CME vs CEP

[fleman202]

This is probably an old debate and question, if it needs to be moved somewhere else please let me know.

 

How do you guys like CME tips for use with helmets? Do they block more sound that the foam tips? Are they more comfortable? I used the foam tips last spray season and found them not very comfortable and a big hassle when it comes to taking the helmet on and off.

 

Any other ways of making helmets quieter and more comfortable?

[CharyouTree]

I love them vs foam tips. Repeatable, consistent feel when I put them in, which is important to me.

 

Oregon Aero has hush kits for helmets which are supposed to be as good or better... I'll let someone else chime in on them

[Pohi]

What are cme tips? I've just used the foam tips.

[fleman202]

CME are custom molded ear tips. Basically you send in a mold of your ear in and they make a custom fit ear insert with some kind of electronic inside it.

 

At least that is how I understand it!

[heligirl03]

I keep trying to get time to have some CMEs made. My husband had some that wound up really uncomfortable so I hesitate as to where to have it done. I love the way the foamies work but they are such an inefficient pain to deal with. I have ANR and the hush kit in my helmet and there is still a huge difference by adding the CEPs. Love them.

[500E]

Have ANR in helmet as well also have pasive CME can still hear mechanicals but the real nasty noise is gone have turned radios down as well.

 

Hi HG been flying the dogs this year or compeating ?

[palmfish]

I actually use a CME in my right ear and a foam Comply tip in my left. For some reason the foam doesn't seal consistently in my right ear.

 

My CME's were uncomfortable for a while and I didn't wear them when I first got them, but I trimmed some of the extra material with an x-acto knife and it helped. I also found it important to loop the wire over my ear otherwise I got pressure points. Finally, I lick them before I insert them so they twist in and make a seal.

 

Definitely weird at first but it makes for a pain-free and consistent fit now.

 

My left ear does great with just a foam tip...don't know why.

 

Both are equally quiet.

[CharyouTree]

CME are custom molded ear tips. Basically you send in a mold of your ear in and they make a custom fit ear insert with some kind of electronic inside it.

 

At least that is how I understand it!

No electronics inside. It's just like a foam tip, except made of... silicone? I think the first one I had was vinyl, but those shrink...

[CharyouTree]

I actually use a CME in my right ear and a foam Comply tip in my left. For some reason the foam doesn't seal consistently in my right ear.

 

My CME's were uncomfortable for a while and I didn't wear them when I first got them, but I trimmed some of the extra material with an x-acto knife and it helped. I also found it important to loop the wire over my ear otherwise I got pressure points. Finally, I lick them before I insert them so they twist in and make a seal.

 

Definitely weird at first but it makes for a pain-free and consistent fit now.

 

My left ear does great with just a foam tip...don't know why.

 

Both are equally quiet.

From a man who wears both at the same time... It's all about comfort. Edited March 14, 2014 by CharyouTree

[Gomer Pylot]

I've tried both, and IME the best noise suppression is with silicone triple-flange eartips. I find the molded earpieces - I wouldn't call them tips, since they fill the entire ear - don't block the sound quite as well as either the foam or silicone tips. I've used all these on CEPs, and still do, but I tend to use the foam tips much of the time, since I have a lot of them on hand, although the silicone tips are quicker and easier to insert.

[McGavin]

Can you just put the molded ear plugs on to the standard CEP harness or do you need to buy a whole new CME setup. I thought the connections for plugs were different? Apparently not if Palmfish is wearing both. Can someone post a link? I have the CEP with foam tip and would like to upgrade without paying a extra $100+ for the harness.

[heligirl03]

Gomer, were you the one making your own foamy CEPs awhile back? Think it's possible with the triple flange? I haven't tried but those would be much faster and better and I have some at home...I'll have to see what I could rig up. I have the screw on type setup.

 

edit: 500, no dogs these days except my own 3 furballs. Definitely miss the trail, especially this time of year! Decided to give EMS a stab last year and turns out I really enjoy it

[CharyouTree]

Can you just put the molded ear plugs on to the standard CEP harness or do you need to buy a whole new CME setup. I thought the connections for plugs were different? Apparently not if Palmfish is wearing both. Can someone post a link? I have the CEP with foam tip and would like to upgrade without paying a extra $100+ for the harness.

Depends on which you have made. Mine have a small hole for the standard screw type cep. The ones I saw at heli expo had a five sided triple flange insert into the back of the cem, so you wouldn't be able to use the same. Work with the audiologist (takes the molds) on what to order that will work for you.

[500E]

HG3

Realy good fitting for CME is a must starts with the mould.

The first set were so bad I refused to pay.

Good to hear you have moved to better \diferent flying.

Fly safe

[aeroscout]

I have CEPs and have no complaints.

[Gomer Pylot]

I've made my own foam plugs, using tubing, but I haven't done that in some time. I buy the triple-flange silicone plugs online, and they have the open tube built in. They're sold for use with stereo earphones, but they work fine with CEPs.

 

http://www.earplugstore.com/roauprtrflti.html

 

I recommend the long stem model. The short stem is very short, and puts the CEP too far into my ear. The long stem is too long, but it only takes a couple of seconds to cut it to the length I want. Better too long than too short, because you can make it shorter, but not longer. ;-)

Edited March 15, 2014 by Gomer Pylot

[heligirl03]

Alrighty Gomer, I ordered a few pairs of those so I can slice n dice to see what works. My only concern is I have really small ear canals and these didn't indicate a particular size. I shopped around a little at shift's end but couldn't find anything readily in a "small" with longer stems :/ Maybe I can excise the outermost flange or something. I've got a few days to await their arrival so I'll keep scouring the interwebs. I also have the screw tips so not sure how that's gonna pan out but I like to think I'm fairly creative so we'll see. Ideas and experience always welcome!

 

I'll report back next week

[Gomer Pylot]

IME the triple-flange tips will fit most ears, they compress easily. They work on the screw tips fine, that's what I have. Eventually they will stretch a little and tend to come off the CEPs more easily, although they still work. But for the price, it's not a big deal to me. The Comply tips are almost as expensive and wear out far more quickly. There are some rather expensive tips for sale on the interwebs, but I haven't tried them, and I suspect they're no better than the cheaper ones. Silicone is silicone, pretty much.

[500E]

http://www.mckayassociates.com.au/web-content/catalog/so-11essec.html

They have US agent.

All their kit seems to be quality product, we have sold 100s of their 2\3 wire head sets with very low return & most that are returned have show abuse rather than wear

[HighCountry]

Perfect timing! After chasing critters in the mountains for hours the past few days the comply foam tips were feeling like wooden dowels stuck in my ears. I remembered a past Gomer post referencing the flanged silicone plugs. Thanks for the link, we'll see how they work.

[palmfish]

Earplugs are like shoes - one size/type definitely doesnt fit all.

 

I know people who love the flanges and I personally cant stand them. I prefer Comply foam and others hate them. I will say that when I first started wearing CEP's 20 something years ago it took a while to get used to having a foreign object inserted so deeply in my ear. After a while, it actually felt comforting.

[Gomer Pylot]

This is definitely a subjective issue. I would advise anyone to try different products and see which they prefer. I tend to switch between different eartips randomly, depending on my mood at the time. There is no "one right" solution for this, all the eartip/ANR/whatever solutions work for some people, but not for others. Fortunately, eartips are relatively cheap, so buy some of each and see which you like best.