Electronic Ear Plugs with NRR 31dB rating

[Skiprr]

Many thanks. Marvelous review.

Mine (non-Blue Tooth) should arrive in a few hours.

I'm also building a new AR, so probably won't post a review of the Walkers until I go to PSC next week and shoot the new rifle.

[jason812]

Pawpaw, hurry up and go shoot with them. Enquiring minds want to know how good they work not look.

[FCH]

Pawpaw, hurry up and go shoot with them. Enquiring minds want to know how good they work not look.

I'm looking for a way to get the hearing protection out of the way of my rifle sights. My wife and I use regular Howard Leight muffs (30 db) but they are big so we bought a pair of the Howard Leight Electronics (22 db) and they are still too big and the lower sound reduction is definitely noticeable. Hoping to hear (or not hear) some good reports before experimenting with another $90+.

[psijac]

midway says they are all sold out

[FCH]

midway says they are all sold out

Date expected in stock: 06/27/2016

[Pawpaw]

These headsets are now on the Walker's website. They give a bit more info than MidwayUSA does.

http://www.gsmoutdoors.com/shopping/wal ... dsets.aspx

[warnmar10]

These headsets are now on the Walker's website. They give a bit more info than MidwayUSA does.

http://www.gsmoutdoors.com/shopping/wal ... dsets.aspx

So they're passive ear plugs that enhance low intensity sounds?

[Pawpaw]

Apparently so. I just tried them by clapping my hands. It took a harder, louder clap than either my Howard Leight or Caldwell muffs, but it worked the same way. All sound seemed to cut off for a fraction of a second. I don't have a problem with that.

I also discovered that, since I paired mine with my phone, just after the female voice says, "Power on", she also says, "Your device is connected." It sounds silly, but remember that you can't see these things when you're wearing them.

[flechero]

I wonder if she'll critique your groups as well?

[warnmar10]

Apparently so. I just tried them by clapping my hands. It took a harder, louder clap than either my Howard Leight or Caldwell muffs, but it worked the same way. All sound seemed to cut off for a fraction of a second. I don't have a problem with that.

I also discovered that, since I paired mine with my phone, just after the female voice says, "Power on", she also says, "Your device is connected." It sounds silly, but remember that you can't see these things when you're wearing them.

I wear a similar headset every day. Mine isn't rated for ear protection but it does have active noise cancellation on a separate switch though I rarely turn ANC on. If the Razor-XV has aptX I'm going to ask Santa for a pair.

[rotor]

Received mine yesterday. Seem well made. Have not made the trip to the range to try them out.

They use a compression circuit instead of just turning off.

Most of the problems I have had in the past with electronic muffs is sweat in the summer corroding the circuitry. Let's see how they hold up?

So are you saying that if the unit is not powered on it does not have the 31 dB noise reduction? I could not tell from their website if these have active noise suppression which would give it the 31 dB rating and require the unit to be powered on ( these all work by making the sound out of phase and therefore cancelling the sound) or whether these have 31 dB passive noise protection ( don't need power to do this) and allow voice to come through by the included microphone and amplifier (which require power). At this price I really doubt active noise reduction (out of phase noise cancellation). Perhaps the technology is here though. Bose headsets for pilots used to be in the $1,000 range but that was years ago. Seems like the company would brag about it if they really had it at this price.

[Pawpaw]

Received mine yesterday. Seem well made. Have not made the trip to the range to try them out.

They use a compression circuit instead of just turning off.

Most of the problems I have had in the past with electronic muffs is sweat in the summer corroding the circuitry. Let's see how they hold up?

So are you saying that if the unit is not powered on it does not have the 31 dB noise reduction? I could not tell from their website if these have active noise suppression which would give it the 31 dB rating and require the unit to be powered on ( these all work by making the sound out of phase and therefore cancelling the sound) or whether these have 31 dB passive noise protection ( don't need power to do this) and allow voice to come through by the included microphone and amplifier (which require power). At this price I really doubt active noise reduction (out of phase noise cancellation). Perhaps the technology is here though. Bose headsets for pilots used to be in the $1,000 range but that was years ago. Seems like the company would brag about it if they really had it at this price.

No, they do not have any sound cancelling. If you don't turn them on, it's no different than using foam earplugs.

They have what many of these type devices call "sound activated compression". As near as I can find out, it simply monitors the ambient noise level. When there is a loud noise, they cut off or severely reduce the amplifier's output momentarily.

As far as hearing protection, wearing good coated foam plugs would be about the same. I have some here that have a NRR of 30dB. The difference is that, absent a loud noise, you can hear what's going on around you. For me, it's worth it.

Know also that this is a monaural headset. There is only one microphone, so the same sound goes to both ears. There is no provision to adjust the volume to just one ear. Without true stereo sound, you will not have any sense what direction any particular sound came from.

[psijac]

Received mine yesterday. Seem well made. Have not made the trip to the range to try them out.

They use a compression circuit instead of just turning off.

Most of the problems I have had in the past with electronic muffs is sweat in the summer corroding the circuitry. Let's see how they hold up?

So are you saying that if the unit is not powered on it does not have the 31 dB noise reduction? I could not tell from their website if these have active noise suppression which would give it the 31 dB rating and require the unit to be powered on ( these all work by making the sound out of phase and therefore cancelling the sound) or whether these have 31 dB passive noise protection ( don't need power to do this) and allow voice to come through by the included microphone and amplifier (which require power). At this price I really doubt active noise reduction (out of phase noise cancellation). Perhaps the technology is here though. Bose headsets for pilots used to be in the $1,000 range but that was years ago. Seems like the company would brag about it if they really had it at this price.

No, they do not have any sound cancelling. If you don't turn them on, it's no different than using foam earplugs.

They have what many of these type devices call "sound activated compression". As near as I can find out, it simply monitors the ambient noise level. When there is a loud noise, they cut off or severely reduce the amplifier's output momentarily.

As far as hearing protection, wearing good coated foam plugs would be about the same. I have some here that have a NRR of 30dB. The difference is that, absent a loud noise, you can hear what's going on around you. For me, it's worth it.

Know also that this is a monaural headset. There is only one microphone, so the same sound goes to both ears. There is no provision to adjust the volume to just one ear. Without true stereo sound, you will not have any sense what direction any particular sound came from.

Foam plugs stay in my ear, while every earbud I use tends to fall out. How is the fit and comfort?

[Pawpaw]

Foam plugs stay in my ear, while every earbud I use tends to fall out. How is the fit and comfort?

The fit and comfort is about like any foam plug. Each earbud has a foam tip (several sizes are included) with a hole through the middle. The earbud itself appears to be just a speaker with a hollow tube that goes into this hole. With the tip on the earbud, you roll the tip between your fingers to compress it before putting it in your ear. Then you hold it for a few seconds while the foam re-expands. Putting it in your ear is just like using a foam plug. If foam plugs work for you, these should too.