Which Repro Headset for Airsoft?

[Handsonic]

I intend to run a full headset for airsoft, both for comms and ear/head protection. My concern with these repro headsets is noise dampening and/or noise amplification.

Would simply wearing a ZSordin or Comtac II dampen noise around me and make it hard for me to hear teammates talking regularly? Do they amplify noise and do they have cutoffs? If my headset or mic got shot, would it make a dangerously loud noise?

Overall, which would you recommend if you were choosing ZSordins or Comtac II's? Or is there a better headset for a similar price out there?

Thanks

[Kungpow]

Originally Posted by Handsonic

I intend to run a full headset for airsoft, both for comms and ear/head protection. My concern with these repro headsets is noise dampening and/or noise amplification.

Would simply wearing a ZSordin or Comtac II dampen noise around me and make it hard for me to hear teammates? Do they amplify noise and do they have cutoffs? If my headset or mic got shot, would it make a dangerously loud noise?

Overall, which would you recommend if you were choosing ZSordins or Comtac II's? Or is there a better headset for a similar price out there?

Thanks

I would get the Howard Leight Impact Sport ear pro. I simply would not trust the reproduction stuff... unless you were going to buy the real Sordins or Comtacs. What I notice with my Impact Sports is that it does a very good job at amplifying sound. The only drawback is that when there is a lot of ambient noise around you, it makes it harder to detect sounds from a distance.

[Handsonic]

Originally Posted by Kungpow

I would get the Howard Leight Impact Sport ear pro. I simply would not trust the reproduction stuff... unless you were going to buy the real Sordins or Comtacs. What I notice with my Impact Sports is that it does a very good job at amplifying sound. The only drawback is that when there is a lot of ambient noise around you, it makes it harder to detect sounds from a distance.

Would this be compatible with the arc rail converters to attach it to a FAST helmet?

[Drake]

I'm not sure I understand the OP's question properly: do you want/need actual noise attenuation or are you worried that the repros, worn for airsoft, will make hearing difficult?

If you're looking for actual hearing protection, as Kungpow stated, the repros aren't sufficient. They have no actual NRR.

If you're worried about them affecting normal hearing while airsofting, yes, they do: they'll muffle ambient sound (like wearing headphones with no music on). With the ambient sound microphones on, you'll get varying degrees of audio picked up by low quality microphones and varying degrees of gain played back over the relatively cheap sounding speakers. I mean, if you're curious, record ambient sound with your cellphone and listen to it with headphones on. It works but doesnt sound natural.

[Handsonic]

Originally Posted by Drake

I'm not sure I understand the OP's question properly: do you want/need actual noise attenuation or are you worried that the repros, worn for airsoft, will make hearing difficult?

If you're looking for actual hearing protection, as Kungpow stated, the repros aren't sufficient. They have no actual NRR.

If you're worried about them affecting normal hearing while airsofting, yes, they do: they'll muffle ambient sound (like wearing headphones with no music on). With the ambient sound microphones on, you'll get varying degrees of audio picked up by low quality microphones and varying degrees of gain played back over the relatively cheap sounding speakers. I mean, if you're curious, record ambient sound with your cellphone and listen to it with headphones on. It works but doesnt sound natural.

I'm looking for a headset that will allow me to hear my teammates that don't use comms and will not make my ears explode if a loud noise happens nearby or a BB hits it.

[daishi]

The comtacs from Ztactical are fine for what you want.

Nothing will beat a real pair of sordins tho.

[Red Dot]

I found wearing full headsets (Ztac Sordins) that it screwed up my ability to make out distances especially in indoor environments with a lot of echo.

What I do now is wear ear covers that attach to the rail and if I was concerned for hearing protection in an event I'd wear in-ear foam sound protection that would dampen everything a little bit. Obviously not as good as active hearing protection but better than nothing.

[Danke]

What radio are you plugging them into?

[ThunderCactus]

All sound amp ear pro has a cutoff level, usually around 82dB, even the repro stuff.
Would be kind of stupid to make ear protection that amplifies loud noises to a point where they can damage your hearing, wouldn't you think?
Major annoyance, some of the earlier comtacs, maybe some sordins, but all the repro stuff, tends to actuate it's ear protection based on clicks, rather than actual loud noise. I had repro comtacs and real comtacs and they both would get triggered by gunshots, frags, airsoft guns firing, someone snapping their fingers too loudly, someone dropping a quarter on concrete, lightly tapping a hop adjust tool on the side of my receiver, someone throwing a pen onto a clip board. It was frustrating.
The good stuff is much better, and worth it. That being said you don't necessarily need a $400 headset, it's all just software, so it's potentially available in cheaper $200 howard leight models, but I don't know for sure.

Getting hit in the ear pro with a BB is loud, but you're not going to lose your hearing over it.

[Handsonic]

Originally Posted by Danke

What radio are you plugging them into?

Don't have a radio yet, first and foremost I want the head protection. I intend to get a radio to fit the headset.

[lurkingknight]

the mic in my ztac sordins died, The ztac stuff is ok I wish it would last longer though.

I really liked the crappy ones, you can listen in on conversations around corners or listen for people chatting near by while you're hiding. I got used to getting the extra audible range and didn't have any issues with being disoriented with where sounds were coming from or how far away they were.

[AnthonyG]

I'd echo pretty much everything that has been said...

All the guys I know have had problems with the ztac gear. I honestly don't know how people are able to get them to last more than a few games. Both of the PTTs I've owned have stopped working within a month. It's the crappy moulded cables that don't last, they can't take the bending. The active hearing works but is super sensitive. Jumping on a hard floor, snapping finger...

I was thinking about getting some Howard leights but don't plan attending any events where hearing protection is needed (blank fire, thunder BS etc..). Ive seen a few threads online where people adapt them to arc rails but it looks like a pretty permanent modification.


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[Cliffradical]

I'm using the Howard Leights for work now as well, they are the bees knees.

[Red Dot]

Those impact sports seem nice, how would they hook up to a Puxing 888 and get a mic as well. (thread hijack in effect fyi lol)

[w1lp33]

You use a shoulder mounted cop Mike with a 3.5mm jack in it, and get a male male 3.5mm audio cable to go between them.