Cordless hearing protection with music?

[Tom Andersen]

Hi Guys,

I can get hearing protection with a built-in radio but I don't want to listen to the radio all of the time, often I prefer my CDs, so I have been looking for cordless earphones that can also be used in a workshop as hearing protection but haven't found them. Any suggestions?

Regards
Tom

[Chris Barton]

The Bose QC2 headset can be used alone or plugged into radio, tv, or cd. I have a set and they are one hundred percent worth the money.

[Andrew Ault]

Tom,

Could you use a small FM transmitter like the iTrip and just go ahead and use the AM/FM hearing protectors?

- Andy

[Bruce Page]

The Bose Quiet Comfort II and an iPod can't be beat. I have 6000+ songs on mine (just about all of my good CD's). I also plug the iPod into the shop stereo when I'm not wearing the Bose.

[Jim Poelstra]

I have a set of Peltor Listen Only Headsets ordered from these folks:

http://www.envirosafetyproducts.com/html/Peltor.htm#listen

They are a little pricey, but the Peltor quality is good. I have used their FM radio headset ($247.00) while I mow my yards for about 4 years now. The only problem I have had with them is I need to replace the ear cushions, and insiide liner.

OPPS.... sorry didn't read the cordless part.

[Jim Poelstra]

I have a question on the Bose headset?

Are the rated for hearing protection? If so what is their NRR?

[Frank Hagan]

I just had a recommendation from a co-worker for the Etymotic ER*6 in-ear isolation ear phones. They plug into a iPod or similar MP3 device and cut out much more of the background noise than the Bose QCII do. They are also smaller, less expensive (about $130 on the street) and rated at 35db noise isolation. But, they go into your ear canal, and some people don't like that as well as an ear muff.

[Dan Forman]

No experience with these, but it will give you lots of choices.

http://store.yahoo.com/earplugstore/eaandearbu.html

Dan

[Greg Scott]

Pick yourself up a pair of Worktunes for about $50.00 and then go to Walley World and get a Belkin fm transmitter for around $30.00. Plug the Belkin into the headphone jack of your stereo. Now you can listen to whatever your stereo plays:D

[Dave Richards]

Don't know if you'd want to go this way but when I fly solo cross country, I use some earbuds hooked up to the portable music device and then stick my David Clarks on over them. I can still hear the Comm radio over the music that way.

If you've already got good headphone-style hearing protection and you don't mind carrying the music player on your belt, you might consider doing the same.

[Paul Canaris]

Be careful of the Peltor if you live in a rural area. You’ll constantly be re-tuning in the station to compensate for low signal conditions which is not good if you’re attempting to concentrate on your woodworking.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

[Charlie Plesums]

I use the ear buds that have sponges that conform to the ears - roll the sponge between your fingers until it is small, and hold it in the ear as it gradually expands - provides pretty good sound isolation. I then plug it into a small MP3 player (look for the kind used by joggers) that can be strapped to my arm, put in a pocket, or hung on a cord inside my shirt. The MP3 player has an FM radio, but when the programming is bad, I simply switch to the music that I transferred to the player from my own CDs or from the Internet.

The ear buds cost about $20, and have excellent music quality in addition to playing the music and muffling the sound. Probably not as good as the $200 ones, but comfortable to the ears and budget.

[markus shaffer]

When I'm doing something like sanding for extended periods of time, I use a pair of Sony earbuds and my Ipod. Run the cord through my shirt and Ipod in my pants pocket. With ear muffs on over the earbuds, I can hardly hear the scream of the sander and shop vac at all.

I have the predecessors to these earphones.

Sony MDR-EX70LP

If you do a google search for these, you'll find them in many places for about $40 or so.. There are a few bad reviews of these earbuds out there. My understanding is that they need to be played about 30-40 hours before they are "broken in".. Seems some people write bad reviews before the break in period is through. If you're an audiophile, perhaps these will not suffice for you, but in reality, when inserted correctly, they sound really good and they block out an amazing amount of background noise. While I'm not an audiophile by any means, I do care about my music sounding good and I've been really happy with these.

Same as Bruce, when I'm not running machinery for extended periods of time, the Ipod is plugged into the stereo in the shop. Having an entire CD library in the palm of your hand is really nice.


-Markus

[J.R. Rutter]

I am on rev 2 of these - used better headphones and heavier cord, eliminated cord volume control. I typically wear them for 6-8 hours a day with the cord snaked down the back of my shirt to the iPod in my pocket.

http://www.nas.com/~harmonic/shop/Shop%20Tunes.jpg

1. Get the best muff type protection you can find (the Peltor twin cups are sweet at 29 - 30 dB, and the pads and foam are replaceable).
2. Break apart some headphones, desolder speaker connections, take notes on what wire goes where.
3. Drill tiny holes through cups, run wire (I fished one wire through headband beside the support/spring wire).
4. Resolder, test.
5. Seal holes with dabs of silicone.
Enjoy!

[Dale Thompson]

Tom,
I'd MUCH rather have a "construction radio/charger" talking to me in the background when I'm outside or a TV talking to me when I'm in the shop.

My concern is the "other" safety factors (as opposed to hearing protection). I want to hear the wood "talking" to me when I'm working. Whether it's a TS or a lathe, if the wood gets "ticked off" or "too thin", I want to know. Maybe it is just that I have dodged too many "arrows" and/or shattered too many bowls. :o :eek:

I like remote headphones only when I'm sanding! :cool:

Just a thought from a total amateur. ;) :)

Dale T.

[Tom Andersen]

Hi Guys,

Just wanted to let you know that I bought a FM transmitter through e-Bay (believe that it cost 20-30$) and mufflers with an FM radio at HD at 49$ (same type is sold at Rockler at appr. 70$).

Works very nicely. I stick the FM transmitter cord into my stereo and can listen to CDs when I am doing woodworking, and even on the lawn with the lawnmower. For anyone interested, here's a photo.

Tom

[Jay Davidson]

Look at Pro-Ears.com; they make the most comforable headset around with extremely fast "attack time" to shut down any loud sounds without imparing regular sounds. These are used for military, police, shooting sports and heavy industry, and have incredible sound amplification at regular decibel levels; the Dimension 2 series includes a jack for wired mp3, radio, etc. NRR is 21 to 28 depending on the model.

I tried the Sony noise cancellation but found they were overpowered by woodworking noise and started to screech after 30 minutes.

[Bruce Page]

I tried the Sony noise cancellation but found they were overpowered by woodworking noise and started to screech after 30 minutes.

?? :confused:
I don't know what you mean by "screech". Mine have never "screeched" and I wear them for hours at a time.

[Paul Atwood]

That's what I'm looking for.

To sum it up:
Noise cancelling (preferably tuneable).
Wireless (preferably bluetooth).
integrated microphone
Lighweight
compact
etc.

In short, I want it all... I love the way Skype mutes the volume of the internet radio stream I'm listening to when someone calls. Just make it wireless so I don't have to be in front of the iMac.

Any ideas?

Paul

[Jim Becker]

In the rare circumstance that I need extended hearing protection in the shop (long sanding sessions, etc.) I also use my Bose QC-II headphones, either by themselves or with an MP3 player. Otherwise, I use a band with soft, pointy earplugs that happen to actually fit in my ears. (AO makes them and they cost about six bucks--blue band; yellow plugs)