Sarge Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 I'm making my annual trip to Shooter's Connection next week. The primary item on my shopping list is hearing protection. I'm going to try everything on and see what fits the best. I don't really like the huge muffs but if they offer better protection then that's what I'll get. I am leaning strongly to the Pro Ears slim golds. They are rated for the same amount of DB reduction as my current passive muffs. I thought I would post this one last time and see where it goes over the next 4 days to see if there are any new thoughts on the Pro Ears line. Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
match308 Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 My Pro Ears are good, but my MSAs with gel cups are so much nicer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 24, 2011 Author Share Posted December 24, 2011 And I have tried a pair of those. The circuitry is amazing but they don't cut down my Open gun noise enough and they have shallow cups and I don't have petite ears. I don't want to wear muffs I have to double plug with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Nesbitt Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 I have a set of the Pro Ears Gold. The big fat ones. They are 33 db I think. I'm happy with the sound reduction and the electronics are pretty good. I can usually talk and hear OK when somebody is shooting. They get in the way when shooting long guns sometimes. They absolutely eat N batteries like popcorn. I always want to have lots of spare batteries in my shooting bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 24, 2011 Author Share Posted December 24, 2011 Thanks Bill. I don't shoot long guns currently it's just that the 33db's are so darn big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErichF Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 (edited) I like the electronic Leight Impact Sport muffs my wife got me for my birthday last month. It seems many folks around here do as well, as every match I see four or five others wearing them. They are also only around $50 from Amazon.com. They are low-pro and pretty comfortable over hat and glasses. I am going to try a pair of aviation gel seals and see if they fit. Edited December 24, 2011 by ErichF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmca Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 I've got the ProEars Gold also. When it's time to replace them, I'll go with the Sordin with gel cups. IMO, you should double plug when shooting any compensated gun, especially when you' re ROing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 24, 2011 Author Share Posted December 24, 2011 The folks who where the howard leights let me try them as well. They tend to cut all sound out. I had some peltor's that did the same thing. Very annoying. I want to be able to hear everything while shooting is going on. I have read all the threads on the forum regarding muffs. There are pro's and con's to all of them. I'm trying to narrow it down to those with the fewest con's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErichF Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 I didn't know that there were any electronic muffs that could isolate a specific noise frequency while still allowing other sound through. That would be pretty cool, but sounds expensive. Does Bose make shooter's headsets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 I didn't know that there were any electronic muffs that could isolate a specific noise frequency while still allowing other sound through. That would be pretty cool, but sounds expensive. From what I've hear the Pro Ears Gold do exactly that .... and yes they are! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 24, 2011 Author Share Posted December 24, 2011 I didn't know that there were any electronic muffs that could isolate a specific noise frequency while still allowing other sound through. That would be pretty cool, but sounds expensive. Does Bose make shooter's headsets? http://www.proears.com/technology Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErichF Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 Ahh, thanks for the link. That is great tech. As a pilot, I have spent more than that on quality, noise-cancelling aviation headsets (Bose units are about $1200). So, $330 isn't crazy expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCNet Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 I saw an advertisement in this month's Shooting Industry Magazine that Howard Leight is about to release a new Impact Pro electronic muff which has a NRR rating of 30. Certainly bigger than the Impact Sport, but better protection. I'm eager to see what they are all about when they hit the market. Here's the ad, Dec2011.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErichF Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 Nice! I'm glad to read that they work well for handgun AND pistol shooters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben b. Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 I have 2 cheap sets, Howard Leight Impact sport & Silencio Falcons and one set of MSA Sordin Supreme X with the gel cups. With all of them, I plug when ROing Open guns and with rifles. While the MSA are better, I'm not sure that the MSA are $300 better than the Howard Leight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihatepickles Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 I don't want to wear muffs I have to double plug with You may not like the size of the NRR 33 ProEars, but if you don't want to double plug then that's really what you should go for. I double plug for my Production gun, it's less convenient but I shoot better scores when double plugged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokshwn Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 And I have tried a pair of those. The circuitry is amazing but they don't cut down my Open gun noise enough and they have shallow cups and I don't have petite ears. I don't want to wear muffs I have to double plug with Buy the stock Supreme Pro X from MSA. Then spend $20 on a set of David Clark gel ear seals. Remove the stock foam pads on the cups and glue on the David Clark gel seals. You will have plenty of room for your ears (ask me how I know) from the extra thickness of the gel seals and the increase of comfort and noise reduction from the improved fit will also increase the NRR. My MSA set has been going strong for 7 years. Well worth the initial investment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 I didn't know that there were any electronic muffs that could isolate a specific noise frequency while still allowing other sound through. That would be pretty cool, but sounds expensive. Does Bose make shooter's headsets? http://www.proears.com/technology So now you're defending them? I think your mind's already made up.... Do you want the Pro-Ears? If so....get 'em. Over-spending is only a short-term misery. I remember Brian (our host) talking about a VW van he had as a teenager and how he passed up an updated VW van later in life because of price (it cost more). After some time with the poor replacement, he went back and bought the more expensive VW. To this day, he can tell you what he spent for the POS stand-in, but not what he paid for the new VW. That mirrors my experience. I don't know what I spent for my Toyota's, but I know what I spent on lesser products. Get the best ears you can and you won't regret the investment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
furyalecto Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 You can also replace the pro ears pads with gel seals and some glue. Much nicer than the provided faux leather type that get really hard in the cold. Only thing I don't like so much about my MSA's is when the wind blows hard. Makes it hard to hear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTrace Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 I've used the Leight ears pictured above for several years. But, I got a really good deal on a set of Peltor Tactical XPs a few weeks ago. They aren't as low profile as the Leights, but they are much more comfortable and the sound quality is amazing. I think they retail for $250 or so and I got these for $99. A good friend made me a set of the custom ear plugs and I really like them other than the fact that I can't hear ANYTHING! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 I have a set of the Pro Ears Gold. The big fat ones. They are 33 db I think. I'm happy with the sound reduction and the electronics are pretty good. I can usually talk and hear OK when somebody is shooting. They get in the way when shooting long guns sometimes. They absolutely eat N batteries like popcorn. I always want to have lots of spare batteries in my shooting bag. I get mine from Battery Junction -- and buy at least two dozen at a clip because of the price break.... Less than a buck per battery...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 24, 2011 Author Share Posted December 24, 2011 So now you're defending them? I think your mind's already made up.... I was not so much defending them as I was pointing out to the other guy that such performance exists. I am a Toyota guy as well. I paid more for my Tacoma than guys paid for there "off brand" trucks that are much bigger but then again mine seem to typically last twice as long and have way less than half the problems. As for the muffs, I like the looks of the MSA's but they seem to have a spotty track record, don't fit us well endowed(ears only trust me)and they have much lower noise reduction almost requiring double plugging. One of the questions I have always had but nobody has ever really answered is, if my current passive muffs are 26db and more than adequate as far as noise reduction will the 28db Pro ears be just as good or better even when turned on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmca Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 (edited) So now you're defending them? I think your mind's already made up.... I was not so much defending them as I was pointing out to the other guy that such performance exists. I am a Toyota guy as well. I paid more for my Tacoma than guys paid for there "off brand" trucks that are much bigger but then again mine seem to typically last twice as long and have way less than half the problems. As for the muffs, I like the looks of the MSA's but they seem to have a spotty track record, don't fit us well endowed(ears only trust me)and they have much lower noise reduction almost requiring double plugging. One of the questions I have always had but nobody has ever really answered is, if my current passive muffs are 26db and more than adequate as far as noise reduction will the 28db Pro ears be just as good or better even when turned on? I've got both the passive and active Pro Ears. Both rated at 33 db reduction. The passive muffs seem to block the noise somewhat better. Maybe it's because the ear cup is so much bigger, without the electronics inside? I use custom molded earplugs under the muffs when RO'ing comped guns. BTW, ProEars recommends replacing the ear pads annually. I waited until the leather started cracking before I replaced them. The new ear pads make quite a bit of difference. Next time I'll try replacing them with gel pads. Edited December 24, 2011 by kmca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 We all know hearing loss is cumulative. Meaning what happens today, and tomorrow, and next month, all add up. And with as much as we shoot .... especially now that you are shooting an Open gun, coupled with the fact that like me, you don't want to double plug, I recommend getting as high a NRR as you can. Personally I wont settle for anything less than a 33 NRR rating on any ear muffs, passive or active. Just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rishii Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 before you buy the pro ears, try them on I had 2, the 1st was fine until it died after 5 years the 2nd didn't seal around the back of ear, below the earlobe, used them once and my ears have been ringing ever since I now use the peltor tacpro, nrr 0f 26, it comes with gel ear cups and it doesn't clip the sound on and off, plus plenty of room for your ears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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