Hearing Protection - Can I do better?

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Orion8472

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This is what I currently use when shooting.

Foam ear plugs rated at 32dB
Howard Leight Clarity Series C3

Would the following be better than the foam earplugs? And have you tried these?
Sonopro Sport Noise Reduction Ear Plugs
"Filter Out Noise, Not The ExperienceAs a hunter, gun enthusiast, or motorcycle rider, you're exposed to high dB sounds while doing your favorite activities. These sounds are harmful - the American Speech Language Hearing Association points out that exposure to 140 dB sounds can result in permanent hearing damage - but the only solutions thus far have been earplugs that block all sound at the expense of lower dB noise. SonoPro Sport's patent- pending technology changes that by allowing lower volume sound to be filtered through with no distortion (think conversation, game noise, etc.) while blocking higher volume sounds such as gunshots. Developed With the Military in MindWe started developing SonoPro Sport over seven years ago for law enforcement and military use. In these high-risk environments, military and law enforcement need to be able to hear low-volume sounds with absolutely no distortion or lack of directionality. We're releasing this technology to the public for the first time so you can have the same technology at your back while hunting or on the gun range. Comfort Comes FirstYou don't have to sacrifice utility for comfort. SonoPro Sport is designed with a low-profile and soft, triple flange outer layer to provide all-day comfort. If you need ear warmers or earmuffs, SonoPro Sport does not extend past the surface of the ear, meaning you can add additional layers for warmth without sacrificing performance."

Would electronic ear muffs be any better at limiting sound over the Howard Leight muffs above?
 
You probably can do better but not much. That is a good combination that you're using. Do you really need better? Once you have your exposure at the ear below 85 dB there really is not much need to go further other than for personal preference.
 
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depending on amount of exposure - that seems really good. if I was exposed day on end, for hours - like a range officer I would want the best of the best.
 
Sonopro NRR is 12.
They advertise superior performance on impulsive noise like shots.
I cannot find comparative ratings by ANSI 12.6 to comment, but I don't care to guinea pig.

Electronic muffs have no added effect on gunshots.
 
The electronic muffs don’t really help with sounds suppression but rather help hear what would otherwise be inaudible Electronic muffs play normal level sounds and allow you to hear even with foam earplugs in. When high dB sounds come through the electronic muffs they turn the audio off and act like normal ear muffs.

Using foam earplugs correctly as noted above makes the most difference for me.
 
The electronic muffs don’t really help with sounds suppression but rather help hear what would otherwise be inaudible Electronic muffs play normal level sounds and allow you to hear even with foam earplugs in. When high dB sounds come through the electronic muffs they turn the audio off and act like normal ear muffs.

Using foam earplugs correctly as noted above makes the most difference for me.
Electronic muffs DO major noise suppression; they are as good as any passive muffs; the advantage is the mics help you hear normal level noise.. The best thing is the fully insert foam plugs and wear muffs over to protect the area around the ear.
 
Experiment with your foam plug brands / styles for best personal reduction. At work we have 6 or 8 different disposable plugs. For my ears / fit, 2 are great, 2 are useless and the others OK.
 
Electronic muffs DO major noise suppression; they are as good as any passive muffs; the advantage is the mics help you hear normal level noise.. The best thing is the fully insert foam plugs and wear muffs over to protect the area around the ear.

Sorry if I wasn’t clear. I did mention that the electronic muffs act like regular muffs when they detect loud noises. The electronic capabilities don’t offer any additional sound suppression above passive ear muffs.
 
The best hearing protection is plugs and muffs. The better the plugs, the better the muffs, the less noise will reach your ears. However, at a certain intensity, sound will travel through your skull bones to your ear drums, and all you can do at that point, is leave the area.
 
The best hearing protection is plugs and muffs. The better the plugs, the better the muffs, the less noise will reach your ears. However, at a certain intensity, sound will travel through your skull bones to your ear drums, and all you can do at that point, is leave the area.
And why muffs are very important to protect the mastoid bone around the ear
 
sound will travel through your skull bones to your ear drums,

Interesting you would mention that. When I was tested for my hearing aids part of the test was for my boney parts of my ears. They put pressure pads on my head and induced sounds through my head. That was to make sure my loss was traditional due to broken ear hair fibers and not damaged ear bones.
 
Just a point of clarification: In electronic muffs, the muffs do the sound reduction/protection, and the electronics boost the sound back up whenever there's not a lot of noise going on (gunfire). If you turn off electronic muffs, or they run out of batteries, they still give the same hearing protection... they just don't boost the quieter noises.
 
I've tried passive ear plugs like the sono pro before, and I've not been impressed. They certainly offer some level of protection, but they don't compare at all to just plain foam ear plugs alone. And I'd think combining passive ear plugs with muffs would render the passive plugs useless, as the muffs would have already reduced noise levels to below where the plugs work.
 
I've tried passive ear plugs

I think the word "passive" is not the right word here. ALL shooting-suitable earpro is going to be passive. Active noise protection is stuff like noise-cancellation, which actively generates a 180°-out-of-phase waveform to the noise to-be-suppressed. Works great for continuous noises, like engine hum... does little or nothing for transient impulse noises like gunshots.

Passive earpro is earpro that reduces sound without any power requirement - it's just insulation/isolation in different forms and locations. Everything we're talking about is passive earpro - even the electronic muffs that "actively" mic and amplify the non-loud sounds... the noise reduction component there is passive.
 
If you're used to using foam plugs I wouldn't replace them with muffs. I have used Mack's ear plugs for the past couple of years and find them to be fantastic (when fitted properly). When worn on their own I can shoot in enclosed places with other shooters no problem, but I do double up if someone next to me is using a larger calibre like a short barreled 308 with a brake, or a 338 etc.

The muffs are a $30 Redhead electronic muff I picked up from Bass Pro some years ago when I visited the US on vacation.

https://www.macksearplugs.com/product/shooters-hi-viz-soft-foam-ear-plugs/
 
I'd like some NRR foam for the mouth too. ;) The way that impulse travels regardless it seems loud to me. More so if I have my mouth open a bit. This is far worse at indoor ranges where the sound bounces off the concrete floor and booth. Not to mention the one next to you shooting .44 mag or hot 10mm.
 
I'd think combining passive ear plugs with muffs would render the passive plugs useless, as the muffs would have already reduced noise levels to below where the plugs work.

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Ear plugs would never be rendered useless.
I can insert them while drinking coffee in my kitchen and not hear the fridge running.
With my permanent high freq hearing loss I wear at least plugs doing ANYTHING with appreciative noise levels. Plugs and muffs for most range work. For the most part you can never reduce noise levels too much.
 
Thanks for all the great comments guys. It looks like I have about as good as it gets.
 
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Ear plugs would never be rendered useless.
I can insert them while drinking coffee in my kitchen and not hear the fridge running.
With my permanent high freq hearing loss I wear at least plugs doing ANYTHING with appreciative noise levels. Plugs and muffs for most range work. For the most part you can never reduce noise levels too much.

I was referring to the plugs OP linked, that let quiet noises through but supposedly block loud noise, all without electronics.
 
Ear plugs would never be rendered useless.
With my permanent high freq hearing loss I wear at least plugs doing ANYTHING with appreciative noise levels. For the most part you can never reduce noise levels too much.

100% agreed. I attribute part of my hearing loss to riding motorcycles for the last 55 years. It's not the noise from the exhaust, I don't have loud bikes, it's the continuous sound of air passing by your ears at 60-80 MPH. So I now wear foam plugs when I ride and they definitely cut down the wind noise.
 
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