Are Sordins Worth the Money?

I switched to Sordins in February. No regrets. The best I've used.

Seems to be the common consensus among those that have switched to them...which was a major factor in my decision.
 
I have been using the Pro Ears Gold model for several years and I love them. Sound transmission is excellent, to the point that you can't tell you are wearing electronic muffs. I bought mine for the 33 NRR rating as my old ears need all the protection I can get.

I did have one problem at a Harvard steel match. The muffs worked great (as usual) for the first relay but died during my second run. Boy was I pissed. A look at the owners manual informed me that these muffs have an auto shut down after four hours continuous of use. Boy was I dumb.
 
Where did you end up ordering them from???

I was going to get them from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/MSA-Sordin-Su...TF8&qid=1464233251&sr=8-3&keywords=msa+sordin

Ended up getting them direct from SRS:

http://srstactical.com/msa-sordin-supreme-pro-x-lds.html

I believe the Amazon 3rd party seller in the link I posted is actually SRS. I figured the case was worth the $11. Shipping was excellent, 2 Day priority and free so I wasn't giving anything up by not using Amazon Prime aside from the extra $11 for the case. I couldn't find better pricing, even on Flea Bay. I did see a deal for a new pair at $199 when I was waffling on whether or not to get them, and by the time I decided, they were gone. I waited a couple of days to see if there would be another listing but didn't see one. I have no idea if the warranty would have been honored or not anyway.
 
Just took a look at some Sorbins online. The NRR for their $382 muffs was 18. I have been shooting for over 40 years and was attracted to the smaller, lighter muffs, a la Peltor for their convenience many years ago. I paid for this convenience with hearing loss. My hearing has deteriorated to the point that I have trouble understanding people unless I am looking at them and can read their lips. Now I use NRR 30 or higher muffs to save what hearing I have left.
 
Well, unfortunately for me, I got to play with a pair of the Sordins Supreme Pro-X muffs last night. I wore them for about 30 minutes in our indoor range with 6-8 people shooting pistols. I've been using a pair of Pro-ears Pro Mag Gold muffs for the past 7 or 8 years and liked them. But, over the last 2 years they've been a bit disappointing. I replaced the foam cups and that helped a bit. I just sort of "dealt" with them because I didn't think there was anything better out there. They are rated NRR=30. After trying out the Pro-X muffs last night I came home and thanked my wife for the awesome fathers day gift they were about to get me! She thought it was a good deal because she figured I'd be getting a new gun that would cost twice as much. I do love her.
I don't fully understand the whole NRR rating bullshit, but I can tell you that on our indoor range, without double plugging, the Sordin's were much quieter and did a better job of muffling gunshots while still allowing me to hear what's going on. I'm really glad I got to test them out side by side with my Pro Mag Gold muffs or I wouldn't have believed it. They were also much thinner, and I like the fact they use 2 AAA batteries instead of 4 N batteries in my ProMags. The price is very reasonable when compared to similar high end muffs. I'll be ordering mine soon.

Thanks F2Blica for letting me sweat in yours for a while to check them out!

-Cuz
 
NRR is only 18-19 db, not sure how they could be worth $250 but then I don't own a pair so perhaps they are magical and I am missing out.
In frequencies experienced by shooters they are significantly higher. The rating test is specified by the government and results in a very low score because one test works for everything.... I have a pair of and they are the best ear pro ever. Spring for the gel cups. I have a pair of supreme X and they are awesome.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 
Just read the material posted by CLW42 and some of it bothers me, particularly the endorsement by special ops "pipe hitters". Special ops troops work in dangerous situations where hearing protection is not their primary concern. A light, compact set of muffs, like the Sorbins might be just the ticket for them, but not for someone who intends to shoot for many years and preserve their hearing.
 
Just read the material posted by CLW42 and some of it bothers me, particularly the endorsement by special ops "pipe hitters". Special ops troops work in dangerous situations where hearing protection is not their primary concern. A light, compact set of muffs, like the Sorbins might be just the ticket for them, but not for someone who intends to shoot for many years and preserve their hearing.

Then put some custom plugs on underneath, even with 30nrr muffs I find it's still a good idea to double up. That should bring the net protection to an acceptable level, imo. My ears are pretty sensitive so its not hard for me to tell if I'm getting good protection or not.
 
Just read the material posted by CLW42 and some of it bothers me, particularly the endorsement by special ops "pipe hitters". Special ops troops work in dangerous situations where hearing protection is not their primary concern. A light, compact set of muffs, like the Sorbins might be just the ticket for them, but not for someone who intends to shoot for many years and preserve their hearing.

I'm not sure how to take that. So you're saying that the endorsement of people who shoot for a living, and likely spend more time firing guns in a week than most of us do in a year, is somehow a bad thing because they're using Sordins in combat.

The best thing I can tell you is to find someone that has a pair and see if you can try them out like Cuz was able to do. I bought them based on reviews, supposed comfort of the gel seals (which is 100% true) and testimonies of people like Cuz, because I couldn't find any to try first. I used them the other day at an indoor pin shoot, doubled up with foam plugs and I have no complaints. Comfortable as hell and I could clearly hear range commands and not gun fire. I will try them alone when I have a chance, but I didn't want to do that at a shoot in case it didn't work out. I didn't want to hold up other people while I fiddled with ear pro. And to be honest, indoors, I don't see why I wouldn't double up regardless of NRR Rating.

Clearly you put a lot of stock in the NRR.

From the article I posted:

Some ear-pro makers put noise-reduction labels on their products by picking the frequency range with the greatest reduction, then calling that the noise-reduction rating. By those standards, what rating would we give the Sordins?

Answer = 38.7 NRR


Marketing departments are gonna market...
 
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I gotta say that when I found out how much they cost, then looked up the NRR rating I laughed and discounted them immediately. No way could they be better than my ProMag Gold's that have twice the NRR rating. When I got to handle a pair you can tell they are very well made and "felt" better than the ProMags. Until you actually get to try out a pair it's tough to explain, and harder to believe. I will be ordering a pair for Father's Day, and once I have them I'll be happy to let anyone check them out if you see me at a match or on the range. Maybe they won't work as well for you, I don't know. In reality, I don't care how well they work for you, I care how they work for me. I will say the reproduced sound of normal voices sounded "different" than my promags, but nothing that I thought was a big deal once I heard how much better they worked when the shooting started. How long they will last, or how well they hold up, or how reputable the company is I can't say. They have been around for quite a few years so I don't feel like I'm taking a chance or anything with my money.
 
I'm not sure how to take that. So you're saying that the endorsement of people who shoot for a living, and likely spend more time firing guns in a week than most of us do in a year, is somehow a bad thing because they're using Sordins in combat.

The best thing I can tell you is to find someone that has a pair and see if you can try them out like Cuz was able to do. I bought them based on reviews, supposed comfort of the gel seals (which is 100% true) and testimonies of people like Cuz, because I couldn't find any to try first. I used them the other day at an indoor pin shoot, doubled up with foam plugs and I have no complaints. Comfortable as hell and I could clearly hear range commands and not gun fire. I will try them alone when I have a chance, but I didn't want to do that at a shoot in case it didn't work out. I didn't want to hold up other people while I fiddled with ear pro. And to be honest, indoors, I don't see why I wouldn't double up regardless of NRR Rating.

Clearly you put a lot of stock in the NRR.

From the article I posted:



Answer = 38.7 NRR


Marketing departments are gonna market...

Everything comes with a price. Special ops equipment is generally the lightest most compact unit available as this type of soldier carries a heavy work load under very demanding conditions. My fear is that NRR (for lack of a better term) may be compromised in favor of a compact, light weight design and that the bulky size of the Pro Ears Gold model is necessary for adequate protection. I hope I'm wrong, I would love to get the protection of my Pro Ears in a more compact unit and will jump at the chance, if I can be assured of adequate protection.
 
I hate muffs.

The problem is after awhile you will realize that they're ultimately necessary. 30-33 plugs alone really isn't enough. Maybe in open space outside, not so bad... but for anything else.. I always double up.

-Mike
 
The problem is after awhile you will realize that they're ultimately necessary. 30-33 plugs alone really isn't enough. Maybe in open space outside, not so bad... but for anything else.. I always double up.

-Mike

I do too. I hate them, but I use them over plugs, almost always. I have a thin pair that are not to bad. My son has a pair of electronic muffs my FIL gave him that I make him use over plugs. Hearing loss sucks.
 
I had been looking for a decent pair of ear muff style hearing protection gear without going overboard on the price. Unfortunately my last pair of good ones were left in Indiana at my sons house packed in his shooting gear bag. Groan... I wanted a pair that would give maximum protection and comfort without paying through the nose. In visiting all the usual sporting goods stores the choices were slim. Either what I found was the really cheap junk muffs or the high tec electronic wizgizmo ones. I called my son and asked him what brand they were. He confirmed my suspicion that they were 3M brand muffs. Surfing the internet turned up the obvious that I had overlooked. Lowes... A quick trip into the store and I found two different models that fit my requirements. I chose the higher sound protection version ( 30 decibel ) for only a few bucks above the price of the cheap ones at the sporting goods stores. Comfort wise they adjust to fit very good even with my glasses on and the padding is soft but still firm enough to keep the noise out without pinching my ears. Also note these are not so bulky that the interfere with my cheek weld on my stock. Now my hearing will have one more layer of protection form excessive noise.
 
Well, just to close the loop on this, I got my Sordins in this week and shot the Hopkinton USPSA match with them today. I gotta say they worked better than my ProEars. It was not even close, the NRR 18 rated Sordins were quieter than the NRR 30 ProEars. I wore them all day, they were very comfortable. I'm glad I got them.

Cuz.
 
Coincidence! I got my pair of Sordins (Supreme Pro X neckband) last Thursday and tried them out for the first time last Friday at HSA while they were just beginning to setup for that USPSA match. Worked great for pistol and rifle shooting outside (9mm and 7.62x39). When I went to the covered rifle range I felt the need to double up with ear plugs. The noise level without plugs was tolerable, but the conducted/felt "boom" was definitely noticeably uncomfortable. Had a little trouble with wind producing choppiness/stuttering in the reproduced audio.

Advertised battery-life (600 hours) is fantastic, though I had trouble inserting the included AAA batteries. The internet (SRStactical?) states that the tight tolerances in the battery compartment are to enhance function/performance, and recommends using the blunt/eraser end of a pencil to push the first battery down into the slot. Worked like a charm.
 
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