Re: Electric muffs

2
None of them, the NRR on all of them suck. Use at least a 30NRR ear protection, don't screw with your hearing. This from a person with permanent, unending and fairly loud tinnitus.
Last edited by Antiquus on Thu Aug 01, 2013 8:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
When only cops have guns, it's called a police state.
I carry due to toxic masculinity.......just other people's.

Re: Electric muffs

4
Antiquus wrote:None of them, the NRR on all of them suck. Use at least a 30NRR ear protection, don't screw with your hearing. This from a person with permanent, unending and fairly loud tinnitus.
I have it too. My thought was that over plugs they could be turned up loud enough that I could hear a bit better, but still be better than just plugs while improving my conversational hearing.

Re: Electric muffs

6
Fukshot wrote:
Antiquus wrote:None of them, the NRR on all of them suck. Use at least a 30NRR ear protection, don't screw with your hearing. This from a person with permanent, unending and fairly loud tinnitus.
I have it too. My thought was that over plugs they could be turned up loud enough that I could hear a bit better, but still be better than just plugs while improving my conversational hearing.
You are entirely correct.

I came at this as an aviator, having worn very expensive "active noise reducing headsets" for some time. In planes that made an open-piped Harley sound quiet.

So I was skeptical that a $60.00 headset would be adequate to muffle a .30-06.

Even if it was made by a company that charged 10 times that for an aviation product a decade ago, when the technology first appeared.

Well, yes and no.

Typically, the shooter's active headsets reduce things by about 28 decibels. For .22 to .223, depending upon the enclosure, that's fine. For .223 in concrete block, or .30-06 anywhere, it still hurts enough that I flinch.

BUT, and this is a Jennifer Lopez sized but, if I wear decent plugs inside the active noise reducing headset, I'm adequately protected.

AND if I turn up the volume, I can hear a pin drop, or a .22 pistol misfire, at 25 feet. In fact, I eavesdrop on any number of range conversations in that config. Will occasionally surprise someone by offering help, or perhaps a few .22 rounds that don't misfire.

I like the Howard Leights, because, all else being equal, I can shoot a rifle halfway comfortably due to their low profile and overall shape. Even if they're suppression is a couple of dB lower than others, I still have my "inner plugs." With them on, honestly, when I shoot my 10/22 I don't hear a thing. I perceive the action hitting the soft Kidd buffer, but that's it.

When the boomers move to other ranges on-site or leave entirely, I just take the muffs off, keeping them at-hand just in case, and work with high-quality plugs, enjoying a proper cheek-weld.

The Leights have an audio-input, which I intend to use with my MP3 player for shot-timing working on my distinguished expert pistol rating. I'm going to record a 30-second count and play it through the ear muffs. Don't really plan on piping Spotify into my shooting muffs.

Re: Electric muffs

8
I also have a set of the Howard Leight muffs and I usually wear plugs under them. They get loud enough that I can still hear.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2
-+-+-+-+
"Nothing exists except atoms and empty space. Everything else is just opinion." -Democritus 
-+-+-+-+-
Come check out my custom 1911 grips and other wooden items at my Etsy store.

Re: Electric muffs

14
Pro-Ears Pro Mag Gold (33 NRR). I've worn them at NHRA 4-Wide Nationals, and it was weird feeling my whole body vibrate without hearing the noise that was doing it. Well, ok, there was some noise: sounded like a chorus of chainsaws about a block or two away, vs 40k of HP. And I could still hear the announcer, as well as my date.

At the range, gunshots sound like soft "boings," no matter the caliber, and I can hear conversations from anywhere in the bay even when someone is shooting. I've also used them while watching airplanes take off and land at small regional airports. And they have audio input as well. Love 'em. :thumbup:

And, no, they're not cheap, but 1) I got them on sale, and 2) I don't skimp on hearing protection, good shoes, or toilet paper.

When shooting my rifle, though, I just wear Flents 33 NRR plugs so I can get a cheek plant.
Last edited by KimberGal on Sat Aug 03, 2013 8:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Electric muffs

17
[quote="shinzen]
Next purchase- gotten good feedback at the range on them
http://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-R-0 ... c+earmuffs[/quote]
Have these. Work as designed. They are great for hearing range commands while maintaining protection.
sbɐɯ ʎʇıɔɐdɐɔ pɹɐpuɐʇs ɟo ןןnɟ ǝɟɐs
ɯɯ6 bdd ɹǝɥʇןɐʍ
13ʞ
"ǝuıqɹɐɔ 1ɐ4ɯ" dɯɐʇsןןoɹ --- ɯoɔos0269ǝן ʇןoɔ
"ǝuıqɹɐɔ ʇuǝɯǝɔɹoɟuǝ ʍɐן sʇןoɔ" dɯɐʇsןןoɹ --- 0269ǝן ʇןoɔ
(béɟ) 59-pɯɐ

Re: Electric muffs

19
The verbiage on that box concerns me. Only 15dB protection is not very much. The minimum I want is 22dB and 30dB is better yet.

Also it says "Gradual transition from natural hearing to 15dB protection." What you want is an immediate transition when there is a loud noise and then maybe a gradual transition back.
-+-+-+-+
"Nothing exists except atoms and empty space. Everything else is just opinion." -Democritus 
-+-+-+-+-
Come check out my custom 1911 grips and other wooden items at my Etsy store.

Re: Electric muffs

20
From http://www.etymotic.com/hp/gsp15.html

What is "adaptive attenuation"?
In acoustics, to attenuate sound means to reduce it. Think of ‘adaptive’ as being able to change with the environment. The GSP-15 earplugs contain circuitry that automatically changes as sound levels change. When sound levels are safe, hearing is natural, as if nothing is in the ears. In the LO switch position, as the sound pressure level (SPL) increases, the circuitry gradually changes from natural hearing to 15-dB attenuation to protect from continuous loud noises. Once the input SPL reaches about 120 dB, the attenuation gradually increases to the maximum blast protection of between 35-dB and 40-dB.

The 'Other' side of the box says 25db in the official government label (40 CFR Part 211 Subpart B, which Federal Law prohibits removal of this label prior to sale).
less is more

Re: Electric muffs

23
antia wrote:Just showed up in the mail!

As a long time Etymotic headphone user it took all of a minute to have them fitted comfortably as they use the same ear tips as the headphones.

Next stop the range!
Overdue range report.
First try was at a four lane 50' range with 6' 6" ceilings, the loudest range I have used, sounds slaps around this range right back to the shooter.

I shot a .40 180g ~200 rounds.

The hearing protectors work well with the initial sound as well as the 'slap'. A plus is the ability to hear (amplified) between shots for range warning sounds I might have missed with my other hearing protectors such as the exhaust fan cutting out or another shooter rapping at the range door to get in.

I prefer to shoot with a hat on, which excludes most active protection hearing protectors.
Having an in ear hearing protector is a plus as it does not impact my hat.

The headphones are missing a clip to attach the mono-filament between the earpieces to a shirt or hat.
After all these things are expensive, I want to attach then so one does not get lost!

Second use was a Active Shooter Response training.
It was a hot humid day on an airsoft range that had no air conditioning and hardly a breeze.
Full vest, helmet and face-mask were a requirement, hearing protection was required to simulate 'tactical tunnel senses'.
I thought the heat and sweat might be an issue with the hearing protectors, but they wore comfortably through the whole exercise without an issue.
I did have a mild panic attack at the end of the day, untangling myself from straps, comms and protectors while being wiped and not being able to find the protectors (they were around my neck and caught in my ponytail).

Bottom line: Hearing loss is expensive so purchasing hearing prevention should not be cost driven.
Should everyone purchase these, I think not. If situational awareness on the range is critical to you (Instructors) or if you must wear hats on the range, then these hearing protectors are for you.

If you do purchase these add an alligator clip to the mono-filament to attach the rig to your clothes to prevent loss.
less is more

Re: Electric muffs

25
I currently use H-L 01526 and they work very well - indoor or outdoor range. I wear them backward (receiver to rear rather than forward) to better hear what is behind me rather than down range.

http://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-R-0 ... d_sim_hi_2

I'm planning on buying the model R-01902 which has a 30NRR rating. These appear to have Omni-directional sound pickup.

http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-R-01902 ... d+earmuffs

Ear plugs (foam or rubber) can't use - have weird ear canals. Have some Peltor plugs and they suck.
"Being Republican is more than a difference of opinion - it's a character flaw." "COVID can fix STUPID!"
The greatest, most aggrieved mistake EVER made in USA was electing DJT as POTUS.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests