Noise canceling/electronic earplugs for EDC

[CHighfield]

Hey guys,

I'm looking for a pair of ear plugs (not muffs) that are electronic or noise canceling and small enough to be carried every day in a pocket or backpack.

I looked around on pelter and HL but didn't see what I wanted. I also tried the site search to no avail.

I know that many double up and use foam plugs under electronic muffs when shooting heavy stuff or large quantities, but I'd like to have the opposite of the norm--canceling/electronic plugs daily with regular muffs when I need them.

Has anyone seen this, or am I just weird?

EDIT: I just found the SportEAR hearing aid/ear plugs that enhance noises under 90dB while canceling all over 90dB, but I don't quite have the $499-2499 just to try them out. Does anyone have experience?

 

[smalls]

For EDC? What purpose does that serve?

 

[JTQ]

Not noise canceling, but I've had audiologists pour custom ear plugs for me a couple of times. They work well.

 

[Jenrick]

There are a few places that will do noice canceling in ear plugs for tactical work, but they are in that $400+ range. Are you specifically looking for in ear, or just something noise canceling that's not obviously "gun gear?"

-Jenrick

 

[torqem]

wow, guys.

you never have heard of Norton "earvalves"? $30 work well, very handy. They offer $100+ custom fit variants, if you want such. You can learn to get concealed plugs into your ears as "fast" as anyone can speedload a revovler (from realistic ccw). If you can make it to cover, you can get your plugs into your ears. Doing so will double your effective range, and maybe keep you able to hear fine music and infants goo-gooing after you get older.

 

[CHighfield]

Yes, for EDC. You never know when you'll be subject to some sort of intense noise. I have an alarm system in the home and it is very loud. My roommate forgets the code. Fire alarms can go off (roommate's cooking,) I live next to the fire dept. and police dept. and I'm always subject to sirens, etc., etc.

I know most of those examples are at home and as such I wouldn't need the compactness that I was talking about, but I prefer for everything to be extremely light weight and compact. That includes my clothes, shoes, carry gun, and everything else that I own.

JTQ, if you don't mind, how much did that service run you?

Jenrick, I definitely don't want anything to stand out as "gun gear," and I would just prefer in-ear for lightness and compactness.

 

[Jim Watson]

The Surefire Sonic Defender is the closest thing to your wishes that I can think of.
I think the "filtered" plug promotion is kind of bogus but it will provide some protection at low cost. Electronics run the price up, in small sizes, WAY up.

By the way, the electronic muffs and plugs are not "noise cancelling" like a Bose earphone.
They have an external mike and an internal speaker to transmit conversation through the insulation. There is a circuit that shuts off the mike when it detects a loud noise and you fall back on whatever sound protection the device provides. A friend has a highly touted set whose response time is rather slow. The first shot of a string is noticeably louder than the next, you are hearing "half a gunshot."

 

[torqem]

Such a device can be mechanical. No electronics are needed, if all yu want is noise-blockig, rather than enhancement of hearing. The Lee "sonic earvalve" (now Norton) has been around for at least 40 years.

Robert Heinlein said that you can only truly own that which you can carry, at a full run. He was correct. My corallary is"You don't own stuff, stuff owns you". Stuff does not have to lubricate/wax you, insure you, secure you, carry you, practice with you.

 

[JTQ]

JTQ, if you don't mind, how much did that service run you?

My first set was done, I believe in 1983. They were around $50.

I got my second set, I believe in 2002, but these were compliments of the US Navy, so I don't know what they cost.

I suppose prices could be somewhat regional, and may even vary from audiologist to audiologist within the same city. To make them, the audiologist will pour some goo in your ear. After the goo hardens, they remove it and make a mould from the hardened goo. I believe they keep the mould on file, so if you ever lose a plug you can just get a replacement without redoing the pour.

The advantage I've found with these over the foam plugs is they are easier and quicker to put in your ear, and they fit flush and are a little more comfortable than the foam plugs. Because they are easier for me to insert in my ear, I've also had better sound deadening performance with these than with the foam plugs.

 

[oneounceload]

Shotgunners who use in the ear types like ESP

http://sportear.com/?gclid=CIOf4pfhnrwCFelZ7AodQysAgw

They do both custom fit and ready to ship models - Not cheap, but what is your hearing worth?

 

[hso]

As Mr. Watson pointed out, there are no noise canceling hearing protection devices for shooters. Noise canceling circuitry works with continuous noise sources (machinery) and not impulse noise like small arms fire or explosions.

Current electronic hearing protection is a combination of speaker, microphone, and passive hearing protection and the circuit needed to turn the microphone off when fast noise over 85dB is detected. You can get plugs that do this, but they're much much more expensive than electronic muffs. Also, the NRR or SNR (how much protection) these plugs provide will be lower than passive plugs. I don't think that there are any electronic plugs that have NRRs of 30 out there like passive plugs. That means you get less protection with passive muffs and electronic plugs than you would get with passive plugs and electronic muffs.

The best NRR for electronic plugs appear to be the Walkers, but because they have a foam plug coupled with the electronics worn behind the ear I do not think you could properly insert them into the ear to get an NRR of 29 they claim. The GSP plugs have the electonics built in like hearing aids and use a flanged plug like the reusable plugs and they could be inserted properly to get the advertised NRR 25. http://www.earplugstore.com/etymotic-gsp-1-electronic-earplugs.html

Were I needing to get the electronic ear plug route and I had nearly $400 to spend I'd use the GSPs. But, I don't have that sort of money to spend when a $50 pair of Howard Leight Impact Sport muffs and a $2 pair of foam plugs will do a better job.

 

[CHighfield]

I do understand that noise canceling and electronic are different terms, and the differences behind the technology are vast, but that's the reason I used both. More for ease of searching for the thread.

Those Surefires look like they are the same as the sport ear XP3s. Maybe made by the same people? Either way they look like a good cheap alternative. Maybe keep some in the car, range bag, and on person for that price. ($15 for XP3)

The walkers are interesting. I hadn't thought of a behind the ear unit. It seems to cut the cost down compared to a fully in-ear unit.

Thanks, guys. Cool stuff here (to me at least!)

P.S. I agree, OneOunce--You can never be protective enough about hearing. I just can't afford them!