Which jobsite bluetooth hearing protectors have the best sound? (3M WorkTunes, IsoTunes, etc.) There don't seem to be any reviews of bluetooth earmuffs that care very much about sound quality.

[TyTB]

Hello everyone,

I like me some good, balanced sound. I also like being able to hear past the age of 20.

As such, I take hearing protection seriously, and always wear some 3M Peltor X5A earmuffs when I work (I'm a general contractor and craftsman).

For most of my work, I just want the earmuffs, as it's important that I hear the sound my tools are making.

For some work, though, where I'm just doing something tedious but safe for a long time -- like sanding wood --, I'd love to be able to listen to some music.

Unfortunately, I can't find any info online about the sound quality of the few bluetooth earmuffs that exist. The few review articles that are out there are focused primarily on price and durability, not sound quality.

Likewise, the companies that make these products are all industrial equipment manufacturers, like 3M, not audio equipment manufacturers. And unfortunately, none of the actual audio brands out there appear to make any hearing protection products.

As such, I'm wondering if anyone here has experience with different bluetooth hearing protectors, and can speak to which one sounds best.

So far, the two models in the lead for me are the 3M WorkTunes Connect + , which have the best drivers of their WorkTunes line, according to the 3M technician I spoke to, and the IsoTunes Link 2.0. That said, other models of bluetooth earmuffs exist.

Any help or insight is greatly appreciated, thank you very much!

 

[voyou]

I recently tested out several different options (thanks Amazon). I tested out the ISOtunes AIR DEFENDER, ISOtunes Link 2.0, 3M WorkTunes Connect, 3M WorkTunes Connect + Gel Ear Cushions, and 3M Pro-Protect. Here is how I would rank them based on several different categories I considered (1 terrible to 5 great - or at least as great as can be expected from work wear):

Product	Audio Quality	Audio Volume	Ambient Sound Reduction	Comfort
ISOtunes AIRDEFENDER	2	2	2	3
ISOtunes LINK 2.0	1	2	1	3
3M WorkTunes Connect	3	4	3	3
3M WorkTunes Connect + Gel Cushions	4	4	4	4
3M Pro-Protect	5	5	5	5

My favorite are the 3M Pro-Protect and the 3M WorkTunes Connect + Gel Cushions. They are similar in price and quality and both have the nice gel ear cushions. I give the edge to the Pro-Protect as the ear pockets are deeper for less pressure on the ears and I liked the headband a bit better as it was a it more comfortable and felt softer on my head (both WorkTunes have some hard plastic on the outer edges of the headbands that dig in a bit). The biggest complaint I have about the Pro-Protect is it is AA battery powered. I could see that maybe being a benefit depending on your use case, but in a general home use I would prefer to plug it up to charge when I am done for the day. So I would give the edge to the WorkTunes being rechargeable (wish it was USB-C though). The sound is a bit different between all 3 of the of the 3M headphones. I gave the edge to the Pro-Protect being fuller sounding and a wider sound floor, but the WorkTunes Connect + Gel Cushions are a bit crispier and tighter, so it depends on your preference and what you are looking for. We are not comparing Hi-Fi headphones so the quality in general is not amazing anyway, but it is adequate for listening on the job. The Pro-Protect also have an audio pass through function where it can amplify things like talking around you and then turn off when loud sounds are in the environment. This could be a positive or a negative depending on your needs. You can mute them, but the mics automatically turn on when you turn the headphones on each time (I wish it would default to your last setting).

I really disliked everything about the ISOtunes products. Honestly they were just terrible all around... not worth paying the same price as the 3M (or more in the case of the LINK 2.0). If they were half of the price I would say they fit the quality/market. First off the audio quality was terrible, then the volume was very low, they let in way more noise from the environment (no idea how they have a similar NRR rating as the 3M products), they feel like a lower quality constructed product, and they have too many unnecessary buttons that get confusing where it works perfectly fine with 1 button on the 3M products (or 2 in the case of the Pro-Protect). I cannot recommend these at all.

I am waffling back and forth between the WorkTunes Connect + Gel Cushions and the Pro-Protect as to which direction I want to go. I like the extra comfort of the Pro-Protect and better audio in my opinion, but I don't like the battery situation and that the mics don't default to the last status when you turn them on. 60 hours on the battery may be enough for my use case that I won't have to change the batteries enough that it would be annoying. Maybe I will sacrifice the audio quality and comfort for the convenience of the rechargeable battery and go with the WorkTunes Connect + Gel Cushions. I may have to get the opinion of the 2 other people that will be using them as well before I buy a couple of pairs of one type.

I hope this helps. If you go for one or the other let me know!

 

[TyTB]

I recently tested out several different options (thanks Amazon). I tested out the ISOtunes AIR DEFENDER, ISOtunes Link 2.0, 3M WorkTunes Connect, 3M WorkTunes Connect + Gel Ear Cushions, and 3M Pro-Protect. Here is how I would rank them based on several different categories I considered (1 terrible to 5 great - or at least as great as can be expected from work wear):

Product	Audio Quality	Audio Volume	Ambient Sound Reduction	Comfort
ISOtunes AIRDEFENDER	2	2	2	3
ISOtunes LINK 2.0	1	2	1	3
3M WorkTunes Connect	3	4	3	3
3M WorkTunes Connect + Gel Cushions	4	4	4	4
3M Pro-Protect	5	5	5	5

My favorite are the 3M Pro-Protect and the 3M WorkTunes Connect + Gel Cushions. They are similar in price and quality and both have the nice gel ear cushions. I give the edge to the Pro-Protect as the ear pockets are deeper for less pressure on the ears and I liked the headband a bit better as it was a it more comfortable and felt softer on my head (both WorkTunes have some hard plastic on the outer edges of the headbands that dig in a bit). The biggest complaint I have about the Pro-Protect is it is AA battery powered. I could see that maybe being a benefit depending on your use case, but in a general home use I would prefer to plug it up to charge when I am done for the day. So I would give the edge to the WorkTunes being rechargeable (wish it was USB-C though). The sound is a bit different between all 3 of the of the 3M headphones. I gave the edge to the Pro-Protect being fuller sounding and a wider sound floor, but the WorkTunes Connect + Gel Cushions are a bit crispier and tighter, so it depends on your preference and what you are looking for. We are not comparing Hi-Fi headphones so the quality in general is not amazing anyway, but it is adequate for listening on the job. The Pro-Protect also have an audio pass through function where it can amplify things like talking around you and then turn off when loud sounds are in the environment. This could be a positive or a negative depending on your needs. You can mute them, but the mics automatically turn on when you turn the headphones on each time (I wish it would default to your last setting).

I really disliked everything about the ISOtunes products. Honestly they were just terrible all around... not worth paying the same price as the 3M (or more in the case of the LINK 2.0). If they were half of the price I would say they fit the quality/market. First off the audio quality was terrible, then the volume was very low, they let in way more noise from the environment (no idea how they have a similar NRR rating as the 3M products), they feel like a lower quality constructed product, and they have too many unnecessary buttons that get confusing where it works perfectly fine with 1 button on the 3M products (or 2 in the case of the Pro-Protect). I cannot recommend these at all.

I am waffling back and forth between the WorkTunes Connect + Gel Cushions and the Pro-Protect as to which direction I want to go. I like the extra comfort of the Pro-Protect and better audio in my opinion, but I don't like the battery situation and that the mics don't default to the last status when you turn them on. 60 hours on the battery may be enough for my use case that I won't have to change the batteries enough that it would be annoying. Maybe I will sacrifice the audio quality and comfort for the convenience of the rechargeable battery and go with the WorkTunes Connect + Gel Cushions. I may have to get the opinion of the 2 other people that will be using them as well before I buy a couple of pairs of one type.

I hope this helps. If you go for one or the other let me know!

WOW. It's like the audiophile gods decided to send down a guardian angel, just for me.

Thank you very much for your eerily-on-point review.

I agree completely with your indictment of the ISO-TUNES products. Absolute garbage build quality. I tried the LINK 2.0, and the 3M WorkTunes Connect + Gel.

The Link 2.0 sounded better to me, but solely because it was louder. When I lowered its volume to match the max that the 3M could put out, they sounded very similar, with the Link being more treble-focused, and the 3M being bassier, in my untrained opinion.

That said, the discomfort of the bargain-basement foam pads and tight headband on the Link, coupled with the garbage build quality, disqualified it for me. Unfortunately, the 3M doesn't work for me either, as it's just too quiet. I wouldn't be able to hear it worth a damn if I was actually running loud power tools.

I'm surprised you say that the Pro-Protect had better sound quality, though. When I called 3M and spoke to their technicians, I asked which product had the highest-quality drivers, and they said that the WorkTunes Connect line did, more so than the Pro-Protect. Maybe the technician was wrong though, I don't think anyone's actually documented that stuff at 3M....

Having more space inside the ear cup sounds great to me, though, as my ears were hitting the drivers in the WorkTunes Connect +.

I DEFINITELY do not want the audio pass-through functionality, as I hear it just butchers sound quality and introduces lots of pops and clicks, but if you're saying it can be turned off, then that's something... even if I have to do it each time I turn them on.

I see you ranked the Pro-Protect as being one point louder than the WorkTunes Connect +...... is it noticeably louder, or just ever so slightly louder?

I think I will try a pair of the Pro-Protect now.... I like the idea of it having a wider sound floor, though I hope it doesn't become muddled and bassy, as I prefer tight treble and resolution in my headphones. I guess my biggest question is just whether I'm better off getting a pair of bluetooth earmuffs... or if I should just use actual quality bluetooth IEM's that I wear inside of normal hearing protector earmuffs.

Thank you again very much for being literally the perfect commenter to find my post

 

[voyou]

That is very odd that you were able to get more volume out of the LINK 2.0 vs the WorkTunes. I still have both of those units as well as the ProProtect, so I tested them all out really quickly with my iPhone SPL and RTA app. I'm glad it lines up with what my ears were hearing

My SPL meter with pink noise was showing the ISOtunes LINK 2.0 at 74db, 3M WorkTunes Connect + Gel Cushions at around 80db, and the 3M ProProtect at around 82db (these values are slightly different than the ones shown in the RTA graphs which were taken more quickly and not a longer average). For me the WorkTunes are definitely noticeably louder than the LINK 2.0. Similarly the Pro-Protect are louder than the WorkTunes, I would say it feels like 20% louder, so definitely noticeable. Maybe double check that the device volume is all the way up? I believe sometimes when new headphones are paired it defaults to 50% volume (at least on iOS). You may want to try cycling down on the volume and back up as I have seen some weird things happen with Bluetooth.

Here are the RTA graphs with pink noise:

The graphs look like they line up with what my ears were hearing. The Pro-Protect has a more balanced sound compared to the others. It has a bit less in the highs so it doesn't have that high end bite (I feel like both the LINK 2.0 and the WorkTunes have too much highs for my taste as the highs might make it sound higher quality without really being better), but I think the ProProtect sounds better overall. The WorkTunes are definitely flatter than the LINK 2.0 with just one big notch out of the spectrum compared to a wider Q.

The ProProtect has an extra 1/4" or so of room in the ear cups, so you definitely have more room in them, and I don't feel them touching my ears.

As far as the audio pass through from the mics, that is just a small annoyance. For me I can remember to hold one button to turn it off, but I'm thinking of the others that would use the headphones and maybe complain that they aren't blocking the sound (when they actually are) if they don't hit the button to mute the mics. Since it defaults to the highest level (4) there is a lot of volume from the environment that passes through into the ears (great for conversation and situational awareness), but once there is a loud noise, it quickly turns down the mic and it becomes almost as quiet as when you mute the microphone (it ends up maybe 10-20% louder). So if you are the only one using them then it is a pretty easy thing to remember to turn off each time. All you have to do is hold down the microphone button for a second and it mutes it. The only pops and clicks you would get is if you have air blowing directly onto the microphone. Otherwise, it is pretty unobtrusive and works well.

However, if you want the best overall sound, go for the quality Bluetooth earbuds/IEMs and then layer on your hearing protection as needed. Nothing in the industrial headphones world will match a quality pair of good earbuds/IEMs and vice versa no active noise cancelation will match good quality mechanical isolation of hearing protection. There was a comment on a thread (probably Reddit) about some fancy Bluetooth hearing protection ear muffs that were somewhere in the range of $200-400. I tried to look back and find it, but I can't find it unfortunately.

Let me know how you search ends, I'm invested now!

 

[TyTB]

That is very odd that you were able to get more volume out of the LINK 2.0 vs the WorkTunes. I still have both of those units as well as the ProProtect, so I tested them all out really quickly with my iPhone SPL and RTA app. I'm glad it lines up with what my ears were hearing

My SPL meter with pink noise was showing the ISOtunes LINK 2.0 at 74db, 3M WorkTunes Connect + Gel Cushions at around 80db, and the 3M ProProtect at around 82db (these values are slightly different than the ones shown in the RTA graphs which were taken more quickly and not a longer average). For me the WorkTunes are definitely noticeably louder than the LINK 2.0. Similarly the Pro-Protect are louder than the WorkTunes, I would say it feels like 20% louder, so definitely noticeable. Maybe double check that the device volume is all the way up? I believe sometimes when new headphones are paired it defaults to 50% volume (at least on iOS). You may want to try cycling down on the volume and back up as I have seen some weird things happen with Bluetooth.

Here are the RTA graphs with pink noise:

​

The graphs look like they line up with what my ears were hearing. The Pro-Protect has a more balanced sound compared to the others. It has a bit less in the highs so it doesn't have that high end bite (I feel like both the LINK 2.0 and the WorkTunes have too much highs for my taste as the highs might make it sound higher quality without really being better), but I think the ProProtect sounds better overall. The WorkTunes are definitely flatter than the LINK 2.0 with just one big notch out of the spectrum compared to a wider Q.

The ProProtect has an extra 1/4" or so of room in the ear cups, so you definitely have more room in them, and I don't feel them touching my ears.

As far as the audio pass through from the mics, that is just a small annoyance. For me I can remember to hold one button to turn it off, but I'm thinking of the others that would use the headphones and maybe complain that they aren't blocking the sound (when they actually are) if they don't hit the button to mute the mics. Since it defaults to the highest level (4) there is a lot of volume from the environment that passes through into the ears (great for conversation and situational awareness), but once there is a loud noise, it quickly turns down the mic and it becomes almost as quiet as when you mute the microphone (it ends up maybe 10-20% louder). So if you are the only one using them then it is a pretty easy thing to remember to turn off each time. All you have to do is hold down the microphone button for a second and it mutes it. The only pops and clicks you would get is if you have air blowing directly onto the microphone. Otherwise, it is pretty unobtrusive and works well.

However, if you want the best overall sound, go for the quality Bluetooth earbuds/IEMs and then layer on your hearing protection as needed. Nothing in the industrial headphones world will match a quality pair of good earbuds/IEMs and vice versa no active noise cancelation will match good quality mechanical isolation of hearing protection. There was a comment on a thread (probably Reddit) about some fancy Bluetooth hearing protection ear muffs that were somewhere in the range of $200-400. I tried to look back and find it, but I can't find it unfortunately.

Let me know how you search ends, I'm invested now!

Christ, you're a gem.

Yeah, I made sure to crank the volume on both headsets, and even tried using a volume-boost app on the phone, but no matter what, the Link 2.0 were noticeably louder.

Seeing the frequency chart is fascinating, though. The lack of highs makes me sad as I prefer treble, but they're obviously still worth trying.

I will one day get around to trying the 3M ProProtect, and will let you know how it goes! That said, I'm thinking that a good pair of bluetooth IEM's + earmuffs is probably the way to go, I just don't know anything about IEM's, or how to find ones that simultaneously have decent battery life, but are small enough to fit inside a pair of earmuffs. Any suggestions to that end are greatly appreciated.

Thanks again!

 

[voyou]

I just tested some AirPods 3rd Generation, and they work inside some earmuffs. I believe the AirPods Pro would work as well since they are similar in size. Basically you want to make sure they don’t hang lower than your ears and they should be OK. I have heard good things about the Beats Fit Pro earbuds as well. Something like the Bose QC Earbuds II could be nice too. Anything small that would fit within your ears like that should work well. Then there are all of the professional wired IEM earbud options as well. The sky is the limit in terms of price, preference for brand, features, etc. Best of luck with what you end up with!