Electronic Hearing Protection???

T

Trimation

Moderator
What exactly is the electronic hearing protection that I see people posting about. Where can I get information about it?


Trimation
 
Someone with more info chime in. Basically...

Imagine high-quality ear muffs. No imagine active electronics that muffle (actually compress) any sound above a certain noise level.

Now imagine that they will amplify quiet sounds, for when you are hunting.

Sounds pretty cool. Must be some TFL-ers with real-world experience with these?

Might try a search in the Gear & Accessories forum.
 
electronic hearing protection

These are ear muffs that using todays modern technology th creat hearing protection that also lets you hear conversation thus actually making their use safer on the range(you can clearly hear range commands when wearing these) the electronics actually amplify (make louder so you can hear them) low noises like talking so you can hear them while wearing muffs. But they also break down and lower high volume sounds to safe levels so as not to damage your hearing. They are great for hunting to! You can hear whatever is going on around you even better than with the necked ear ans when you shoot your ears don't ring! Great deal especially for handgun hunters. Buy a set you will wonder what ever you did without them.
 
Electronic hearing protection is available at several price points. For around $100 you can get muffs that amplify normal sounds, but cut off for a fraction of a second when the electronics sense a gunshot. For a bit more - from $150 to $250, say, you get more sophisticated electronics that give better sound quality, "true" stereophonic sound, and which never cut off entirely - they just reduce the gain of the amplifier until the gunshot sound is at a tolerable level. "Pro-Ears" seems to be the dominant brand in this category. (This category also arguably includes the "behind the ear" devices like Walker's Game Ear.)

The top tier are electonic hearing aids as made by Starkey Labs, custom-fitted to your own ears, that electronically cut off the sound of a gunshot. These are best for hunting, since they're so light & comfortable. Cost is $400 to $500 or so. They work well for shotgun sports and general hunting, but I find they're not really effective enough for prolonged shooting of large caliber handguns or rifles. (Sound quality is not particularly good, either.)
 
I own the Peltor Tac-6 and like them. They've got volume controls for each ear and amplify ambient sound real well. You can hear leaves crunching under your feet as you walk through the trees, but the gunshot sounds muffled. YMMV
 
I also have a pair of the Peltor muffs, and they work very well. They're stereo, and they don't chop the sound, just reduce the high levels. I wear a pair of plugs and the muffs for loud stuff, I can still hear normal conversation, and I have lots of hearing protection. I highly recommend them, and you won't go back to the plain hearing protection once you've used them.
 
The Peltor electronic muffs sound (and look) well-designed. I'm tempted to get a pair, but I remember reading several VERY positive comments about "Wolf Ears" (I'm pretty sure that's what they were called) awhile back. The guys who had them seemed to think they were significantly better than the Peltors and others (especially with regard to hearing quiet sounds and being able to tell which direction the sound came from, etc.). But I haven't seen these in stores, or read much about them since. Could these be the "Pro Ears" (maybe re-named or bought by another company?). Anybody know about Wolf Ears?

Doug
 
Never heard of Wolf Ears and unless they were purchased many years ago, they are not the Pro-Ears, 'cuz I've had my Dimention 1's from them for a couple of years ... They are TOO COOL for words ... my only complaint is that mine are still in like new condition and now ProEars has a model that lets you plug in your hand held radio or cell phone for communications ... with the sound coming from inside the muff, I bet you could communicate without giving up your hidden position ...
 
Wolf Ears are not Pro Ears. They also are a very good ear muff. Masaad Ayoob promotes these. However, they are supposed to be quite a bit bulkier and heavier than Peltor or Pro Ears. I use Peltor Tactical 7's and they are very good. Am thinking about switching to Pro Ears when these wear out (have had them 7 years).
 
Wearing Out?

Speaking of "wearing out," what happens when that occurs? Is the first indication that the muffs are bad is that you get a wonderfully amplified "BOOM?"

Jaywalker
 
Wolf protectors are not as bulky as Silencios (the black shell ones with one mike and volume control), but they are much more expensive than ProEars, Peltor 6's and 7's, etc. Once the electronics go out, you still have the shell and insulation to dampen the sounds, you just don't get the amplification. Most folks I've talked with or heard comments from, who have any of the "lightweight", thin electronic muffs, say that when they are around big guns, or a lot of guns on the firing line, they need to add earplugs to really dampen the sound. My Silencios are great for pistol shooting, I can even shoot rifles fairly easily (no major stock interference), but for the price I paid for them, I could have bought ProEars or Peltors, etc. and had Stereo and a bit lighter weight.

WSmac
 
What about the new Remington R2000?

I have started doing some research, but those that have these are better than reading manufacturers specs!!!!
 
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