Stereo or non-stereo hearing protectors best?

AEM · December 13, 2000, 03:07 PM

I really see the need for electronic hearing protectors. I have been shooting in a carbine club recently, and last week took my first tactical carbine class. It is really a pain to have trouble hearing the rangemaster's instructions or the instructor's remarks without taking off your ear protection. Just when you decide that it is safe to take them off, somebody downrange touches off a .257 Weatherby or some other earsplitting weapon.

So, my question is stereo or not stereo? Mas Ayoob wrote that the non-stereo (binaural ?) sets are better than stereo because you can tell what direction the sound is coming from. Makes sense to me, but the ads for the stereo units claim they promote better direction finding.

Would someone with some experience with either design give me your thoughts?

Jim V · December 13, 2000, 08:50 PM

I have a pair of Peltor T-6 hearing protectors, each ear has it's own unit and batteries. Cost about $130.00 or so from Dillons. They might not be quite enough for a carbine match but they seem to work well around a Browning M-2 HB .50.

The T-7's are suggested for rifle and shotgun use (they cost a little more).

**Mal H** · December 13, 2000, 09:43 PM

I'm not sure what Ayoob was talking about or if you got his quote mixed up because binaural means stereo. Monaural would be the non-stereo type. I believe most of the popular electronic hearing protectors have microphones in each ear muff so they are, by definition, stereo. There may be a feature on some that allow switching to a blended sound from both mikes, but I'm not sure. Non-stereo muffs would not (could not?) help in determining the direction of a sound.

So my answer for your question would be - stereo.

AEM · December 14, 2000, 01:16 PM

Thanks, Mal.

I think you are right; I misquoted Ayoob. The distinction would be between stereo and monaural. I assume that all electronic hearing protectors have mikes in both muffs; but that some have stereo circuitry and some don't. What I think Ayoob was saying is that stereo circuitry takes the sound from both sides and blends them together, so that a sound coming from the right would be heard equally loud in both ears, so you wouldn't know that the noise is coming from the right. For that reason he recommended monaural.

It makes sense to me. I would want to know if someone is approaching me from one side, and don't see the need to hear it in stereo.

Do the stereo models make it difficult to detect the direction the sound is coming from?

December 13, 2000, 08:50 PM	#2
Jim V Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 1999 Location: SE Michigan - USA Posts: 4,038	I have a pair of Peltor T-6 hearing protectors, each ear has it's own unit and batteries. Cost about $130.00 or so from Dillons. They might not be quite enough for a carbine match but they seem to work well around a Browning M-2 HB .50. The T-7's are suggested for rifle and shotgun use (they cost a little more). __________________ *MOLON LABE* If it ain't metal, single stack & single action, it ain't a 1911 no matter what it looks like. 1911 Forum THE TUBBY CURMUDGEON

December 13, 2000, 03:07 PM	#1
AEM Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 1999 Posts: 171	I really see the need for electronic hearing protectors. I have been shooting in a carbine club recently, and last week took my first tactical carbine class. It is really a pain to have trouble hearing the rangemaster's instructions or the instructor's remarks without taking off your ear protection. Just when you decide that it is safe to take them off, somebody downrange touches off a .257 Weatherby or some other earsplitting weapon. So, my question is stereo or not stereo? Mas Ayoob wrote that the non-stereo (binaural ?) sets are better than stereo because you can tell what direction the sound is coming from. Makes sense to me, but the ads for the stereo units claim they promote better direction finding. Would someone with some experience with either design give me your thoughts?

December 13, 2000, 09:43 PM	#3
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,955	I'm not sure what Ayoob was talking about or if you got his quote mixed up because binaural means stereo. Monaural would be the non-stereo type. I believe most of the popular electronic hearing protectors have microphones in each ear muff so they are, by definition, stereo. There may be a feature on some that allow switching to a blended sound from both mikes, but I'm not sure. Non-stereo muffs would not (could not?) help in determining the direction of a sound. So my answer for your question would be - stereo.

December 14, 2000, 01:16 PM	#4
AEM Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 1999 Posts: 171	Thanks, Mal. I think you are right; I misquoted Ayoob. The distinction would be between stereo and monaural. I assume that all electronic hearing protectors have mikes in both muffs; but that some have stereo circuitry and some don't. What I think Ayoob was saying is that stereo circuitry takes the sound from both sides and blends them together, so that a sound coming from the right would be heard equally loud in both ears, so you wouldn't know that the noise is coming from the right. For that reason he recommended monaural. It makes sense to me. I would want to know if someone is approaching me from one side, and don't see the need to hear it in stereo. Do the stereo models make it difficult to detect the direction the sound is coming from?