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Noise cancelling earbuds

GLC

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Before spending 3 figures on noise cancelling earbuds, does anyone have any experience with the latest models, such as the Amazon Echo brand, or any other? Do they actually work, or is one better off getting the simple 3M style yellow squishy ear plugs (30 pairs for $17 from Amazon)? The last post I saw many years ago about Sony earbuds got a negative review, but technology has come a long way since then I suspect.
 
Just bought some JBL Bluetooth ear buds from Costco. They have noise canceling. With music playing, that would cancel the noise.
 
Before spending 3 figures on noise cancelling earbuds, does anyone have any experience with the latest models, such as the Amazon Echo brand, or any other? Do they actually work, or is one better off getting the simple 3M style yellow squishy ear plugs (30 pairs for $17 from Amazon)? The last post I saw many years ago about Sony earbuds got a negative review, but technology has come a long way since then I suspect.
It depends on whether you want hearing protection or reduce ambient noise from the engine and air movement.
I used Sony over-ear NC headphones on the plane and it works quite well. Sony has perhaps one of the best noise canceling technologies out there. It's all about the accuracy of emitting "anti noise", that is, the quality of the microphone and the program.
But, noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds are not designed for hearing protection. Earplugs are better suited for this.
 
I had Apple AirPods Pro, they worked great. My dog chewed those up. I bought the Bose quiet comfort (original, not the latest version) they aren’t quite as good as the Apple as far as noise canceling goes; but they are close. Before all that I had some jlab which were just ok in the noise canceling department.

I don’t think I can fit the Bose in my helmet, they are much larger than the AirPods.



My wife bought me a Cardo pactalk, so now I use the foam plugs with my music over the Cardo.

In my opinion, it’s hard to beat the AirPods Pro, great noise canceling and the music and calls are crystal clear, even while riding. The only real downside I see is that you don’t have much control over your music as you do with the Cardo.
 
The high frequency white noise from wind rushing is very harmful to our hearing. Noise canceling devices do not offer any protection to this injury. Devices that offer hearing protection will have a NRR(Noise Reduction Rating). If the tech specs or device literature does not list a NRR rating they offer no protection. The minimum suggested NRR is 22. My preference is Howard Leight green uncorded Max Lite foamies. I get about 3 days use out of a pair and I buy a 200 count box every few years from an industrial safety supply house. I can still hear some traffic noise as well my music though the ear plugs.
 
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I use my Bose QC20 noise-cancellers inside my helmet. They're the older, discontinued, wired ear buds with active noise cancellation. They're distinctly lower-profile than the wireless types I've seen or tried.

The QC20s are VASTLY better than every other ear plug, and I've tried essentially all designs and materials that are even somewhat-commonly available, at reducing the very-low-frequency, high-amplitude noise that is, if anything, amplified in my own ears by foam earplugs. It seems to be a bone conduction issue that is either caused or severely amplified by having something physically blocking the ear canal. Anyway, that's essentially gone with the Bose QC20s.

With 33dB foam ear plugs, I started getting ringing in my ears post-ride (min. 45 minutes) on Wiley. That thankfully went away shortly after I switched to my QC20s, and it didn't come back until I rode with the foam ear plugs again for a day or two.

I don't ride Wiley with foam ear plugs any more.
 
I take two different approaches to ear plugs/hearing protection. First I purchased nonoise ear plugs (www.nonoise-earplugs.com). They are helpful with the excessively loud noises and to some extent wind noise. They are relatively comfortable and relatively functional.
On trips where I use my phone/gps (TomTom Go Navigation/android) I use a single earbud - Pixel Buds Pro - in either ear and the nonoise earplug in the other. The buds have 3 different settings including ANC (active noise control) and affords me an excellent connection to my phone/gps and sound quality is very good, as is battery life.
There are two things I would share with you: whatever you decide to purchase make sure the ear bud tips are comfortable and secure the ear bud(s) in your ear as you put on/take off your helmet. I wear a Shoei RF-1400 (Lg) and almost always pop the ear bud out of my ear when taking it off. I now do so very slowly so I at least dislodge the ear bud into my helmet.
Finally let me share a resource I found when I was looking for a bluetooth/ear bud solution: Is It Illegal to Wear Headphones on a Motorcycle - A State by State Guide. While it was published in 2022 I found it provided me with a clear reference to various state laws and gave me some comfort to knowing that wearing a single earbud with ANC/bluetooth is not illegal in any state and allows me to easily use my gps.
HTH.
 

Attachments

  • Is It Illegal To Wear Headphones on Motorcycles_ A State-By-State Guide.pdf
    3.9 MB · Views: 7
The high frequency white noise from wind rushing is very harmful to our hearing. Noise canceling devices do not offer any protection to this injury. Devices that offer hearing protection will have a NRR(Noise Reduction Rating). If the tech specs or device literature does not list a NRR rating they offer no protection. The minimum suggested NRR is 22. My preference is Howard Leight green uncorded Max Lite foamies. I get about 3 days use out of a pair and I buy a 200 count box every few years from an industrial safety supply house. I can still hear some traffic noise as well my music though the ear plugs.
Hi Dave. Thanks for your response (and all other responders) for your post(s) on this subject. Much appreciate if you could expand a little as to why Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) technology does not protect against 'white noise.' If I can remember far enough back to my student days, all noise is simply air pressure waves travelling at different frequencies with white noise simply being the collection of all frequencies in the audible spectrum of 20-20,000 Hz. ANC devices cleverly manage to detect the different frequencies coming into the sensor and then instantly issue the same frequency but at the exact opposite phase, which thus cancels out the incoming signal. I imagine that a device having to emit all frequencies in the 20-20,000 Hz range at the same time is challenging, which is why some ANC ear buds are better than others (apparently Apple and Bose being the best and, of course, priciest).
Squishy ear plugs on the other hand are merely sound absorbers and obstacles to the passage of sound waves to the ear drum and so are not capable of counteracting incoming waves, merely absorbing them and/or interfering with them. Of course, these squishy plugs can never conform precisely to everyone's inner ear shape (neither can ANC ear buds), which is why they never block out all sound, but they do a good job nonetheless, some better than others.

In my particular case, I have no interest in listening to music or answering phones while riding as for me both these things are a distraction from the pleasure of riding. The NC750 is hardly a loud engine machine, so that doesn't trouble me at all and the new Shinko tires are much quieter than the original Dunlop's. I simply want to reduce the wind noise as much as possible. I've done as much as I can with windshields, mirrors, etc., hence my quest for slim/small ANC earbuds that work, or squishy ear plugs that are not a pain in the ...ear. Hope this clarifies my quest.
 
I take two different approaches to ear plugs/hearing protection. First I purchased nonoise ear plugs (www.nonoise-earplugs.com). They are helpful with the excessively loud noises and to some extent wind noise. They are relatively comfortable and relatively functional.
On trips where I use my phone/gps (TomTom Go Navigation/android) I use a single earbud - Pixel Buds Pro - in either ear and the nonoise earplug in the other. The buds have 3 different settings including ANC (active noise control) and affords me an excellent connection to my phone/gps and sound quality is very good, as is battery life.
There are two things I would share with you: whatever you decide to purchase make sure the ear bud tips are comfortable and secure the ear bud(s) in your ear as you put on/take off your helmet. I wear a Shoei RF-1400 (Lg) and almost always pop the ear bud out of my ear when taking it off. I now do so very slowly so I at least dislodge the ear bud into my helmet.
Finally let me share a resource I found when I was looking for a bluetooth/ear bud solution: Is It Illegal to Wear Headphones on a Motorcycle - A State by State Guide. While it was published in 2022 I found it provided me with a clear reference to various state laws and gave me some comfort to knowing that wearing a single earbud with ANC/bluetooth is not illegal in any state and allows me to easily use my gps.
HTH.
Thanks very much for that info which most useful. Your attachment reveals that here in the Tristate Delmarva peninsula the rules vary quite a bit but are somewhat confusing when they say you can't have a sound emitting device in both ears, but it's ok to have a helmet with a built-in communication system. My Schuberth C4 Pro has the built in speakers and microphone, but I never purchased the Sena inserts that operate it. Of course, it has speakers for both ears, which seems contrary to the law. All too confusing.
 
I use my Bose QC20 noise-cancellers inside my helmet. They're the older, discontinued, wired ear buds with active noise cancellation. They're distinctly lower-profile than the wireless types I've seen or tried.

The QC20s are VASTLY better than every other ear plug, and I've tried essentially all designs and materials that are even somewhat-commonly available, at reducing the very-low-frequency, high-amplitude noise that is, if anything, amplified in my own ears by foam earplugs. It seems to be a bone conduction issue that is either caused or severely amplified by having something physically blocking the ear canal. Anyway, that's essentially gone with the Bose QC20s.

With 33dB foam ear plugs, I started getting ringing in my ears post-ride (min. 45 minutes) on Wiley. That thankfully went away shortly after I switched to my QC20s, and it didn't come back until I rode with the foam ear plugs again for a day or two.

I don't ride Wiley with foam ear plugs any more.
That is interesting information on a possible method of reducing low frequency bone conduction noise. Thanks for the comments. I have zero desire to listen to a phone, GPS, or music while riding, but noise elimination or cancellation is extremely important. I may need to investigate this option further.
 
Plugfones! I like to listen to music while riding, and went through a LOT of different iterations of earplugs, ANC units, and finally found the perfect ( for me, anyway) solution.
Plugfones ( available on Amazon) not only reduce the ambient noise, but the quality of the sounds of music are pretty darn good too. Because they are mainly in the ear canal, they make putting on and taking the helmet off pretty easy. They are pretty comfy, but they DO require some effort to install correctly.
I use them for lots of loud activities, like mowing the lawn- I can feel the engine running, but cannot hear it at all.
Drawbacks: Like all EarPods, the durability of the wiring is limited. With mine getting torn out of my ears by tree branches, etc
while mowing, mine last about a year on average. However, at 17$ a pop, that’s pretty cheap.
I still do get some low frequency vibration via bone conduction, but the damaging high frequency vibrations are largely muted.
 
If you just want quiet for a reasonable price look at DeciBuls---mold your own in a cup of hot water---I use them for trap and sportingclays and they are effective and comfortable
 
Hi Dave. Thanks for your response (and all other responders) for your post(s) on this subject. Much appreciate if you could expand a little as to why Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) technology does not protect against 'white noise.' If I can remember far enough back to my student days, all noise is simply air pressure waves travelling at different frequencies with white noise simply being the collection of all frequencies in the audible spectrum of 20-20,000 Hz. ANC devices cleverly manage to detect the different frequencies coming into the sensor and then instantly issue the same frequency but at the exact opposite phase, which thus cancels out the incoming signal. I imagine that a device having to emit all frequencies in the 20-20,000 Hz range at the same time is challenging, which is why some ANC ear buds are better than others (apparently Apple and Bose being the best and, of course, priciest).
Squishy ear plugs on the other hand are merely sound absorbers and obstacles to the passage of sound waves to the ear drum and so are not capable of counteracting incoming waves, merely absorbing them and/or interfering with them. Of course, these squishy plugs can never conform precisely to everyone's inner ear shape (neither can ANC ear buds), which is why they never block out all sound, but they do a good job nonetheless, some better than others.

In my particular case, I have no interest in listening to music or answering phones while riding as for me both these things are a distraction from the pleasure of riding. The NC750 is hardly a loud engine machine, so that doesn't trouble me at all and the new Shinko tires are much quieter than the original Dunlop's. I simply want to reduce the wind noise as much as possible. I've done as much as I can with windshields, mirrors, etc., hence my quest for slim/small ANC earbuds that work, or squishy ear plugs that are not a pain in the ...ear. Hope this clarifies my quest.
Google “do active noise canceling devices offer hearing protection” and make your own decision. There is a lot of information available on the subject.
 
Thanks very much for that info which most useful. Your attachment reveals that here in the Tristate Delmarva peninsula the rules vary quite a bit but are somewhat confusing when they say you can't have a sound emitting device in both ears, but it's ok to have a helmet with a built-in communication system. My Schuberth C4 Pro has the built in speakers and microphone, but I never purchased the Sena inserts that operate it. Of course, it has speakers for both ears, which seems contrary to the law. All too confusing.
Thanks for your comments GLC. My take on the language is that built-in communication systems such as those with speakers are not within the ear canal and do not prevent the user from hearing other important sounds, i.e. sirens, emergency vehicles, etc. Ear buds and other devices which are inserted in both ear canals or cover both ears that prevent the wearer from hearing anything other than what is coming through the bluetooth is also not allowed in many jurisdictions. Based upon my understanding and interpretation that is why I choose to use a single ear bud along with another sound protection device. Legal and functional. Again, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
 
Thanks for your comments GLC. My take on the language is that built-in communication systems such as those with speakers are not within the ear canal and do not prevent the user from hearing other important sounds, i.e. sirens, emergency vehicles, etc. Ear buds and other devices which are inserted in both ear canals or cover both ears that prevent the wearer from hearing anything other than what is coming through the bluetooth is also not allowed in many jurisdictions. Based upon my understanding and interpretation that is why I choose to use a single ear bud along with another sound protection device. Legal and functional. Again, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Does the law prevent a person from riding a motorcycle if they are hearing impaired and can’t hear sirens, emergency vehicles, etc. anyway?
 
Does the law prevent a person from riding a motorcycle if they are hearing impaired and can’t hear sirens, emergency vehicles, etc. anyway?
Not here in the USA. That is an interesting question though as most states prohibit the use of any sound producing device in/over both ears. Florida makes an exception for in helmet, outside of the ear canal, speakers to be used while operating a motorcycle. A loud stereo potentially prevents hearing the noise elements you mentioned. So what is the difference between deaf, earphones, and a loud stereo? I would argue very little from the perspective of detecting sounds from outside of the vehicle. Heck, I bet a loud exhaust can prevent hearing sirens and horns.
 
Not here in the USA. That is an interesting question though as most states prohibit the use of any sound producing device in/over both ears. Florida makes an exception for in helmet, outside of the ear canal, speakers to be used while operating a motorcycle. A loud stereo potentially prevents hearing the noise elements you mentioned. So what is the difference between deaf, earphones, and a loud stereo? I would argue very little from the perspective of detecting sounds from outside of the vehicle. Heck, I bet a loud exhaust can prevent hearing sirens and horns.
If one wears in-the-ear hearing aids while riding, those would be a sound producing devices in both ears. Some hearing aids have bluetooth capabilities as well. So, could one wear hearing aids as prescribed by an audiologist, but promise not to use bluetooth sources? I guess the lawmakers may have written vague laws or laws with unintended consequences. It would be difficult to cover all scenarios with any such law. Then there is the separate issue of loud motorcycles that cover up external sounds, that are probably illegal but are allowed to persist anyway.

In regard to earplugs and sound producing devices, I choose to do what I determine works best for me and my safety and health, regardless of specific laws.
 
Does the law prevent a person from riding a motorcycle if they are hearing impaired and can’t hear sirens, emergency vehicles, etc. anyway?
670cc - what a great logical thought-provoking question. It led me to do a few internet searches providing information regarding deaf motorcycle groups, adaptive devices and other interesting information including that from hearing impaired riders. I think that mzflorida's comments are right on target that the laws are also meant to reduce distraction in the same way laws are enacted to (theoretically) stop people from texting, using cell phones and otherwise help people to keep their attention on driving.
 
As they say on the gun forums--Concealed means concealed---worrying about being cited for having earbuds is silly--just watch out for people driving watching videos on their phones.
 
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