An entrepreneur named Dan Nigro created the company Pro Ears back in 1992; his vision was to design and manufacture hearing protection which would become the best pro ear hearing protection money could buy. The idea was to tailer the products to hunters, those in law enforcement and for anyone requiring hearing protection while on the job. Dan Nigro was unsatisfied with the quality of hearing protection available on the market which is precisely what sparked his interest to design and manufacture a superior product that would cover all the bases.
Pro Ears currently has an impressive line of products out for hearing protection, within the following categories:
- Gold Series
- Pro Series
- Ultra Series
- ReVo Series
The Gold Series, commonly labeled as the ultra premium electronic ear protection has been coming out ahead in buyer reviews. We’re here to share with you why it has been receiving such a great deal of attention. The Gold Series is the top choice for the highest level of technology over all of the Pro Ears products.
The company behind the Predator Gold, make a strong effort to stress the Pro Ear Advantage across their entire series. The advantage is this – Cutting edge electronic hearing protection! You may ask how exactly they do this; well, take a look below for the criteria that makes the difference between the average piece of ear protection and the best.
See Also: Pro Ears Predator Gold vs MSA Sordin Supreme Pro X
What Makes The Best Electronic Earmuff?
The best electronic earmuff is one that is made right on home soil; here’s a great example of a company that designs and manufactures their products all within the United States. Now that’s what we call supporting our own economy!
According to Pro Ears, what makes their products the best over the rest is that they are the only company offering what they call ProForm leather seals on their earmuffs. The padded and adjustable headbands are also a non negotiable criteria on their products to ensure comfort during extended use. Anyone looking for hearing protection will want to find earmuffs that function to keep out loud sounds; luckily the Predator Gold, with its effective design on the earmuffs allows for just that. They act to keep high dB sounds out while monitoring the sounds coming in, only letting in those which are high quality.
Not sure exactly what defines a high quality sound?
Take a look at the FAQ which you’ll find following the product cons.
The Predator Gold model has a unique advantage and it has to do with something called active noise reducing protection.
This feature is something that helps bring the Pro Ears Predator Gold electronic earmuffs to the top of the competition.
Additional must haves for Pro Ear hearing protection are:
- Sufficient NRR
- Compression of dangerous sound levels
- Best bang for your buck
- Comfort
Product overview
Before getting into the nitty gritty we first have to bring attention to the two product promises that the company offer when you purchase this Pro Ear hearing protection. The first being the offer of a 30 day hassle free return promise and the second being a 5 year product warranty. They believe in their product so strongly that they without hesitation offer these two promises to their customers.
The Pro Ears Predator Gold is a perfect balance between comfort, noise attenuation and most importantly the clarity of sound. Exclusive to the Gold series, is a hybrid technology that comes together in the Predator Gold to offer a digital and analog system in this active earmuffs. The technology in this incredible product works through the carefully crafted military grade dual circuit board.
When you decide to finally think seriously about equipping yourself with superior hearing protection and you purchase the Pro Ears Predator Gold earmuffs, you have the option to choose from 4 color models: Black, Green, RealTree Advantage Max 4 Camo, RealTree APG Camo. Whichever model you select, the price point will fall around the $250 mark.
- Military grade Dual circuit boards
- High quality audiophile sound
- Automatic shut off and amplifies sound
Within Pro Ear Gold Reviews, the low profile design of these earmuffs is highly rated. They are smaller and lightweight unlike other models from competitors brands such as the Pro Mag. Not only is the design a winning feature but if we look closer to the inner workings you can quickly see why this piece of Pro Ear hearing protection is a leader in softening dangerously loud sounds in your environment.
The Pro Ears Predator Gold uses what is called dynamic level sound compression technology which allows the shooter to hear amplified ambient noise while cancelling out or otherwise compressing loud noises. This technology works to keep the shooter safe whilst allowing them to hear clearly and sharply the lower frequency noises within their environment.
Pros
- Complete with gold connectors, hence where the product series name may have come from, for high quality audiophile sound with a NRR of 26, helps add value to why the Predator Gold is a must have for protective hearing gear.
- Design features that make this product superior when it comes to comfort are its contoured cups, versatile for use in a variety of environments, and cup size which makes them suitable for not only adults but children as well. The adjustable headband allows many types of users to benefit from this product. Pro Ears Gold Reviews comment time and time again that the comfort of these earmuffs are such top quality that many who wear them often forgot to take them off after use.
- Audio hook up - 3.5 mm jack
- Battery life indication: When there is 60% battery life remaining, the Predator Gold will emit an audible sound. If the battery reaches 10%, you will hear a series of beeps.
- 8 bit micro processor: The processor will instantly perform system diagnosis when turned on
- Auto shut off: After 4 hours, without pressing away buttons, these electronic earmuffs will power off
- Waterproof microphone
- Independent volume control
Cons
- The Predator Gold utilizes 4 N sized batteries and lasts for roughly 250 h which in comparison to other makes and models, is substantially less.
- We wouldn't recommend this model for high caliber shooting where you would be using an un suppressed weapon. A model with a fuller sized cup would function better and offer more comfort.
FAQ
We mentioned previously that the Pro Ears Predator Gold only lets in high quality sounds. What this simply means is that when ambient sounds are being amplified, they are being sent through a microphone stereo sound speaker which transmits the sound so that it can be heard just as natural to your ear as if you weren’t even wearing the earmuffs.
Not all active hearing protection transmits sound in a natural way. Many makes and models transmit sound through less sophisticated speakers which results in it coming across as being almost artificial sounding.
Gold connectors are proven to be incredible conductors of sound therefor by incorporating them into the design of the Pro Ears Predator, the sound quality will be far greater. Greater quality in sound will result in a more natural, clear, and crisp experience.
Thanks to the Surface Mount Design along with the Active Sound Control technology, with the highest stereo (Audiophile) quality, the result is incredibly good acoustic protection.
Dynamic Sound Range, or DSR, allows the user to hear clearly every sound whether it be near or far with distortion free quality.
DLSC Technology, or Dynamic Level Sound Compression, is a technology that reacts instantly to noise levels exceeding 82 dB. The DLSC will cuts the noise level to roughly 50% or in decibels around 40 dB. In the same moment that is works to cut dangerously loud sounds, it also brings lower volume noises to a more audible level.
This model utilizes a combination of two technologies in order to compress loud noises to a safe level. Dynamic Level Sound Compression (DLSCTM) and Full Spectrum Sound technology (FSSTM) work together in a circuit to react to high impulse noises within 1.5 milliseconds of them occurring. When the sound is realized it ‘compresses’ rather than ‘shuts off’ the amplification system. This means that even when loud noise impulses are occurring, the user is still able to hear amplified ambient noises such as range commands.
When you purchase this model you’ll have the reassurance of a full 5 year warranty on all electrical components and 1 year on materials and workmanship from the day you purchase. For further information on what is and isn’t covered, take a look at the full terms and condition.
Important note on warranty: If using rechargeable batteries the warranty will be void.
Other than colour and aesthetic pattern design, there is no difference in the technology used to put together the electrics. Pro Ears likes to offer a variety of colours and patterns to suit all environments and situations.
As the demand increases for more let’s say ‘stylish’ colours so have what’s available for the Predator Gold. Among some of the additional colours available are: pink, zombie, purple, skulls, typhoon, orange, neon green, highland, and many more. There’s definitely no shortage of colour options available. Depending on the colour/aesthetic design you choose, the price can increase up to $290.
Essentially, an active hearing protection earmuff will be able to reduce the volume of loud sounds by way of sound clipping technology. This means that when a shot is fired, the device clips the sound once a certain decibel level is hit, making the earmuffs seem as if they were passive earmuffs for the duration the sound is coming in above 85dB. Moments after, the earmuffs return back to an active state so you can hear commands and ambient noise.
A passive earmuff simply muffles sound and inhibits you from hearing clearly any ambient sounds. There is no sound amplification in a passive earmuff which makes it a less desirable piece of hearing protection if you plan to use it more often and for many applications.
The Pro Ears Predator Gold is a perfect display of quality US engineering and production. Customer service facilities are located in Colorado meaning that should you need to send back your set of earmuffs you’ll be able to expect a fast and responsive service. On average, the company says it is able to turn around repairs in a 48 – 72 hour time frame.
Yes! The Pro Ears Predator Gold utilizes a hybrid system between analog and digital, pairing the best of both technologies to offer you the highest performance product.
What's The Verdict: Recommended!
Definitely an all around great product with many superior features however if we have to compare it with similar products of the same or less price point it it may not win out. For example, the MSA Sordin Supreme Pro X (ADD LINK TO OUR REVIEW ON THIS PRODUCT) has a greater NRR rating, similar performance at cancelling out sound, and other top features. Where the Pro Ears really wins is in its delicate balance of comfort in design, clarity in sound, and noise dampening. The rugged and reliable characteristics make it a top choice among reviewers.
