Hearing protection with music when running the tractor? What do you use?

Russell King

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L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
4,603
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Austin, Texas
My 3M Bluetooth Workphones came today.
Haven't had a chance to use them yet, but there's something about them I may have a problem with, and that is they are not adjustable.
Tried them on, and they seem to fit right, but I wonder if they will cover my ears with a ball cap on, then add a mesh face shield that I wear when I weed eat.
All the other brands I've had let you increase the length of the ear pieces.
Unless they changed, they are adjustable by grabbing the ear piece and sliding them down the silver rods of the headband. The silver rods slide in gray plastic tubes on the earpiece. It takes more force than you think.
 

In Utopia

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L175 FEL
Apr 21, 2013
582
87
28
Utopia,Tx/Pasadena,TX
The adjustment is down into the plastic pieces on the ear cups. You have the left one all the way in (short) and the right one all the way out.
Good catch, thanks.
I really like the one button control. Every other brand I've used had 3 or 4 buttons for controls. Listening to Spotify or my music, phone rings, have to dig my phone out of my pocket to answer it. If I tried to take the call I could never find the right button to connect, then most of the time when I did pick up I had to find the bluetooth setting on my phone app.
Thumbs up to the one button.
 
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mcmxi

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***Current*** M6060HDC, MX6000HSTC & GL7000 ***Sold*** MX6000HST & BX25TLB
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I picked up the Isotunes PRO 2.0 yesterday and tried them out today while mowing at 2,300 rpm. They did a great job of mitigating the sound of the MX and rotary cutter while allowing me to listen to music that was more than loud enough. The only issue I had was the cord behind my neck. I found that when I turn my head the cord would sometimes stick to my neck and try to pull an earpiece out of my ear. I'll try clipping the cord to the back of my shirt or my hat. That should help.

Overall I'm pleased with the purchase after using one of the pairs for about an hour.

isotunes_pro.jpg
 

Matt Ellerbee

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MX6000
Jun 27, 2019
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Canton, Georgia
I picked up the Isotunes PRO 2.0 yesterday and tried them out today while mowing at 2,300 rpm. They did a great job of mitigating the sound of the MX and rotary cutter while allowing me to listen to music that was more than loud enough. The only issue I had was the cord behind my neck. I found that when I turn my head the cord would sometimes stick to my neck and try to pull an earpiece out of my ear. I'll try clipping the cord to the back of my shirt or my hat. That should help.

Overall I'm pleased with the purchase after using one of the pairs for about an hour.

View attachment 63409
I have that same exact problem. Put cord in front of neck has been my fix, or just don't turn my head!
 

Chuck Woolery

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2021 Kubota B2601
Jun 4, 2021
20
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Wisconsin
I know I'm a little late to the party, but this is what I use and they're dirt cheap.


I know they're corded, which sucks, but I run the cord under my t-shirt to keep it out of the way and then control volume and tune selection with my apple watch. They cancel the noise perfectly just like ear plugs, but allow me to have some music playing at a comfortable level. I can still hear the mower too in case I hit a rock or something. I've had two pair in the last 8 years and the only reason I replaced the first pair was because one of the earplug inserts was getting chewed up/gross and I had already used the spare inserts prior.

Air pod Pros are wonderful too, but for me too expensive to use while working/mowing. My buddy let me try his out once when we were shooting pistols outside, worked pretty darn good, but still not as good as a dedicated ear muff for shooting.
 

mcmxi

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***Current*** M6060HDC, MX6000HSTC & GL7000 ***Sold*** MX6000HST & BX25TLB
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I have that same exact problem. Put cord in front of neck has been my fix, or just don't turn my head!
Matt, last night I used the clip provided to attach the wire to the back of my shirt and was able to move my head back and forth without any tugging on the ear pieces.
 
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aaluck

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L4400HST, Bush Hog 276, RDTH60, Speeco PHD, etc
Oct 9, 2019
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When I want to listen to something I use my Shure SE425s. I have had them for years to run/walk with. They are pricey but they last and the sound quality is second to none--that's why they are the choice of most professional musicians on stage.
 

fluxcapacitor

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B5100E
Aug 30, 2019
15
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Austin, TX
We use Cardo PackTalk Bold units to have comms while riding dirt bikes w/ helmets on...... and they just released these headphones.


I ordered two sets for use on the tractors so that we can still talk to eachother and listen to music while working around noisy machinery.
 

Jchonline

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We use Cardo PackTalk Bold units to have comms while riding dirt bikes w/ helmets on...... and they just released these headphones.


I ordered two sets for use on the tractors so that we can still talk to eachother and listen to music while working around noisy machinery.
I don't see a NRR published did I miss it?
 

Jchonline

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I know I'm a little late to the party, but this is what I use and they're dirt cheap.


I know they're corded, which sucks, but I run the cord under my t-shirt to keep it out of the way and then control volume and tune selection with my apple watch. They cancel the noise perfectly just like ear plugs, but allow me to have some music playing at a comfortable level. I can still hear the mower too in case I hit a rock or something. I've had two pair in the last 8 years and the only reason I replaced the first pair was because one of the earplug inserts was getting chewed up/gross and I had already used the spare inserts prior.

Air pod Pros are wonderful too, but for me too expensive to use while working/mowing. My buddy let me try his out once when we were shooting pistols outside, worked pretty darn good, but still not as good as a dedicated ear muff for shooting.
As long as there are no metal parts that get sweat on them. If they do, they will corrode and break. I have had a few pair of under shirt solutions with this issue.
 

fluxcapacitor

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B5100E
Aug 30, 2019
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Austin, TX
I don't see a NRR published did I miss it?
Wellllll, it says built for noisy environments..... and industrial grade "built for work" headphones. I'd imagine they do the job pretty well. I'm in no way sponsored by them, I just have had good experiences with their products so when i got a promotional email about the headphones the other day I jumped on it. Btw, the price doesn't include the required Cardo Packtalk unit.... so you'd have to already own one or buy one separately.

Mine are shipped already so I should be able to give you guys a little review here in a few days.

Screen Shot 2021-07-21 at 1.08.30 PM.png
 

Jchonline

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Wellllll, it says built for noisy environments..... and industrial grade "built for work" headphones. I'd imagine they do the job pretty well. I'm in no way sponsored by them, I just have had good experiences with their products so when i got a promotional email about the headphones the other day I jumped on it. Btw, the price doesn't include the required Cardo Packtalk unit.... so you'd have to already own one or buy one separately.

Mine are shipped already so I should be able to give you guys a little review here in a few days.

View attachment 63450
Just sad to see they don’t have a published NRR. The problem with no NRR is we really can’t compare them to other products that provide hearing protection…so it is going to be hard to recommend them. I personally would stay away from any product that has no published NRR if you are looking for hearing protection.
 
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Jchonline

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Red Feather Lakes, CO
I just found these that look nice and much less expensive than the Packtalk headphones posted earlier. I don’t think you can do music however just coms.
View attachment 63482
These look promising. If they could do music from a phone via bluetooth as well they would be incredible!

My issue is I usually have. hard hat on in the woods anyway so it is difficult to have an over the ear solution. The in ear always seem to fall out when I start sweating...so I just have the hard hat with the hearing protection.
 

Goz63

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Kubota L2501, LA525 loader, QH15,Land Pride RCR1860, BB2560, SGC0660, forks
Jun 19, 2021
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I have a set of 3M work tunes. They work great on my Kubota. They are a little quiet on my zero turn as that noise is greater. I don’t find it a distraction.
 

Hot Rod

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Kubota B2620
Jul 31, 2021
18
10
3
32754
I don't know guys, it seems like if you put a sound into your ears that is louder than what you are trying to block out you are damaging your ears.
You have different tunes coming on that are louder and more abrupt than you can control so you are damaging your hearing, the only way I know of actually protecting your hearing is ear muffs or plugs and in most cases both.
Now if you want to listen to music while operating a piece of equipment then you are endangering yourself and anyone who may get near you because your mind is somewhere else and not on what you are doing, you need eyes and ears to safely operate any equipment, not listening to music.
Now operating a walk behind or even a zero turn or plowing long rows in a field while listening to music should not be a problem, but if you are working near any obstacle or people then you need to take that music device and put it away.

Sorry to be negative, but that is the facts.
 
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