Walker'sUltimate Power Muff Quads - Hearing Protection Noise Reduction 26dB NRR Hunting Gun Range Shooting Electronic Earmuffs with AFT, 2 AAA Batteries Included

These were hands down one of the most important shooting range accessories for me. I was worried about getting enough protection but also still being able to hear clearly. In the small indoor range I was able to carry on a conversation with my friend and still block out the gun shots to a comfortable level. They are comfortable on my head for the entirety of the range session. The adjustments for the ear mics are simple and easy to use. They feels well built for the price.

tight on head and quiet

These are very good muffs, but not perfect. With that said, these are the only muffs that I use now on indoor gun ranges, because of the fit and the level of sound protection. So that's all good. The (relatively small) problems are:1. The muff enclosure is much wider than many electronic ear muffs. They are about 1/4 to 3/8 inch wider than my Howard Leights, for instance. This is not a problem for pistol shooting, but it becomes a challenge when you're shooting a rifle. The size of the muff interferes with the top of the butt stock on my AR-15, so I have to really have to spend some time locking my head into position without the butt knocking the muff off. It's doable, but just a PITA. The muffs are exceptionally good at knocking sound down, and the size of the muffs is an important factor. So, would I sacrifice some sound protection for a thinner muff that allowed me to get a quicker sight picture? No, I wouldn't. My hearing is very important because it's been damaged in the past by crappy ear muffs.2. The real reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the sound discrimination. The sound is much more "tinny" than my Howard Leights, bu the important thing is that when there's a shot that needs to be muffled, the muffs filter out ALL sound for about a half second, even if the shot came from the other end of the range. That makes it almost impossible for you to have a conversation with someone while anybody is firing a weapon at your indoor range.What's impressive about these muffs is the fit and the snugness. They both contribute to make the level of sound protection outstanding. Walker's should do a bit of work on their electronics, IMO. These muffs, combined with the Leight electronics, would be the perfect combination, IMO.

I was hoping not to have to use muffs, but the difference between these and the Walker ear buds is huge! The buds allowed harsh noise to come through, but the muffs did not. The sound quality from the ear buds was poor, whereas the sound quality from these ear muffs is very good.Before turning on the electronic sound, they muffs are excellent sound-blockers. I tested them with my husband standing in front of me, and I could not hear or understand him, when speaking in a normal voice. When I turned on the electronics, I could hear him as clearly as if I were wearing no ear protection at all. Every sound was crisp and clear. I did the clanging kettles test (the earbuds failed this test) but with the muffs, the sound was muted enough that I experienced no pain. I have not tested them shooting yet, but mainly I got them for use around the house (vacuuming, hammering, sawing, etc.) as I have sensitive hearing. The thing I have always hated about wearing hearing protection is that everything is muffled, and I feel like I'm inside a bubble. Not any more!I also appreciate that the volume of sound from each ear is separately adjustable. I used them at an elderly neighbor's house. He keeps the TV on at a level that is painfully loud for me. This unit allowed me to have the sound at a level that was comfortable for me. Furthermore, when people were talking on one side of me, I was able to turn the sound down on that side, and up on the TV side, so I didn't miss the show; and vice versa when I wanted to hear the conversation. I think these would be terrific for going to a concert where the music is uncomfortably loud. You can adjust them to hear the music clearly, without reaching the threshold of pain. The separate microphones allow stereo sound.Now the down side: I was hoping for more sound amplification. As it turns out, 9 times amplification is actually very little in terms of sound experience. I tried them on an elderly man who has poor hearing, and he could not hear me AT ALL, even with the sound turned all the way up and I was speaking very loudly right in front of him. On the other hand, I tried the Williams Pocket Talker with him, and he nearly jumped out of his seat! With that unit, he was able to have a normal conversation with me, for the first time in years.Conclusion: For hearing protection, and being able to clearly hear ambient sounds and conversations (if you have normal hearing) this unit is awesome, and clearly beats the ear buds. But don't expect to use it for real sound amplification. Use an assistive listening device for that.

Nov. 22, 2021I purchased these because my son used my old Peltor 6S muffs for rifle season this year.If I had my Samsung S21 Ultra in any pocket, or in my hands, it caused terrible feedback and static. I returned my pair of Walker's quads.The volume control is touchy, and honestly they amplify ambient sound way too much. A jet flew over and I thought I was about to be bombed. The 'tone' filter knobs are a great idea, but excution is really bad. If they used better quality speakers, perhaps the tone filter wheels could be of some use. Basically muffled some highs and some lows.No gel cups. STRONG headband kept the phones tight to my head.If there were no cell phones in the world, these would be great. I bought Peltor Tactical Sport 500's and some gel cups to replace these muffs. Sound quality for music is lacking, but they are a huge step up from these Walker's. Plus I can listen to music and hear ambient sounds at the same time with separate volume controls for each. I'm very happy with them.

Noise cancelling works well for loud sudden noise but not for continuous machine or engine noise. For my purposes they didn’t work that great.