My Newest Tool

MountainDon · May 22, 2009, 10:42:59 PM

They might look like ear muffs, but to me they are another tool.

Peltor Tactical 7S ear muffs/headset. They're designed for shooters but are super when working with loud tools as well. Note these have a neckband rather than an over the headband. I can't wear a hat with the conventional over the head style and with my hairstyle that's a problem in bright sun.

The electronics and the muff design limit the maximum DB to 82. They are super quick, even a loud hand clap gets cut off. The electronics allow me to turn up the volume so I can hear soft sounds even better than without the headset. The electronics work well to cut off the chain saw as the revs rise, or when an air nailer is fired. All in all, they are very nice. I wish I'd had them 30-40 years ago. There's an audio jack so if/when I want I can patch in various external audio devices.

The two projections are the rubber covered microphones. There's a volume control on the right earset.

I got mine here...
http://www.boss-safety.com/shop/peltor-tactical-classic-headset-neckband-p-4466.html
I've bought from them many times; dependable and good pricing too.

sjdehner · May 23, 2009, 06:44:52 AM

As a fellow hat-person this set of muffs has piqued my curiosity - how much did you pay for them by the way, Don?

Thanks,

Shawn

May 23, 2009, 09:27:43 AM

I have a very similar set and the technology is what I liked most. The problem, to me is, they hiss. It creates a background hiss that is annoying to me. After a while I thought the sound was just being picked up outside but after some testing just determined they were just loud electronics.

glenn kangiser · May 23, 2009, 09:34:49 AM

You will get the same effect from many years of rock and roll, equipment operating and shooting.

Ringing in my ears is loud enough to overcome even the most dangerous loud noises or the occasional request that I do something useful from my wife when I am facing the other direction.

Just kidding - no serious, but the muffs could have possibly stopped some of that.

MountainDon · May 23, 2009, 10:26:40 AM

Quote from: sjdehner on May 23, 2009, 06:44:52 AM
As a fellow hat-person this set of muffs has piqued my curiosity - how much did you pay for them by the way, Don?

Thanks,

Shawn

$110 plus shipping from BOSS. That was the best price on that model I had found. They are cheaper and more expensive ones. The model I selected also comes in an over the head style as well as one designed to be fitted to the sides of a hardhat.

I have some tinnitus with me at all times. These have very little built in noise, as far as I can tell. With the volume set to an average level I can not discern any increase in what noise is built into my hearing at this point. I'm certain that if in the past I'd used a headset like these in the noisy workshop, when shooting and when working on unmuffled race engines, plus NOT using headphones for listening to 'too loud' music 40 years ago would mean that today I would not have the hearing loss I have today, nor the tinnitus.

The hearing loss is something that sneaks up on you; the damage becomes apparent long after the events that lead up to it. That's one of the reasons I want to bring these to peoples attention. I dislike having to ask people to repeat themselves, it's difficult picking up soft intonations in movies or on TV. I told Karen yesterday that maybe I'll wear these when we watch TV; I can turn up my own volume. They also muffle our sneezes

(we have allergies).

May 23, 2009, 11:19:08 AM

Thanks for the information. The topic is pertinent to me right now since I've noticed a faint ringing in my ears on occasion (today in fact, very faint, and it's rare during the day).

I've always worn hearing protection while working with power tools. And I mean always since the screeching of a table saw for instance can bring me to my knees.

While remodeling back West we hired a local carpenter to help us raise our house and replace a rotted rim joist. He would rip down boards without any hearing protection and I still cannot not believe the scream that came off his saw. It was ungodly...and he didn't even flinch.

Right now I'm working with plugs and muffs depending on the job. The muffs do not fit well when I wear a hat (which is a lot) or
eye protection. The plugs work fairly well but I prefer the muffs.

I'm going to check out the ones you started a thread on, thanks for the info., very timely for me.

Shawn

Pritch · May 23, 2009, 12:31:36 PM

Don,

I recently splurged on a pair from Walker's Game Ear but it didn't even occur to me that they could be used in nonshooting or hunting environments.

-- Pritch

poppy · May 23, 2009, 12:46:26 PM

Don, that's a good reminder that job safety includes hearing protection. I either use plugs or my shooting headset.

It's also good to remind workers that eye protection is equally important.

MountainDon · May 23, 2009, 01:47:07 PM

One of the reasons I selected the Peltor 7S was that they also have a good NRR number (24). I have a couple different pair of non electronic Peltors that have ratings of 29 and 30, IIRC. The NRR is the number of DB reduction they are capable of. For anything with very loud noises for sustained periods of time those may be preferred; I'm not certain. The electronic 7S will prevent noises from exceeding 82 DB.

The 7S is powered by a 9 volt batter;approx 80 hours of use according to Peltor.

BTW, they work by generating sound that has a waveform that is 180 degrees opposite that of the incoming noise. They cancel each other out.

May 23, 2009, 05:28:04 PM

This is a very good idea. Nice post. S.

Okie_Bob · May 27, 2009, 07:50:45 AM

Yep, too soon old, too late smart. I pay over $4,000 per set of hearing aids about every 7 or 8 years so I can hear at all. And can't hear TV without them and closed captioning. All because back in the day, the Navy didn't believe in hearing protection and no one thought about it. We'd fire 5" guns most of the night with no protection what so ever. Now paying the price. As Don states, you don't realize it till years later when you are constantly asking people to repeat themselves, many times more than once. I cringe when I see kids driving around with their music up so loud even I can hear it from long distance. Suspect the hearing docs love it for future business.
Don, that is why they are called 'noise cancelling' headsets!
And whoever mentioned wearing eye protection is way ahead of the rest of us. Ever bit as important and how many times have I said, oh this is just a quick cut, I can keep my eyes closed.... right!
And I'm sure everyone has seen the demo of the table saw that won't cut a hot dog it's so quick to sense it.
Okie Bob