Hello Everyone,
I currently have no known hearing loss and REALLY want to keep it this way. I've been using foam plugs for a long time, but I'm frustrated by the blanket reduction in decibels and not being able to hear clients talking. I'm looking to invest in some custom electronic ear plugs for hearing protection, and I'm somewhat baffled by all the choices on the market. I'm not at all interested in muffs, only in-ear protective devices. My goal is maximum clarity for speech recognition and excellent suppression of noise over 100 decibels. Other factors: background noise is occasionally an issue (wind), I don't need waterproofing, and I will need these to be comfortable enough to wear for 8 hours a day.
I've looked at esp, SoundGear by Starkey, NitroEar, HearDefender by E.A.R. (websites below)... and I just don't feel like the websites provide enough information to make me feel comfortable spending $1,000-2,000. I don't know what difference these variety of features will have: channels/bands, compression/suppression circuitry, custom programs for different environments, background suppression, response (attack/release) time, etc.
So:
1. Does anyone have some first-hand knowledge comparing any of these products?
2. Anyone know of a national chain store that has several of these high-end devices for comparison prior to purchase?
3. Anyone have links to independent sound testing/research done on these products?
4. Has anyone had luck getting health insurance to cover part of the cost as occupational protection?
Thank you all for your time and expertise!
http://espamerica.com/featured-products/
https://www.soundgearhearing.com/collections/custom-fit
http://www.nitroear.com/products/nitro-flex-pro/
https://earinc.com/product/heardefenders-waterproof-dmm/
I currently have no known hearing loss and REALLY want to keep it this way. I've been using foam plugs for a long time, but I'm frustrated by the blanket reduction in decibels and not being able to hear clients talking. I'm looking to invest in some custom electronic ear plugs for hearing protection, and I'm somewhat baffled by all the choices on the market. I'm not at all interested in muffs, only in-ear protective devices. My goal is maximum clarity for speech recognition and excellent suppression of noise over 100 decibels. Other factors: background noise is occasionally an issue (wind), I don't need waterproofing, and I will need these to be comfortable enough to wear for 8 hours a day.
I've looked at esp, SoundGear by Starkey, NitroEar, HearDefender by E.A.R. (websites below)... and I just don't feel like the websites provide enough information to make me feel comfortable spending $1,000-2,000. I don't know what difference these variety of features will have: channels/bands, compression/suppression circuitry, custom programs for different environments, background suppression, response (attack/release) time, etc.
So:
1. Does anyone have some first-hand knowledge comparing any of these products?
2. Anyone know of a national chain store that has several of these high-end devices for comparison prior to purchase?
3. Anyone have links to independent sound testing/research done on these products?
4. Has anyone had luck getting health insurance to cover part of the cost as occupational protection?
Thank you all for your time and expertise!
http://espamerica.com/featured-products/
https://www.soundgearhearing.com/collections/custom-fit
http://www.nitroear.com/products/nitro-flex-pro/
https://earinc.com/product/heardefenders-waterproof-dmm/