noise suppression AND spoken directions

kragbell · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 09, 2004 Posts: 13

Hi Everyone,

I've used Sat Nav in-car for ages (tomtom Navigator) and am thinking of getting a bike-based GPS too (prob. tomtom rider for familiarity).

I wear earplugs for EVERY ride. How are you all getting spoken instructions into your heads whilst keeping wind noise out ?

Tim Buxton · Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 4:51 pm Post subject:

The RIDER comes with two earpiece/mic combinations. One is an earbud and dangly mic, the other is a velcro backed mini-speaker and mic with velcro either side of it. I use the latter and find that with careful positioning and 100% volume on the RIDER, I can hear the voice instructions upto about 80mph. (I did this speed purely in the interests of science, you understand.)

I actually had a telephone conversation with my wife the other evening and it was OK at about 30mph, too.
_________________
Tim

gsandy · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 7

Looking at various forums I am not the only one to find the Rider instructions too quiet with the supplied headsets (without earplugs).

Feeding the audio through a comms system such as Autocom makes a BIG improvement but I have found the best way to get good clear instructions was to dump the Rider as charging the bluetooth receiver became a pain, and buy a Garmin 2720. In my opinion the Rider is good but the 2720 is streets ahead (sorry about the unintentional pun).

kragbell · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 09, 2004 Posts: 13

pharmamike

I've just got a pair of ultimate ear's in-ear monitors. They're custom made, so a bit pricey, but absolutely fantastic. See www.ultimateear.com. Wind noise is now just a gentle rumble. They also do a good range of custom ear plugs.

Mike

Kritou · Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:25 pm Post subject:

I have a Garmin Quest and have been using a single Ultimate Ear monitor in one ear and a foam plug in t'other - works very well at all speeds

Last weekend I bought from Maplin a BA58N Monophone Earpiece for the grand sum of £4.99. It has a plastic band that goes round the back of the ear and positions a small speaker exactly over your lug 'ole. Even with foam earplugs it was perfectly audible at all legal speeds. In my case it is certainly as comfortable in a helmet as the in ear monitors

I have also tried various in-helmet speakers but found that a combination of the distance between them and your outer ear canal, and keeping them optimally positioned makes them very much a second choice

enzo · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 29, 2005 Posts: 17

Just recieved my set of ear plugs from ultimate ear, built-in stereo speakers.
Git of a job working out the correct fitting procedure. And yes, I did use the colour coding!! Excellent comfort when wearing them. Havn't tried on bike with Quest yet.

Also got a pair for shooting.

Enzo

pharmamike · Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2006 2:55 pm Post subject: Custom monitors

Know exactly what you mean enzo. Who'd have thought that your ear canal was sort of rectangular, wider at both ends than in the middle and with an anticlockwise turn in it. Took me about two weeks of daily commuting to learn how to get them in and out easily. Still say they're worth every penny!

Mike

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