Sorry to raise a question about ear plugs, but, I'm looking for some advice. I have a full termi system on a Diavel 1260, and it sounds epic. But, on a long run, the exhaust note can get a bit much. I've tried the normal foam ear plugs, which work too good and cut out most of the exhaust note. I don't like this, I feel detached from the bike. Are there any ear plugs out there that will cut some volume from the exhaust, but not all of it?
yep, got the pro3 & some other models. You would be going for the filtered plug model in either 29 vs 23db. ultimate ear
I’ve used these, https://www.infinitymotorcycles.com/product/pinlock-earplugs-with-case and they were effective in the way you describe but as a an 8000 + mile a year rider, they didn’t last a long time. For the price of 3 pairs I went to a pair of Ultimate custom moulded plugs which I get a club discount on. The Ultimates suit me and work well with my Sena although conversation above 60mph is a bit hit and miss. Andy
On the Ultimate, which version did you go for, as I am thinking of coms for the helmet, but again, the foam plugs I use would block out too much noise.
I have just the basic model and I have no issues hearing the Sena SRL below 60mph. I don’t stream music, I don’t use a satnav and I rarely answer my phone but Sena has a volume boost to combat background noise so I’ve not felt the need to go bluetooth. Andy
I normally use the foam type. Last year ordered some of those mouldable type. Into hot water, push into ears, they cool and firm up. Got them fitting great and very comfortable. Came to wearing with a helmet and found they disslodged as you pull helmet on! I wear them at work now so at least they’ve not gone to waste.
Get foam types. Customs won't fit your ears in two years and are expensive to lose. Not so with foam - you can get various levels of noise reduction. I use Howard Leight MaxLite which are SNR34 and I find a good compromise of noise reduction but still allows some sound through, but there are loads of others. Google is your friend.
That is a good point about not spending out too much. I would lose them as a professional occupation - but I never gave a stuff...
I already have some of those from Screwfix, rated at 35DB, which are "too good" for me, maybe my hearing is already damaged, so another 35db of reduction is too quiet for me. I've learnt a lot from the replies today. Off to find some foam ones with a lower DB rating, if I can find some.
It depends what the SNR rating of the foam ear plugs you used was as to how much sound they blocked out. Many foam ear plugs have an SNR rating of over 30. That is quite a reduction in volume, a 10dB reduction is half the volume. Moldex make a low noise reduction foam ear plug that has an SNR rating of 22. You can get musicians custom moulded ear plugs that have removable filters that alter the SNR rating. For example Ultimate Musician’s Plugs have filters for 9dB, 15dB and 25dB of attenuation. You will also find that ear plugs designed for musicians have a reasonably even attenuation across the audible frequency range. That will mean that sounds won’t be as muffled as they are with foam ear plugs. That may mean that you can enjoy the sound of your bike and hear helmet comms clearly whilst still protecting your hearing.
I'm realising this now, the ones I have are SNR35, which makes things very quiet, but I cant hear what is happening with the bike, I feel very detached. Now I know why, lots of good information above, will have a look on line tonight for some.
I've had a pair of ultimate ears custom fit earplugs for about 4 years. I got these as I was always having problems with the foam ones, sometimes I'd know one putting my helmet on, or it would pop out and I'd have to stop and adjust it. They still work really well and block out a great deal of noise, but I bought a new helmet and the comms are much quieter. So I'm either going to get some filters retro-fixed to these or I was thinking about a set of these plugs: https://customfitguards.com/products/cf-auto They have an adjustable filter fitted, and they also do one without a filter or a sliding filter adjustment. I contacted the company and got this reply. "The filter fitted into both the CF Auto and CF Auto V2 are identical and have a frequency dependant attenuation level. On low frequencies you will find the sounds are safe (like intercom and road awareness) and able to travel through at a slightly lower level than normal hearing but maintaining clarity. On high frequencies you will find harsh sounds (like wind and engine sounds) are reduced by up to 28-30dB depending on how damaging the sound is. The CF Auto V2 also has the slider switch enabled which allows the user to place a cover over the filter to increase isolation levels on all frequencies if you wanted something more like a total block. The CF Motorblock has an attenuation level of 30-31 dB but is not frequency dependant as is just a total full block product (you would not be able to hear your in-helmet speakers at all)." 15% discount with the code at the moment.
OK, got a pair of these and tried for the first time yesterday on 120 mile ride. At first I did what I would normally do with a foam plug, which is to wet the plug before inserting it into my ear. Did this with the pinlock. The plug didn't sit right, my helmet dislodged it. It did a little bit of a job, but on the whole I thought I'd have been better putting the £20 note they cost me, in my ears. Stopped half way on the ride. Had a play around with the pinlock's, and this time decided to go in dry .... normally never good advice, but, what a difference. Fitted well, stayed in place and worked well. Definitely took the edge of the termi and stopped the excessive loud noises. Still killed some of the traffic noise around me, but, I didn't get that completely detached feeling the foam plugs gave me. Will definitely persevere with these and see if I can get used to them, thanks for the suggestion to try them.
I previously used the Howard Leight MaxLite but they did tend to make my ears ache. Slightly too long, or maybe I inserted them too deep? Took to cutting the very tip flat which improved matters but then tried these, far more comfortable for me at least. I have around 100 pairs left (all sealed and unused of course ), yours when we next meet up Jim.
I've worked in noisy environments for over 30 yrs and have always hated ear plugs, instead choosing bulky over the ear units time after time. After several large mileage euro holidays on the bike, I came home with ringing ears as I couldnt adapt to discomfort of plugs for long periods. A few years back I had a couple of summers in a row where I was at a lot of music festivals interspersed with endurance racing on the bike. I decided to try plugs one more time, opting for items from https://www.flareaudio.com/products/isolate-pro-titanium For the first time I found plugs that could be worn for hours without irritation, especially under the helmet. Maybe its the shape of my inner ear etc, but these worked great for me and I have since bought a few spare sets in case the company goes kaput.
I use the Flare Isolate earplugs when working with bands. They attenuate the sound a lot (SNR 35dB), but the sound remains clear. They are great sounding earplugs. However I find them uncomfortable under a helmet. It may be my helmet or the shape of my ears, but for me they aren’t comfortable to use on the bike. I use Howard Leight Laser Lites when I ride and I find them comfortable for riding for over 10 hours a day when touring. It just shows that we are all different.
Thanks for the recommendation - I've been considering Flareaudio Isolate plugs for a while so just ordered some as they've got a big-discount sale on now + free shipping. I've been using Senner Music Pro & EGGZ silicone plugs, which are both ok but I'm keen to try more attenuation for my sensitive ears...
In the past I've used Howard Leight MaxLite which have sound reduction of around 35dB, for me this is too much, I feel to detached from the bike / world around me. The Pinlock have a SNR of 24dB, which seems to be a much better solution for me. https://pinlock.com/products/earplugs/
