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Is there a way to use earbuds instead of wired helmet speakers that come with a comm unit?

greenmonster

greenmonster

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 7, 2013
Location
Pleasanton
Moto(s)
2022 Suzuki Hayabusa
Name
Ed
I have a Cardo Freecom that has wired helmet speakers but need to wear ear plugs to avoid noise from the wind and highway. I use the it to listen to music but my wife and I are planning some long distance trips so using the intercom function will also be important.
The helmet speakers have always been unsatisfactory due to wind noise even after fooling around with placement and springing for the JBL upgrade.
And using foam ear plugs takes care of the noise but muffles out the music too much.

I’ve been looking at noise canceling earbuds that would cancel noise and provide way better sound without using ear plugs that would pair with my phone.

But I can’t seem to find any comm units that would pair with them so I could ditch the helmet speakers.

In other words my desired set up would be iPhone to comm unit, then comm unit to earbuds via Bluetooth so I get noise cancellation, music and intercom usage.

Any ideas on this?
 
Hmmm, well then maybe I need to try out different ear plugs to hit the right combination of ear protection and music/intercom clarity.
 
Cardo uses 3.5 plug for speakers/earbuds. I use IEM wired buds with memory foam tips they cut as much noise as earbuds best of both worlds. Plug right in to my packtalk.

BASN in-Ear Monitors, Bmaster Triple Driver are my current buds.
 
thepretender said:
Cardo uses 3.5 plug for speakers/earbuds. I use IEM wired buds with memory foam tips they cut as much noise as earbuds best of both worlds. Plug right in to my packtalk.

BASN in-Ear Monitors, Bmaster Triple Driver are my current buds.
Click to expand...

This might be the answer. I looked carefully at my Cardo Freecom unit but don't see where the jack is for plugging in earbuds.
I see the speaker wires coming out of the comm unit and I tugged on them gently to see if they'd unplug but no luck.

I'll do some more research on this idea because this would solve my problem. I like the idea of wired earbuds. That way if they pop off when I remove my helmet they don't fall to the ground.

Edit: Duh - I took out the helmet liner and there's the plug.
 
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ok, next dumb question now that I found the plug.

How do you put on the earbuds and helmet?

I'm picturing the earbuds dangling down from inside the helmet so I need to put the helmet on half way, then insert the earbuds, then pull the helmet on the rest of the way?

Seems a little awkward.
 
By the way if you use a skull cap or bandana that covers your ears the buds stay right where you put the when you put on and take of the helmet.
 
If your going earbuds, you might consider Isotunes. They are specifically designed to provide hearing protection while enabling you to listen to music etc.

Alternatively, purchasing earplugs with a noise filter may solve all your problems with the in helmet speakers - here is an example. The filter excludes the wind and road noise frequencies but enables frequencies in the midrange to come through. This is the solution I use and I find it works well for me (mostly listen to podcasts).
 
I don't know about Cardo but all the Sena products are tuned to sound better when wearing ear plugs. I wear foamies with my in helmet speakers. Works great. Give it a try.
 
dravnx said:
I don't know about Cardo but all the Sena products are tuned to sound better when wearing ear plugs. I wear foamies with my in helmet speakers. Works great. Give it a try.
Click to expand...

I have worn foamies in the past but always struggled putting them on (even after watching how-to vids). Maybe it's my ears or my clumsiness.
 
thepretender said:
Cardo uses 3.5 plug for speakers/earbuds. I use IEM wired buds with memory foam tips they cut as much noise as earbuds best of both worlds. Plug right in to my packtalk.

BASN in-Ear Monitors, Bmaster Triple Driver are my current buds.
Click to expand...

I'm liking these BASN's the more I look at them. And adding foam tips might just be the ticket.

Other brands can get pretty expensive so I like the price tag on these too.
 
I used to use a Sena unit and wired earplugs. I would put them on before the helmet and then just squish the foam at my ear line a bit when sliding it on and no issues getting the helmet on or off. I would just tuck the wire into my jacket after putting on the helmet or now that I think about it you could cut the wires to fit and then solder them back together but I would experiment with a cheap pair first to make sure it would work right.
 
I appreciate the tip about getting the helmet on and off.

Here's a creative thing I uncovered on another forum. This guy purchased replacement ear cushions like these https://www.amazon.com/Plantronics-...eplacement+ear+cushions&qid=1680628227&sr=8-4 and put his speakers in them and then into the helmet. So the speakers are cupped against the ears and form a seal. Not sure about the noise reduction results but they're cheap if they don't work out.

Sorta makes the helmet like a big over-the-ear headphone once you get the right size in there.
 
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I sprung for professional in-ear monitors, like stage musicians use- 15 years ago. They come with several soft rubber tips, you find the one that gives you best sounds "blockage". Still need a ceremony to doff/don things, but you get used to that in no time. They are amazing and I could pipe radar detector alert, music, calls or whatever else through them. You do give up some ambient noise ability, but I found you adapt pretty quickly and don't notice (can still hear a siren for example).

Amazon has several of course, buddies that got 'em swear by them too. They are not cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/Westone-Trip...qid=1680649165&sprefix=Westone,aps,277&sr=8-4
 
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Keep in mind that the use of two earbuds is illegal in California while driving a motor vehicle. I've never known anyone to get a ticket, but that's the law. (Earplugs are totally legal, as are helmet speakers.)
 
NorCalBusa said:
I sprung for professional in-ear monitors, like stage musicians use- 15 years ago. They come with several soft rubber tips, you find the one that gives you best sounds "blockage". Still need a ceremony to doff/don things, but you get used to that in no time. They are amazing and I could pipe radar detector alert, music, calls or whatever else through them. You do give up some ambient noise ability, but I found you adapt pretty quickly and don't notice (can still hear a siren for example).

Amazon has several of course, buddies that got 'em swear by them too. They are not cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/Westone-Trip...qid=1680649165&sprefix=Westone,aps,277&sr=8-4
Click to expand...

I may work my way up to these one day but I went the $97 route for now.
I’ve noticed there are A LOT of earbuds on the market, many are very good and some cost way more than the Westones.
It’s easy to get paralysis of analysis for sure.
 
Back in the day I spent like 400 bucks on some Shure's and they were better than the $100 Shure's but not much. In the last few years the market is way improved and $100 get you way better than the $400 of the past. Also on the bike you still get plenty of background noise so at 60 miles per hour $50 or $1000 are gonna sound about the same :)
 
greenmonster said:
I may work my way up to these one day but I went the $97 route for now.
I’ve noticed there are A LOT of earbuds on the market, many are very good and some cost way more than the Westones.
It’s easy to get paralysis of analysis for sure.
Click to expand...

Beauty of Amazon. Buy 3-4 kinds and try them out back to back. Keep the one you like, return the rest. Like everything, I don't think they're going to go down in price. G/L
 
thepretender said:
Back in the day I spent like 400 bucks on some Shure's and they were better than the $100 Shure's but not much. In the last few years the market is way improved and $100 get you way better than the $400 of the past. Also on the bike you still get plenty of background noise so at 60 miles per hour $50 or $1000 are gonna sound about the same :)
Click to expand...

I agree. The $100 earbuds I ordered will certainly be a huge upgrade from my helmet speakers.
After a while I may upgrade to something nicer.
 
Man you guys are going crazy with the earbuds. I think I grabbed a cheap pair of $30-$40 dollar ones with the plastic that supposedly sealed the ear and they worked fine but I guess I wasn't looking for an audiophile level of playback while on my bike. I just wanted to be able to hear some tunes or my wife when I called her on my way home from work. I actually even took some after hour techsupport calls on my ride home and no one knew I was on the bike.
 
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