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Posted: 5/26/2011 6:31:33 PM EDT
| I am looking for a good pair of electronic hearing protection that works well with an AR-15. This would be for police work, thanks. |
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I have owned various brands and models of electronic ear pro; all will protect your hearing.
The difference between the various brands/models is: in how rugged they are; what kind of batteries they use/located; ease of use of controls/resistance to accidental turn-on; and water resistance... If you want to purchase a quality set of rugged electronic ear-pro, look no further than the Peltol Comtac's (the originals and the Com Tac II) or the MSA/Sordin Supreme. Here is a repost of a comprehensive electronic ear-pro comparison/review I did in 2004 (please note that the Peltor ComTac II was just coming out, so it was not included): I currently have both Peltor Tactical 6s, Sordins. and the Peltor Com-Tacs. I also had a pair of the Pro Ears. As for the Peltors and Pro Ears, here is my eval: Pro-Ears Pros: have the best sound. They suppress the sound without totally cutting off conversation.... cons: Least rugged of the bunch. My pair were not very sturdy and also, one time I was at SigArms and one of the instructors had some Pro-Ears and they were also falling apart. Single exposed knob allowed for accidental unit activation in range bag. The Peltor models....... Tactical 6s pros: Cost. They are steadily declining in price. Peltor backs them up with good service (my personal experience). Had a pair that had low volume on one side (not battery related) and I sent them in for service. Peltor shipped me a new pair. Decent noise atenuation, but, they clip the loud sound impulses. Makes having a conversation on the firing line difficult. The unit has a somewhat slim profile for lefties and righties (when using long arms). cons: Battery life is ok, but the rotary knobs make it easy for the unit to accidentally be switched on in a range bag. Battery access is a pain in the ass (gotta remove cushions to get to batteries). Noise attenuation is thru clipping the loud sound impulses. Unit uses AAA batteries (another type to carry)Unit is not water resistant. The protruding microphones are not well protected..... Com-Tacs pros: Rugged (this is my experience....several firearms courses, both pistol and shotgun). Somewhat better noise attenuation than the 6s model. Water resistant (but not submersible). Battery access is very easy and uses AA's. Push button for on-off and volume adjust. Low chance of accidental activation. Microphones well protected. Battery save feature: unit will sound an audible tone at two hours to alert user of shut down (push any volume button to over-ride shut down). cons: Although it is designed to fit under combat helmets, the battery compartment (which is on the left ear unit) protrudes down. This interferes when a lefty is using a long arm. Unit is not submersible. Unit clips loud sound impulses. Price: at over $200, they are not much less than the Sordins. SSP = Sordin Supreme Pro PCT = Peltor Comtac Battery type used: SSP AAA (included) PCT AA (I believe they were incl) Waterproof batt comparment? SSP Yes PCT No volume memory? Both Yes Immersible? SSP No* PCT No Battery life: SSP 600 hrs PCT 200 + hrs Auto shutdown time (w/ warning tone)? SSP Yes/ 4 hr PCT Yes/ 2 hr NRR (per company Documentation): SSP 18db PCT 25db Thickness (not incl cushions): SSP 1.125” PCT 1.125"** *The unit does have a water proof battery compartment. One Sordin vendor website states that the SSP is "a completely waterproof system with a watertight battery compartment." However, in the directions that came with the unit, there was a direct warning stating that the unit was NOT to be immersed in water ** Thickness does not include battery compartment The SSP has three separate control buttons: two for volume (up and down), one to turn the unit off and on (see pic #1). The PCT has two buttons: Both must be simultaneously pushed to turn the unit on/off. Separately, they control volume level. The SSP’s single on/off button is a plus, and (if you are a PCT user) a hinderance. At first, while trying to adjust the volume, I kept hitting the off button (not long enough to turn the unit off….you have to hold it for more than ½ second) instead of the other volume button. Once I had them on for a while, I became familiar with the button placement. One-button on/off is a nice feature, however, it is easier for accidental unit activation On the PCT, you must hold down both buttons simultaneously to turn the unit off or on. This will pretty much prevent accidental activation, but, if you are in a hurry, or are wearing gloves, turning the unit on/off is not as easy. In the end, it is a toss-up as to which is better. Personally, I like the PCT dual button on/off; as I don’t like the idea of accidental activation (then again, the SSP has 600 hrs of battery life, with auto shutdown after 4 hours, it is not really a big issue, is it?) As to volume levels, the SSP has six different volume levels. Once the unit is on, each button press will raise/lower the volume to a pre-set level. According tho the SSP product documentation, the highest two levels are louder than normal hearing. I was erroneous in my prelim report about the PCT volume control. I was using the controls improperly all the time I have had them. The PCT volume control functions the same as the SSP, but only has four separate levels of volume. The SSP’s max volume is louder than the PCT’s max. For this, the nod goes to the SSP. On a side note, when I was at the range, I first tried the SSP without wearing plugs underneath. At the lowest volume setting for the SSP, the sound of a Glock (.45 ACP) was uncomfortable. At that point, I decided my hearing was not going to be sacrificed for the sake of this review and put ear plugs in. Both units will fit under combat helmets. It was noted that the SSP is about the same thickness as the PCT (see pic #2). However, the PCT has a protruding battery compartment on the left side, which interferes with stockweld for left-handed shooters (see pic #3). Comfort for both units (bare headed, no helmet or other headgear) is about the same. Ear cushioning was good on both. The difference is that the SSP has a plastic headband and the PCT has a metal headband. Both are leather covered. The metal headband of the PCT may be more durable than the plastic headband on the SSP. This is purely theory and conjecture. No data/experience to prove either way. In the end, when it comes to comfort, it is a draw. Audio qualities (the big deal): Outside of the fact that a .45 cal Glock made my ears uncomfortable (without plugs, which is not my normal modus operandi), I did like the SSP’s noise attenuation quality. It did not suppress the sound as much as the PCT, but, you could still have a decent conversation during a firing. The response/recovery time was good, better (to me) than the PCT. The PCT will do a good job of suppressing loud/harmful sounds, but,at the expense of clipping/slow sound recovery. At home (and without earplugs) I conducted a simple test. At my desk, there was a small, empty cardboard box that one of my ARMS #40 BUIS came in. I took a plastic ruler and slapped (flat-side down) on the bottom of the box. The PCT will “dull” the sharp edged sounds, while the SSP simply lowered the volume slightly. To further illustrate, the SSP had an echo, while the PCT had reduced the slap to a thud-like sound. Thus, it appears that the PCT attenuates higher pitched sounds more so than the SSP. I am no audiologist, so I cannot draw a conclusion. This would probably support the reason behind the PCT having a higher NRR than the SSP. Sordin does have a unit with a higher NRR, but it comes at the expense of not having a slim, beveled bottom (stock clearance, anyone?). One has to decide if sound quality is more important than sound suppression (and vice versa). Conclusion: SSP has better sound quality…. PCT has better sound suppression….. To add a big wrinkle, there is the issue of stereophonic effect. Both units have separate mics and speakers, to reproduce stereophonic hearing. On this, IMHO, the PCT has a distinct advantage over the SSP. I attribute this to the PCT’s microphones being more exposed than on the SSP. Therefore, the PCT gets the nod for stereo sound quality. Conclusion: Although I was a die-hard PCT fan/user, I have to give the nod to the SSP. I do this for the following reasons: 1) First and foremost, as a lefty, the SSP is lefty friendly when using long-arms (this applies to righties, when they are using the long-arm with the off-hand). The ability to use a shoulder-fired weapon without the annoying interference from the hearing protector is outstanding. 2) Sound quality….The PCT lowers the sound more, but, I feel that the SSP sounds better. However, I do like the PCT’s stereo effect MUCH better though. I will miss that. 3) Battery life: 600 hrs vs 200-250 hrs. ‘Nuff said about that…. 4) Volume level: The SSP has six levels of volume; the PCT has only four. Now, in defense of the PCT, I liked it for the following reasons: Ease of battery installation; Stereophonic sound reproduction; Will not accidentally activate; Uses AA batteries Higher NRR. So, there you have it. The usual applies here (YMMV, the dog does not bite, I’ll respect you in the morning, etc, etc, etc). |
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