Greetings, IEM n00b here.
I don’t generally like “in-ear” things, but I’d like to get back into cycling and over-ear is not an option. At the same time, I dislike absolute sound isolation and it is an absolute no-no for me on a bike. I’m much more of an open-back headphone person, I like to have access to ambient sound - and its a safety concern on bike.
Does such a thing exist as an IEM that allows sufficient ambient sound in even when it has a proper seal? My hyper-limited experience with IEM has been a very sound-isolated experience - beyond closed-back headphones even. Maybe there are a lot of these products, or such a thing is impossible - I really have no clue.
I could also consider this hypothetical product for usage on motorcycle, though snugness of helmet fit might preclude that at all.
Thanks for any help!
Monoprice m350s but they absolutely require EQ to sound right. I actually really like them but they’re a strange one. I didn’t like the audeze isines but they’re an option, too. They probably won’t fit in a motorcycle helmet though.
You want earbuds, take a look at the yincrow x6, Rw-9 and the nicehck mx500.
Otherwise the Sony ex800st/ex1000 have like zero isolation due to their huge vents.
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they have a higher price, but take a look at Audeze’s planar IEM’s. some of them are open.
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Check ebay for the goldplanar gl20
An alternative might be a wireless IEM with an ambient mode?
Thanks for answers thus-far. Glad to know things exist.
I’ve never been happy with earbud fit, always fell out of me, would be extra worried about that on bike.
It seems that the cost of my desired option will be dear, the Audeze are crazy money, of course. I will delve a little deeper in. The moto option is probably not there with a lot of these. Those Sony’s mentioned looked enormous too!
While I’ve got the IEM Inteligentsia on the phone here, I have another annoying question that I’m sure has been asked somewhere. “What is the HD600 of IEM”? When I think of the sound sig I’d like in an IEM, it’s a relatively neutral warm profile. Something easy-going, mannnnnn…
You probably didnt use foams on them, it helps the fit a ton and is kind of mandatory (at least for me).
Imagine inserting an USB-stick into your ears, thats kinda how it looks like with them lol.
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there are ear hooks now, that can be used on these to stabilize them from falling out. not everyone uses them, but if you look at Bose IEM’s, you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Yep, like these that come with the Toneking Dendroaspis Viridis:
(you can remove them if you want.)
Do th shure tape pro count with their slit things?
No lol, their isolation might be a bit below average for iems, but still pretty isolating.
(forget the Pro, get the Original if you want the tape though…)
Just get something tws with ambient mode, airpods pro or whatever, there are times when convenience beats all this audiophile bs
I’ve tried cycling with TWS using ambient mode and it’s not good. The mic used to reproduce the outside noise catches the wind and it’s so noisy that you can’t hear the music nor your surroundings.
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Would your helmet allow for ksc75s or maybe porta pros worn with the headband behind your head?
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I’ve been thinking for the last day, maybe this is where I finally give KSC75 a try. Good call.
Do it! Totally worth a shot. The KSC75 are so good!
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Those are must haves in this hobby lol.
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Open Back? Koss KSC75s! Nuff said! Don’t ever question it! Just do it! xD
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