Headphones for Helmet... recommendations and sources?

[UHATEIT]

Well after some research, cross checking,... examination of various bluetooth based headphone options out there, as well as some cabled ones, and some additional online research...
I decided to pull the trigger on the SMH5 unit plus the large speaker alternative. I doubt I'll ever use the navigation mode... and I likely will refrain from ever using the phone unless it's like one of three to five people... but for the price comparative to the headphones only, given the review and such I've read online, comparatively when adapted to a helmet use... this seems like a better overall investment.

Good deal man! I am happy with the SMH5. The SMH10 is better with longer run time and range, but if you are just using it for music streaming the SMH5 will be fine. Ive been using mine for about a month or so and when riding with my buddy we have linked up for conversations about lunch and he has been able to give me pointers on my riding style and what I am doing wrong which is the best benefit for me of having the bluetooth! I havent used the nav mode, but let's say you turn on the nav on your cell, if you bluetooth to your Sena and the mav is turned on it will just pop in during music and interrupt to tell you what directions to turn. So if ever goign to a place you've never been it can be a benefit to not having to stop and pull out the phone to check where to go. It just interrupts the music for a second to say "turn right at..." and then goes right back to the music after a couple seconds.

The price of headphones can be steep and then having wires hanging can be a pain as well. For $90 the SMH5 is a great deal. I think you will enjoy them, good luck Vance!

[Frankie675]

Same Issue, But i found the best solution yet

Tried earbuds - never found any that worked

Used a Chatterbox bluetooth setup - drained the battery on my phone in the mtns / impossible to use / too much work just to listen to music / music would stop if someone called - and the music would never come back on / just a big pita / but they sounded great when they worked

Switched to the cheapo helmet speakers and velcro'd the tiny ipod to the side - they sounded horrible / couldn't hear anything at highway speeds / not worth it

Then I decided to invest in a high end pair of earphones under the circumstances that they were noise canceling, didn't protrude out of the ear, and used an ear-foam tip.
For $100 I got the Shure 215's of amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SE215-K-...ds=shure+se215
Here is a picture of them in my ear
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--pKPRT7pdP...right%2529.jpg
They are flat. Noise Suppressing. Have a metal flexible wire that runs around the ear to keep them in place. They sound amazing.
I've put well over 1000 miles on them now and couldn't be happier. I keep them at an extremely low volume and can hear the music, my exhaust, and traffic perfectly. The tip is "foam" so I mash it up, then insert it into my ear, and it expands to keep it in place. Since the actually body of it lays flat against my ear I do not get any pressure from the helmet. I only put my helmet on carefully and they have only came out once or twice. When I take off my helmet they loose their seal and I have to re seal them back into the earhole before I put my helmet back on. But if I need to stop and talk to someone I just turn off the music, and as long as they speak in a normal voice, I can hear the conversation just fine. They are definitely high quality and have tons of good reviews (there are also brand whores who think that Dre is the only good earphone) and a lot of other motorcyclists have came to the same conclusion as myself. For $100 these are perfect for what I need them for.

[bulldog]

Here is a picture of them in my ear
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--pKPRT7pdP...right%2529.jpg.

OMG are you a female? Seriously asking because I thought you were a guy so now I am confused and ashamed I told you to not be afraid of that guy on our road rage thread? If not sorry and hard to tell from that pic, but we call my sister Francheska Frankie so got me thinking.

[Frankie675]

OMG are you a female? Seriously asking because I thought you were a guy so now I am confused and ashamed I told you to not be afraid of that guy on our road rage thread? If not sorry and hard to tell from that pic, but we call my sister Francheska Frankie so got me thinking.

I thought I was pretty clear in my Road Rage post that I'm only a 4'4" little asian girl!! Sure my 500lb BMW is a lot to push around but.....haha No that's not a pic of me. I just typed in shure 215 and that popped up on google images. Just thought it would be funny.

[bluedogok]

Same Issue, But i found the best solution yet

Tried earbuds - never found any that worked

Used a Chatterbox bluetooth setup - drained the battery on my phone in the mtns / impossible to use / too much work just to listen to music / music would stop if someone called - and the music would never come back on / just a big pita / but they sounded great when they worked

Switched to the cheapo helmet speakers and velcro'd the tiny ipod to the side - they sounded horrible / couldn't hear anything at highway speeds / not worth it

Then I decided to invest in a high end pair of earphones under the circumstances that they were noise canceling, didn't protrude out of the ear, and used an ear-foam tip.
For $100 I got the Shure 215's of amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Shure-SE215-K-...ds=shure+se215
Here is a picture of them in my ear
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--pKPRT7pdP...right%2529.jpg
They are flat. Noise Suppressing. Have a metal flexible wire that runs around the ear to keep them in place. They sound amazing.
I've put well over 1000 miles on them now and couldn't be happier. I keep them at an extremely low volume and can hear the music, my exhaust, and traffic perfectly. The tip is "foam" so I mash it up, then insert it into my ear, and it expands to keep it in place. Since the actually body of it lays flat against my ear I do not get any pressure from the helmet. I only put my helmet on carefully and they have only came out once or twice. When I take off my helmet they loose their seal and I have to re seal them back into the earhole before I put my helmet back on. But if I need to stop and talk to someone I just turn off the music, and as long as they speak in a normal voice, I can hear the conversation just fine. They are definitely high quality and have tons of good reviews (there are also brand whores who think that Dre is the only good earphone) and a lot of other motorcyclists have came to the same conclusion as myself. For $100 these are perfect for what I need them for.

I have looked at going with the Shures as a replacement for the Etymotics....but then I also think about getting a new Nolan N104 helmet with the bluetooth.

[bulldog]

I thought I was pretty clear in my Road Rage post that I'm only a 4'4" little asian girl!! Sure my 500lb BMW is a lot to push around but.....haha No that's not a pic of me. I just typed in shure 215 and that popped up on google images. Just thought it would be funny.

Well you got me good! I was like either he is a very small feminine looking guy (appears hair tie and makeup) or he is a she. Good one

[Generic]

I have looked at going with the Shures as a replacement for the Etymotics....but then I also think about getting a new Nolan N104 helmet with the bluetooth.

Something to consider with the helmet+built-in Bluetooth If either is damaged you are out both, separate helmet+stand alone unit makes it easier to replace one or the other if something fails.

[bluedogok]

Something to consider with the helmet+built-in Bluetooth If either is damaged you are out both, separate helmet+stand alone unit makes it easier to replace one or the other if something fails.

For the Nolan helmet it is an add-in unit with many options, the base helmet doesn't come with it, only the space for the unit. I hate the "add-on" types that go on the outside of the helmet, they just create a lot of wind noise sticking out like that, just something that bugs me about them.

Nolan N104 N-Com Helmet
Nolan N-Com Communication System