In helmet speakers

[johnakay]

in about 10 years time with all that racket going on in your ears,

 

[killarneygetaway]

Did some research and found this interesting set-up. A bluetooth set up with a handlebar remote and high-fidelity quality speakers with a DSP (digital signal processing) chip to cancel out windnoise! Two really sweet features, if they work. [Update - 6/21/13: I ordered a set, stay tuned for review in late June / early July.]

View attachment 5509

Made in China by this company:
R4 Easy Talkie BT intercom bluetooth interphone

Can purchase on ebay for $69 + $25 international shipping. Might be worth a shot.
1x R4 Easy Talkie Bluetooth Helmet Intercom BT Interphone with Hi Fi Speaker | eBay

I am curious how you made out with these? I have been looking for something like this.

 

[Ludolf]

My solution for longer rides is Plantronics BackBeat Go, bluetooth ear buds.
Plantronics | BackBeat GO

Since they are a bit "chunky" they can't slip out from the ear as they are pressed against the helmet. downside is that after some time ears start to hurt from additional pressure, but in my case this correlates with anyway needed break.
Also, as they are in ear as someone already mentioned, they isolate wind noise and you don't need to pump up the volume to hear music/phone call/navigation

 

[dlee6413]

I bought these Tork helmet speakers on Amazon and they sound great. You may find them cheaper but trust me the cheap one's cannot be heard over the engine and wind noise. I attached an iPod shuffle ($49) to the back of my helmet with velcro.

 

[Backroads]

I am sooo "out of it"... I just went looking at that bluetooth stuff, and I don't even know what I'm looking at.
I have no idea how to get my phone to call someone without stopping by the side of the road,
removing my helmet/ear protection, flipping my phone open and pushing the buttons!

I think I found your problem...

Regarding hearing and ear plugs and inhelmet speakers, I have an insight from my biking friends, online reading and self-induced conclusions.For those who want to listen to music while travelling, there is only 2 safe ways.

1. Get some customised full earlobe customised ear plugs (same like those for F1 drivers) which have inbuilt speakers in the middle (same like those for TV broadcasters near F1 races).

2. Wear ear-plugs and then install some flat inhelmet speakers. You can hear the music, believe me.

Now for those who recommend (or do) the in-ear plugs earphones, you are doing your ears a bad service. The wind noise is already loud. If you play music with those earphones, you are likely to be blasting them with too much volume. Good luck.
What you say? You cannot hear me?

I've been riding with Option 2 for a couple of weeks now and I love it. I work in audio and can't risk my hearing, so I always ride with earplugs. I picked up a SENA SMH-10 and it's been great to listen to podcasts on the ride to work. I don't plan to make any phone calls, but it's nice that I can receive them.

 

[bonnielover]

I am curious how you made out with these? I have been looking for something like this.

The set arrived within a week, but I haven't installed yet.

 

[bonnielover]

I am curious how you made out with these? I have been looking for something like this.

I finally mounted the R4 In-helmet bluetooth set. Pics below. In short, I think this system sounds and works great. Good fidelity and no distortion at top volume. I stuffed some foam in the helmet ear pockets to bring the speakers close to my ear. Right now I'm running around with the stock windshield (my givi broke last month) but I can still hear music over the wind at 70 mph with volume all the way up. At 30-40 mph, I have to lower the volume. (fwiw, I wear in-canal hearing aids, but still only hear 75-80% of normal.) I'm really looking forward to listening to music once my Madstad arrives. The R4 is marketed as having a "Wind noise DSP cancellation." I was hoping maybe it did something like the Bose noise cancellation headsets, but I doubt it; maybe the DSP is for the microphone side.

The handle bar mount had to be rotated horizontal (shown both ways in pic) so that my thumb can reach under to the turn signal or over to the horn. This reach doesn't seem to be problematic, but if it becomes an issue, I would probably rig up something to place the remote inboard on the handlebars. Sure beats reaching up to the helmet and feeling around for buttons. It is great to be able to stop/start music and/or change volume from the handlebar.

I haven't tried the phone yet (nobody's called me while on the bike). There are three other buttons both on the main helmet unit and on the remote for communicating with up to three other riders. (see original post above for close up handle remote). It would be nice to be able to program these buttons to do things, like jump forward or backward on the iPhone music.
UPDATE: phone use worked fine. People on other end said it sounded good.

When I first rode with it, I heard some popping sounds, and then noticed some volume changes when turning my head. Turned out the plug from the speakers into the helmet control unit must have come loose when I put on the helmet. As seen in the picture, it comes in from the bottom of the unit (see bottom right on helmet picture). I would have been happier with a more secure and convenient placement. The bracket places the unit low on the helmet and doesn't feel as obtrusive as it looks, and is less obtrusive than my old Camos setup. The bracket was easy to put on with two screws and feels pretty secure. Of course, the helmet no longer fits in the frunk, although it does unclip easily off the bracket and would probably fit if I slip the unit off the bracket.

Speaking of the microphone, the velcro connectors are not the best. It is a little too thick, resulting in some wobble, and one became unglued from the boom mike. I will be attempting to replace the velcro. I rigged up the mike so that it goes up and down with the visor; I like to ride with the visor up as much as possible.
UPDATE: Replacing the velcro with a heavy duty stuff from Home Depot solved this issue.

I would say it is well worth $94 ($69 + $25 shipping from China; less than a week to arrive). Much better than the old Camos that I used to have. The Camos worked pretty well, but I could not pause music.