Pro ears pro tac mag gold - Pro Ears Pro Tac Mag Gold NRR 30 Hearing Protectors

Although the Pro Ears Pro Tac Mag Gold electronic hearing protector came very highly rated, I was disappointed.
The unit came in an unmarked cardboard box with a note that environmental considerations precluded typical retail packaging. My initial impression was that I may have received a counterfeit. The Pro Ears logo which appears on each earcup, was poorly printed and illegible on one earcup. Counterfeit or poor quality control? The 123 batteries protruded out of the earcups into the cup cavity to the degree that the foam covering flap did not fit over them and I expected the batteries to make contact with my ears. Fortunately, they did not. Worst of all, the noise reduction rating of 33 is very hard to believe. Shooting a 45 ACP handgun was much less comfortable than when using my 33 NRR earplugs! At the range, an adjacent shooter with a 9mm left my ears ringing. Changing back to the earplugs was a huge relief! While the audio is clear and impressive through the electronics, as a shooting hearing protector, the Pro Ears Pro Tac Mag Gold is a disappointment. Stick with earplugs if you value your hearing!
Pros: Excellent audio quality
Cons: Noise reduction somewhat disappointing

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.