Electronic Hearing Protection

[Joe Adams]

I was wondering if you guys (and gals) had any input on a good set of electronic hearing protection earmuffs for use in a woodworking shop.

I've been using the passive type from the shooting range for years but wanted to see if the electronic ones would be a reasonable substitution.

I work with my brother and when we both have our hearing protection on we either have to scream to hear each other or turn off the equipment.

We normally run a dust collector coupled with one stationary tool (tablesaw, router table, planer, jointer, drum sander, etc.) plus an overhead air filter.

Thanks for your input!

Joe

[Dan Hintz]

Want to listen to music while you work?
http://gizmodo.com/5944636/the-best-noise+canceling-headphones

[Joe Adams]

I just want to be able to communicate with my brother while we work.

I love music but there's enough activity going on in the shop already without me breaking out my dance moves.

[John McClanahan]

If you want to try it out without spending a lot of money, I bought a pair at Harbor Freight for less than $20. When turned off they are like regular muffs.

John

[Greg Portland]

I was wondering if you guys (and gals) had any input on a good set of electronic hearing protection earmuffs for use in a woodworking shop.

I've been using the passive type from the shooting range for years but wanted to see if the electronic ones would be a reasonable substitution.

I work with my brother and when we both have our hearing protection on we either have to scream to hear each other or turn off the equipment.

We normally run a dust collector coupled with one stationary tool (tablesaw, router table, planer, jointer, drum sander, etc.) plus an overhead air filter.

Thanks for your input!

Joe
I just want to emphasize that noise cancelling headphones are NOT, repeat NOT hearing protection. This is not directed at you Joe... I'm just heading off the Bose headphone suggestions before they get started. In-ear monitor "plugs" are a different matter.

I have a set of Peltors that work well. IIRC Woodcraft sells a similar product for ~ $50.

[Pat Barry]

I don't think its possible to talk to your brother while wearing noise cancelling headphones since he is outside the headphones and will be treated like exterior noise. You may need radio headsets like the motorcycle riders use to talk to each while driving down the highway.

[Joe Adams]

I've been looking at the Howard Leight R-01526 Impact Sport Electronic Earmuffs on Amazon. They claim to allow you to hear low level sounds like speech but automatically shut off amplification whenever harmful sound levels are reached. The earmuffs effectively block any noise, continuous or impulse, of 82 decibels or more. I guess if all the machinery is running, they may be shutting off everything all the time? Does anyone have any experience with these or one of the Peltor models?

[Tony Joyce]

I have a set of the Peltor that work like this, plus have a plug for Ipod use. I think I found them by looking for shooting protection, although I use them for woodworking. Surprisingly enough they work very good and just as described. They were not however cheap.

[Wade Lippman]

I have a pair of Ryobi that actually work decently. I don't have any real use for them, just got them with some some other 4v stuff. I use them when mowing the lawn to listen to a mp3 player; when woodworking I prefer quiet.

[Lee Schierer]

I've been looking at the Howard Leight R-01526 Impact Sport Electronic Earmuffs on Amazon. They claim to allow you to hear low level sounds like speech but automatically shut off amplification whenever harmful sound levels are reached. The earmuffs effectively block any noise, continuous or impulse, of 82 decibels or more. I guess if all the machinery is running, they may be shutting off everything all the time? Does anyone have any experience with these or one of the Peltor models?

I don't know about this specific brand, but I had some experience with ear protectors that "cut out" loud noise levels but still let you hear less loud sounds. The problem was they amplified low noise levels. Running my cordless drill sounded like I was running a lawn mower.

[Joe Adams]

I don't know about this specific brand, but I had some experience with ear protectors that "cut out" loud noise levels but still let you hear less loud sounds. The problem was they amplified low noise levels. Running my cordless drill sounded like I was running a lawn mower.

That's funny! Luckily for us, we only don the hearing protection when we crank up the dust collector and another machine tool. We don't worry about the smaller tools so much.

[James White]

Although a bit pricey. These work really well. They also allow me to pipe in music or Podcasts with an FM transmitter connected to my PC.

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Peltor-Hearing-Protector-M2RX7A/dp/B0007KQUJS/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359246213&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=peltor+alertt

James

[Joe Scarfo]

I would absolutely love to find a pair of affordable headphones that are both noise canceling and Bluetooth. I have found some but at lottery winner price points.

I use iPhone Bluetooth in the shop to the shop stereo but when using the planer or saw, the tool noise over powers the stereo. :-(

[Larry Whitlow]

I just want to emphasize that noise cancelling headphones are NOT, repeat NOT hearing protection. This is not directed at you Joe... I'm just heading off the Bose headphone suggestions before they get started. In-ear monitor "plugs" are a different matter.

I have a set of Peltors that work well. IIRC Woodcraft sells a similar product for ~ $50.

I have a set of Bose noise reduction headphones that I use primarily for air travel. They work great for removing background noise. I had not thought about using them in the shop and don't intend to start. I use ear plugs in the shop. But now I'm curious. What is the difference between Bose noise reduction headsets and the Peltor ones linked in Jame's earlier post. Not trying to open a debate -- just curious why one is considered hearing protection and the other is not.

[Peter Quinn]

Keep in mind the noise reduction rating on most of the units with mp3 inputs and the electronic low level boost is quite low, I'm seeing only 19 dba reduction rating? At work I'm wearing basic peltor red and black head phones , they are rated a 30 dba reduction, ear plugs often go beyond that. I guess you have to evaluate the noise level you are dealing with and the duration of exposure too. I'm sometimes subjected to 4+ hours per day above 100 decibels, I'd rather have hearing at the end of the year than music, so I go for the basic boring units with the best protection. Does anyone know of a head phone that combines electronic low level boost, mp3 input and minimum 30 dba reduction rating?

[Ed Griner]

Remember "Nerve Deafness" is forever! Loud noise isn't the only problem, just one of the main problems. Take good care of what you have, I'm speaking from personal experience. Any time I run power equipment, a set of aircraft type muff are on my ears.

[James White]

The ones I linked to above have 25db reduction. It seem that all the Peltor communication headsets only go up to 26db and they are being specified for just about all industries and shooting. How loud is a gun blast? What noise level do the experts consider harmful?

James

[James Conrad]

Below is a chart that shows noise levels for different activities. According to WebMD anything above 85db can be harmful, but how long one is exposed to high levels of noise is typically what does the damage.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=252571&d=1359311115252571

[Larry Whitlow]

The ones I linked to above have 25db reduction. It seem that all the Peltor communication headsets only go up to 26db and they are being specified for just about all industries and shooting. How loud is a gun blast? What noise level do the experts consider harmful?

James

A 25 to 30 dB reduction is pretty significant. I'm not sure what the Bose spec's are, but I doubt they are comparable.

[Alan Lightstone]

Lost a bunch of hearing at an early age. Now I'm the youngest guy at work wearing hearing aids. Always have to remember to take them off when working in the shop (why amplify the sound I'm trying to reduce.)

I've always religiously worn good ear protection. Concert musician, custom-made ear plugs when I flew. But I flew 100K a year commercially for years. Probably cost me lots of my hearing, despite taking decent precautions.

Buy the best hearing protection you can. Forget the tunes if it lowers the noise reduction in the headphones. I save those electronic headsets for flying (Bose, after trying many of them.)

Save your hearing. Plain and simple.

[Ole Anderson]

I screwed up my hearing many years ago, listening to headphones in the early 60's and snowmobiling a particularly loud machine in the 70's. No hearing aids yet, but probably need em. This weekend I went out riding (snow) for 6 hours with earplugs, and what a difference and so much more enjoyable. Nobody else seems to want to use them. Earmuffs get used in the shop using the planer and router. I have never been a fan of Bose products, way too overpriced and over marketed. But I got a set of their noise cancelling earphones for Christmas after my wife noticed I couldn't use my Nano with cheap earbuds when flying due to the background noise. So with my son driving home last night in a snow/ice storm for 6 hours talking to his buddy in the front seat, I sat in the back seat with my new toys and just chilled out in the comfort of music with no background rumble and noise, they are quite amazing. Now, I need to go down, crank up the Delta 580 and see what the perceived difference is between the old earmuffs and the NC version. Even if they do work, way to fancy to use in the shop, so I might need to make a trip to HF.