ScopedIn

A high-tech solution to a very old problem.

By Michael Zimmers, 2008
All rights reserved.

I used to think that the need for hearing protection was overrated in the shooting sports. (I used to think a lot of silly things when I was younger, but that’s a story for another time.) About a year ago, though, an experience at the range persuaded me to think otherwise: after a cease-fire, I forgot to put my earmuffs back on before firing my Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan, which is chambered for .454 Casull. The mammoth explosion, the very short barrel and the cinderblock shooting lane all combined for a truly memorable experience. The only thing I could hear loudly was the ringing in my ears. Everything else was at most half as loud as it should have been. And, when I swallowed, I felt squishing in my inner ear area.

Miraculously, by the next day, I seemed back to normal. Needless to say, however, I take hearing protection a little more seriously now. And I recently came across a hearing protection product that is truly something to get excited about.

Mine Safety Appliances Company, now known as MSA, of Pittsburgh, PA, has been protecting people’s health and safety for nearly a century. As the company’s original name suggests, early products were intended for mining applications, but MSA today makes a broad range of sophisticated safety products for dozens of industries, and recently has gotten into specialty applications, like the shooting sports. And their Supreme Pro™ electronic muffs are an excellent example of their high-technology approach to solving a problem that has been with us since, well, since guns were invented.

The first thing you notice about the Supreme Pro muffs is the very low profile, especially when compared to passive earmuffs. Besides making you look less silly, the slim design also makes it possible to shoulder a rifle without the stock interfering with your muffs.


While the Supreme Pro muffs are compact, it is anything but delicate. Here’s where MSA’s industrial heritage comes in handy: these muffs are ruggedly built and designed to withstand a variety of unfortunate treatment. The materials all appear first-rate and beefy, the battery housing is waterproof, and even the electronic circuit boards are lacquer-coated to keep moisture out. I think it’s safe to assume that these will last me quite a while.

The real beauty of these muffs, however, is in the smarts that are built into them. MSA’s advanced audio processing technology allows lower-level sounds to pass through (or even be amplified), while the potentially-damaging loudest noises are sharply attenuated. Further audio processing prevents clipping or distortion of the ambient level sounds. It’s possible to talk to someone in a normal voice while shooting is going on all around you. In the old days, we used to refer to stuff like this as BFM, or “Black Magic” (yes, the “F” is silent). Seriously, the effect is quite impressive and really needs to be experienced to be appreciated.

The controls for the Supreme Pro muffs are simple: an on/off switch, and volume adjusters. It’s important to note that the volume controls are only for the softer sounds; the potentially-damaging noises are always attenuated as fully as possible. There are six volume settings, and on my unit, the muffs buzzed just a bit on the two loudest settings, but it wasn’t enough to be annoying.

The muffs also feature an input audio jack, which can be used to attach a radio (for when you’re working a club shooting event) or an iPod (for when you’re just having fun). MSA even includes the necessary cable for connections, though if you want stereo, you’ll have to buy your own cable.

The muffs are also quite comfortable, which means you’re less likely to take them off and forget to put them back on (though what kind of a moron would do something like THAT?). My only complaint, and it’s minor, is that I wish they had a bit more size adjustment. I pulled mine out as far as they would go, and they still felt a bit tight. I know that my head is at the large end of the spectrum (something my friends often remind me of), so I doubt this will be a problem for many people.

Summary

The MSA Supreme Pro muffs are attractive, comfortable, well-built, and impressive as hell in reducing loud noises. If this isn’t the ultimate in shooter hearing protection, it’s got to be pretty close.