Those who use electronic earmuffs, please explain to me what's so special about them

[jpm]

Right, I understand that, but the background noise was killing me. Shots had 'unnatural' echo, or perhaps it is natural and you just don't hear it with passive muffs, it's just being emphasized with the electronic ones.

Make sure you have them on with the mic pointing forward, not behind you. I've noticed that makes things sound odd when the mic is pointed the wrong way on some brands

 

[Wickedcoolname]

Just like all audio equipment cheap stuff sucks. If sub-$50 headphones don't sound good try something more expensive, like Peltor, for example.
I've tried the Remington branded crap they sell at Walyworld and they sound like two tin cans. On the other hand my Peltors are dead quiet yet conversation is clear as a bell.

 

[Glockster30]

You need to double protect (most electronics alone arent enough) even with muffs, at least with the electronic ones you can hear people talking when not shooting, etc.

If you're solo and don't talk much at the range, waste of money. If I was an instructor or had students, you bet your ass I'd have a couple sets on hand.

I'm probably going to end up with a pair of Sordins or Peltors, but it's going to be awhile. Every time I get "there" I always end up spending the cake on something else....

-Mike

I should have added to my post that since the club installed the no blue sky roof, the gunshots from some of the larger hand cannons and rifles does increase the echo and amplify the sound. Under those circumstances, I do use the foam earplugs with the Peltors. The plugs aren't needed though during skeet or trap shooting.

 

[crazymjb]

If you don't need to communicate with anyone I suppose they don't really matter. Personally I like it being that much harder for someone (presumably a range nazi or busy body) to sneak up on me.

The Howard Leights are like 35 bucks and are awesome.

 

[mac1911]

I use them with the foam plugs too. I turn them all the way up to hear range commands and such. I find doing this is the best possible protection for me. I got terrible tinnitus from my time in the Corps.

This , when I shot trap alot i would use my molded plugs with electronic muffs over. This allowed me to shoot 500 rounds with out getting that punch drunk feeling and hear range commands.

 

[Varmint]

I tested two different electronic earmuffs yesterday and to say that I wasn't impressed (compared to my passive earmuffs) will be an understatement.
Unless of course I am supposed to listen to music while shooting (for better sound blocking) which I have no intention of doing. Both just amplifies what's happening around me (people chatting, HVAC, etc) and don't really block shooting noise better than passive ones.

So please enlighten me before I click the "Return" button.

Thanks.

You can talk to people at the range. In classes the instructor can talk to you without stopping the whole class. Would also be great for defending your home, though I don't keep a pair handy, maybe I should.

I have to wear my Surefire ear plugs under mine though, even the expensive ones which are supposedly 26dB.

 

[ChevyGuy91]

Peltor Comtac III's, because I like to communicate with buddies via radios.

 

[Buck F]

Right, I understand that, but the background noise was killing me. Shots had 'unnatural' echo, or perhaps it is natural and you just don't hear it with passive muffs, it's just being emphasized with the electronic ones.

They’re great if you bring people to the range or are teaching, you hear them when they speak to you. They’re a must for instructors & RSOs IMO. They’re much better outdoors than indoors. They have volume controls for when it’s windy outside. They feel much less restrictive, like you’re not underwater or boxed in. Almost like there’s air flow even though you know there’s not. Make sure you don’t put them on backwards, then the sounds and echos get pretty weird.

 

[ScottS]

I agree with the above posts that says "Once you go...electronic, you never go back," especially as an instructor, or someone who takes new shooters to the range. I have a bunch of Peltor Sport RangeGuard (RG-OTH-4) muffs I loan out to students or new shooters. There's no substitute for hearing and being heard when on the range.

I've always considered the gold standard for over-the-ear electronic muffs to be MSA Sordin Supreme Pro X's with gel earcups. I have a set, and they're amazing, especially if you're used to cheaper electronic muffs that "clip" high db sounds. Db clipping can be effective, but makes conversation problematic, and can be easily overloaded. (I was trying to talk to a buddy at a 3-gun match once, and because of all the background firing going on, the muffs kept cutting out, and he couldn't understand what I was saying. In frustration, I yanked the headphones off my head and jammed them on him, and finished the sentence I was trying to get out.) The Sordins dynamically compress the sounds, so you don't really even notice that "loud" sounds are "loud." But they're pricey, no two ways around that.

I recently picked up a pair of Peltor Sport Tactical 500's as a backup, or to use as a loaner, and added a pair of Peltor HY80 Gel Earcups. They snap right in, and really improve both comfort and seal. The Peltor's use dynamic sound compression, just like the MSA Sordin's, which is really unusual in a $110 headset. For about $150 ($40 for the gel earcups), you've got a headset that's DARN close to the MSA Sordin's in comfort and effectiveness, with the added plus of Bluetooth. It's hard to go wrong with these.

 

[EJFudd]

That said, my Howard Leights really do not block sound/protect my ears as well as my traditional muffs. I don't know if it's head shape, ear size, or what.

This is my experience as well. Because of my very bad tinnitus and hearing loss in one ear, I always use plugs under my muffs anyway, but I stopped using my Howard Leights after an indoor shooting session with borrowed regular muffs (brand unknown) was a noticeably quieter experience. Damn! All that money for nuthin'!

 

[daekken]

This is my experience as well. Because of my very bad tinnitus and hearing loss in one ear, I always use plugs under my muffs anyway, but I stopped using my Howard Leights after an indoor shooting session with borrowed regular muffs (brand unknown) was a noticeably quieter experience. Damn! All that money for nuthin'!

I'll keep using mine for pistol/USPSA but if I'm the only one on the range, I don't see the point in using them.

 

[spt_1955]

 

[amm5061]

With my Peltors I can actually hear the shot raining down on the trees down range when shooting trap. I actually like them a lot, and have been using them more frequently since in the cold weather they help keep my ears warm, allow me to hear all range commands, and are super useful for when I'm pulling for someone and the other trap and skeet fields are in use.

I still double up when I shoot rifle or pistol, though. My hearing is bad enough as is, I don't need to lose any more of it.

 

[uwaeve]

Peltor 500 with gel earcups, my go to for shooting as well as yardwork listening to music or podcasts.