How Electronic Hearing Protection Works: It's Not What You Think 

Can't believe after so many years, this is still the only video that disusses electronic ear pro in detail. Companies should be explaining how their own products work with more than just 1-2 sentences in their product description, especially with something as important as hearing protection. Curious to see if the new wave of electronic in ear ear pro works the same.

Thank you!!! Finally I found someone who explains this in an understandable way. Now I feel more confident that I am not at risk of overexposure to loud noises should the electronics fail.

its the only video on net...I found about hearing protections working explanation...thank you !!

I assumed electronic hearing protection was safe when shooting but I couldn’t comprehend how it worked. You did a very good job. Thank you.

I am new to this market. Your video explained in minutes what I have spent hours trying to understand. Thank you sir

Outstanding presentation. Thank you.

Very thorough explanation. Thank you.

I like how RU-vid keeps suggesting this video to remind me to protect my ears when I go to the range.

Excellent video. You answered a question I hadn’t thought of, and I’m really glad I came across this.

This was a great video with not just the logic but the physics involved explained to us. FINALLY i understand the basic tenants of what to look for for more protection from the loud gunshot noises.

Outstanding video, I really enjoy this type of content. I like knowing how different technologies work, great job.

Thank you for making this video. I now understand the difference between the two. Makes so much more sense to me now.

Thank you so much for explaining this so well! I'm a newbie and the range attendant suggested I get electronic ear muffs. I didn't expect to be able to hear sounds so I was really confused when I first tried them on! I haven't used them at the range yet but now I know what to expect! Thanks!

Cool video, very well explained. Thank you so much, I have tinnitus and always look for the best protection. Great job.

This was very good, very informative as I haven't been to the range yet but now I know what to expect when I get there as it pertains to my headphones. Thank you very much!

Very well done and illustrated my good sir. Appreciate the informative content

Thank you brother that was very helpful.

Very well explained indeed. Well done.

Very nice explanation!

Exactly what I needed to find great information

Thanks for the explanation! EXCELLENT!

Great explanation man! Loved the vid

Thank you .great video .

Thank you for sharing this valuable information!

Thanks for making this video. I was wondering about that.

Thanks man!!! this is exactly what I wanted to know.

This is a great explanation.

Excellent explanation!

Very good explanation.

Great explanation, thanks!

That was a great explanation, thanks a lot!

Thank you so much, this video is really helpful

awesome explanation i wondered if one can be used instead of the other

I learnt a lot from your video thank you.

Great explanation! 👍

Very good video. Thank you.

So basically it comes down to BS marketing. There is actually no "electronic hearing protection" all the "protection" is just passive... No different than non electronic earmuffs. The electronics, just allow quieter sounds, like your range buddy talking to you, to bypass the passive hearing protection.

You saved me from going to the range in Noise cancelling headphones thinking I was the man... This video was amazingly helpful. Thank you

Great video, awesome stuff.

Thanks!! Been considering electronic muffs for aviation work :)

Thanks for the video, i always wondered if it was the eletronics that reduced the noise

I think there is a BIG counterpoint to this video: most people think the electronic hearing protection is actually doing more than the regular (passive) ones. In practice I have yet to come to an electronic hearing protection that protects the same as the very good passive ones. Of to double protection, which is foam + muff. So to say that you are not in danger wearing an electronic hearing protection is a bit misleading. Yes the actual electronic is not creating any MORE risk BUT you may actually have a weaker hearing protection just because the protection rating is lower and the amplification is tricking you to think the sound is lower when it goes off.

Great explanation of the difference systems. One thing I would like to see is a dummy head with microphones where the ears are located. Then you could put the active headphones on to demonstrate loud sounds being muffled.

Thank so much it help me lot

Great Job...

I'm sure that you straightened out a huge misconception by the general public in the way these different headsets stop (or not) the sound entering the ear. I think I would have mentioned how the DB rating isn't a direct ratio so it would be clear just how much difference just a few DB rating makes. (even 22 to 26 is a lot) Great job.

Great info. I can’t find any active protection over 24dB. I find passive “cup of plastic” upward of 27dB. I found claims.....claims of upward of 34dB (untested, unverified by 3rd party) being sold on Ama and eBa stores. I’m looking to add silicon pads to any hearing protection I’ll buy. Currently, I use the foam plugs or use the harbour freight 5.00 specials...cheap but effective.

GREAT JOB..

finally someone explain this topic very well. Thank you Budget ,good job!

Oh but the noise cancelling phones are so good and killing the noises of cities and aircraft. Nice video, take care of your ears, tinnitus gets boring after 20 or so years of it. Concerts and other live music, loud music, power equipment, hot rods, and gunshots ruined my ears a long time ago. I now wear hearing protection at every opportunity to keep them from ringing worse. The ringing is constant (but variable), and then it gets really loud, for a while after exposure to loud sounds. I don't leave home without hearing protection.

Greaaaaaat video. Very informative. Keep it up dude

Thank you. Is there Active noise cancelling and electronic hearing protection together in one headset?

Hi could you use electronic headphones for noises in apartment buildings, door etc?

well done!

Thanks! Which kind should I buy to protect me from loud (90db) high bass hip hop music they play at my work?

Great video, exactly the info I was looking for. Thank you. Liked and Subbed. I got a question if you don’t mind? Do noise cancelling headphones actually protect the ear drum? I’m wondering maybe because the sound wave isn’t lessened, just it’s opposite is played to ‘cancel’ the sound felt on the ear drum, maybe it’s like the eardrum is still being hit but just on both sides so the sound isn’t heard but the drum is still taking impact (if that makes sense)?

Thank you

why is it that recon 70 turtleeach headphones on pc make it wehere i have to talk into ear muff as a mic when the actual mic itself doesnt wrok but when i plug it into playstion it works completly fine?

Excellent discussion. I have used electronic hearing protection for years when training with firearms and have recently decided to start wearing protection while using other equipment that exceed 85 db. Wasn't sure how the noise cancelling headphone worked in comparison until now. Great job! BTW, not sure if this is correct but I learned on another video that the rating on electronic ear protection is not a one for one in db. There is a formula that is used to calculate the actual db reduction which sounds crazy, which results in a lot less reduction than you would think.

hey in one of ur comments you mentioned that u felt the peltors were a bit better than howard leights, jw which peltor and howrd models u were talking about

Thank you for the explanation confirming my thoughts on ear pro. I shoot rimfire, however there is always one or more 5.56mm surrounding me on the firing line. I'm currently using ear muffs with 23 NRR, but want more to protect my hearing from the high powers rifles at the range. So Im looking for electronic earmuffs with more than 23NRR.

Crystal clear in fact! The only problem I have is that I have a set of Walker 'passive' sound reduction ear muffs that reduce the sound level by 34 decibels, when looking for active sound protection, I fear I'm not going to find any with the sound reduction level without wearing ear plugs, near the decibel rating of the Walker 'passive' sound reduction model or earmuffs that I have now. Especially for shooting rifles in doors.

WOW dude amazing

thats exactly what I wanted to know

I've always wondered if electronic hearing protection worked the same way as noise cancelling. It made me think, like: "does it mean it cancels the loud noise into a very loud blank noise?" I think you pretty much answered my question: it's not cancelling the noise out. It's just that the muffs are isolating your ears from the outside, so the only way for the sound to enter is through the speaker. Thanks.

Loved your video. You seem to be the expert, so I'm asking a question! I am working in a loud office space with lots of people on calls and talking. I am needing as much silence as I can get! What would you recommend for me? A lot of the noise reduction earmuffs seem to amplify ambient sounds - the sounds I want to silence... Is there an option to silence everything?

Thanks for the video. I’m trying to reduce noise from my zero turn riding lawn mower where the engine is directly behind me and there is not any shielding around the engine to reduce noise levels. I purchased noise reduction (passive) ear muffs with NRR 25 dB. However, I can still hear low tones that are loud and tend to induce headaches after long exposure. I don’t have any noise meters to understand the decibel levels or the frequencies of the sound. The low tones are only present when the blades are engaged. I am wondering if the noise I am hearing is due to a low frequency vibration generated by the blades passing through air at a high velocity, since the low tones become louder the faster the blades turn. What materials help attenuate (reduce) the passing of sound frequencies and what materials are better for lower to higher frequencies? Thanks. Your explanation of the electronic noise reduction is great in theory, but the earmuff themselves are not a soundproof barrier. Even if the materials that reduce sound in the earmuffs are sound proof, the seal around the ears is not air tight and allows sound to pass through. So would it make sense to have noise cancelling earbuds covered with just standard noise reduction electronic or regular sound reduction earmuffs to further reduce noise reaching the eardrums?

What do I use against thunder storms ?

This is an excellent explanation. Thank you very much for your video. It is exactly what I’ve been looking for. In your opinion what is the best way to protect my ears from gunshots? I shoot a rifle

i have little doubt, If you could answer, how's the sound quality of those earmuff models with a Jack imput, like, they're good to hearing music ? I know there are better equipment tô hearing music, but im really curious, Nice video btw

I know this has been a long time ago but would passive earmuffs like Walker’s Razor Slim would suffice in an indoor gun range?

Sorry late to the party, thank you for the very useful info. I'm hard of hearing and own a pair of BT(behind the ear) with over 75% loss. How well this gun range ear muff/electronic muff will work on me? I was aiming towards electronic muff due to sound amplifies surround area such as voice which is plus for me that way I don't need to wear a hearing aid( I hope I don't). The problem is most ear muff inlay not deep enough to cover my ear with hearing aid otherwise when it's too close to hearing aid it whistles. Second I once went to gun range a long time ago through a friend. and my ear was ringing for a week any sulotion?

My neighbors play their annoying music at night while I'm trying to sleep. I get to hear their bass through our walls. Any recommendations for eliminating this sound? Do you think something like the Peltor 300 would work at blocking the "diff, diff, diff" sound that keeps me awake at 3am? I'm at my wits end. Thanks.

How would these kind of ear protection fare in an industrial environments with loud machinery, grinding, cranes and such?

I need hearing protection that blocks all sounds especially people talking. It can't be Bluetooth. Any help would be appreciated.

I'm in the market for gun range hearing protection. Your point is that electronic muffs are better protection than noise cancelling headphones, correct? Thank you!

how about the sordin supreme pro ear muffs? Those things barely have any protection in the "muff" itself.

So if the battery dies does it just act like regular ear pro?

Can You hear the low sounds over the high ones Since they are electric, lets Say there's a jet engine close and the earmuffs tone it down, but then some speaks while the engine it's running, would i be able to hear that person? Or the earmuffs would also tone it down?

Great informative video sir!

Do those active ear muffs with the microphone let you turn the microphone off? I'd want the microphone off as I want to block as much outside noise as possible, but I want to listen to my music via bluetooth.

It is my understanding that an NRR rating isn't a direct decibel reduction... you subtract 7 and then divide by two... so a 22 nrr is only a 7.5 decibel reduction. So the 150 decibel gunshot would only be reduced to 142.5. If I am not mistaken... that makes the hearing protection practically useless.

So would this technology work in a shop when power tools are running and still allow you to hear potential people talking to you?

My understanding is that electronic hearing protection headphones totally clip or shut off when a loud noise is present so you hear almost nothing for a period of time including voices. Is that consistent with this explanation? It seems different to me. I assume the gun shot would still be heard but at a much lower volume.

Are there any headphones with both active noise cancellation, and electronic hearing protection?

So which ones the best at least to protect your ears from fireworks?

so if I dont want hear my neighbor talking in the adjacent apt or dog barking which one should I use?

im confused here. You say the protection only comes from the cups but then you say the electronics turn down the loud sound too when it is detected.

So essentially its using a compressor/limiter/expander? Edit: I just realized it must be a reverse gate. When the outside amplitude hits a certain gain threshold it “shuts down” and doesn’t reproduce through the headphone speakers. Genius.

👏🏻

which one is best for reducing noise in office so I can focus on my work?

So wait, if I just want to block out all sounds in order to studying, what exactly can you recommend to me?

Nice explanation, but you're aware that the NRR ratings are fairly useless. Companies can cherry pick from a list. For example MSA Sordins are NRR 19, but offer some of the best ear pro for electronic ear pro.

How does doubling up with muffs and ear plugs work?

I think this explination might be a bit misleading. Dont take this to mean you cant get hearing damage because u have headphones on. But what do I know?

👍👍👍👍👍

God i just found this video after i had ordered an electronic hearing protection product thinking it was noise cancelling.

they don't "block all the sound"

I am confused. Based on your explanation, an electronic ear muff with an NRR of 19 would not reduce the gunshot anymore than a static ear muff with the same NRR. So why would anyone pay more for electronic muffs (as much as $200 -$300 more) other than to amplify the quite sounds? Indeed, for only ear protection, a pair of $300 MSA’s are no better than a $20 static muff with the same NRR of 19. I know for a fact that shooting a high caliper rifle is much quieter with the electronic MSA’s.

👂👂👂👂👂