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

ccoon520

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I 100% back the Isotunes suggestions. I have a set of the ISO Tunes Extra, my wife has a set of the pro 2.0s and another family member has a set of the isotunes free. If I had to get them again I would probably pony up the extra money for the free because it is rather annoying to compress the foam (I find the foam more comfortable than the rubberized plugs) when they are connected together. Other than that, the battery life on them is great and they are easy to use.
 
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mcmxi

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I 100% back the Isotunes suggestions. I have a set of the ISO Tunes Extra, my wife has a set of the pro 2.0s and another family member has a set of the isotunes free. If I had to get them again I would probably pony up the extra money for the free because it is rather annoying to compress the foam (I find the foam more comfortable than the rubberized plugs) when they are connected together. Other than that, the battery life on them is great and they are easy to use.
I ordered two pairs of the orange PRO 2.0 this morning. I couldn't believe that they charged my CC for something that is on back order. 😂

Buy ISOtunes PRO 2.0 | Professional Grade Bluetooth Hearing Protection – ISOtunes.com
 
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JimmyJazz

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As odd as it might seem I prefer silence. I have an old earmuff style hearing protector bought for shooting. Probably equal to the best available today like those rated at a 34 decibel reduction. I wear these with Howard Leight foam plugs inserted. I really don't want to hear the radio or the news or talk to anyone while I am working . Fast and focused, the less distractions the better. Upon removal the world sounds fresh and new. The sensory depravation acts as a reboot of sorts . Less is more in my opinion.
 
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GBJeffOH

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I have a set of Bose noise cancelling ear buds that I use when I fly but I was wondering what folks here like when mowing for hours on end. I'm looking for a recommendation for a set of ear buds that will allow me to listen to music on my phone via Bluetooth while also protecting my hearing. Any recommendations?
I use Bose 700.

I can talk on the phone and they don't know I am on the tractor most of the time.

If I am making enough noise they can here background noise.
 
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B737

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tried iso tunes, found them to be uncomfortable and poor at noise cancellations. I use apple air pod pros. They only last for 4 hours so I have to run two sets and swap them out while the other set is recharging, lol not cheap but great noise cancellation and you can switch to transparency if you need to hear stuff.

I have had a pair of 3m work tunes for about 5 years and use them for random things where they arent worn for long. 20 years and counting of wearing head clamps while flying, I try to avoid using that style on my days off. Ok passive noise cancellation, low volume for music, bulky a little uncomfortable.
 
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mcmxi

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tried iso tunes, found them to be uncomfortable and poor at noise cancellations. I use apple air pod pros. They only last for 4 hours so I have to run two sets and swap them out while the other set is recharging, lol not cheap but great noise cancellation and you can switch to transparency if you need to hear stuff.

I have had a pair of 3m work tunes for about 5 years and use them for random things where they arent worn for long. 20 years and counting of wearing head clamps while flying, I try to avoid using that style on my days off. Ok passive noise cancellation, low volume for music, bulky a little uncomfortable.
Hopefully I have a better experience than you with the Isotunes. The Bose ear buds have worked well for me on long flights with excellent noise cancellation and I could use those but I'd rather keep them in good condition.
 

B737

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I agree on the bose, maybe best suited for home / indoor use. I feel like tractor use with apple Airpods is pushing it, but they have held up well. The biggest problem I had with the iso tunes was the volume would not go up high enough and not blocking enough sound. The battery lasted forever though since they were passive n/c. Too many years on the 737 I've lost a lot of hearing already. I was not using foam ear seals with iso tunes, i was using rubber plug type, so that may have something to do with my perception of their performance.
 
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mcmxi

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I agree on the bose, maybe best suited for home / indoor use. I feel like tractor use with apple Airpods is pushing it, but they have held up well. The biggest problem I had with the iso tunes was the volume would not go up high enough and not blocking enough sound. The battery lasted forever though since they were passive n/c. Too many years on the 737 I've lost a lot of hearing already. I was not using foam ear seals with iso tunes, i was using rubber plug type, so that may have something to do with my perception of their performance.
Ear plugs or buds are so personal due to fit and feel such that one person might love them and another hate them. I'll know soon enough ... or not soon enough given they're back ordered.
 
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Matt Ellerbee

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I agree on the bose, maybe best suited for home / indoor use. I feel like tractor use with apple Airpods is pushing it, but they have held up well. The biggest problem I had with the iso tunes was the volume would not go up high enough and not blocking enough sound. The battery lasted forever though since they were passive n/c. Too many years on the 737 I've lost a lot of hearing already. I was not using foam ear seals with iso tunes, i was using rubber plug type, so that may have something to do with my perception of their performance.
I am really impressed with my isotunes. I was using corded apple buds and had to crank the volume way up. I have a set of walker razor shooting muffs too. They plug into phone and had to crank volume up also. With the isotunes, volume is at about half on my phone, and the tractor is barely a rumble at PTO rpms.
 
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GibbyESS9

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I stole my wife’s Underarmour Project rock headphones. Work great and you can wash the ear pieces from sweat/dirt etc. the charge lasts a long time also. I know not ear buds but they work great.
 
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CGMKCM

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Bose QC ear buds, I also have also used Sony wired noise cancelling ear buds, both work great for mowing and tractor work. I like the fact that I can control how much noise cancelling is being done and have plenty of volume. I don't use the Sony corded system much anymore because cordless is a little more comfortable.
I have tried Iso tunes and the 3m work tunes. The problem with those two options was the volume is limited for hearing conservation purposes but they don't have noise cancelling. I listen to audio books while mowing and without noise cancelling you miss words, voice inflection etc. On a open cab tractor or zero turn mower noise cancelling is really nice.
 
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mcmxi

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About 10 years ago I had a set of custom ear plugs made while attending the SHOT show. E.A.R. had reps at the show trained to make molds of a customer's ear canal and outer ear. I opted for the passive filter system for shooting. I still have them, along with the molds, and it would be awesome if E.A.R. offered electronic noise reduction with Bluetooth in their plugs using the molds.
 

Motronic

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About 10 years ago I had a set of custom ear plugs made while attending the SHOT show. E.A.R. had reps at the show trained to make molds of a customer's ear canal and outer ear. I opted for the passive filter system for shooting. I still have them, along with the molds, and it would be awesome if E.A.R. offered electronic noise reduction with Bluetooth in their plugs using the molds.
I have a set of passives like that for shooting and man the custom fit ones are nice. Totally agreed it would be great to get a set of noise canceling ear pieces made that way.

I haven't been to SHOT in 5 years now......need to fix that.
 

mcmxi

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I have a set of passives like that for shooting and man the custom fit ones are nice. Totally agreed it would be great to get a set of noise canceling ear pieces made that way.

I haven't been to SHOT in 5 years now......need to fix that.
Hey, maybe they do!!!


This will require further investigation.

SHOT show isn't much fun if you have to work while you're there. 😖
 

Motronic

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SHOT show isn't much fun if you have to work while you're there. 😖
No show is fun if you have to work :)

I am the least-working person at SHOT. I used to go with my PD friends when I was a Fire Marshal.
 

jameister

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if you want to protect your hearing, get the cover-your-ears style. shooting sports and industrial exposures have proven damage cohering with just earplugs or in the ear protections. many sound waves of damaging decibels transport damage through the bones surrounding the ear.

I wear BOTH plugs and muffs at the rifle or pistol range. just muffs in the blind or at the sporting clay courses...

if you fear hearing damage, wear muffs. IMHO.
 

skeets

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Just thinking back to a former life, I have to say if you are doing a mindless job, that might be OK, but if you think about it we tend to lose track of what we are doing. Sometimes when a favorite tune comes on the radio, I mean here you are cruising down the boulevard minding your own business, and some high powered tune you really like comes on and you be jammin! Next thing you know theres blue lights in the rearview, and you look down and you are 30 over, because you got distracted!

In MHO it is the same thing on a tractor, you have to be aware all the time.
Remember complacency and distraction, breed disaster !
 
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NHSleddog

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Just thinking back to a former life, I have to say if you are doing a mindless job, that might be OK, but if you think about it we tend to lose track of what we are doing. Sometimes when a favorite tune comes on the radio, I mean here you are cruising down the boulevard minding your own business, and some high powered tune you really like comes on and you be jammin! Next thing you know theres blue lights in the rearview, and you look down and you are 30 over, because you got distracted!

In MHO it is the same thing on a tractor, you have to be aware all the time.
Remember complacency and distraction, breed disaster !
In my former life we did all kinds of studies on roadside signage and the effects on traffic and safety. Too much comfort and lack of visual/audible stimulus lead to higher traffic incidents.

Not to argue that music can't take your mind off it, but there have been studies done that show music can also keep your mind stimulated and "into it". The same goes for a waving flag, or colorful billboard, the visual stimulus tends to keep you more alert not less.
 

skeets

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NHS not to belabor what I said but why do you think that listening to music in head phones are not permitted in mills, underground ,mines surface mines and so on. Not to say people are scoff laws at times, but the first fatality you have to investigate, brings more to light, than you might think. What went wrong and why, how do we prevent it from happening again. Those thoughts stay with you for a life time. One statement I used in my training classes, was every safety law in the book, has blood on it.