Official Luthiers Forum!

I spend a day or two a week in a very noisy, busy shop in an apprentice/student status, so it is often necessary to don and remove hearing protection a couple dozen times over the course of 6-7 hours of work. I use foam ear plugs or behind-the-neck triple flange plugs on a routine basis, but with the pace of instruction, have been borrowing a pair of one of my shop-mate's MSA Supreme Pro X shooting earmuffs lately. These do a great job in the shop and on the range, handling shop noise as well as the very noisy surplus Eastern European ammunition the boys use when shooting their AKs and G3's. The negatives of the headphones and passive earmuffs are that they do a number on my hair (I wear it longish), leave red rings around my ears that can last for hours, and are not that comfortable to wear with prescription safety glasses.

Does anyone here have some suggestions for ear protection that would suppress high volume sounds, pick up quiet sounds and allow normal speech, but avoid the comfort and admittedly vanity-related problems of head phones?

Etymotic Research ER20-SMC ER20

http://www.amazon.com/Etymotic-Research ... B00S31LYF8

I just got those etymotic ones for practicing drums and rehearsals. They're ok, (actually the best of the many many that I've tried) but I'm not convinced they'd block enough sound to be reliable as workshop hearing protection. I don't think they have a CSA rating, but I could be wrong and I've chucked the package.

I really think your hearing is best served by sticking with the muff style protectors.

But I'm no doctor...

Thank-you so much, gentlemen. I appreciate the responses.

I've worn the harder foam ones for years when I was working in a factory. Had no problem hearing people when things got quieter as long as they spoke in a normal voice.

I started using silicone earplugs 35 years ago when I was a framer.
I went to earmuffs, because the plugs started hurting my ear canals.
I sure am glad I took care of my hearing,
and glad you are taking care of yours!
I got tons of ribbing from my co-workers.

I do try to take care of myself, Alan, as well as others! And aging more gracefully than one's peers is the best sort of revenge for those awkward, long ago high school moments, no? Vanity, thy name is...well, all of us baby boomers.

I like the light weight noise canceling headphones. They are not as effective as earmuffs, but are usually lighter in weight, more comfortable with glasses, and allow me to strap an MP3 player to them to listen to tunes while tuning out some of the machine noise. Without listening to music you still have the active noise canceling feature. Downside - battery operated.

As somebody who is totally dependent on hearing aids, due to noise levels in the Navy, I can tell you I wished I'd had hearing protectors of any type back then, whether they were uncomfortable or not. Do what you have to to keep what you've got; there's no remedy once it's damaged.

I work with an ex Navy guy. A normal conversation for him, sounds like yelling to me. I'm sure he's deaf, but doesn't know it.
I have the etymotic ones as well, 20 dB reduction they quote is enough for music I think.

I've been using some Bluetooth over the ear noise cancelling headphones lately.

Seamlessly switch from the music playing in the shop to the headphones when you power them on, and right back to the stereo when you turn them off.

Simple controls on the headphones to kill music when needed.

http://www.sony.com/electronics/headband-headphones/mdr-zx770bn

I'm not seeing how many dB of hearing protection those offer...

I'm not sure on the db reduction, but I've left the vacuum on numerous times after turning off tools because I don't hear it.

The important thing is I use these all the time. I rarely reached for any of my 'in ear' type protection before, as it was not in anyway convenient.

Thanks, guys! I found some electronic shooter's earplugs with functions similar to the MSA headphones, but wow...expensive! With a choice between spending over $1600 on earplugs or on other necessities, I got the twenty dollar ER20 plugs for the shop (thanks, Mr. Printer2!), more high visibility pink and orange foam plugs for the range, and a very nice piece of what the guys are now calling "assault jewelry" from the Daniel Defense Collection. So much for that set of Lee Valley planes I have on my essential tools list, but there are needs and there are wants.

Thanks again, everyone!