Electronic Muffs

[bountyhunter]

I was considering getting some elctronic hearing muffs, but the ones I saw only had an NRR of about 22 - 24 dB, which is less than the 30 dB my Peltor muffs have.

Are there any electronic muffs with a good NRR rating?

Also, anybody else use internal plugs with electronic muffs? How well does that work?

Because of my hearing loss and tinnitus, I normally use 30dB muffs as well as molded rubber inner plugs for a total sound reduction of about 40 - 45 dB overall. I don't want to give up the inner plugs, but wondered if you can still hear voices from the inner speakers with the plugs in place and get the benefit of the electronic muffs.

[shred]

The best NRR electronic ears I know of are the Pro-Mags from Pro-Ears.. but, I found they didn't fit my head as well as some slimmer ones, and getting a good seal is the first step in noise-reduction.

You can crank up electronics so you can hear through plugs-- almost all of them will go to 'normal, muff-less' levels of volume and some will go much louder.

[ErikW]

For practice, I have to turn the e-muffs volume way up to hear the beep from below belt level. But in matches I keep them off because the RO has the timer close to my head and I can hear the beep well through the plugs & muffs.

[Phil Dunlop]

I do the same as Erik, and with plugs in and the volume turned up I can hear people talking to me no prob. Normally I plug up a shooter before the line, so I don't do much chatting at that point

P.D.

[Tman33_99]

I use Peltor Tactical 7 Muffs. They have a NRR of 24 DB. I love them for pistol, but they are a little large for rifle, I sometimes end up knocking a cup off my ear with a rifle butt. So I Muff and Plug when i am shooting rifle stages. Otherwise, it is just my Tactical 7s

Travis

[Ray S.]

I "lost" a pair of Peltor Tactical 6's, and just bought new Pro Ears Pro Mag last week. Today I found the &^%##$ Tactical 6's.

Using them side by side, I prefer the Peltor--my Pro Ears has a lot of background hiss, and seems to have much less noise attenuation. Shots with it seem much louder than with the 6's. Could very well just be me, though.

[rishii]

The best NRR electronic ears I know of are the Pro-Mags from Pro-Ears.. but, I found they didn't fit my head as well as some slimmer ones, and getting a good seal is the first step in noise-reduction.

you mean I'm not the only one with a funny shaped head

had the same problem with the pro ears, the band didn't flex enough to prove a good seal, sold them and got the dillon muffs. lighter, cheaper, and uses AAA batteries. the only down side to them is the foam gets squished and hard, and I replaced them every 6 months or so.

[maverick]

I'm looking for a set of electronic noise cancelling muffs. Can someone tell me which ones you would recommend? Also, which one is considered "top of the line"? Thanks.

[Tman33_99]

I like my Peltor Tactical 7 muffs. The Peltor Tactical 6 muffs are slimmer, but the NRR of the Tactical 6 is 19 vs the Tactical 7 is 24.

Mine have no hiss, and the amplification is very good. The only time I don't like them is at one range I go to that is near the Interstate. To hear normal conversation at normal levels, it also amplifies the highway noise also. At most ranges this is not an issue.

Travis

[kimel]

I'll second the Dillon muffs. Had mine for almost a year and haven't had to replace my foam pads yet despite a lot of use. I really wish that someone would make replacement pads for them that were liquid/gel filled like the pads on my non-Electronic Silenco muffs.

I don't like muffs for rifle or shotgun as they interfer with getting the right head postion so I just plug.

I double plug for matches to drown out the peanut gallery. When around open guns I definately double plug.

[KentG]

I have had a set of the Pro Ears for at least 6 or 7 years and the seals were starting to crack and get hard. I asked santa momma for new set of the Pro Ears Magnums and they are bigger and seem to work well. The only thing is that the old ones seem to amplify normal sounds a little louder than the new ones. Im pretty sure that the Pro Ears are rated the best and I read some things that they have a faster shut off time to catch the noise spike faster than the rest.

Having said that IF I could get a set of the in the ear style that I knew really worked I probably try to buy them depending on price.

[maverick]

So from what I can see here the Peltor Tactical 7s are quite highly recommended.... Is the tactical 7 the top of the line?

[warpspeed]

I like the Peltor Tactical 6's. I use plugs, the super cheap ones, under them for IPSC.

[Mistral404]

I have ProMag from Pro Ears. They have the best NRR. Call Ridgeline and chat with them.

That said, I use Dillon's while in AZ.

I have a both the ringing and hearing loss. I like them both. Both work well for me,

For indoors, I prefer the ProEars and a plug. The concussion is just too much for me when shooting indoors.

BTW: I notice that the Pro Ears does get some interference from the nearby airport.

For the money, I would buy another set of Dillon's muff before Pro Ears.

[Tman33_99]

It looks like the Pro Ears "Pro-Mag" Series have the highest noise reduction rating (NRR) @ 26 dBA of the electronic muffs I have looked at. I believe the Peltor Tactical 7 is next @ 24 dBA noise reduction. I have the Tactical 7, and love them for pistol, but they are large and get dislodged sometimes when shouldering a rifle.

I think either of these are excellent choices. I know the Dillon muffs are quality, and they used to be a "blue" version of the Peltor Tactical 7. I think they are now a "blue" version of someone elses muff but I am not sure which manufacturer.

Travis

[L9X25]

When I purchased my first set of Pro-Ears, the claim was that they used a different technology than the other brands. The other brands attempt to "clip" any loud noises and remove them from the audio stream while the pro ears attempt to "compress" all of the sounds to the same volume. You still hear the shot but the volume is reduced to the same volume as everything else. The alleged benefit was that you could still hear the popper or plate "ring" when hit. Other brands that "clip" the bang sound would likely clip the plate ring too. I have littel experience with the Peltors.

YMMV.

Leo

[MBaneACP]

Lemme throw in my $.002 worth for Radians. They're cheap (under $100), slim, and I like them better than my expensive Pro-Ears. Plus, we've beaten the crap out them in the NSSF media program and the teevee show and they hold up incredibly well. Plus plus, triple-A batteries, which you can find even in Ellijay, Georgia.

I also like that I can crank the gain up on 'em and hear everything going on on the line when we're doing media events. Dave Arnold got a pair for the same reason.

Michael B

[tyro]

Michael B,

I've never heard of the Radians..

Would you have a link on them so I could take a look at them?

Thanks,

Tyro

[n2299]

..... I know the Dillon muffs are quality, and they used to be a "blue" version of the Peltor Tactical 7. I think they are now a "blue" version of someone elses muff but I am not sure which manufacturer.

FYI Dillon HP-1s are manufactered by CED.

[Steve H]

I have tried several, Pro Ears, the old Dillon and the new ones, as well as the large peltor (don't know the model). We have an indoor range at my work and the only ones we can use it the Pro Ears Pro Mag, as we are required to have a high NRR. They work great for me, I have several sets of Pro Ears, and like the Pro Mag the best. The best fitting are the new Dillon ones, but I don't care for the way it seems to shut off when shooting, it seems to shut off longer than the Pro Ears. The old Dillon (I thing Peltor made them), were great, except the the inner pad was too close to my ear, which would draw my sweat into the electronics, causing them to malf. two times, Dillon replaced both sets.

I don't like anything other then electroincs anymore.

Steve

[jimW]

I have the Peltor Alert. It has a NRR 25db. Paid $165.

Also it has a built in AM/FM radio. I LOVE this feature. I can listen to the radio while at the range or matches. But I use it only as low volume background music so I can clearly hear friends or RO's talking.

The AM/FM is good when your practicing alone to prevent boredom.

Between stages, it keeps me relaxed and thinking LESS before my turn to shoot.

And I don't use the radio when I'm actually shooting a stage.

http://www.websoft-solutions.net/SearchResults.asp?Cat=210

[Steve H]

That is awsome, I will have to look for them.

Steve

[vettman1]

I just bought a pair of the Radians and they are great! Here's a link... Radians Pro amp

[MoNsTeR]

Is it just me or do the Radians look just like the Dillons?

[John Heiter]

I think there are only one or maybe two companies making the internals for electronic muffs these days. I've compared the internals of the Walker's Game Ears to the Pro-Ears Pro Mag and they are identical. I'm betting the slim Dillon/Radians versions are the same way. May come w/ slightly different factory presets as far as gain goes but that's about it.

Also, I would highly recommend the maintenance kit to all Pro-Ears owners. It's replacement foam and seals that just peel and stick into place. They seem to be made of a softer material than the originals and provide a better seal while being more comfortable as well.