I have been a user of Etymotic ER6 in ear canal earplug speakers for years and thought they were God's gift to motorcyclists.
However, I've just tried a product that I think is superior to the Etymotics.
The S plug is reportedly made by NHT, a maker of loudspeakers with a good reputation in the HIFI community.
Unlike Etymotic, I can find no published performance specifications for the S plug in ear canal earphones.
My personal comparison listening test reveals that the S plug compares well with the Etymotics for everything except very high listening levels where some base distortion occurs with the S plugs. These levels are too high for sustained listening, however.
One major benefit of the S plug is that the only thing exiting the speaker assembly is a small wire. This eliminates all concerns with pressure or impacts from the helmet lining. I have observed that on many occasions, I get the Etymotics in my ears "just right" while other times there is some pressure from the helmet lining. Then I find myself riding with ear discomfort to the next gas stop or finding myself stopping to correct the fitting problem.
A second major benefit is that the silicone eartips of the S plugs are suited to deep insertion into the ear canals which provides a comfortable but tight seal that serves to substantially reduce wind noise. This compares favorably against the Etymotics where I have used their silicone tips and their small and normal sized foam tips. In my case, the small foam tips are certainly comfortable; but are not large enough to block wind noise. With the normal sized foam plugs, I eventually develop some ear canal discomfort after a long day in the saddle.
The third major benefit of the S plugs are that the tight sealing allows sort of a "in your head" sound sense that is both crisp, distinct, and immediate.
The S plug sells for $130.00 at
CycleGadgets Website
There are 3 cable length options. At the time of my purchase, I was told that I could have a 30 day use of the product and if dissatisfied, I could return them with only the purchase of replacement ear tips as my "cost". I can assure one and all that these earphones will NOT be returned as they are the absolute icing on the cake for an elaborate on bike sound system. I highly recommend this product.