Who's using what? likes and dislikes? I'm looking for discreet ear pro that is effective and esy to keep with my kit. The two I've seen being marketed are the OTTE and the Peltor. I remember guys running the Silynx, but haven't heard much about them in awhile. Currently, I have a couple pairs of Comtacs, and a Swatcom.
https://www.otto-comm.com/NoizeBarrierMicro
https://srstactical.com/3mtm-peltort...plugs-kit.html
Last edited by theJanitor; 09-28-2021 at 01:39 PM.
I've heard mixed reviews on the Ottos when it comes to durability, though it has near universal acclaim when it comes to the sound quality.
An option I rarely see mentioned is Etymotic: https://www.etymotic.com/electronic/
Not sure why, but their in-ear headphones are typically seen is top-shelf stuff.
I have ESP. https://www.espamerica.com/elite-classic/
A little expensive, but the sound quality is good. I use them mostly for long guns.
Originally Posted by theJanitor
I have both the Otto Engineering Noisebarrier (one month) and the 3M Peltor devices (two years).
SOUND QUALITY: Otto wins by significant margin. Non-loud noises are amplified more so than Peltors. Loud noises are adequately blocked by both but the Ottos fit in the ear better. Neither are adequate for indoor ranges (I double up when shooting indoors).
COMFORT: Otto earpieces are more comfortable to wear than Peltors
BATTERY LIFE: Ottos last longer before charging. I wore them in a pistol class recently from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. They were on all day and when I inserted them in the case to recharge, there was still 40% charge remaining. The Peltors do not last as long although it is hard to quantify since there is no way to tell how much charge is left in the Peltors
EASE OF USE: The Otto case tells you how much charge you have left in percentage for each earpiece. It also tells you how much charge the case has. The case acts as the rechargeable battery. Plugging in the microUSB charges the case, which then charges the earpieces. For the Peltors, the earpieces are charged in two ways: Directly by plugging microUSB, and indirectly by three AAA batteries that you insert in the case. The peltors therefore are conceptually more flexible in charging. You have direct plug in and AAA batteries. You cannot tell how much charge you have remaining with the Peltors so you do not know when they will run out. The Ottos can only charge by direct plug in.
CASE: The Peltor case seems more robust in construction
DURABILITY: My Peltors do not work anymore. We'll see how long the Ottos hold up.
PRICE: Both are expensive. Join Big Daddy Unlimited. I saved over $100 on the Ottos by buying from BDU.
Hope that helps.
awesome, guys. Thanks! Do we know how the units are failing, or under what circumstances?
Correction on my earlier post re 3M Peltor. It uses three AA batteries, not AAA
In regards to context of failure for my 3M Peltors- I do not know. They just stopped working one day. I called 3M CS and based on my description, the rep said that it was the Earpiece electronics that failed and not the case itself. Warranty is only one year so I was past that. The only solution is to purchase the earpieces separately ($120 per piece). I will not do that since my Ottos are working great. I will use the failed Peltor earpieces as just ear plugs to double protect when I am indoor ranges.
BTW, i purchased my 3M from Amazon. The 3M Peltor rep said that they honor the 1 yr warranty when purchased DIRECTLY from Amazon, but NOT from third party sellers on Amazon. Interesting.
I used etymotic for a while but stopped because I don't think they were enough protection and went to muffs plus plugs. Especially for indoor or high volume shooting. I am not sure but I trace my tinnitus to an outdoor shooting day with about 200 shotgun rounds only using etymotic. But it could have been that plus the airshow plus the indycar race all in a short bit
I purchased Etymotic Gunsport Pro 2 years ago for use when shooting bolt guns. I used it once during a precision class. It worked OK outdoors, but I remember the sound being on the loud end.
I haven't used it much since then - I ended up using Surefire plugs (non electronic) lately.
I also have Walker razor bluetooth. It works OK, but the neck band can get in a way with rifles. However, I haven't used that one in about a year or so either.
I have considered Harris and Sons, and have trained with a couple guys that use them, but they are seriously expensive. Having said that, I have never heard anything bad from anyone who uses them and what is your hearing worth?
I would probably have invested in a set by now, but for work we rely on active ear pro as part of comms in tactical situations and the in ear would not be as helpful.
Polite Professional
I use a set of Pro Ears Stealth inside the ear protectors. They let me hear people talk and the sounds of the range but deaden the report of the weapons around me. I've been using them for the past few months with good results. I also have a pair of Walker inside the ear protectors which fit my ears better. They have 5 adjustments for sound and last 15 hour before needing recharging.
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