Amazing hearing protection - Bose 30 earphones

[Allen K_imp]

Jedd,
Thanks for the added info on the Bose 30s. They are certainly worth a try, and with Christmas coming soon, I believe I may just get that chance.

Mr. Ferret,
I'm with you on the tinnitus. I just tell myself it's the sound of silence and try to ignore it. But tinnitus cancelling ear buds, now that's a company to buy stock in!

 

[physics-teacher_imp]

Do any of you guys with qc20s know if they can be used with an old fashioned audio device like a boom box or a cd player? These have what used to be called a standard stereo headphone jack, only three contact points on the plug while the qc20 seems to have four. I see adapters for the awkward airplane set up, but do not see a listing to let me use my portable cd player with it while I'm say, mowing the lawn.

 

[Cormanus]

physics-teacher, as far as I can determine from a quick test, if the device has a 3.5mm stereo plug, the QCs should work on them. I just tried them on a digital radio and I've used them with a vintage iPod.

Take the CD player with you to the Bose shop and test them.

 

[Rolls_imp]

If Bose earbuds let you hear sirens (1-3 kHz) then they should be legal. The laws around earplugs and earbuds are confusing in California.

From motorcycle handbook, CA DMV:

To protect against the elements of nature, such as wind, which can cause hearing loss, you may want to use ear protection. The CVC §27400 states a person may not wear a headset covering, earplugs, or earphones in both ears, unless the protectors (earplugs or molds) are specifically designed to reduce harmful (injurious) noise levels. The headset coverings, earplugs, or earphones must not inhibit the wearer's ability to hear a siren or horn from an emergency vehicle or another motor vehicle.

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

If Bose earbuds let you hear sirens (1-3 kHz) then they should be legal. The laws around earplugs and earbuds are confusing in California.

From motorcycle handbook, CA DMV:

To protect against the elements of nature, such as wind, which can cause hearing loss, you may want to use ear protection. The CVC §27400 states a person may not wear a headset covering, earplugs, or earphones in both ears, unless the protectors (earplugs or molds) are specifically designed to reduce harmful (injurious) noise levels. The headset coverings, earplugs, or earphones must not inhibit the wearer's ability to hear a siren or horn from an emergency vehicle or another motor vehicle.

One of those things rarely enforced.

 

[Cormanus]

When a policeman in a hurry haled up behind me on a slab recently, I was wearing my Bose QC20s. The noise cancelling circuitry was switched on. I don't remember if I had music on or not. I think not. The officer let rip with the siren which I heard clearly and moved out of his way. He was in a major hurry which is probably why I hadn't seen him in the mirror.

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

When a policeman in a hurry haled up behind me on a slab recently, I was wearing my Bose QC20s. The noise cancelling circuitry was switched on. I don't remember if I had music on or not. I think not. The officer let rip with the siren which I heard clearly and moved out of his way. He was in a major hurry which is probably why I hadn't seen him in the mirror.

You don't always see or hear them coming; lights aren't always the best indicator, I was driving with someone once and we suddenly realized an emergency vehicle was almost on top of us. I wasn't driving but the red lights were not seen in the mirror, probably because of a lack of proper scanning skills.

I like to hear the siren from as far away as possible. Where I live we have police, fire, emt calls all day long. Some of those drivers get to blazing along, all lit up and sirens blaring. Even in a car, with windows up and the radio on to a moderate volume, it's hard to hear a siren.

If I even think I catch the slightest drift of a siren I roll down my windows and try to figure out where it's coming from, I don't proceed through any intersections until I've determined I am not about to be run down.

I guess for riders who live in rural areas and rarely encounter this sort of thing it's not much of a concern but in a huge metropolitan area it is.

 

[Offroad]

I've been considering the Bose for hearing protection for some time, just haven't sprung for the big bucks yet.

Yesterday a guide on a snowmobile ride was wearing hearing protection ear muffs without wearing a helmet, while us customers were stuck inside a helmet with no protection. Noisy little machines.

I thought I had an original idea, but as usual it's hard to come up with an original idea. I thought why not make a set of inflatable ear muffs for the inside of motorcycle helmets?

A short Google search found theses: http://www.quietridemuffs.com/order_now.html

Has anyone tried them?

 

[emptysea]

interesting

 

[Retsel_imp]

If you could strap speakers in those they would be perfect!

RLETS, Baby face Sliders, Staintune Slip-on, CB500 Mirrors, smaller led taillight, OEM rear rack, Guhl reflash, handlebar risers, Kawasaki Gaiters.

 

[Offroad]

If you could strap speakers in those they would be perfect!

RLETS, Baby face Sliders, Staintune Slip-on, CB500 Mirrors, smaller led taillight, OEM rear rack, Guhl reflash, handlebar risers, Kawasaki Gaiters.

It looks like it's possible to install speakers: http://www.quietridemuffs.com/installation_speaker.html

I'm not sure if they are included in the $75 or not.

 

[Retsel_imp]

Wow, cool. Thanks!

 

[Offroad]

As a follow-up on the Bose 30's, they did help but still the wind noise level was high in my HJC II. My ears were ringing after an hour at 60-70mph.

I don't know why it took me so long to think of it, but I changed the size of the ear pieces to the Large size included in the package and now the noise is at a real tolerable level. The medium size felt fine, but the larges did the trick!

 

[jedd_imp]

Here's an update that's been long overdue....

I've logged about 16 months of daily use on these qc30. I use this thing every day, not just for riding, but for driving around town, honey do's around the house, operating small gas engines, attending football games, at airports, in-flights, boating...anytime and anywhere there's harsh noise I want cancelled out of my ears.

what's so beneficial about these is that it doesn't need to be inserted INSIDE the ear canal to work. THose earbuds that go inside the canal and expand is too irritating, and after 2-4 hrs, cause inflammation to my sensitive ear canals. As long as they just lightly seal around the outer ear opening, the active noise cancellation goes to work. I can leave my music off, or just playing music at 1/10th volume and can hear a wide sound spectrum. And, I get the same impressive benefits when wearing my two Arai helmets over them. It truly makes riding m/c a pleasure w/ all that wind and road noise cancelled out.

Sadly, my battery stopped charging 2 weeks ago. I'm amazed that it lasted this long considering all the daily charging I did on it. A 50 min charge lasts about 6-8 hrs. I would have thought the plug would be the 1st to go, but it wasn't the plug that failed, it was the battery.

Luckily I bought an extended 2 yr warranty (square trade). So I filed a claim, they sent me a shipping label to retrieve it to do the repair. As I predicted, there's nothing to "repair", as there's no way to get inside of the thing. So while I was away for 10 days riding my dirt bike in another state, my brand new bose qc30 arrived via Fedex. It sat on my door steps for a couple days, spooking my neighbors (& wife) b/c of the stupid bombing that was going on in Austin all last week while I was out.

Since these are new qc30, I have another full 1yr Bose warranty on them. It's nice when warranty claim works out in your favor. It don't always.