SJBriggs Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 I've gone through about six different pairs of ear pro over the course of four years, and have come to the conclusion that there is a serious void in the world of ear pro. Mostly, it's all Chinese made junk. I use the crap out of my ear pro, as I am on the range at least 4 - 5 days a week, so my ears probably see more use than most. I've used: Peltor 500 (sound great, broke within a few months), Walker Quad and Digital (poor seal, terrible sound quality, spotty bluetooth connection), Howard Leight Impact (good for the price, poor protection), Safariland Liberator HP (well made, but terrible sound quality, bad battery life), and MSA Sordin Supreme ProX (great quality, very comfortable, sounds great, but way too loud to use indoors). After wearing a couple different sets of Walkers for two weeks, I have slight ringing in my ears. Why can't someone make durable ear pro, with good sound quality, that offers good noise reduction, and is comfortable??? This brings me to Mepablu. It's an obscure German company that seems to have a good reputation with what little information that I could find online. For $300, I'm thinking of picking up a set of Silencer Exclusives with gel cups. It's a lot to spend on ear pro, but considering all the other money that is spent on this sport, what I spend to save my hearing is inconsequential. Does anyone here have any experience with this company or any of their products? If I don't go with these, then I'll probably just go big and get a set of Ops-Core Amp with the NFMI ear plugs. Heres a link: https://www.krale.shop/us/hearing-protector-mepablu-silencer-exclusiv-softgel-black/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Watson Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 Shows NRR 25 dB, which ain't much. They show different models up to $600 but no NRR. One version with 45 dB "insulation" which I do not think feasible as a NRR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ima45dv8 Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 Pro Ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJBriggs Posted October 28, 2021 Author Share Posted October 28, 2021 7 hours ago, Jim Watson said: Shows NRR 25 dB, which ain't much. They show different models up to $600 but no NRR. One version with 45 dB "insulation" which I do not think feasible as a NRR. The noise reduction rating is measured in SNR, which equates to about 22 - 23 NRR. I was also looking at that other pair that you mentioned - the Silencer Plus. They offer better protection, but look bulky. That is issue I have with the Pro Ears; too bulky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowdyb Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 8 hours ago, SJBriggs said: Why can't someone make durable ear pro, with good sound quality, that offers good noise reduction, and is comfortable??? Because few individuals want to pay how much those somewhat competing criteria would cost to manufacture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJBriggs Posted October 28, 2021 Author Share Posted October 28, 2021 6 minutes ago, rowdyb said: Because few individuals want to pay how much those somewhat competing criteria would cost to manufacture. Which is retarded considering how much money every shooter invests in this sport! Paying $300 + for good hearing protection is a drop in the bucket compared to any comp gun or reloading set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheChewycookie Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 Any particular reason to use not use non-electronic earpro like foamies combined with simple earmuffs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomstick303 Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 OTTOs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzt Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 None of the electronic ear muffs offer enough protection on their own, especially if you RO Open guns. I use Howard Leight disposable foam ear plugs. Inserted correctly they offer 33dB of reduction. I often wear electronic muffs over them set so I can hear speech. I'm currently using Peltor Tactical rated at 26dB. However, they offer more sound reduction than my 30dB rated non-electronic muffs. Buy digital electronics with cutout at 5 ms of less. Analogs are to slow at 20 ms+> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritinUSA Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 Foam ear plugs can dry out the ear canal if worn for long periods of time, and that can lead to irritation and (rarely) infections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 10 hours ago, SJBriggs said: I've gone through about six different pairs of ear pro over the course of four years, and have come to the conclusion that there is a serious void in the world of ear pro. Mostly, it's all Chinese made junk. I use the crap out of my ear pro, as I am on the range at least 4 - 5 days a week, so my ears probably see more use than most. I've used: Peltor 500 (sound great, broke within a few months), Walker Quad and Digital (poor seal, terrible sound quality, spotty bluetooth connection), Howard Leight Impact (good for the price, poor protection), Safariland Liberator HP (well made, but terrible sound quality, bad battery life), and MSA Sordin Supreme ProX (great quality, very comfortable, sounds great, but way too loud to use indoors). After wearing a couple different sets of Walkers for two weeks, I have slight ringing in my ears. Why can't someone make durable ear pro, with good sound quality, that offers good noise reduction, and is comfortable??? This brings me to Mepablu. It's an obscure German company that seems to have a good reputation with what little information that I could find online. For $300, I'm thinking of picking up a set of Silencer Exclusives with gel cups. It's a lot to spend on ear pro, but considering all the other money that is spent on this sport, what I spend to save my hearing is inconsequential. Does anyone here have any experience with this company or any of their products? If I don't go with these, then I'll probably just go big and get a set of Ops-Core Amp with the NFMI ear plugs. Heres a link: https://www.krale.shop/us/hearing-protector-mepablu-silencer-exclusiv-softgel-black/ $300 isn’t crazy for good ear pro. I find that my Peltor pro’s with Gel pads are fine by themselves for shooting open Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritinUSA Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 (edited) I used the custom molded ear plugs. Not the stuff that gets made at the range though. When done correctly the mold that was made from the ears is used to make the actual plugs from a softer material that seals the ear better. The only down side is they you will need a new set every few years as your ears do continue to grow. Got mine done here: https://earinc.com Edited October 28, 2021 by BritinUSA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 Basically if you want a lot of NRR, you need bulky. Kind of how it works. I've tried everything from first-gen Pro Ears to custom plugs to the orange Howard Leight plugs over the past 20 years. For muffs a good fit (including around the glasses) is often more important than a couple points of theoretical NRR. These days for Open I've been experimenting with electronic plugs (OTTOs with Comply tips) under passive muffs. Take the muffs off except for shooting and RO-ing and you can talk to people without shouting. Nice when it's hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NETim Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 I use Peltor Pros with the optional gel ear cups. They conform to my noggin MUCH better than the standard foam ear cups do. I also use ESS Crossbow glasses with the shorter/thinner bows to help the gel cups seal up better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Watson Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 I wear HL Pro (NOT Sport) when I want to hear the chit chat. Doubled up with rifle or Open gun nearby. If I am just shooting, I wear one or another passive muff or plug. Lighter and quieter than electronics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathanb Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 3 hours ago, Boomstick303 said: OTTOs. Thank you. Was going to say this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenix1977 Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 MePaBlu are considered the best you can buy here in Europe. MePaBlu’s are used in Operating rooms in hospitals by surgeons, they operate with these things on so they are not distracted by background noises. I have a pair and they are damn good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrayfk05 Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 28 minutes ago, Phoenix1977 said: MePaBlu are considered the best you can buy here in Europe. MePaBlu’s are used in Operating rooms in hospitals by surgeons, they operate with these things on so they are not distracted by background noises. Are you sure about that? I'm sure my surgeons didn't use them. How would it work anyway since the microphone will amplify all sound below the max. volume treshold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regor Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 What I found with electronic ear pro is that if your plugs are doing a good job you don't hear much better with muffs on. I switched to the Howard Leight MAX ear plugs and HL Impact Pro muffs when I started shooting Open because I was getting headaches by the end of matches with my HL Impact Sports + whatever reusable plugs I had at the time. I was very surprised to find that I no longer could hear clearly when doubled up; it's slightly better because there is some amount of sound coming through via bone induction, but it's not a huge difference. I took that as a sign that I was getting a pretty poor seal before and while I've tried a couple other plug options I have not found any to give me nearly the same seal as the MAX plugs as assessed by the amount of hearing I get back when putting on electronic muffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rvajma Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 I shoot open as well, and getting a good seal with over the ears was always challenging. Also, foamies never really stayed put in my right ear. I ended up having a set of custom silicone ear buds made with the passive noise filters. They are super comfortable for all day “major match” comfort and allow for easier conversation. When I am shooting or RO’ing an open shooter, I put on a pair of Sordin Pro X. They seal well around my eye pro, allow me to hear range commands, brings the concussion to a manageable level, and stops the “head rattle” you get from 9mm major with a comp. Just don’t make the mistake of forgetting the muffs when you walk to the line. Also, buying able to not have muffs all day is a lot more comfortable in the heat and humidity in the mid-Atlantic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belus Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 9 hours ago, TheChewycookie said: Any particular reason to use not use non-electronic earpro like foamies combined with simple earmuffs? This is what I do. The foam plugs do the brunt of the work. I wear the foam plugs non-stop and just put on the simple earmuffs when I shoot. It's a cheap easy solution that lets me have a conversation and which I trust to protect my hearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJBriggs Posted October 29, 2021 Author Share Posted October 29, 2021 12 hours ago, TheChewycookie said: Any particular reason to use not use non-electronic earpro like foamies combined with simple earmuffs? As someone indicated above, wearing inner ears is pretty uncomfortable when it's in all day, five or six days a week. Maybe I just haven't found the right ones, but I believe that it's mostly because my ear cartilage is a little messed up from my time in the ring. I have read that wearing inner ears still causes damage to the ear drums, despite having good noise reduction. Apparently, the slight vibration from loud noise causes damage to the inner ears -- even when wearing muffs. Need to do more research on this. 19 hours ago, ima45dv8 said: Pro Ears. Tried a pair today that belonged to a buddy. Not super comfortable, and the sound quality wasn't all that. His were about sever or eight years old, so maybe they are different now. I forgot about the Ottos. I'll look more into those, thanks! I also checked out TCI DEHP, but only 21 NRR; and Liberator HP 2.0, but they have mixed reviews and I wasn't too happy with the first version. Another option is the Ops-Core Amp with their plugs. Great NRR and really good reviews, but if the plugs don't work for me, that's a steep price to pay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Watson Posted October 29, 2021 Share Posted October 29, 2021 My old HL Pro's gave out and I looked hard at Pro Ears. I find them comfortable - I have a set of their passives - and I don't worry about sound quality. I'm not listening to a concert, I just want to hear range commands and back of line conversation. But a friend said they were not durable and they are fairly expensive. So I just bought another set of cheap HL. But I only wear them the duration of a club level match, not all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT_Schultz Posted October 29, 2021 Share Posted October 29, 2021 13 hours ago, xrayfk05 said: How would it work anyway since the microphone will amplify all sound below the max. volume treshold. They can be turned off, you know......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xrayfk05 Posted October 29, 2021 Share Posted October 29, 2021 3 minutes ago, SGT_Schultz said: They can be turned off, you know......... You don't need a pair of expensive Mepablus for that do you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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