Bluetooth Earplug Earbuds for The Shop

[dr_clyde]

Just caught my last pair of corded earbuds on a vise handle and ripped them apart.

Probably time to join the bluetooth world. For years, I've used Koss "The Plug" earbuds, and they're awesome for the money. But, they have a cord.

I'm looking at the Isotunes Xtra or the Pro. Anyone use either and can advise?

I'm ONLY considering earlplug/hearing protection styles. I listen to mostly spoken word stuff, so sound clarity is important. Audio books and podcasts usually.

I do listen to music on them, but not near as often, as I usually just put music on the shop stereo.

Any other experiences/recommendations?

 

[tarbellb]

Avoid Jaybirds, not worth the money.

Check Cnet for some good reviews, ill be interested to see what you find. Im rocking the 3M Worktunes but they are cumbersome and to big for many applications.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

LG Stereo Headset 820

Use it to be hands free while working on the phone or with music/podcasts playing. Picked up a Wallyworld (don't remember the price, work covered them). Just hangs around your neck with retractable earbuds, also drowns out the sounds of diesel generators screaming right next to me.

 

[cooljoe57]

I use the Isotunes Pro, mostly for music. They're pretty comfortable and the battery life so far seems to be good, only had them since the beginning of the year. Sound quality is pretty good, on the plus side its Bluetooth so the phone calls i used to miss while working i can now answer on the spot.

 

[dr_clyde]

Avoid Jaybirds, not worth the money.

Check Cnet for some good reviews, ill be interested to see what you find. Im rocking the 3M Worktunes but they are cumbersome and to big for many applications.

Good to know, they had some good reviews. What makes them not worth the money?

 

[tarbellb]

Good to know, they had some good reviews. What makes them not worth the money?

Fitment issues mostly, they have a large port/tip that pops out regardless of size, plus expensive.

Personally ive always like either foam tips or the flanged similar to safety plugs for tips, but Jaybird is to big for the foam to work, and doesnt offer the flanged.

 

[kctyphoon]

I have no idea what you mean by "hearing protection Bluetooth earbuds", but the highest rated Bluetooth wireless earbuds right now are the Jabra 65t's . I have them. Love them. They have a nice "hear through" feature that can be activated using their app that allows you to hear everything around you without removing the earbuds.

Top 3 are the Jabra , airpods( no cutom fit options though), Bose (heavy) and the Samsung are up there too. I went Jabra - no regrets

 

[dr_clyde]

I have no idea what you mean by "hearing protection Bluetooth earbuds", but the highest rated Bluetooth wireless earbuds right now are the Jabra 65t's . I have them. Love them. They have a nice "hear through" feature that can be activated using their app that allows you to hear everything around you without removing the earbuds.

Top 3 are the Jabra , airpods( no cutom fit options though), Bose (heavy) and the Samsung are up there too. I went Jabra - no regrets

I want the exact opposite. There are earbuds that behave like earplugs, allowing you to use stuff like grinders and other loud shop tools and have the ability to listen to music as well.

 

[Locker537]

Isotunes are the ones that come to mind when you actually want hearing protection. No experience with them, but I see them advertised a lot and would like to try them.

 

[Millwrong]

A guy at work has a set of these. Fooled all of the white hats for a long time....





https://www.plugfones.com/product/liberate2/

 

[guy48065]

Thanks for posting. Curious, can you real hear the difference from cheapy ear buds when playing mp3 music?

Definitely--and the quality of the earbuds is a lot more obvious than the bitrate of the audio.

Between my accumulation and my 3 kids I had perhaps 15 sets in a drawer and one day I got them all out and compared. About half were so awful compared to the best that they went straight into the trash.
BTW I don't own any "audiophile" buds made of Brazilian rosewood and unobtainium to compare to. All just low to mid-quality.

I use an LG neck unit with muffs over when on my ZTR mower. I'm interested in knowing if any others have buds that offer as good isolation.

 

[Bretny]

I have been useing 3M worktunes for a few months. Very quiet and sound very good.

I have tried ear buds with muffs over and find them to hurt my ears after a few hours.

 

[things_stuff48.]

I have had the ISO PROS for about a year and love them. At work or in the garage I only run them on the lowest setting most of the time and hear just fine. I would not hesitate to buy them again.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

 

[inyoyote]

Isotunes pro here. Use them every day running heavy equipment and pneumatic equipment. The rubber tips are usually on them but I’ll switch to the foamies if it’s really loud. They go over 10 hours on a charge but I charge them every night in my work truck. The Bluetooth range has shortened some over the year or so that I’ve had them but I run them off my I watch now and it’s no problem. They are tough and waterproof and definitely work well as earplugs, I forgot to charge them a few times and just used them as earplugs when the battery wore out. The only thing I don’t like is the buttons for answering calls and hanging up but I do that on my phone or watch so it’s a non issue and the charging light is a little hard to see in sunlight. The sounds is excellent, far better than the power beats 3 I had before these which I killed with water. Buy them, you’ll like them.

 

[Reit38]

I've also been wanting to get a pair myself. Work doesnt mind if you have earbuds in listening to music but I find they they seem to get caught and often times are in the way so I'm wanting to go bluetooth route myself.

Sent from my SM-G930R4 using Tapatalk

 

[oldwino]

I have been useing 3M worktunes for a few months. Very quiet and sound very good.
.

I’ve been happy with the work tunes as well. Good sound quality and they go with me to the drags so hearing protection is very good

 

[Fuelboat]

Had a set of Anker Soundcore, but lost them to the wife

 

[ericb445]

I wear the 3M worktunes everyday. They work well for what I need, listen to audio books a lot.
I have even flown with them and they were perfect for that

 

[MarvinBerry]

Pretty sure this will click in on the top end of the $$ range but... IEM. In Ear Monitors.

If your after isolation the only solution is to visit an audiologist & have them take custom molds of your ears. Not too bad, usually $100 max.

From there several options... can get earplugs that are fit specific to you. They'll outperform anything you can buy off the shelf & be way more comfortable.

Or you can get molds that will take standard drivers from Shure or Sennheiser...pro music stage gear...

Or go nuts & get of 64 ears -

https://www.64audio.com/product/1964-A2e-Custom-In-Ear-Monitor

The bitchin thing about custom molds is they fit perfectly. It's like putting on a pair of favorite shoes, slip in & slip out while maintaing a tighter seal around the ears then anything stock. So they block more outside noise, way more, and can keep the driver volume down.

You only get one set of ears in life.

 

[FakeNewsRealHP]

A guy at work has a set of these. Fooled all of the white hats for a long time....





https://www.plugfones.com/product/liberate2/

I used a few pairs of the basic ones with the cord running down the back of my shirt and plugged into a bluetooth adaptor clipped on my belt back before they had a Bluetooth pair available. They fooled everyone for years until I quit and gave away my secret. Sound quality was WAAAY better than any sub $50 earbud, partly due to the sealing nature of them. I only listen to podcasts on the job:

 

[mudflap]

Were not allowed to have them.

 

[PhantomEB]

Following as I know the wife would appreciate not listening to the stereo fight the grinder!

 

[shoot summ]

I have Jaybird's, the key with them is to get the memory foam tips from Comply. Complete isolation, and never an issue with the buds falling out.

 

[shockwave]

I swear by the lg tone platinums been using them for years fits around your neck and will not even realize it’s there and great sound and phone use too try AirPods Samsung and the lg tones hold up very well with shop environment

 

[catron44]

Another vote for the worktunes. I've had them for well over a year and they're great. I have been eyeing Decibullz lately. I got a pair of their regular moldable hearing protection for work and based on them I wouldn't hesitate to recommend their blutooth option now.

 

[FakeNewsRealHP]

I swear by the lg tone platinums been using them for years fits around your neck and will not even realize it’s there and great sound and phone use too try AirPods Samsung and the lg tones hold up very well with shop environment

I always loved my LG tones, I feel like I’ve had every model they have made between the pro and platinum lines over the years. Best Buy stores will NOT warranty them at all anymore. Eventually everyone I’ve had shorted out. Wearing them all day and charging at lunch to get back to wearing them takes its toll with a collared shirt rubbing them. M

 

[Merv Himself]

I've tried a variety of expensive as well as inexpensive ones. For whatever reason, wireless earbuds never quite seem to have the OOMPH I need for these old ears. I just use wired ones and keep them cinched up tight so as not to catch on anything.

 

[BlackLS2]

Jabra 65t Elite Active for the win. Hear-through function is great while working. They stay in !!!!! during movement. They sound great. Excellent range. They charge in the case, you charge the case once in a while.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I have a cheap single earbud I got on Amazon for around $13, I think FocusPower was the brand name. Works great and the battery lasts a long time. Plus I can still hear since I'm wearing just the one. I don't like people surprising me in the shop when I'm using tools and didn't hear them walk up.

For mowing and snowblowing I still use my 3M WorkTunes which are bulky, but block out all the noise.