ISOTunes hearing protector earbuds
Rock out and protect your hearing at the same time
I always listen to music in my shop. When I’m working at the bench with hand tools, the quiet hum of music in the background, played through a Bluetooth speaker, helps me concentrate. The same is true when I’m milling lumber, routing, and using my tablesaw and bandsaw. But those machines are so loud that they drown out the speaker, so I started to use earbuds under my hearing protection. This combination was less than perfect—it was uncomfortable, and the cord running from the earbuds to my phone compromised the earmuffs’ protection. Fortunately, I found ISOtunes Pro earbud hearing protectors. These in-ear protectors have an ANSI-certified 27-db. noise reduction rating, and connect to your smart phone via Bluetooth technology. They did a great job of muffling machinery noise, and I was able to keep the music volume at a comfortable level (to comply with OSHA standards, the earbuds top out at 85 db.). As for sound quality, it was good. Ben Strano, FWW’s web producer and a former sound engineer in Nashville, gave them a thumbs-up, too.
The earbuds are very comfortable and the controls are easy to use. The Bluetooth signal is strong and battery life is great. A USB charging cord is provided. There is a less expensive version, called ISOTunes, with cords that drop down from the earbuds. Their noise reduction rating is slightly less (26 db.), and the battery doesn’t last as long per charge.
—Matt Kenney is the special projects editor.
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Comments
So, how much do they cost?
More than my wallet can hold probably.. Wallet capacity may vary from month to month. I recently received a Oontz Bluetooth wireless speaker that's absolutely fabulous in the shop. Maybe I'll finally stop dropping my phone into the piles of sawdust.
Nah...never gonna happen.. ;-)
I have an Ankor speaker cost me around $30 that I can move around with me. If I am running a machine in the shop, maybe I'll miss a song or two, but I'd rather not have the music distraction. I never rode a motorcycle listening to music, either. And I am a musician as well as lead singer, so it's not like I don't like music. Safety is my primary thing.
The ones shown here are $50 on Amazon.
I use the Bose QC30 noise cancelling headphones in my shop. The in-ear buds are attached to a collar that holds the battery and bluetooth circuitry. THey provide superb noise cancelling from my milling machines, and excellent audio production. They are pricey, but well worth the ear protection and sound quality. I think of them as the "Sawstop" version of ear protection.
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