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Upgrade if you like. I've been wearing plugs for years, with a bandana over them for extra help, and music is definitely better with them.
I'm sure you may not care, but extra volume is just annoying to those riding with you or the general public. Just enough volume to hear works for me, if I want every pure note and effect I'll put my studio headphones on and stay home.
Okay, I wear hearing aids and have a bit more insight on this. If your looking for a great custom in ear monitor, look no further than the alcalir reference triple driver. I can get a set of molds made for $25.00 at my local ENT's audiologist (you don't need to see the doctor, just their audiologist). Takes 10 minutes. Also, if you get a set of earplugs to wear at highway speeds, (not full shell plugs or foam plugs, those will take away too many db) it'll take a lot of the wind noise away, but still allow you to hear your stereo and traffic, passenger, etc.
Now--quite literarily the best in ear monitors on the market for the vast majority of us, triple drivers, excellent quality, and custom colors. All for $399.00 https://alclair.com/monitorshop/reference/
Well.. I have a couple friends that have upgraded speaker setups in their bike and wear the ear plugs on the longer hauls.. one of them says it makes the music sound clearer because you are getting rid of all the extra wind and bike sounds and the other says its a waste of time. I really think it depends on the speaker setup and the rider. If you have a good sounding systems that plays loud and clear at 80 plus mph if you through some ear plugs in I just don't think it would take away that much sound. Could be wrong though I never wore them.
Ill tell u right now that those of us with higher end systems do not and will not wear ear plugs. Juat wasting your money if u do.
I also have a loud system on my bike. It is not a matter of wearing the ear plugs all the time, but if you ride long distance the constant wind noice will eventually cause your hearing some serious damage. Keep in mind if you loose your hearing that loud system won't be heard with your hearing lost.
For long hauls I use some of those rubber ear bug low canal type ear plugs and a full face helmet. Can't beat it. You'd be surprised how much fatigue the wind causes.
Surefire ep7 are the ones we use. I've got many years of use with these types of earplugs, professionally and recreationally. To me they are about the best you can get for the money that cuts out loud noises and actually allows you to hear conversation/radio/sirens etc. we always use them on road trips and actually my wife wears hers all the time when she rides her bike or on mine. Honestly I think it allows you to hear the radio a little better when at speeds because it's blocking out the wind noise but yet allowing the music to pass through.
Again just my .02
I received these Fit-Ear a few days ago and tried them while riding on the highway. They fit perfectly and connected to the phone while listening to music the sound is spectacular. I also noticed that when my Bluetooth on the radio is activated and the sound cut out from the ear plugs, I can still hear the music loudly from the radio. I just have to remember to deactivate the Bluetooth from the radio to avoid the switch over ear plug to radio. But yeah, other then that the plugs are great. Fit-Ear also through in a pair of regular no sound ear plugs. I would of had prefer a micro dry box to keep the ear plugs dry for those rainy days, then the soft case they came in. The original case is designed to fit on the belt as well and has a hard foam inside for protection.
Last edited by knife_edge; Nov 14, 2016 at 09:00 AM.
I often wear good quality noise isolation ear buds plugged into my headset plug with an adapter. Have heard many say the Bose noise canceling ear buds are wonderful at blocking the wind noise. Think they make them corded and cordless. Not cheap. May try to pick some of these up this winter.
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