Noise-isolating/cancelling earphones

[allantheboss]

I need some that will fit well under a helmet and actually stay in my ears! Can anybody recommend any? Budget up to £100.

[Mrs DJ Fridge]

No, it is a well known fact that no two people can ever agree on earphones, you should hear the disagreements that we have about which ones should be on the hands free kits for the phones in the car. Let alone how long DJ can faff on trying to find earphones he likes, whereas I find that most work ok.

[EssexDave]

Bose. Not the sports ones, they're no good for motorbike.

The £260 sound amazing, although I've never used them under a helmet. Proper Bose fanboy here. Music quality is worth paying for if you're into music.

[embee]

I've tried various ones, none satisfactory regarding staying put or at least not getting dislodged when putting helmet on.

I use speakers in the helmet and regular earplugs, fine providing the satnav etc can provide enough volume to get through the plugs (don't need much but the Zumos are notoriously modestly powered). Very convenient to use but result in a mix of mild wind noise over the music/satnav.

A couple of mates have recently bitten the bullet and got Ultimate-ear plugs made with the built-in speakers and both are delighted. I think these are the only real answer although over your budget. I'm just trying to justify spending the cash. http://www.ultimateear.com/products/soundear-motorbike.php

[EssexDave]

Another option is to make your own. Get some reasonably priced headphones with good response (I actually use some £8 headphones which I think are pretty reasonable - but I break headphones a lot from overuse) and then buy some "Mould your own" ear plug thingy. Stick the earphone through when moulding, voila, you have something that will completely seal on your ear.

There was a guide somewhere but I couldn't find it - google is probably your friend, I didn't look very hard at all.

Check this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MYO-mould-your-own-Proguard-custom-ear-plugs-Red-better-than-Radians-DIY-/330751067473?pt=UK_BOI_ProtectiveGear_RL&hash=item4d024cc551

[missyburd]

I've been thinking about getting moulded earphones lately so interested in any recommendations too, after occasionally needing to switch back to standard foamy earplugs the noise cancelling qualities of my earphones are rubbish in comparison. I'm spending on average at least 3 hours on the bike a day at the moment, need my music but also worried about the damage I'm probably doing to my eardrums. Not because I'm playing my music overly loud at all (I still like to hear my engine!) but just the wind noise. Apparently the wind noise over 40mph is enough to cause damage to the fine little hairs in your drums :???:

I'm currently using some little Sennheiser phones, they're pretty good but just not good enough I fear. I've got silly small ears that a lot of buds don't fit into without causing me a lot of earache so they need to fit snug and flush with my outer ear especially under a lid.

Anywho, just slightly gatecrashing your thread Boss for my own gain, sowwee :smt040

[ophic]

I find normal in-ear types are fine and stay in, and keep out most unwanted noise. In fact they let in just enough so I can still hear when a car is alongside. I've tried Sennheisers and Skullcandy ones and both are fine. A bit uncomfortable after a few hours but I'm sure I'd get used to that if I wore them often enough.

The problem I get is the volume control - I find loud music distracting at low speeds but then can't hear it on the motorway. I ended up buying a big round waterproof inline volume control which works pretty well. And then changed my commute so no more motorways and I'm not mad enough to try it around London.

[maviczap]

I rode to the AR with my Sennheisers in, but even though they're small, I found my helmet pushed against them at speed, causing a lot of discomfort toward the end.

No such thing as noise cancelling I think, more like noise isolation. I improved the fit and isolating properties of them but fitting the tapered ear buds in this kit. Made them more secure.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EARPHONE-REPLACEMENT-EARBUDS-for-DR-DRE-BEATS-etc-8-BUDS-1X-SHIRT-CLIP-free-p-p-/301227144498?pt=UK_AudioVisualElectronics_HomeAudi oHiFi_Headphones&hash=item4622897532

But if I'm going to make a recommendation it'll be for the custom fit ones. I'd like some Ultimate Ear ones, but for my use its an expense I can't justify.

So here's a cheaper alternative, I haven't tried them, but its within your budget. Maybe not as good as the Ultimate Ear ones.

http://www.earfuze.com/store.html

Volume control is the only problem, so I'd go down Orphic's route

[EssexDave]

Mavi, the Bose headphones for £270 are noise cancelling. They have a battery pack which is supposed to offset outside noise. Their products are normally very good, although I have never used them.

[maviczap]

They probably are, but I'm not prepared to fork out £270 :D

Especially as I found my £30 Sennheisers were very uncomfortable after an hour, so I'd be very unhappy at £270

Ultimate Ear custom moulded were £175 and at least you know it'll block out the noise. They are meant to be the dogs doo dah's for quality of sound

[EssexDave]

The Bose do do a free 30 day trial. To be fair though, for the motorbike I use cheap headphones as I quite often break them. Get off the bike, helmet off, shove them in the jacket pocket and after not very long they're trashed.

[Mrs DJ Fridge]

I find it surprisingly noisy on the odd occasions when I ride without my music blaring, I have considered using the foam earplugs that are available from most gun shops, they were very popular when I used to shoot. All things considered I suspect I have damaged my hearing so much over the years that DJ had better get used to shouting at me to be heard as we get older.

[DJFridge]

What MrsDJF said about headphone arguments in our house is sadly true. My ears reject most in-ear headphones - they just won't stay stuck in. The ones I'm using at the moment are the stock Apple ones that came with my last iPod Nano. They don't really isolate very well, but they stay in place when I put my lid on and they don't cause pain for well over an hour (making them more comfortable than the seat and, therefore, as comfortable as they need to be). I'm still looking for that perfect set, although the Earfuze site looks interesting