Electronic ear muffs are hearing protection devices which include battery operated amplifiers and microphones. The ear muff’s job is to protect your hearing from loud external noise. The microphone and amplifier pick up low volume sound and amplify it respectively.
This makes it easier for you to hear low volume sounds such as a person speaking while in an environment where heavy machinery is being operated. The best electronic ear muffs are used in shooting ranges, for hunting and when operating heavy machinery.
Howard Leight by Honeywell Impact Sport Sound Amplification Review
Its built in directional microphones give you a better idea where a specific noise is coming from. This comes in handy when you’re out hunting and don’t want to miss your prey. The Howard Leight electronic earmuffs are well designed. They feature ultraslim earcups with snap in ear cushions which minimizes the bulk of the device.
The headband is padded and adjustable for a comfortable fit. An external AUX jack allows you to use them as headphones after connecting to an audio device.
It runs on 2AA batteries. The automatic amplification shut off is great at protecting your hearing.
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You’ll appreciate the volume control functionality which is easily accessible. It’s a sound activated compression circuit electronic earmuff with a fast recovery time of 0.02 seconds. You’ll never miss out on a low volume sound when using this pair of earmuffs.
The Razor is well designed with ultraslim earcups and comfortable headband with wire frames. It also features an audio input jack that allows you to use it as headphones.
This pair of electronic earmuffs operates on 2AA batteries. One minor problem with the design is the speakers, where it’s difficult to know where a sound is coming from.
Howard Leight by Honeywell Impact Pro Sound Amplification Review
Even so, it includes built in directional microphones and an amplification range of up to 82db. That ensures that you can easily hear low volume sounds when you’re out in the firing range or hunting. It’s automatic amplification shut off at 82db protects your ears from extremely loud noise.
The Howard Leight Impact Pro has an adjustable padded headband that ensures you have a comfortable fit. You can also convert it into headphones and listen to your favorite tracks. It runs on 2AA batteries with automatic shut off after 4 hours to conserve battery juice.
It’s a great pair of electronic muffs although the earcups could be a bit less bulky.
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Its auto shut off at 85db is slightly higher compared to other units on this review. However, This makes it a good option if you don’t want electronic muffs which constantly turn on and off when you’re out shooting. It has 2 microphones one on each earcup.
Although this is enough to hear low volume sounds, it will be difficult knowing which direction the sound comes from. Its low profile ear-cups reduce contact with gun stocks, which makes aiming and shooting your gun easier. A padded adjustable headband ensures a comfortable fit. You can convert this pair of muffs into headphones thanks to the built in audio jack.
It operates on 2AA batteries which aren’t included.
Buying Guide – How to find the best electronic ear muffs for your needs.
Before you purchase a new pair, the following are the important considerations to make.
Noise Reduction Rating (NRR)
Ear muffs do the heavy lifting as far as noise reduction goes. A high NRR rating indicates that your muffs are better at reducing noise. It’s recommended that you go for 20 NRR and above.
Number Of Microphones
Basic electronic muffs have one microphone on each ear-cup. This is just enough to pick up low volume sound for amplification. Additional microphones per ear-cup allows you to hear sounds more clearly and, have an idea about the direction of their source.
Volume Control
This feature allows you to control the sound volume in decibels that you can hear. It comes in handy when you want to hear extremely low sounds.
Amplification Shut Off
This feature ensures that the electronic muff doesn’t amplify sound such that they can damage your ears. It simply protects your ears and the manufacturer from lawsuits. An automatic shutoff for sounds of 85db or less is recommended.
Additional Features
Other features to consider when looking for the best electronic ear muffs are adjustable headband, audio input jack, recovery time and weight.
