Pro Tech - NoiseBuster AM/FM radio earmuff

Throughout this site I have stressed the importance of consistently wearing hearing protection when working with power tools. It's every bit as important as wearing eye protection. I encourage you to make it a habit to protect both your sight and your hearing—it's the best insurance policy you can give yourself.

With that in mind, Pro Tech Communications sent me their latest in earmuffs: the NoiseBuster AM/FM radio earmuff. This is hearing protection that you will forget you are even wearing. Just think about cutting the grass or using a power tool while you protect your hearing and enjoy your favorite radio station or ballgame.

A state-of-the-art AM/FM radio is built into the earmuff, and the short flexible antenna does an excellent job of picking up both AM (540 to 1700 MHz) and FM (88 to 108 MHz) channels. In fact, I was surprised by the channels that the unit picked up because I discovered stations I've never heard before. Yes, I tried tuning into those same stations on a couple of high-quality stereo tuners. Either I was unable to bring the stations in clearly or unable to bring them in at all.

The sound is incredible under the extra soft ear cushions. I found it no different from wearing a stereo headset except that I didn't have to worry about being hooked up to the stereo system. Storage is simple becuase the unit folds up into a compact size.

The headband is adjustable for comfort and easy access to the rotary tuning and volume located on the outside of one ear cup. The AM/FM switch is on the same ear cup but at the underside of the cup. The volume is limited to 82dB for safety.

NoiseBuster is powered by two AA batteries that can provide at least 140 hours depending on the brand and condition of the batteries. The unit is resistant to water, moisture, contaminates, mechanical shock, and vibration.

One downside with this earmuff is that it's so comfortable to wear, it's easy to forget you have it on. I can tell you from my own home improvement projects that I have thumped earmuffs—with some degree of hardness—up against stair stringers, heating ductwork, framing, and plumbing pipes, all because I forgot I was wearing them. So I can testify about mechanical shock to this earmuff: the abuse it took did not affect the music I was listening to at the time the earmuff was thumped.

While this earmuff can take abuse, it's important to be aware of what you are doing while wearing this muff as you use tools and work around the home.

Though it's not made in the US, this earmuff is still a product that's quality built, delivers superior sound, and blocks the noise from lawn and garden products and tools. The big surprise is its very low price tag. You can't go wrong by investing in the NoiseBuster AM/FM radio earmuff.

To learn how to choose the correct hearing protection for yourself, click here!

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