Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphones (full-size) › Thin Headphones to Put Inside Motorcycle Helmet
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Thin Headphones to Put Inside Motorcycle Helmet

post #1 of 29
6/30/09 at 11:29am
Thread Starter 
I am looking for a pair of headphones to put inside my helmet. To fit comfortably, they need to be thin enough to not touch my ear. This means being under an inch thick.

Any headphones that meet these criteria and can reach ~105-110dB unamped through an iPod Classic? Sound quality is less important than volume. Budget < $100.


Most threads I've found on this subject, here and elsewhere, degenerate into arguments for and against music while riding and people telling the OP that he will damage his hearing. It would be great if we can avoid this here.
Reply

Gear mentioned in this thread:

post #2 of 29
6/30/09 at 11:35am
KSC75s are probably your best bet.
Reply
post #3 of 29
6/30/09 at 11:40am
Seems like a perfect application for Koss KSC-75, which normally clip on the ear, but you can remove the clip.

The only thing tho, is that they (and most any headphones) won't sound that good if they are not resting against your ear. Most headphones need to have a small soundspace to create a full bass response, like the ear chamber when the headphones are pressed against the ear (or a closed headphone by isolating around the ear itself).

But for only $15, you could experiment with placement of KSC-75 ear pads in your helmet see what you find.
Reply
post #4 of 29
6/30/09 at 11:41am
Yuin earbuds perhaps? Its said that they sound awesome for mere earbuds, but are quite costly too.
Reply
post #5 of 29
6/30/09 at 12:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaZa View Post
Yuin earbuds perhaps? Its said that they sound awesome for mere earbuds, but are quite costly too.
from the way I read his post, I think he's talking about permanently attaching them, like a helmet version of the Jecklin float.
Reply
post #6 of 29
6/30/09 at 12:23pm
shouldn't a good helmet be a tight fit? if you can still snuggle a headphone in there, then the fit is bad and may not be safe in a crash.

anyway, an IEM would work better.
Reply
post #7 of 29
6/30/09 at 12:28pm
Take a look at
Code:
 http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/index.html
where you'll find several options along this line. They have amps and communication systems for passengers too.
Reply
post #8 of 29
6/30/09 at 12:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ting.mike View Post
anyway, an IEM would work better.
No, on a motorcycle, you don't want to completely isolate yourself from other outside noise -- just a good enough open phone that you can hear.
Reply
post #9 of 29
6/30/09 at 12:52pm
There are helmets on the market with headphones and even microphones. Buy one of those. I would strongly advise against building your own. If you alter the helmet in any way you are likely to decrease your own safety and in the event of an accident you are almost sure to get a check-up by the insurance company (I know a person who does this sort of checks for a living). And if they find the helmet to be tinkered with, the insurance companies can wiggle right out of paying you anything.
Reply
post #10 of 29
6/30/09 at 12:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kmhaynes View Post
No, on a motorcycle, you don't want to completely isolate yourself from other outside noise -- just a good enough open phone that you can hear.
i disagree. many motorcycle safety advocates suggest using earplugs - they help block both road noise and wind noise and studies have shown that people are more alert, less fatigued, and therefore drive safer with earplugs.

that being said, i don't think people should be wearing IEMs and blasting music while on the road...but i also don't think a little bit of music would hurt. obviously, in city driving it would be prudent to not listen to anything that might distract you.

i have been riding with er6i for the last 5 years and have very little problems hearing the road or the traffic around me...

(sorry to the OP for this digression)
Reply
post #11 of 29
6/30/09 at 1:08pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the suggestions so far. I am going to pick up the ksc-75 and Senn 202 to test out. Any other recommendations?

To those who expressed concern about modifying my helmet, thank you; but this is what I was trying to avoid. Besides, my helmet comes with a space specifically for headphones.

As for using IEMs, they don't block out enough noise. I wear foam earplugs with an nrr of 33dB, whereas the um3x with comply tips likely are only around 20ish. This is the reason I need the headphones to be able to do 110dB: to overcome the earplug's attenuation.

On hearing sounds around me, I think this is a point that is often over emphasized. The only noises I've found useful to hear are sirens, and then only in the city. When droning down the freeway, I've never needed to hear my surroundings; although I am constantly checking my mirrors.
Reply
post #12 of 29
6/30/09 at 1:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by kugino View Post
i disagree. many motorcycle safety advocates suggest using earplugs - they help block both road noise and wind noise and studies have shown that people are more alert, less fatigued, and therefore drive safer with earplugs.
This might be true for longer distance highway / interstate travel, but I'm sure it's not applicable to inner city travel.

However, there's a huge difference between reducing wind noise and doing so + listening to music. The former could be useful for higher speed travel. However, the later practically takes away one's sense of hearing while driving. And doing so increases the chance of being involved in an accident over not blocking your ears with headphones (of any kind) and listening to music.
Reply
post #13 of 29
6/30/09 at 1:26pm
Yuin Pk2. The helmet you describe may be more suitable with the Koss as mentioned before or other clip ons, where the clip piece can easily be removed. I believe those helmets have a round circurlar space for after market communication applications. Good luck and safe riding.
Reply
post #14 of 29
6/30/09 at 4:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tohenk2 View Post
There are helmets on the market with headphones and even microphones. Buy one of those. I would strongly advise against building your own. If you alter the helmet in any way you are likely to decrease your own safety and in the event of an accident you are almost sure to get a check-up by the insurance company (I know a person who does this sort of checks for a living). And if they find the helmet to be tinkered with, the insurance companies can wiggle right out of paying you anything.
OP, I would strongly recommend taking a good look at this post.
Reply
post #15 of 29
7/4/09 at 10:37pm
Thread Starter 
Well, the HD202, while disassemblable, are too large to fit inside my helmet. However, the ksc75 fit well, and are flat enough to not press on my ears.

The disadvantage of this is that they lose some volume to the distance. However, on my bike, which is a sport tourer with only decent wind protection, I can hear the music well enough through my earplugs until about 70mph. After this, I need to duck down behind my windscreen. In this position, I don't think there is a speed at which I wouldn't be able to hear the music.

To anyone doing this on a helmet without speaker pockets, if you do cut into your helmet, it would be safest to avoid cutting into the actual hard foam. Cutting into the soft liner may cause some bloody ears, but won't affect the structural integrity of the helmet itself; so long as doing so doesn't cause your head to be any looser inside the helmet.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Headphones (full-size)

Gear mentioned in this thread:

Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphones (full-size) › Thin Headphones to Put Inside Motorcycle Helmet