So to answer the question...I wouldn't buy any of the elect (electric? electronic?) ones.
I have a pair of the electronic ones..
and they are so cool...
now you have to hear this----
for months I have been telling co-workers that I will bring them in to work when I need to concentrate on something without distraction...
Well this week I had them in the truck as a reminder to get more batteries..
I got to the office and there were several people on a speaker phone with a conference call.... (CUBICALS-- how painful!!)
so I went to the truck and got them, put them on.. and went back to work..
the receptionist saw me walk in with them, and so did one of the sales guys...
you would not believe the looks I got....
anyway-- as I sat at my desk-- 99% of all the louder voices went away.. and I heard bare whispers when someone was less than 5 feet from me....
I safely ignored phone calls, people shouting my name over the cube walls and acted like those that walked by my cube and ask if I was busy for 3 hours...
There was a sign on the entrance to my cube that said: Experiencing a hearing impairment moment, please do not interupt for your safety.
If they only knew I could hear them when they walked into my cube and said something... and the ones that did not see the small mirror on my desk.. boy I should have had fun with them....
Moral of this story.. those electronic ones are really cool and work great..
DO you need them? maybe...
and they cool to have....
J