Latest greatest hearing protection.. Active or passive?

[blindjim]

Looks like I gotta get some hearing wear soon as it seems I’ll be getting out to a range now and then with some regularity, perhaps..

I’ve read thru some older archives on this but only scratched the surface I’m sure. I’ve seen virtually nothing on comparisons of active to passive hearing protection… and/or anything indicating a slam dunk no brainer choice in brand or model!

So let’s update the 2011 what’s great and what’s the alternative choices in similar products? It can’t hurt… and might help.

Oh… and just where are these steals & deals on ear protection at?

all I know currently is using plugs and Mickey Mouse ears in combination, looks safest, though I wonder with today's gear if it's unecessary.

Thanks very much.

 

[hso]

The Accessories forum discusses hearing pro with some frequency.

Howard Leight Impact Muffs over foam plugs are about as good as you can get.

 

[The-Reaver]

HSO; I concur with your Howard Leight impact sports stuff is Good to go

 

[Strykervet]

I like the Peltor Tactical models. I used them in the army and found I could hear better with them on than off. A shot cancels the microphone. Very useful when running a range, spotting, or otherwise communicating on the range. My wife liked them so much that when her cheap Dillons went out, she made me order some new ones! I got the new ones that go around the back of the head instead of over the top. I don't wear a helmet anymore, but it looks like they will be more comfortable with a hat too. She gets my old ones! Found 'em for $249.

 

[blindjim]

hso
Sorry, and thanks. I looked around a bit.. searched a few titles… saw nothing real current… and actually thought I was in the acccessories section. Sorry.

But as we are here for the moment, are Howard’s Active? How much do they run usually? Where?

Is the main diff from Passive to active the lack of background info and a deadening of the casual talk or conversation about the wearer with passive units?

That’s all I can figure myself. Passives are akin to the fingers in the ears, unless some new tech is in place.


The-Reaver
Where do these land in the line up? Is it really worth stepping up past the Impact’s?

I saw some at Midway called Combat and refuted to be made by Peltor… 30db, $23

I suppose I could buy both the Peltor 6 & Howard Leight Impacts and see which one gets returned. I just hate buying something I know up front I’ll have to ship or take back.

Do places even take back ear muffs these days?


Strykervet
Sorry, but $250 for muffs is not something I'll do intentionally.

 

[Shienhausser]

I use Etymotic research earbuds. Cost me 12$ 6 years ago. I have worn them shooting and to concerts.

 

[hso]

Electronic muffs have mics allowing you to hear what is going on around you, range commands, and circuitry that quickly shuts them down allowing the muffs to attenuate the noise like passive muffs do. Just that simple, but the challenge comes in detecting and responding to impulse noise quickly enough to be protective. Quality electronic muffs do this. Others not as well.

You can find HL Impacts for $50 on sale and they will spoil you.

 

[basicblur]

For pistol or long guns?

It'll make a difference in your choices!

I have the Peltor 7S, and just got a pair of Howard Leight Impact Pros a few days ago, mostly to try out with long guns as the 7S hit the guns stock-haven't had a chance to try the HLs out at the range yet.

Just throwing out some observations here:
1. The Peltor 7S units seem to seal a little better for me, although I have a big head.
2. The Howard Leights cost 'bout half what the Peltor 7S units do-the Peltor 6S units are probably more comparable to the HL Impact Pros, but not as slim for long gun use.
3. Going to Peltor's site, it seems they're in the middle of updating/releasing new models. I can't find either the 6S or 7S at their site.
4. Looks like the MT15H7F SV is replacing the 7S, the Peltor 97451 Tactical Sport replacing the 6S? (at a much higher price).
5. Not that it makes a differenc?, but the 7S seem to clamp down on sounds quicker? I can clap my hands with the HLs and the electronics don't kick in-clapping your hands in front of the 7S units will muffle the clap.
6. If you're not in a hurry, shop Amazon/Google every day-prices seem to swing.
7. I got my HL Impact Pros for under $50 delivered from Amazon-they're now over $50, so be patient.

 

[Safetychain]

I wish I had the kind of discretionary funds to try out a high priced set of electronic muffs. I make do with a $14 set from Harbor Freight. I'm pretty happy with them as they appear to clamp down very well on any loud noises, even a hand clap. I'm actually on my second set of them because I left the first set on for a couple of months and the cheap AA's leaked and messed up the little circuit board. A drawback, though it never has bothered me at the range, is that it is mono and has no directionality at all. If I were hunting with them or planned on using them in home defense, it would matter; but range use, no. They only have a 23 or 24 db rating so I usually wear a set of foam plugs under them. Because of the foam plug use, it would better if the volume control could make the muff speakers a bit louder. I have been considering using some foam tape to stick to the inside of the hollow dome of the muffs to see if it increases their protection where I could do without the plugs.

I have been wondering why they haven't come out with some sort of noise cancelling type circuit that would actually rebroadcast the louder noises into the muff speakers 180 degrees out of phase such that it would actually electronically reduce/eliminate the leak through sound waves that make it though to the ear. A gain control on this could be used to actually block all loud noises. Used to have an old bag phone that did this wonderfully such that you could use the phone no matter the outside noise level. All you had to do is stick a finger in the other ear and everything not coming in on the phone was nearly eliminated. Even the new noise cancelling Bose headphones don't seem to do work very well at this today.

 

[Jim Watson]

You can't noise cancel a gunshot because it is (mostly) a single impulse. There is no extended sound wave pattern the noise cancelling circuitry can latch on to and repeat out of phase.

 

[blindjim]

hso
?You can find HL Impacts for $50 on sale and they will spoil you.”

I’M BEGINNING TO BELIEVE THAT.

It do appear the Howards are in front of the pack based primarily on the half a Franklin asking price going around the web… give or take a bit. For the “Impact Sports” model.


Is it worth stepping up in the HL lineup from the $50 Impact Sports muffs TO SOMETHING ‘BETTER’ IN THE hl LINEUP?


basicblur
AS attractive as the Peltor 7s sound…. Thanks to the note on possible upcoming releases I’ll keep my hands in my pockets and not get too grabby…. Just now.

In fact, I’m thinking I ought to slide into this deal easy and slow. Couple different ear plugs… and a pr of active ear covers.

As for which guns are gonna be shot? Well, I’ve a 12 ga shotgun and a 45 auto. Not sure who’s gonna show up at the range with what ever though…. So there’s that.


Safetychain
My disposable income isnt’ what one might think… economic trends have disposed of most all of it.

I’ve had to sell off some fairly exspensive tube audio gear and speakers to accommodate this guns & ammo enterprise, some stringent security measures,… perhaps too some repairs to my home, and believe you me, I sure didn’t want to do it. I prefer breathing more than listening to music lately…. And that sort of swung the vote towards arms and alarms.

I wince each time I’ve gotta drag out a bit more of the reserve for this or that. It took a whole lot of praying and reflection to avoid buying Bennelli, H&K, and some other top auto Special duty pistols.

But as far as I’m concerned if ya got guns… ya gotta shoot ‘em. Unless you’re hanging onto a pair of ancient arms worth loads of cash. Something that would make Pawn Wars guys holler for and the Antique road Show boys just faint dead away!

Having sacrificed enough already then, I might be able to rebuild anew what was recently liquidated, at some future date, so I figure on keeping my hearing in tact…

Being entirely honest, to lose my hearing puts me square into Helen Keller’sville.. I’d as soon avoid that trip. So, here we are…. Poking around in cyberspace for solutions to life’s little foibles.

I will indeed try the neat ear plugs I’ve seen so far too… so thanks too for the heads up on the modestly priced solution..

...AND THE IDEA ABOUT HOME DEFENSE AND EAR MUFFS. nICE. hAD NOT THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AT ALL. THANKS!!

 

[jonn5335]

reusable rubber ear plugs $2.50 been usin them for years

 

[Single Action Six]

Cierra J-13's..

I use a pair of Cierra J-13's. They're a little bit expensive @ $1,800 EACH but they clamp down on sound and work like they're suppose to.

Single Action Six

 

[JohnBT]

I haven't found anything better for me than Peltor Bullseye 10 muff and foam plugs. They fit my big head and seal extremely well.

I wish I had the time to try every set of electronic muffs.

 

[blindjim]

singleactionsix

Quick man, tell me where you found $3,600 hearing protection? Better still, well... no.. don't bother. I'd have to have so much dough to spend over $3K on hearing protection, I'd just have something custom fit and made to my needs instead.

congratulations though.


is there another HL model above the Howard L. Impact sports worth getting, or at all?

 

[chris in va]

I tried those Walker's Game Ear Alpha muffs a while back. The compression circuitry was fantastic, letting me hear regular range sounds while muffling the shot...but the thing is notorious for having the headband snap.

I knew this before buying and was super careful when I put them on...still snapped. Walker's didn't return my call or email, and I see Costco is selling them now.

 

[hq]

I like the Peltor Tactical models. I used them in the army and found I could hear better with them on than off.

I've used various Peltor electronic muffs for 10+ years and I won't go back to passive ones unless I have to (shooting .50BMG or bigger in a semi-confined space and so on). My current favourite is Sordin Supreme Pro. Slightly better sound quality than in current, comparable Peltors, but not quite as comfortable, especially if you have big earlobes.

Yesterday, after I had been shooting Compak/Sporting most of the evening, I found myself sitting at the range cafe, having a conversation with my buddies and still wearing the muffs, not even realizing it. Yep, they're pretty good.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

At the range, I typically wear passive (foam ear plugs + muffs). I don't talk much except at the break at which point i just remove the muffs and leave the foam ones on. If I'm hunting, I wear of Peltor's I bought 3 years or so ago.

 

[mgmorden]

Quick man, tell me where you found $3,600 hearing protection? Better still, well... no.. don't bother. I'd have to have so much dough to spend over $3K on hearing protection, I'd just have something custom fit and made to my needs instead.

For $3600 I'd want an android that will walk around with me with its hands over my ears, reload my mags for me in between sessions, and clean the guns when I'm done.

 

[blindjim]

For $3600 I'd want an android that will walk around with me with its hands over my ears, reload my mags for me in between sessions, and clean the guns when I'm done.

That’s not called an Android, that’s called a youngster… a girlfriend… or a spouse.0

No matter which one you get, $3600 will be merely an installment on the cost of doing bidness.

So, OK. Howard wins. I got a pair of Howard Leight Impact Sports via Amazon.

Now I’ve gotta go get more bags…. One for the headset and one still for toting both guns and all the associated paraphernalia I’m accumulating because of all your input!

Anyone feeling the desire to chip in and lessen the burden of their guilty conscience is more than welcome to do so.

 

[basicblur]

HL bag for muffs only available

Now I’ve gotta go get more bags...

I see HL has a belt case for their folding ear muffs-don't list the Impact Pros, but when you select the Related Products tab, it shows 'em with the others listed on the front page. I don't see why the Impact Pros wouldn't fit as they fold and look 'bout the same size as passive folding muffs.

 

[blindjim]

basicblur
Cool, thanks much.

'probably go with another pouch of sorts. they might even fit into my pc accessories/pistol bag, but it is filling up unless I get a separate case for ammo.

Why did I throw away all my military stuff!? Oh, yeah. Figured I was done ... silly me.

 

[basicblur]

You might check out Ear Plug Superstore-they seem to have more stuff from more vendors than I've seen in one place.

I've been meaning to order some colored ear plug cases/tubes from 'em-may have to toss in the storage bag for my new Impact Pros?

May have to dig a bit and use their search engine to find some accessories that are hard to locate through front page links?

 

[hermannr]

I have Peltior Tactical pro..good muffs, good sound attinuation, extra amplification of ambient sounds give a feeling you do not have any protection on until it shuts down the sound of the gun fire (or your lawn mower, string trimmer, leaf blower...whatever

I also have a pair of HL Impact pro. I think they do well too. Same as teh Peltiors except the will amplify the ambient sounds a lot more than the Peltiors do. You could almost use them as a hearing aid. They do amplify quite a lot of the ambient noise, quite a bit when on full volumn. Depending on your point of view, that could be good or bad to some individuals.

I have seen, but not used the new game ear that fits like a hearing aid. Advantage, you only need one, you can just use a foam plug in the other ear if you don't want to, or do not have the funds for, two of them

 

[Hangingrock]

Let’s put it this way when your hearing is damaged it’s damaged. When pardon me is part of your vocabulary, please say that again, and please speak up. When you have become a quasi lip reader you may finally come to the conclusion you can’t afford cheap hearing protection.

I have two sets of Pro-Ears and one MSHA set. I’ve found the MSHA set less prone to cup list of when shooting rifles. Not matter the set I use molded ear plugs.

The monthly check from the VA can’t compensate me for what I’ve lost. I’d gladly give the VA the money back if I could get my pre military service hearing back.