If caring for your hearing is your greatest concern, then you’ll want to make a commitment to the safety and protection of your ears by investing in a pair of MSA ear muffs.
Going to the range with only ear plugs can be fine, but when you are looking for active protection, ear plugs don’t quite cut it.
The MSA Sordin Supreme Pro X Earmuffs come out on top by offering all the protection you require while allowing you to perform your job to the highest standard.
For over a century, MSA hearing protection manufacturers have stood by their roots and continued to deliver their customers high-quality and dependable products built with safety as their number one concern.
Of course, for MSA, a company that labels itself as ‘the safety company,’ it’s no surprise that they would first look to safety with every new product they put on the market. They are a leader in workplace safety. For example, Sordin manufactures one of the top models for optimal protective hearing, the Sordin Supreme Pro X MSA tactical hearing protection.
Sordin Supreme Pro Line-Up
- 25 dB NRR
- Comfortable gel cups
- Compresses harmful noise to 82dB
- Amplifies safe noise 4x
Favored highly by on-the-ground military personnel, miners, heavy machinery workers, hunters, outdoor and indoor range shooters, and various other individuals.
This pair of electronic hearing protection is excellent for anyone working in environments requiring heightened awareness of the sound around since they let you hear surrounding safe sounds but compress harmful noise levels.
Also, offering greater sound awareness while offering safe protection from loud noises can have it all in a pair of these headphones.
See Also: MSA Sordin Versus Pro Ears Earmuffs
MSA Sordin Supreme Pro X Review
Selecting Your MSA Sordin Ear Protection
When you look at a product like the MSA Supreme Pro X, you already know that being backed by ‘the safety company,’ you can trust the product for effectiveness in protecting your hearing.
Now, what about the other considerations one must make when selecting the best electronic earmuffs for them? Once your safety is covered, you’ll want to break down the product’s features to look closer at the NRR (Noise Reduction Rating), amplification, sound-cancelling capabilities, quality, and additional bonus add-ons.
As a user, if you plan on spending a few hundred dollars on the MSA Sordin Digital Supreme Pro X, you would expect it to be of the highest quality and comfort, loaded with a variety of features and simple enough to use. They have achieved this which is why these are rated as some of the best hearing protection on the market.
Thanks to MSA, which they’ve labelled as their top model for Sordin hearing protection, the Sordin hits every mark regarding the materials used in production, the fit and feel, and the bonuses such as being waterproof. Thanks to all the added features, this set of muffs are far more than a standard piece of hearing protection.
See Also: Peltor Comtac vs MSA Sordin
Do you have specific questions relating to the MSA Supreme Pro X? If so, check out the FAQ, which you’ll find near the end of the product review.
At first glance, the camo head band of the Supreme Pro X muffs, which also comes in black with green ear cups, gives the impression that this pair of earmuffs is ideally suited for remote hunting missions.
The MSA Supreme Pro X is really a product built for all and shaped to suit right or left-hand shooters for ease of mounting a rifle no matter which side you shoot on. In addition, their slim design makes them a good option for hunting and shooting at the range.
Conforming to Mil-spec ratings, this speaks to the product’s versatility. Also, this means that although these earmuffs are good for simple use on the job, you can also wear them in harsh environments and under varied conditions.
The Application Specific Integrated Circuit is controlled by a microprocessor and offers a high performance combined with low current consumption. Furthermore, the model itself guarantees a level of protection that reproduces the natural and realistic sounds around.
According to the manufacturer and reviewers, the best feature of these Sordin headphones is the ability of the MSA Sordin Supreme Pro X to compress noises down to a level of 82dB rather than completely cutting them off.
With an NRR rating of 25dB, you’ll have maximum amplification, which will allow you higher awareness of your surroundings, thus keeping you sharp and ready for anything in an instant, or allowing you to chat with your friends on the range.
Main Design Features:
All moving parts & MSA Sordin Supreme X microphone are made of high-quality steel
The AUX input and battery compartment are fully waterproof.
The most important electrical hub, the circuit board, has also been lacquered to be waterproof.
Let’s not forget that these muffs also have an AUX input (3.5mm) which can be connected to a radio, MP3 or similar devices; the mono cable is included with the purchase. They provide excellent sound quality and can be used to listen to music like headphones.
Simple to use, the 3 button keypad on these muffs controls all active functions. An additional battery saves option, and a low battery warning lets you control your battery consumption. The LED indicator light lets you know whether your device is on or off, and an automatic shutoff will keep you from losing power.
As far as comfort is concerned, the headband to these protective hearing earmuffs is comfortably shaped and flexible while being adequately stable enough to stay securely on your head. In addition, the tension on the headband is ideal for keeping it perfectly positioned.
Pros
Loud Noise Suppression – As mentioned, the greatest benefit of the Pro X is its ability to suppress loud noises while still allowing you to hear everything going on in your surroundings. When a blast goes off, the circuit will not completely cut out which means that you’ll be able to hear a clear conversation without interruption in the presence of someone firing very close by. Automatically tuned to boost the high frequencies around, the NRR of 25dB really does have maximum amplification power. As a result of the NRR, your ability to hear louder and clear greatly improves.
Lightweight – Built to last, the slim design allows you to comfortably hold a weapon whether you are right or left-handed. Compact and lightweight, only 15.2 ounces. The lightweight design means you can wear them without strain. These muffs are also easily transportable. In comparison to other protective hearing devices, this is one of the few that weighs so little.
Military Specs Rugged Construction – Main design features include steel pins that are connected to the headband, one-piece moulded cups and a waterproof one-piece rubber control panel. Last but not least, adding to comfort and durability is a glass fibre polymer headband with leather lining.
Warranty – 5-year warranty on water damage
Dual Microphones – 2 microphones provide an optimal stereo effect for easy identification of directional sound
Long Lasting – Roughly 300 hours of use on its 2 x batteries (AAA)
Power saving – Auto shut-off that kicks in after 4 hours of no button input
Cons
Stereo Sound – It’s difficult to find a con of the build quality. We’d have to get nit-picky to isolate the only time you may not be satisfied; when we did, all we could find as a possible downfall was its lack of stereo sound through the jacks.
This problem can be improved by playing around with the volume levels on the headphones to come to a balanced point between the radio and ambient sounds.
Volume Control – With our review of other brands like Howard Leight Impact Sport and models of similar prices, we found that parts of the design such as the volume control were improved.
The volume control on the Pro X doesn’t have many ranges from the quietest to the loudest. Although this is a bit of an annoyance, it simply means you’ll need to take some time playing around with the volume control to get used to the slight adjustments.
FAQ:
What is the Noise Reduction Rating of Sordin Supreme Ear Pro?
The noise reduction rating of the MSA Sordins is 25 dB NRR. This is the out-of-the-box noise reduction without any sound compression from the electronic sound reduction aspect.
With the sound compression enabled the Sordin blocks out all noise over 82 dB, compressing sounds to a safe human hearing level. This is incredibly handy at the gun range when you need active protection, as outdoor ranges have extremely loud sounds all around.
Is MSA Sordin protection actually better?
Yes! If you read any other customer reviews online, the majority of them acknowledge the superior quality of these muffs and praise MSA; here’s why.
MSA is the company that acquired Sordin, along with its full line of hearing protection products, in 2004. This model of Sordin is labeled Supreme for its active electronic ear-pro, which was made for extreme use in varied conditions. It also has insanely good battery life.
By adding Pro X to the name, MSA Sordin labels the product as a top-line; what exactly does this mean? It refers to the quality and makes (etc., Waterproof microphones, battery components and 3.55mm aux input), as well as, most importantly, the superior digital sound enhancement circuitry.
Differences between MSA Sordin Supreme Pro X vs Supreme Pro
The original Supreme Pro is a more basic version of the Pro X, which is great for entry-level shooters. One main difference is that the Supreme Pro is not waterproof, only comes with a 1-year warranty and is designed with foam pads (no upgrade option to seals made of gel is available).
Overall, the Pro X is the outdoors model that is rugged enough and can be trusted to withstand more environmental conditions and situations. The NRR rating of each muff is the same.
Can the Supreme Pro X compress noise as well as the Premium Edition?
Yes! The only difference between the Premium Edition (Special Edition) and the Pro X is that the Premium Edition comes fitted with gel cups and is much more comfortable to wear for extended periods than the foam seals; MSA customer reviews confirm this!
You may want to get a spare set for the gun range vs when you are hunting, so they don’t wear out as quickly.
How much amplification do the Supreme Pro X Earmuffs have?
This particular model can amplify certain frequencies to give you a heightened awareness without annoying ambient sounds. To put things in perspective, at roughly 40 ft away, you would be able to hear the voices of a conversation at the range or a wild animal like a deer walking 150 ft from you.
With that in mind, the sound amplification of this model is quite incredible.
If you have a lower budget but are still looking for high-quality electronic earmuffs, then check out our reviews of the Peltor Range Guard and Walker’s earmuffs, or HL Impact Sport.
How is the Sound Quality of Sordin Ear Pro?
These ear pro headphones have excellent sound quality thanks to their advanced electronics and two mics that work equally together to pick up sound. Compared to Howard Leights or Pro Ears, this muff has superior quality while using electronic features.
Why are gel seals more comfortable than foam?
Gel-made seals are superior for their design and material, which offers a softer, more supple surface to place over your ears. They are extremely comfortable and more form-fitting over your ear. Foam cups tend to wear down after extended use, which is why they are not as durable as gel cups.
This is fine for occasional range shooting, but when you are on the range all the time, the gel will make all the difference in comfort.
What type of batteries does the MSA Sordin Supreme Pro X take?
You will need to use two AAA batteries and place them inside the battery compartment located on the side of the ear cups. The battery life will last you a long time (up to 600 hours). On average, they have 300 hours of battery life, while the maximum is 600 hours of battery life depending on how much you use them.
One review states the second battery can be difficult to get into the headphones when replacing them.
Conclusion
After completing our review of the Impact Sports & Pro Ears vs this model, we’ve decided that the quality you get with these muffs is more than worth the price. Of course, as with any electronic item on the market, there will always be some disadvantages; however, we were pressed to find a few that were simply no more than slight annoyances.
With all of its incredible features, the MSA Sordin Supreme Pro X is definitely in a league of its own, one where it leaves much of the competition far in the dust.
From the intricately designed circuitry allowing maximum amplification while compressing the volume of dangerously loud noises, all the way to the durability features such as its waterproof capabilities and let’s not forget to mention the military-grade materials it builds from; the Supreme Pro X is without a doubt one of the top models on the market today.
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I Supreme Pro 75302 keep switching off after a few minutes shooting, and the time is getting shorter. They are 4 years and haven’t had a lot od use What can I do to get it back to 4 hours?
Hey David,
Sorry to hear about your muffs losing power. If you have not already done so, I would suggest replacing the batteries if you can. If this does not help the connections in your muffs may be loose and malfunctioning.
Always store your muffs in a dry space, any moisture can cause corrosion of the batteries or damage to internal parts. Hope that helps!
Hello, my supreme pro x nb headphones have stopped turning on th noise cancellation mode. I have changed out the battery and to no avail. Can you help me?
Hey David,
Sorry to hear your muffs aren’t working as intended. Perhaps the internal electronics are not working properly anymore. Some things you could check;
1. Make sure the batteries are contacting properly in the pack.
2. Check and see if there are any signs of corrosion in the battery housing.
3. If being used for an extended period of time moisture can build up from sweat, remove the gel cups to ensure the muffs dry properly overnight, otherwise the excess moisture can damage the electronics.
Although not a solution to your problem, these might help. If the electronics are faulty within the muffs, you may have to contact the retailer you purchased them from or grab a new pair if you no longer have warranty.
I really like the MSA Sordin Supreme Pro X ( Nov. 2019 ) The only thing holding me back is the poor NRR rating of 18. Is it possible to show how the rating system isn’t playing fairly as you mentioned in the video that gun fire db would equate to a rating between 25-30. Hearing protection is main objective, comfort and build is important but 2nd to hearing protection.