How to: DIY in helmet headphones

dowmace · March 29th, 2010, 07:14 PM

I got tired of dealing with my ear buds when putting my helmet on and off and the cord being a tangle and everything else so I decided to make my own in helmet headphones.

Here's what your gonna need. or at least what I used.

1.Headphones, I highly suggest getting some regular over the ear headphones, the flattest ones you can find. I used the HTC ones that came with my G1 because they have good speakers and are very loud.

2. Headphone splitter, or a headphone male to male barrel.

3. Brush on Superglue,

4. A male to male cord, I suggest a 3 or 4 foot one so its not too long or too short.

Now pop the liner out of your helmet and figure out about where your ears sit with the helmet on your head. Place on of the ear buds right where it will emit sound right into your ear or it's going to be muffled. I was lucky I had a foam crease right where I needed the ear bud.

Do the same on the other side.

Now just hide the wires inside the liner of the helmet and plug the headphones into the splitter. and place the splitter where it's convenient to plug your cord into, I chose the very back center of my helmet, I just popped the liner off and place it where I wanted it, I super glued it in place.

Then of course I tried it on to see how well it worked!

Simply enjoy jamming out to your tunes, or in my case talk radio!

Alex · March 29th, 2010, 08:03 PM

Nice!

linked into our DIY Sticky on the top of the tech forum...

Scott1620 · March 31st, 2010, 11:18 AM

Cool, id say keep the super glue away from the foam in the helmet though, I think super glue likes to eat foam... You can use a female/male headphone extender to get from your helmet to your music player as well...

I don't have issues with my Bell Apex edge helmet and in-ear headphones because in that helmet, the areas next to my ears are open...

CZroe · March 31st, 2010, 09:49 PM

"you're"

Just a few things I wanted to mention:

Radio Shack sells inline amplifiers in case your audio device's volume is too low due to being designed for headphones or AVLS. Some speakers/headphones will distort when you turn the volume up that high, before it's really "high enough." They make flat helmet speakers that I imagine are good for higher volumes. I doubt the quality is great, but at higher volumes you are probably losing that anyway.

FWIW, some helmets have speaker pockets already (GMAX, for example). For flat speakers intended to squeeze between your helmet padding and your ears, this may make them a bit TOO far away from your ears, despite the optimal positioning. I stuffed the pockets with facial tissue (the non-crinkly kind) and stuck the speakers to the outsideof the pocket. That still wasn't enough so I added 50mm leatherette earcups from eBay. Now it works great.

dowmace · April 1st, 2010, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CZroe

"you're"

Just a few things I wanted to mention:

Radio Shack sells inline amplifiers in case your audio device's volume is too low due to being designed for headphones or AVLS. Some speakers/headphones will distort when you turn the volume up that high, before it's really "high enough." They make flat helmet speakers that I imagine are good for higher volumes. I doubt the quality is great, but at higher volumes you are probably losing that anyway.

FWIW, some helmets have speaker pockets already (GMAX, for example). For flat speakers intended to squeeze between your helmet padding and your ears, this may make them a bit TOO far away from your ears, despite the optimal positioning. I stuffed the pockets with facial tissue (the non-crinkly kind) and stuck the speakers to the outsideof the pocket. That still wasn't enough so I added 50mm leatherette earcups from eBay. Now it works great.

I built a cmoy amp for mine that I can turn up high enough it hurts my ears in the helmet, but then the headphones I'm using are a decent quality.

I wrote this as a way for people to set this up for almost free if they don't have the cash or don't want to spend the cash on something like the flat speakers.

Snake · April 1st, 2010, 02:47 PM

Great DIY. Like you said, it gives people a starting point and they can go from their as far as speakers and amps. Great job.

noche_caliente · April 1st, 2010, 04:31 PM

very nice

March 29th, 2010, 08:03 PM	#2
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	Nice! linked into our DIY Sticky on the top of the tech forum... __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

April 1st, 2010, 04:31 PM	#7
noche_caliente ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Kim Location: mundo de ensueño Join Date: Nov 2008 Motorcycle(s): '08 250 Posts: A lot.	very nice __________________________________________________ Progrip tank pad, blue rim stripes, blue Pazzos, Roaring Toyz lowering kit, Puig DB in dark smoke, Cortech sport tail, super mini tank, and saddlebags, OES swingarm spools and Intuitive frame sliders

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March 31st, 2010, 11:18 AM	#3
Scott1620 ninjette.org member Name: Scott Location: Delaware Join Date: Jul 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250r(sold), 2007 650R (sold), 2013 Ninja 300 Posts: 199	Cool, id say keep the super glue away from the foam in the helmet though, I think super glue likes to eat foam... You can use a female/male headphone extender to get from your helmet to your music player as well... I don't have issues with my Bell Apex edge helmet and in-ear headphones because in that helmet, the areas next to my ears are open...

March 31st, 2010, 09:49 PM	#4
CZroe CPT Falcon Name: J.Emmett Turner Location: Newnan, GA Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F Posts: A lot.	"you're" Just a few things I wanted to mention: Radio Shack sells inline amplifiers in case your audio device's volume is too low due to being designed for headphones or AVLS. Some speakers/headphones will distort when you turn the volume up that high, before it's really "high enough." They make flat helmet speakers that I imagine are good for higher volumes. I doubt the quality is great, but at higher volumes you are probably losing that anyway. FWIW, some helmets have speaker pockets already (GMAX, for example). For flat speakers intended to squeeze between your helmet padding and your ears, this may make them a bit TOO far away from your ears, despite the optimal positioning. I stuffed the pockets with facial tissue (the non-crinkly kind) and stuck the speakers to the outsideof the pocket. That still wasn't enough so I added 50mm leatherette earcups from eBay. Now it works great.

April 1st, 2010, 02:47 PM	#6
Snake ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Rick Location: Alexandria, Louisiana Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): 05 Blue Ninja 250 Posts: Too much. MOTY - 2017, MOTM - Jan '19, Oct '16, May '14	Great DIY. Like you said, it gives people a starting point and they can go from their as far as speakers and amps. Great job.