[SAGE] Re: [baylisa] RE: System Administrator Tool chest..

Wed Feb 8 13:13:26 PST 2006

At 3:40 PM -0500 2006-02-08, Allan West wrote:

>  I now wear custom fit earplugs inside my ears instead, and they are
>  very comfortable while taking the edge off the background noise.

	I've got some closed-cell soft foam earplugs that I always buy 
whenever I'm down at Walgreen's Pharmacy (they usually come on cards 
in packs of eight), and they have a Noise Reduction Rating of 33 
decibels.

	That's the highest NRR I've seen on any hearing protection 
device, and I've been very glad to have them -- my wife and I both 
snore quite loudly.  I've used them successfully on airplanes and 
trains, and they've worked quite well to block out the various noises.

	Shure E5c in-earphones also work quite well to block out external 
noises, while providing two high-power drivers for extremely accurate 
audio reproduction.  These are the same model as used by many 
professional singers and stage performers -- my parents like Kenny 
Chesney and I was watching a live concert with them on TV, when I 
noticed he was wearing the same model himself.  Of course, they go 
with custom fitted plugs and not the standard soft silicone that 
ships with the earphones, but I'm happy with what I've got.

	About the only better headphones on the market are the Ultimate 
Ear UE-10s, which have three drivers.  IIRC, they can only be had 
with custom fitted earplugs (usually in a skin tone color), which is 
why I prefer the Shure E5c instead.

	I have worn over-the-head earmuffs when firing various weapons 
down on the shooting range, but I don't know what their respective 
NRR is.  My experience so far is that I would take the soft foam 
in-earplugs (from Walgreens) over anything else.

-- 
Brad Knowles, <brad at stop.mail-abuse.org>

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little
temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

     -- Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), reply of the Pennsylvania
     Assembly to the Governor, November 11, 1755

  LOPSA member since December 2005.  See <http://www.lopsa.org/>.