Ed Wall wrote:
> Hello
> 
> I have decided out of desperation to try the list because of the
> incredible fount of knowledge that resides here. My dilemma is as
> follows. I have some incredibly nice coats made by an outfit
> called Sev/Scottevest. They come with inside pockets for books,
> maps, and you name it and have a lining designed so that you can
> route wires from mp3 players or telephones all over the place.
> In particular you can put a mp3 in an accessible pocket - I tend
> to listen to lectures rather than music - route the earplugs up
> thru the lining and then to your ears. The earplugs themselves
> can then be placed in an inner pocket when not in use. My
> suspicion is that the way you are intended to do this is to route
> the earplugs to one side of the head and taking one of the plugs
> around the head or under the chin to the other ear (I hope that
> is clear) outside the coat. Unfortunately I have always wished to
> do it otherwise.
>      I wish to route the earplugs up through the lining to the
> back of the neck. Then take the right and left earplug and
> separately route them through the collar (which you can do) and
> hence up to separate ears. It turns out that most earplugs are
> too short to do this; that is, the strands of cable that bifurcate
> into separate plugs are too short. You can get them to your ears,
> but if you turn your head they fall out. I have tried many, many
> sets of earplugs (the only pair I got to work was a cheap, no
> longer produced  Radio Shack pair, that had, in effect, dual
> strands all the way up from the plug - sort of like electrical
> cord - and I just separated the strands a bit more than usual).
> I have resorted to soldering in about 5" of cable into each
> earplug strand, but that is far from fun. So my question is does
> anybody know of a reasonable brand of earplug that either has
> somewhat longer than usual bifurcating strands up to the ears or
> can be (as that Radio Shack pair)  moderately easily modified to
> have such. There must be a pair out there.

Hei Ed - I know this is a problem from many others who have had or still 
have the same problem like you.

There are solution to the problem. Both Sony and Koss still make 
earphones with separate strains which can be expanded like you describe 
it by pulling each one a bit more away so the cable to each ear gets 
longer. Most of these also have a small 'lock' that can be pushed along 
the cord, so if the cord gets too much pulled apart you can tighten it a 
bit by pushing this small plastic 'lock' up and down.

So I'll recommend to go down to a good and well-equipped HiFi store to 
see what hey have on stock. Both Sony and Koss have about 100 different 
models right from the cheaper $5-dollar 'supermarket' ones up to 
professional sets to more than $200 dollars. - And so has Koss - though 
not quite as many models as Sony.

I also think that you should go for the type called "In-Ear" earphones, 
where the earcup is moddelled to fit into the outer ear. This type is 
the best one when/if you use them for hours while sitting in a bus, 
train or airoplane. The In-Ear earphones doesn't make you 'tired' in the 
head.

A third solution could be a professional earphone with a "neck brace", 
but this type isn't meant for hours of use without pausing, because the 
brace will tighten around the neck pressing against the muscles at each 
side of your neck. In this type the cords are running inside the brace 
with the cord movable inside so it can fit into various persons neck. - 
But the necktype isnot invisible like the method you describe. This type 
is mostly used by radio and TV journalists working in the fields... - 
And they are rather expensive too - +$200USd...

Cheers, Erik Richard

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Erik Richard Sørensen, Member of ADC, <[log in to unmask]>
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