Moulded in-ear speakers?

[fjtwelve]

I just listen to my akrapovic

[Phmode]

You need moulded ear plugs 

[Bandit2beemer]

This makes interesting reading being a Luddite and only just putting a satnav on the bike my next purchase will be some method of getting the sound to my ears .

I like the idea of being able to talk to other riders in a group but only when touring as have been lost countless times and hand gestures aren't helping.

So I'll keep an eye or more ear on this thread.

[Phmode]

Short of semaphore, which is kind of self-defeating on a bike, you are going to be into an intercom of some sorts. Having only left the stone age (wired Autocom, old Garmin Streetpilot and wired helmet and moulded in-ear speakers) earlier this year, the modern and simple way to go is with a full Bluetooth set up from Sena, Scala etc.

Most modern units have Bluetooth bike to bike rather than the cost and complexity of a radio but with shorter range and I find, more fiddly to operate and with a longer learning curve   

All i/c systems put speakers in the helmet as standard with a socket for moulded in-ear speakers as well; the moulded speakers come separately; which is where this thread came from.

[Bandit2beemer]

Any updates ?

[Phmode]

Not really. With the onset of autumn, a bad dose of man-flu and weather which is just wet, wet, wet, the bikes are not getting used to the fullest and so the need for the intercom is diminished.

And, despite my earlier whinges about the in-helmet speakers being bass-loaded and lacking treble, for mundane stuff like the phone and the sat-nag they may well suffice, certainly over the winter.

This might well be one of those 'Eureka' moments where long-held beliefs and received wisdoms take a walk down memory lane.

I'm comitted to moulded ear plugs and will never go back to those horrid, squidgy thingy other folks poke in their lugholes and at some point I will need to get new impressions taken. I think that that will be the point at which I bite the bullet and go the AudioFit route.

Knowing Simon, if they are good enough for him, then they will be good enough for me.

Brian (who says listen to this space  )

[Bandit2beemer]

Cheers Brian might see if I can get some impressions done locally then get plugs made do you recommend a manufacturer?

[Phmode]

Well, from my experience, as you will read above, I have loads I wouldn't recommend!

I am going the AudioFit route. Having spoken to Nigel, the owner, he knows his products, gives a £20 discount if you get your own impressions taken and the beauty of his system is that the speakers and the plugs are seperate items so you don't need new plugs and impressions if you cut the cord to your speaker which he claims is impossible anyway with the kevlar sleeving he uses!

Being in Chester, you could easily ride across to Leeds to see him, look at the products, get your impressions done free and Bob's your uncle and Fanny's your aunt!

[Bandit2beemer]

Cheers looks like a ride to Buxton then over to Leeds hope the sun comes out this week

[Dusty]

I have been using Ultimate Ear custom plugs for several years but have recently had to revert to foam squidgy ones. I can only assume that my ears' internal shape has changed because the previous comfort has been reaplced by unvearable pain. Has anyone else experienced this?

[Phmode]

Well, our ears do change aswe age which is why they insist you have new impressions taken every time you get new plugs!

Also, I hope you are not being as stupid as some guy I know who stuck his in the wrong ears for a 200 mile ride across France and apart from the pain after a few miles, my ears were bleeding when I got to the tunnel 

[Dusty]

Good grief, you must have forced them in with a mallet, Brian. My left and right plugs are completely incompatible with the wrong ears

[JackSnipe]

With Nigel's ear plugs the right ear one has a very clear red dot on it, even the colour blind should be able to determine the dot by way of a change in contrast I would imagine.

My expert man tells me that yes your ears do change but not fast he has had the same ear plugs for 10 years with no issues. For me I guess it will be the speakers that need replacing before the ear plugs themselves and then I expect to get years of service from them and by then my original BT unit could be replaced perhaps twice or more who knows ?

[gibbo]

I've had no problem with the squidgy foam plugs (Moldex) but I only use them once and then chuck. I have a Bluetooth system when with wife, and can hear her perfectly up to 70mph. Suits me fine. 

[Matt]

I like the idea of this AudioFit thing as after maybe five years my wired Ultimate Ear drivers died and I had to get completely new set for lots.

I've also just received some funny little plugs from a Kickstarter I backed, Flare Audio Isolates.  Yet to try them though.  They are half squidgy thing with a core and body of aluminium. 

On the sat nag audio point I did at one stage just use a ten quid Bluetooth receiver and plug my wired plugs into that.  However if I can find the right size audio jack I have a mono helmet speaker I'm going to try.  Then I can have music and nav... ish.