Pro-Ears hearing protection deal for TBN members

[Charlie_Iliff]

Mark:
Definitely not a bum steer. My neighbor's Pro Ears just came - they are even better for his joiner/planer work than they are for a tractor. He can't believe how well they work. If I could afford it, I'd get a couple more sets for shop work, but not right now. We have too many people wandering in and out, doing table saw, planer, sawmill work, etc. We about go broke already trying to keep the place equipped with safety glasses and foam ear plugs.
Incidentally, my son spent four hours mowing with the Jacobsen, walk behind Toro and string trimmer, wearing foam plugs under the Pro Ears. He is an MD, in residency training for emergency medicine. I doubt he's studied hearing damage extensively, but he is a believer in maximum protection, and said he can still hear safety-related noises with the combination, and fatigue level was reduced.

 

[dmccarty]

Mark,

Nope no bum steer. I think the Pro Ears work. I have been thinking about
buying this kind of ear protection for years. Not only for tractor work but
for using around firearms and powertools. So this is a purchase that has
multiple uses and thus more bang for the buck. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif So to speak. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

What really is funny to me is that I did not think my "review" was that long. I
just went back and looked at the review and it sure is long! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif What
is kinda ironic is that when I started the review I just wanted to have a
bulleted list of my impressions. But I had to explain things so the bulleted
list went bye bye and well, the review turned into a Magnus Opus. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

I'm not sure if I'm going to get much tractor seat time the next couple of
weeks so I don't think I'll get much more "testing" done on the Pro Ears.
But I will be doing some shooting by the end of the month so it will
be interesting to see, or should that be hear, /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif how the Pro Ears
work with rounds going down range.

Later...
Dan

 

[blurrybill]

MarkC,

I've used mine a couple of times and find them just terrific. Still don't have the big tractor, but the LX279 is loud enough when you bump along mowing 4-5 acres. Mine came set on the middle position and I was afraid to move the jumper - not sure I wouldn't break them. In any event, I found mine to be very comfortable, almost surprisingly so. Due to a botched Lasik procedure (don't ANYBODY do that - see suricaleyes.org) I have to wear hard custom contacts. I wear safety goggles all the time while mowing. The pro-ears fit over them nicely.

Another plus: I noticed MUCH less fatigue with them on - it really is amazing. Can't wait for the 4310 and the bells and whistles - one more week? Then, I'll really put the Pro-Ears to the test. I did wear them using a large gas trimmer and they really helped there, as well. They are warm and I sweat profusely. Still, very much worth the expense to protect hearing -- I play music and would be devastated if I lost hearing. Hope this mini review helps.

For those hesitating, go for it. (no vested interest in the company).

Bill

 

[dmccarty]

Here some more info on using the Pro Ears.

Saturday I had to do some shooting so I wore the Pro Ears.

Simply put they worked real well. I was able to hear all the
range commands very easily and I could hear what was going
on at the other end of the firing line. What was a bit strange
was that I could hear the echos from the firing. I have never
heard that before because of the regular ear protection. The
Pro Ears would cut off the pistol shots and then allow "normal"
sounds. Real nice.

The course of fire and correspond rules I had to do are a bit picking.
Its new and we have not gotten used to the new steps and quite
a few people have been disqualified as a result. During the one and
only practice round, I was supposed to fire 3 rounds, then 2 and then
1. The last string had been 2 rounds, 2 rounds and 2 rounds. So I
thought we was supposed to do 3 and 3. So I messed up by doing
3 and 3. If this had been for qualification I would have been DQed. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Now I don't mind making a mistake like this but really TICKED me off
was that I was wearing the Pro Ears so I HAD NO EXCUSE FOR NOT firing
3, 2, and 1. I certainly could not say I had not heard the range officer! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Later,
Dan McCarty

 

[JTD]

MChalkley; Thanks for arranging this discount. I got my Pro Ears Dimension 2 last week and they work great. I know I'll like them even better when my woodshop gets built in early fall. Thanks again.

 

[MChalkley]

Dan - Thanks for the additional update! Your shooting range experience sounds pretty interesting. I'm glad they worked so well. I haven't done any shooting with mine yet.

 

[MChalkley]

JTD - You're welcome! I'm glad they're working out. John (at Shooter's Safety) sent me some anti-corrosion stuff and some wax for me to try out, and as a thank-you for working the deal out. I haven't tried it out very thoroughly yet, but when I do I'll post something in the Lubricants section, I guess. Either that or Off Topic...

 

[Richard]

I too, jump on the bandwagon of appreciation. I bought a set. Got a chance to really use them this past weekend and find them very nice. Kind of different than I'd expected..I presumed (and maybe I'm STILL wrong) that they did their most quietening when turned ON..sort of an active sound cancellation. though that may still be technically accurate..I find that I simply prefer them off when I'm out on the backside of farm. No one there to talk to me anyway, and they seem more quiet. With them turned on, they give me the feeling of peeping through window blinders...what I mean is, they quieten the range of sounds Brutus may make..but when turned on..the "voice range" is allowed to "peep through" and is amplified such that I can hear wifey yelling something about getting the &^# off her flowers (?) /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif and her potato chip bag "crinkle". Very interesting.

Today, I had chance to hook up to cd player (I got the sterio patch chord also). LOVED IT. I thought that the ear volume would control CD volume...it doesnt. If "off" then earphones do not "work". Turned on, they DO allow the music to be heard, however the music is independently controlled by volume of CD player stuffed into my pocket. I presume same applies to radio (?). Upon turning ear's "up", then the OTHER sounds of life (like something about getting the %^*)^ off a flower bed) /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif (any guess as to where I once was??) starts to come through along with the music. Very interesting, I LOVE the quietness of them...LOVE that they can do the music thing (Nothing like moving dirt with "Bad Company Live" in the background...) and I like that you can blend the music WITH, or without ambient sounds.

Am trying to now get several others to try these and jump on a set.

Aint this site wonderful!!!

I'm remorseful that there is SOOOO much infomation here at TBN to take and being raised a "city boy", that I have so little of it to offer back. (no offense to other city boys...just slamming on myself!!)

 

[MChalkley]

Richard - I hope your wife doesn't check out TBN - it could be interesting to get her reaction to finding out you leave the Pro-Ears turned off so you don't have to listen to her... /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

As you've found out from experience, if the volume controls are turned off, the Pro-Ears behave just like 29NRR ear muffs. When you turn them on, though, they "do their thing" and play the processed sounds through the speakers at the volume level determined by the volume control knobs.

The Pro-Ears are also designed so the input from your radio, CD-player, whatever, is unaffected by its volume controls - that way, you can play the ambient sounds at whatever volume you want, and do the same independently with the radio volume, using the radio's volume control. You get a lot more versatility that way.

You can even listen to the radio in one ear and the ambient sounds in the other, if it doesn't drive you crazy. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

By the way, hearing the wife's potato chip bag crinkle could have advantages, too. For example, it could alert you to the fact that you're missing a meal... /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif (And thanks for the kind words - I just call 'em like I see 'em - but I'm really glad you're pleased with the result.)

 

[MikePA]

The other day I was finished using the tractor and was walking about the yard putting things back in order. I have to move things like the dogs chain, two rain gutters, etc. before I mow. I still had the ProEars on but I had turned the radio off. The sound of the birds chirping was almost deafening! I stood there for a minute just listening to the normal sounds of a spring day amplified and playing in stereo. The bird songs, an occasional car going by on the highway 50 yards away. Simply an amazing experience...but then I am easily impressed /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif.

 

[Richard]

Anyone have to replace a battery yet? Seems I left one side of my ears on and ran batterys dead. Upshot, had to make 4 different stops before finally finding a place that not only had them, but had them in stock. Finally got them at Walmart (ugh..I soooo chidided myself for fighting that crowd)..none the less, for something like $3.50 for a pair of "N" batteries.

Seems they fit on dog collars, laser pointers and a variety of other things that had most places simply out of stock. Maybe it was my bad luck?

So..if you do lots of work and love to plug in radio/cd to them.. look NOW for some replacement batteries and you will not have to lose a step. I bought 2 sets. Fresh set for now and a backup for when I forget to turn them off again and drain the now, "new' batteries!!. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif By the way, don't bother going to Walmart in Maryville...they had some nut clean them out of "N" batteries! /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

Richard

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

<font color=red>Seems I left one side of my ears on and ran batterys dead.</font color=red>
Saturday night I left both sides on. Made it through part of Sunday before they started clicking on and off.
Duracells $4.99/pr at Rite Aid. Only bought one set pending shopping for a better deal.

 

[MikePA]

Has anyone found a better cord for connecting a radio to the Pro-Mag Dimension 2? So the cord stays out of my way, and doesn't get hooked on anything, I run it underneath my T-shirt to the radio in my left front pocket. Problems arise when the cord 'sticks' to my skin, I move, resulting in the cord being yanked from either the radio (most often) or the headphones (less often). If I don't run it under my T-shirt, the cord always flops around and gets in my way. Anyone find a better way?

 

[wasabi]

Got the headset and love it, but haven't connected the phone or stereo yet. My plan is to mount the cd player to the ROPS canopy above and in front of me...then connect the wires with rubber bands to keep slight tension on them to hold them up and out of the way. Only problem is I'll have to take the headset off and put them on their hook when I dismount.

My preferred tunes for moving gravel = "Dire Straits"

 

[MChalkley]

Mike - I've tried two things that work decently well. One is to wear two shirts... And the other is to wire-tie a couple of alligator clips to the cord, then clip the cord to the shirt. (Just make sure you don't get any skin while you're at it! /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif)

 

[Dozernut]

Richard

That nut that cleaned out the batteries was probably a meth cooker. The lithium out of the batteries is a component in the manufacture of methamphetamine. Several other common items are used in the process. This is called the **** method, as the Nazis invented the process and made meth to give to their soldiers for endurance and strength. A soldier hopped up on this did not need sleep. Unfortunately meth is becoming the drug of choice with our youth.

 

[MJB]

I think the "nut" that Richard was referring to was himself.

 

[Richard]

uh oh.. my meth lab has been 'outed' /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif.
You are right though, it was myself I referred to as the nut.

 

[Dozernut]

Richard

Sorry I was half asleep when I wrote that, no insult intended, just did'nt read into the message deep enough. 20 lashes to me with a wet noodle. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

One side of my Pro Ears died. I have no idea why. They have had absolutely no abuse, of course. Knocking them off the top of the Power Trac engine cover onto the asphalt road has got to be considered normal use, right? And off the seat onto concrete, and several other minor oops-type incidents. Then, I left them on and ran the batteries down. When I replaced them, one side refused to come to work.
So, I sent them off to RidgeLine for R & R, and went back to plugs. I mowed for two hours the other night, and really missed the Pro Ears. I'd gotten used to be able to modulate the go pedal by hearing the blade speed over the other din. It's harder to sort out of the remaining noise with plugs.