Ear Protection: Air Pods Pro 2

[MerlinsBeard]

I play guitar. I wear over-ear hearing protection every single time when possible, and even for mundane things like vacuuming or using a loud mixer in the kitchen. Over-sensitive, perhaps, but I want to be able to hear the guitar when I get old.

 

[mike93lx]

I play guitar. I wear over-ear hearing protection every single time when possible, and even for mundane things like vacuuming or using a loud mixer in the kitchen. Over-sensitive, perhaps, but I want to be able to hear the guitar when I get old.

Go check out a Miele canister... No more hearing protection needed!

 

[Cruzan80]

My go to are a pair of Shure noise isolation earbuds. I figure if professional musicians wear them doing the number of concerts they do, I will be fine. I have the 215's (after my E2C died) and got a generic adapter to make them Bluetooth (cord goes around the back of my neck). Otherwise, I see Shure now makes their own version, with a battery/weight at each earlier.

 

[rpcraft]

Depends on how close the over the ear cans fit to your ear. The apple one stick out a fair amount. I have also tried getting them to fit under a motorcycle helmet without being able to

 

[rpcraft]

I’ve got the Bose QCs too… sent for review… and honestly, the noise canceling is about on par with the AirPods Pro for me. Sound quality? I’d call it a dead heat… maybe a slight edge to the QC due the EQ.

For me, the AirPods win on comfort and absolutely crush it when it comes to Apple ecosystem connectivity. No major value difference between the two, but I reach for the AirPods more—they just work better for me.

The EQ does make a difference. I am not into too much bass but overall the volume on the QC’s was what did it for me. Maybe the apple buds just have too low a limit. I was in the service and have some hearing issues but to me the quietness of the QC’s was greater in places where the apple just didn’t do it for me. Then again I did not mess around with different silicone ear pieces. They often will slip out so I am sure that is part of the issue there.

 

[BroncoAZ]

I’ve been using the AirPods Pro 2 as hearing protection on things like woodworking, mowing, pressure washer use, etc. I put them in noise cancelling mode and it seems fine. With the noise cancelling turned off they are still providing what seems like enough noise reduction to be safe, but the noise cancelling is icing on the case as I can significantly reduce the volume of whatever I’m listening to. I was using a trim router for probably 30 minutes straight the other night, then my Bosch slider miter saw, and the HF Hepa shop vac the whole time. I was comfortable with the amount of noise reduction the entire time. I have used the AirPods under over the ear protection at the range.

i worked in industrial safety for 14 years. I’d be very interested to see what that group would say about Airpods as PPE.

 

[PhantomEB]

Working with Safety more and more on Hearing protection.

a few of you know I have next to no hearing left. Had surgery last year for cochlear implants. All of my implants programs have automatic decibel reduction capabilities and now we working on getting me a Bluetooth adapter that will send the radio conversations straight to my implants which will make me one of the safer guys on the plant even bypassing those with radio capable ear muffs.

now safety has me and them working on ear buds….are they actually better than ear plugs….even custom molded ones!

my foreman said get the hell out of my office when I asked can I get custom ear plugs…..I want to keep **** out of my ears! He said they aint for decoration ya know!

 

[908Jim]

I’ve been using the AirPods Pro 2 as hearing protection on things like woodworking, mowing, pressure washer use, etc. I put them in noise cancelling mode and it seems fine. With the noise cancelling turned off they are still providing what seems like enough noise reduction to be safe, but the noise cancelling is icing on the case as I can significantly reduce the volume of whatever I’m listening to. I was using a trim router for probably 30 minutes straight the other night, then my Bosch slider miter saw, and the HF Hepa shop vac the whole time. I was comfortable with the amount of noise reduction the entire time. I have used the AirPods under over the ear protection at the range.

i worked in industrial safety for 14 years. I’d be very interested to see what that group would say about Airpods as PPE.

From the spec sheet, they have a passive NRR of 10db and it specifically states "Not to be used for impulse noises above 110db".

https://www.apple.com/airpods-pro/pdf/Hearing_Protection_data_sheet_October_2024.pdf

Using these as actual PPE seems foolish. Sound is complex and attenuation changes with frequency and all of that, but this kind of noise cancellation is more for knocking down annoying background noise and reducing distractions, not actual hearing protection.

 

[Hank11]

I am most times happy with good fitting foam ear plugs.
Not hearing much is kind of relaxing.

 

[Mikeske]

I've always preferred over the ear muffs, I have an old pair of David Clark muffs I use in the workshop; I used to work around wind tunnels and that was what we used. Interestingly, I just looked at their website and they've discontinued regular old muffs, but do sell muffs with audio.

Would the AirPods fit inside a pair of muffs? That would give you extra protection, plus protect the AirPods from dust.

I have the AirPods 2 Pro set and I wear them with an older Pelter over the ear muffs when I work in my personal shop and when I am out in the yard working. Noise is muted very well. I primarily use my AirPods for the noise cancellation and as a hearing aid as I have normal hearing in the right ear and a 40% hearing loss in my right ear which works great for me

 

[Itsjustdirt]

Also, your tone *****.

His tone doesn't ****, you just can't hear him properly.

haha. jk

 

[mike93lx]

His tone doesn't ****, you just can't hear him properly.

haha. jk

You had me in the first half... Was going to say goodbye

 

[Farmall450]

I am maybe overly cautious on hearing protection and wear plugs for damn near anything that makes noise in the shop.

Yeah, I don't want to have hearing struggles in my old age, so I do too. Basically always wear earplugs, so it's not inconvenient to grab. I do use muffs more in the winter or if I'm running the air compressor hard, etc.

Dewalt does make bluetooth over the ear muffs that are proper hearing protection AND still provide audio

Premium Bluetooth® Hearing Protector Earmuff

The Bluetooth® Hearing Protector Earmuff provides 25 dBA hearing protection when electronics are not in use, 85 dBA sound level limit when entertainment functions are in use, while offering Bluetooth connectivity for phone calls and listening to music on most smart devices. The microphone and...

www.dewalt.com

 

[Ryan]

His tone doesn't ****, you just can't hear him properly.

haha. jk

Holy ****… I just spit my drink all over the place.

 

[fourjeepin]

i love mine when mowing the grass and using the leaf blower. Maybe not as good as proper PPE, but better than nothing.

 

[MOS3522]

I use them all the time at the gun range, but under a pair of earmuff hearing protectors. The AirPods are just the right additional noise muffling to make shooting pleasant.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I have over the ear muffs and I am thankful for them as they are Bluetooth. I also bought a box of foam ear plugs prior to those...

I have a set of cheap ear buds and pretty sure they have no noise cancelling or protection rating....I really **** look into getting something better. I've seen Kyle on RR Buildings talk about the isotunes many times.

 

[ITGuy1998]

I have a pair of Air Pods Pro 2 and I love them. I use them for music while running. I also use them while mowing. The "killer app" use for me though is on an airplane. They take away a lot of the noise, both mechanical and people. Flying is almost a pleasure with them (I said almost).

 

[mike93lx]

I have a pair of Air Pods Pro 2 and I love them. I use them for music while running. I also use them while mowing. The "killer app" use for me though is on an airplane. They take away a lot of the noise, both mechanical and people. Flying is almost a pleasure with them (I said almost).

Noise cancellation on an airplane is a game changer. I remember my first flight after getting wired bose headphones years back... Now I won't fly without a set of earbuds and/or over-ear headphones

Flying still ***** though, just a little less

 

[Jazz1]

I didn't like them either, I forced myself to try all the silicone plugs until I found sizes that worked for me. My ear canals are two different sizes!

Or is it earwax?

there are kits available for making your own custom ear plugs to fit…i was not aware of the kits as i took my son to have his custom ear plugs made at a cost of $200 many moons ago. All his band mates wore hearing protection as well…

 

[rlitman]

there are kits available for making your own custom ear plugs to fit…i was not aware of the kits as i took my son to have his custom ear plugs made at a cost of $200 many moons ago. All his band mates wore hearing protection as well…

Years back, I bought a kit to mail in an at-home impression for custom molded plugs. My wife never had the hand strength or ability to get a good impression with the 2-part fast setting silicone compound, so it was a total fail for me. An audiologist will have a dispensing gun and experience, and without those it's not easy to take a good impression that's usable for mold making. Furthermore, a pro mold maker will dip the impression in wax to fill in depressions and build up certain regions for a snugger fit before making the plaster negative. That's not something you get with one of the diy fitted "custom" plugs like Decibullz or Radians. $200 isn't all that bad in the greater scheme of things. It's a downright steal if you can keep the negatives and cast a few sets in them.

 

[epoxonyourhouse]

Just logged into this site after not using it for a while and saw this and felt compelled to reply. As someone with hearing damage let me say this is really not good advice. Ambient waveform cancellation (which is what noise cancellation does with phase inversion) does little to nothing to reduce transient SPL (sound pressure levels). Let's not even talk about how badly hard earbuds seal in the ear (or have the capacity to unseal or fall out). Please wear proper hearing protection. You have one set of ears and until they learn how to regenerate cells/hairs, you only get one go with the pair you have.

PS: I just read through and saw people taking issue with someones tone. This is really inappropriate advice - even if the OP is trying to help. That may explain the person putting a little sarcasm into the post. If I said to take a taste of epoxy to make sure it's fresh, I would not take issue with someone adding a little "oomph" to their reply to me. If you're using ANC/Air Pods for moderate ambient noise cancellation where the noise isn't harmful (a.k.a. below 85 dB, hopefully well below if constant) - sure, great advice. For anything louder or with spikes, you're almost not protecting yourself. That goes for compressor use above 85 dB. Get sealed earplugs (or fitted filters in molded or soft plugs) or, if loud, over-ear serious protection.

 

[RCBS]

https://isotunes.com/

You can't turn them up too loud. You can still hear a podcast while on a riding lawn mower. They make one for shop noise another model for the gun range with ambient noise on its own volume rocker- it's my current favorite. The new gel foam tips are nice. They're nice for blowing snow too.

They have a military discount and a sale on black friday.

 

[RCBS]

I use some memory-foam cuffs on my old-school earbuds that claim 21dB reduction--noise blocking.

They seem to work well. I can clearly hear my tinnitus even in the noisiest of environments.

I'd say the biggest risk to using earbuds of any kind for noise attenuation is the tendency to turn the volume up to overwhelm any noise that gets through. Pretty soon, the buds themselves become a hearing hazard.

Isotunes.com they limit the volume and have isolation.

 

[dscheidt]

Just logged into this site after not using it for a while and saw this and felt compelled to reply. As someone with hearing damage let me say this is really not good advice. Ambient waveform cancellation (which is what noise cancellation does with phase inversion) does little to nothing to reduce transient SPL (sound pressure levels). Let's not even talk about how badly hard earbuds seal in the ear (or have the capacity to unseal or fall out). Please wear proper hearing protection. You have one set of ears and until they learn how to regenerate cells/hairs, you only get one go with the pair you have.

PS: I just read through and saw people taking issue with someones tone. This is really inappropriate advice - even if the OP is trying to help. That may explain the person putting a little sarcasm into the post. If I said to take a taste of epoxy to make sure it's fresh, I would not take issue with someone adding a little "oomph" to their reply to me. If you're using ANC/Air Pods for moderate ambient noise cancellation where the noise isn't harmful (a.k.a. below 85 dB, hopefully well below if constant) - sure, great advice. For anything louder or with spikes, you're almost not protecting yourself. That goes for compressor use above 85 dB. Get sealed earplugs (or fitted filters in molded or soft plugs) or, if loud, over-ear serious protection.

I'd go further, and say things like the air pods are negative protection, because of risk compensation. The wearer thinks they're wearing real hearing pro, so they expose themselves to conditions they wouldn't have, had they not had them in. (and they tend to turn the music up to cover the loud noises.!) They're great for isolation -- blocking out airplane noise, distractions at the office or gym or whatever, but they're not hearing protection at all.

I have a pair, and wear them as isolation, for which they're excellent. I found the tips apple provides do not fit my ears, at all. there are third parties that make different tips, including ones made of foam, which do a much better job of fitting ears that are not shaped like Steve Jobs were. I tried three or four different sorts before I found a set I liked. If you travel, make sure you travel with a spare set of tips, regardless of brand, because they all wear out or break. It really ***** to get on a plane, pull out your buds, and discover you can't wear one of them.

 

[RedRabbit]

For passive in-ear protection I love the Surefire in-ear plugs. They come in a few different ratings and are comfortable to wear for 6+ hours with or without over-the-ear muffs. They also have a plug on them so you can open it if you don't need as much protection.

 

[u3b3rg33k]

I use a pair of bone conduction "headphones" and standard supplyhouse earplugs from the dispenser at work.

great sound quality for a noisy shop!

 

[duneslider]

Hear is my take from someone that is hearing impaired. My hearing loss in one ear was not related to damage due to noise exposure but I have significant hearing loss in my right ear and fairly severe tinnitus.

The noise cancelling is pretty good for what they are and I find them great for stuff around the 85-90db range. Like someone mentioned on an airplane they are amazing and make flying much better, I wish they had the feature to connect to the plane entertainment screen.

I do use mine a lot around the garage and yard for the typical stuff, electric lawn mower and string trimmer, drill, sander, nail guns, etc. If I am going to be doing something that is louder, or for an extended time I opt for the "foam earplugs" and my bone conducting headphones (shokz is the brand I have).

Now, when it comes to how the Pro 2's work as a hearing aid...not impressed. I was really really hopeful but they just don't give you the ability to tune them properly for what you need/want. The "report" it gave me after taking the hearing test was actually pretty accurate and matched what my real hearing test was but comparing the airpod to a real hearing aid was not even close. Good hearing aids are expensive though and I really really wanted this to work. Don't get me wrong, it does help but like the other person said the highs get amplified a lot, it seems. For example, closing the airpod case is crazy LOUD! You hear that thing snap shut for sure!

At the end of the day, I use them a lot and am happier with them than any other ear phones I have used and the noise cancelling is a plus.

 

[BroncoAZ]

As I posted earlier, I’ve been using my AirPod pro 2 for light duty hearing protection for things like the mower or shop vac. Yesterday I was cutting some aluminum in my wood miter saw, I instinctively grabbed the ear muffs and put them on over the AirPods, worked fine.

 

[Hohn]

Unfortunately, Apple’s model ear is much smaller than my ears, so their earbuds just fall out.

 

[FJ 432]

Received my pair from Amazon Day's sales event. Love them. The cancellation is amazing.

 

[dscheidt]

Unfortunately, Apple’s model ear is much smaller than my ears, so their earbuds just fall out.

I agree that apple's tips ****.

Have you tried tips from a third party? they're available in different range of sizes, and shaped better. You can also get them made of silicone covered foam, which provides a much tighter seal.