at EarPlugCo . His custom molded stereo earplugs are $160.

Even factoring the slight additional cost of having new impressions made, I'd get my money back and look elsewhere before spending $250.

[Ken H.]

Go to any Walmart that has a hearing center in it and have them make the impressions of your ears. Then get on-line at EARInc's site and pick out what you want. (We have the "Chameleon-Ear" model) Get in touch with them and they will make them through the mail.

[Rottweiler]

Try these guys out http://store.yahoo.com/earplugstore/cusfitearmol1.html . They make custom ear plugs that are also custom made for your ER6i's. All for $115 including shipping and self mold kits. I have not used this company but I may soon. Let me know if you get them and how you like them.

[Tool Man]

Go to any Walmart that has a hearing center in it and have them make the impressions of your ears.

 

Ken,

This is good to know....I've been wanting another two sets to keep with each bike. I only need one with speakers but it would be handy to keep one pair of plugs in each tank bag. I called several ear/hearing aid doc's and they would do them for 175.00 ea. just for impressions/plugs c-ya.

 

Next time I'm in Costco/Walmart I'll stop in to ask.

[questrider]

Maybe I'm very picky about my audio, but I've wondered with these custom earmold plugs/headphones just exactly what kind of quality the speakers are and what the frequency response is.

[Husker Red]

I second the Ear Plug Superstore. I bought a pair of ER6i's from them, and later decided to get their custom plugs made for them. I had asked around at a couple of bike shows to vendors making custom plugs, but neither of them would use the ER6i because they said it sticks out too far for under a helmet.

 

I paid the $115 or whatever and they sent out the impression kit. I sent it back with specific requests to make them small so they would work under the helmet. They came back too small, I couldn't get a good seal and it was really hard to tell if they were alligned correctly. I tried them for a few weeks, but never really liked them and ended up just using the ER6i's with their foam plugs.

 

I called them back and they told me to send them the impressions back and they would try again. The second time they were much better, make a good seal, and still don't bother me with my helmet on. I was really happy with the customer service because I was technically over their warrenty date, plus I did ask for them small the first time. It was good of them to work with me.

[Rottweiler]

Thanks for the positive review of the Earplug Store. You've convinced me to try them.

[Barglowski]

Frequency specs from the Ear, Inc. site:

Music Competition Monitors

 

I find them to have pretty good audio. No...you won't feel the bass, but I listen to them at work on the computer and can easily hear all the EQ tweakings on the media player. In the wind and engine noise environment of your bike, I don't think anything is really capable of producing better sound. Cell phone through the comm system sounds like the other person's inside your head (voices...I listen and obey!)

 

I got my impressions done from a local hearing aid store ($10 with shipping box) and sent 'em to Al.

 

I refuse to go back to foamies and/or helmet speakers!

 

Later,

jan