FM radio earmuffs

[MarkB_MI]

Does anyone make a decent set of hearing protectors with a built-in radio? I have a couple pairs of 3M WorkTune earmuffs and they aren't all that great. They're acceptable with most of my outdoor power equipment, but are almost useless with my ZTR mower. As soon as I engage the mower deck, you can't hear the radio over the roar of the deck.

Another problem with the WorkTunes is every so often moisture will build up inside them and they quit working. It takes weeks for them to dry out unless I dismantle them.

Searching the 'net, I find a lot of earmuffs with built-in radios, but they all seem to be pretty much the same: They claim a noise reduction ratio of around 25 db, which really won't cut it. None of them seem to offer active noise reduction, even though this has been a common feature for aviation and stereophonic headsets for over twenty years.

Have any of you found a set of earmuffs you actually liked?

 

[caterpillar guy]

Don't know a thing about radio ear muffs. Just an option what if you used those noise cancelling shooting muffs and put a bud in your ear for the music either to a play list or from a radio to listen to. Of course I then have to wonder about hearing little intricacies of the machine you happen to be running while wearing them. Like I don't listen to the radio in the combine so I can hear it run for subtle sounds as I go.

 

[Red Dave]

Does anyone make a decent set of hearing protectors with a built-in radio? I have a couple pairs of 3M WorkTune earmuffs and they aren't all that great. They're acceptable with most of my outdoor power equipment, but are almost useless with my ZTR mower. As soon as I engage the mower deck, you can't hear the radio over the roar of the deck.

Another problem with the WorkTunes is every so often moisture will build up inside them and they quit working. It takes weeks for them to dry out unless I dismantle them.

Searching the 'net, I find a lot of earmuffs with built-in radios, but they all seem to be pretty much the same: They claim a noise reduction ratio of around 25 db, which really won't cut it. None of them seem to offer active noise reduction, even though this has been a common feature for aviation and stereophonic headsets for over twenty years.

Have any of you found a set of earmuffs you actually liked?

Most hearing protection over-the-ear muffs I've seen are rated in the 25 NRR range or less. To get higher NRR ratings, you will have to go with an in-the-ear plug, but even then the highest rating I've seen was about 33 for a soft foam plug, but even then it has to be inserted properly to attain best hearing protection. Effective hearing protection and radio audio is hard to get in the same package.

I've seen, but have no experience with, active noise cancelling ear muffs. They use technology to cancel noise as well as just noise absorbing materials inside the muff. More expensive, and would require using ear buds for the audio, but might do what you want.

 

[710ltd2002]

I have absolutely no knowledge about what is available, but maybe try searching in-ear stage monitor for live music? Maybe Guitar Center?
Dave

 

[504]

Does anyone make a decent set of hearing protectors with a built-in radio? I have a couple pairs of 3M WorkTune earmuffs and they aren't all that great. They're acceptable with most of my outdoor power equipment, but are almost useless with my ZTR mower. As soon as I engage the mower deck, you can't hear the radio over the roar of the deck.

Another problem with the WorkTunes is every so often moisture will build up inside them and they quit working. It takes weeks for them to dry out unless I dismantle them.

Searching the 'net, I find a lot of earmuffs with built-in radios, but they all seem to be pretty much the same: They claim a noise reduction ratio of around 25 db, which really won't cut it. None of them seem to offer active noise reduction, even though this has been a common feature for aviation and stereophonic headsets for over twenty years.

Have any of you found a set of earmuffs you actually liked?

I have absolutely no knowledge about what is available, but maybe try searching in-ear stage monitor for live music? Maybe Guitar Center?
Dave

The last set I bought was made by 3m but were in a DeWalt package. I have been really happy with them, a pair from Amazon looked good on the website but I returned them after 30 minutes of use. Make sure you get the digital ones, not the analog .

 

[bc]

I have a pair or two bot at Nascar races years ago in a box somewhere. Not sure of brand.

Last race I went to was Junior's last race at Talladega. Of course the main spectacle was viewing the partying, band, and fighting going on Saturday night in the infield. Fathers pulling a wagon with a huge cooler and mothers pulling a wagon with the kids. I was a sober observer the whole time. Some preppies learned the hard fist way to not try talk to a girl when her drunk brothers and husband were nearby. I was in the middle and stepped out of the way as it all unfolded. Didn't take an RV so I missed the spectacle of what was going on at the campgrounds.

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

Does anyone make a decent set of hearing protectors with a built-in radio? I have a couple pairs of 3M WorkTune earmuffs and they aren't all that great. They're acceptable with most of my outdoor power equipment, but are almost useless with my ZTR mower. As soon as I engage the mower deck, you can't hear the radio over the roar of the deck.

Another problem with the WorkTunes is every so often moisture will build up inside them and they quit working. It takes weeks for them to dry out unless I dismantle them.

Searching the 'net, I find a lot of earmuffs with built-in radios, but they all seem to be pretty much the same: They claim a noise reduction ratio of around 25 db, which really won't cut it. None of them seem to offer active noise reduction, even though this has been a common feature for aviation and stereophonic headsets for over twenty years.

Have any of you found a set of earmuffs you actually liked?

After some thought, there really aren't any receiver type noise cancelling headphones that I think are good. It's always been a headphones/mp3 player or walkman radio setup for me. Should you want to pursue that route, the Koss QZ99 would be my recommendation.

QZ99

Initially designed for racing radio scanner and metal detector users, the Koss QZ99 Passive Noise Reduction Headphones feature superior isolating capabilities and secure over-the-head headband design. The closed Pneumalite™ ear cushions and extra-secure headband create a tight seal around the...

koss.com

Excellent sound, effective noise cancellation & sturdy enough for outdoor use. They are the current variation of the Race Tracker which are designed to help you hear your radio in the pit. It would be great if they were offered with a built in receiver.

Checkered Version....

Plain version....

I'm not the biggest fan of the strap setup on the current sets that I have. The "normal" headband on the new QZ's looks a lot nicer.

Mike

 

[MarkB_MI]

Don't know a thing about radio ear muffs. Just an option what if you used those noise cancelling shooting muffs and put a bud in your ear for the music either to a play list or from a radio to listen to. Of course I then have to wonder about hearing little intricacies of the machine you happen to be running while wearing them. Like I don't listen to the radio in the combine so I can hear it run for subtle sounds as I go.

I don't think those shooting earmuffs actually do active noise reduction, but your idea of using ear buds gives me an idea. As for not hearing a problem, I'm pretty sure anything loud enough to be heard over the mower deck is going to penetrate through any ear protectors.

 

[MarkB_MI]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I may already have the solution in my ears already. My hearing aids can stream audio from my smart phone. And I can load my local radio station's streaming app. So I can eliminate the crappy FM radio built into my WorkTune earmuffs and use just about any ear protector I want. This is not an ideal solution, because the hearing aids amplify the mower noise, but I should be able to turn the hearing aid volume down and turn my phone volume up and be able to actually hear the 'radio' station.

I never saw a need to stream audio through my hearing aids, so I never bother to figure out how to do it. I got that working today and I'll test it out tomorrow. A bonus is I should be able to hear when somebody calls my phone.

 

[MarkB_MI]

After some thought, there really aren't any receiver type noise cancelling headphones that I think are good. It's always been a headphones/mp3 player or walkman radio setup for me. Should you want to pursue that route, the Koss QZ99 would be my recommendation.

QZ99

Initially designed for racing radio scanner and metal detector users, the Koss QZ99 Passive Noise Reduction Headphones feature superior isolating capabilities and secure over-the-head headband design. The closed Pneumalite™ ear cushions and extra-secure headband create a tight seal around the...

koss.com

Excellent sound, effective noise cancellation & sturdy enough for outdoor use. They are the current variation of the Race Tracker which are designed to help you hear your radio in the pit. It would be great if they were offered with a built in receiver.

Checkered Version....
View attachment 76932

Plain version....
View attachment 76933


View attachment 76934

I'm not the biggest fan of the strap setup on the current sets that I have. The "normal" headband on the new QZ's looks a lot nicer.

Mike

Well, Mike, your buddy sure seems to like them.

 

[Absent Minded Farmer]

Well, Mike, your buddy sure seems to like them.

The smile became permanent when he became my headphone stand.

Mike

 

[Gary Reif]

Daughter gave me a set of Caldwell brand noise canceling earmuffs from a shooting supply store a few years ago. They work pretty well. You can set the level of noise canceling or you can turn them off completely which makes them straight noise canceling earmuffs. They go completely silent with a gunshot.

 

[kenney970]

Does anyone make a decent set of hearing protectors with a built-in radio? I have a couple pairs of 3M WorkTune earmuffs and they aren't all that great. They're acceptable with most of my outdoor power equipment, but are almost useless with my ZTR mower. As soon as I engage the mower deck, you can't hear the radio over the roar of the deck.

Another problem with the WorkTunes is every so often moisture will build up inside them and they quit working. It takes weeks for them to dry out unless I dismantle them.

Searching the 'net, I find a lot of earmuffs with built-in radios, but they all seem to be pretty much the same: They claim a noise reduction ratio of around 25 db, which really won't cut it. None of them seem to offer active noise reduction, even though this has been a common feature for aviation and stereophonic headsets for over twenty years.

Have any of you found a set of earmuffs you actually liked?

I bought headphones called ISO Tubes. They have good sound, volume is loud enough & batteries last a long time. They have Bluetooth available as well.

 

[kenney970]

Correction ISO Tunes

 

[bc]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I may already have the solution in my ears already. My hearing aids can stream audio from my smart phone. And I can load my local radio station's streaming app. So I can eliminate the crappy FM radio built into my WorkTune earmuffs and use just about any ear protector I want. This is not an ideal solution, because the hearing aids amplify the mower noise, but I should be able to turn the hearing aid volume down and turn my phone volume up and be able to actually hear the 'radio' station.

I never saw a need to stream audio through my hearing aids, so I never bother to figure out how to do it. I got that working today and I'll test it out tomorrow. A bonus is I should be able to hear when somebody calls my phone.

Hopefully they will play your Hank Williams albums too.

 

[Hoenes]

Does anyone make a decent set of hearing protectors with a built-in radio? I have a couple pairs of 3M WorkTune earmuffs and they aren't all that great. They're acceptable with most of my outdoor power equipment, but are almost useless with my ZTR mower. As soon as I engage the mower deck, you can't hear the radio over the roar of the deck.

Another problem with the WorkTunes is every so often moisture will build up inside them and they quit working. It takes weeks for them to dry out unless I dismantle them.

Searching the 'net, I find a lot of earmuffs with built-in radios, but they all seem to be pretty much the same: They claim a noise reduction ratio of around 25 db, which really won't cut it. None of them seem to offer active noise reduction, even though this has been a common feature for aviation and stereophonic headsets for over twenty years.

Have any of you found a set of earmuffs you actually liked?

I bought a set of JBL Bluetooth headphones. Noise canceling, don't hear riding mower. Use phone app, "Spotify" for music while mowing. Not cheap, but worth it. No ox cable needed.

 

[RobCons]

Do the noise cancelling type protect your hearing or just mask the noise? I use the Work Tunes and really like them. If the mower deck sound is overpowering the Work Tunes you may need to look at the deck for a problem.

 

[MarkB_MI]

Do the noise cancelling type protect your hearing or just mask the noise? I use the Work Tunes and really like them. If the mower deck sound is overpowering the Work Tunes you may need to look at the deck for a problem.

Do the noise cancelling type protect your hearing or just mask the noise? I use the Work Tunes and really like them. If the mower deck sound is overpowering the Work Tunes you may need to look at the deck for a problem.

Noise canceling (ANR) headsets generate sound that's approximately equal to the outside noise, but 180 degrees out of phase. The net sound level is therefore much less than you can get with passive noise reduction.

There's no problem with my deck; it's just loud and has been since new. If there's anything that's worse now than when I bought it, it would be my hearing.

 

[MarkB_MI]

I bought a set of JBL Bluetooth headphones. Noise canceling, don't hear riding mower. Use phone app, "Spotify" for music while mowing. Not cheap, but worth it. No ox cable needed.

I bought a set of JBL Bluetooth headphones. Noise canceling, don't hear riding mower. Use phone app, "Spotify" for music while mowing. Not cheap, but worth it. No ox cable needed.

Do you know which model JBL headphone you have? It looks like they range in price from about $100 to $300.

JBL NC over-the-ear headphones

 

[Keith Williams]

Noise canceling (ANR) headsets generate sound that's approximately equal to the outside noise, but 180 degrees out of phase. The net sound level is therefore much less than you can get with passive noise reduction.

There's no problem with my deck; it's just loud and has been since new. If there's anything that's worse now than when I bought it, it would be my hearing.

I use SONY WH-1000XM3 noise cancelling headphones. Around $300 with tax.
They Bluetooth to my phone. IHeart radio or I have music on my phone (A lot of music!!).
Unbelievable sound quality!

When mowing with a push mower, I can't hear the mower! I only feel the vibration. With my Ford 4600 and a brush hog running, I can enjoy the music not the roar of that loud 3-cylinder diesel.

Battery lasts longer than I do. Even after 6-8 hours they are still OK. Phone battery lasts longer with Bluetooth than with a corded headset.

I can even receive phone calls. I just have to shut down the equipment I am running for them to hear me LOL!
People that call for the first time, are like what the he?? are you doing? How can you stand that noise?
There is even a notification when a text comes thru.
You can touch the right ear muff to change volume, skip a song or replay one, receive a call or hang up.

These headphones are the best investment I have ever made!
YMMV
Keith