• From: Round Rock, Tx
  • Registered: 2010-12-06
  • Posts: 688

Topic: Helmet speakers, bad idea or not?

Hey all.  I'll start out by stating that I haven't raced before, and have my first outing coming up at MSR this month.

I have a problem with most earbuds fitting in my ears, turns out my ear canals are on the small side.  I was exploring the option for helmet speakers, but some veteran drivers on my team aren't sure that this will work well because of how loud things get at the track, and they like the foam racing buds because they help quiet the other noise out there.

So, I wanted to throw this out to a wider audience for some advice and see if anyone has gone down this road before.  From reading the forums and attending several Lemons events so far, I know a lot of crazy shit has been done, so I thought I'd see what advice others had.

Pucker Factor Racing - Gator-O-Rama, Feb '11, Yee-Haw It's Lemons Texas!, Oct '11
Scuderia Ignorante - Yee-Haw, It's Lemons Texas, Feb '12 (As seen in Car & Driver), Gator-O-Rama, Sept '13
  • Serj
  • Serj
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  • From: Cincinnati, OH
  • Registered: 2009-05-02
  • Posts: 1,601

Re: Helmet speakers, bad idea or not?

what are you thinking? a hodgepodge of tweeters lifted from a JY and made to run full-range sound? Cannibalizing some real headphones and fitting them inside? or simply getting an in-helmet headset?

  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,640

Re: Helmet speakers, bad idea or not?

We use a headset like this, works fine:

http://www.jcmotors.com/images/PRODUCT/medium/JCM-CBRSRHS.jpg

In fact we make sure to keep the radio volume in reach of the driver, because sometimes it is actually too loud.

The Homer: Powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball.
  • Jer
  • Jer
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  • From: West Chester, PA
  • Registered: 2009-05-04
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Re: Helmet speakers, bad idea or not?

I LOVE my helmet speakers.  They are almost flush in the foam padding, always in the right place, and work beautifully.  I'm trying to remember where I got them.....

Jer / Schumacher Taxi Service
2010 Spring CMP I.O.E. winner
2010 Sebring overall winner
1996 Miata, 1991 BMW E30, 1987 coROLLa (retired), 1984 Citation (retired), 1993 Miata (retired)

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  • From: Round Rock, Tx
  • Registered: 2010-12-06
  • Posts: 688

Re: Helmet speakers, bad idea or not?

Serj wrote:

what are you thinking? a hodgepodge of tweeters lifted from a JY and made to run full-range sound? Cannibalizing some real headphones and fitting them inside? or simply getting an in-helmet headset?

I've documented my setup for reference, the speakers I'm using were from a pair of headphones I never used, the speakers are slightly larger than a quarter.  The ear cup area will take something a little larger without too much trouble, but not that much larger.  In keeping with the Lemons spirit, for my proof of concept I was reusing what parts I had lying about.  smile

I've installed them under the form of the cheek pad, leaving all of the existing foam, so this form is in contact with my ears and I'm not feeling any hard edges on my ears.  But this foam isn't doing anything to block other sounds either.

Pucker Factor Racing - Gator-O-Rama, Feb '11, Yee-Haw It's Lemons Texas!, Oct '11
Scuderia Ignorante - Yee-Haw, It's Lemons Texas, Feb '12 (As seen in Car & Driver), Gator-O-Rama, Sept '13
  • Troy
  • Troy
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  • From: Houston, TX
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,634

Re: Helmet speakers, bad idea or not?

jimbo_se-r wrote:
Serj wrote:

what are you thinking? a hodgepodge of tweeters lifted from a JY and made to run full-range sound? Cannibalizing some real headphones and fitting them inside? or simply getting an in-helmet headset?

I've documented my setup for reference, the speakers I'm using were from a pair of headphones I never used, the speakers are slightly larger than a quarter.  The ear cup area will take something a little larger without too much trouble, but not that much larger.  In keeping with the Lemons spirit, for my proof of concept I was reusing what parts I had lying about.  smile

I've installed them under the form of the cheek pad, leaving all of the existing foam, so this form is in contact with my ears and I'm not feeling any hard edges on my ears.  But this foam isn't doing anything to block other sounds either.

I like your pics.

I made a helmet kit using headphone speakers as donors and I did not think they were loud enough.

They were fine in the house but were quieter than the speakers from our other kits.

Assuming I can find speakers I like, I can make some inexpensive helmet kits.

Troy

#35 LRE
1973 Datsun 240Z
  • From: Sherman Oaks CA
  • Registered: 2009-08-16
  • Posts: 422

Re: Helmet speakers, bad idea or not?

A good set of noise-isolating headphones has the double effect of allowing pit communications and drowning out some of the din of the racing, which helps you think.

  • Registered: 2009-10-07
  • Posts: 104

Re: Helmet speakers, bad idea or not?

I bought my helmet at pre wired when I was co-driving a buddies off road car. Pci race radios is where I got it. They sell kits as well and you can do it or you can send it in and they can wire it in your helmet. I have never had any problems with it. You can get adapters to go with other radio set ups if you choose not to use a pci set up.

Interested to know what you go with?

Organizer's Choice Houston Yee-Haw Its Lemons 08', DNF Houston Yee-Haw Its Lemons 09'
Ugly Class 3 Winner Houston Gator-o-Rama  10', Ugly Class 3 Winner BFE Colorado 10', Ugly Class 3 Winner Texas World Speedway 12, We got Screwed Winner ECR 14', Barely Finished MSR 14' took a few years off but trying like hell for IOE in 2017!
  • From: Round Rock, Tx
  • Registered: 2010-12-06
  • Posts: 688

Re: Helmet speakers, bad idea or not?

Little Buckaroo wrote:

I bought my helmet at pre wired when I was co-driving a buddies off road car. Pci race radios is where I got it. They sell kits as well and you can do it or you can send it in and they can wire it in your helmet. I have never had any problems with it. You can get adapters to go with other radio set ups if you choose not to use a pci set up.

Interested to know what you go with?

How's the road noise with that setup, and what model helmet do you have?  Any pics of the install would be great for comparison.

Pucker Factor Racing - Gator-O-Rama, Feb '11, Yee-Haw It's Lemons Texas!, Oct '11
Scuderia Ignorante - Yee-Haw, It's Lemons Texas, Feb '12 (As seen in Car & Driver), Gator-O-Rama, Sept '13
  • Registered: 2009-10-07
  • Posts: 104

Re: Helmet speakers, bad idea or not?

http://www.pciraceradios.com/ProductDet … 0111803905
The off road cars are a ton louder then the Lemons cars and I have never had a problem with road noise. In the off road car we usually ended up turning down the volume after the first 20 or so minutes of the race.

Organizer's Choice Houston Yee-Haw Its Lemons 08', DNF Houston Yee-Haw Its Lemons 09'
Ugly Class 3 Winner Houston Gator-o-Rama  10', Ugly Class 3 Winner BFE Colorado 10', Ugly Class 3 Winner Texas World Speedway 12, We got Screwed Winner ECR 14', Barely Finished MSR 14' took a few years off but trying like hell for IOE in 2017!