Best Electronic Ear Protection For Shooting Is An IPhone App
Safety of electronic ear protection designed for shooting probed, as audio app pioneers Essency launch GunSonics! An iPhone powered hearing protection app that sets a new standard in hearing safety for firearm enthusiasts.
Online, November 5, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Audio app pioneers Essency have published a new revealing hearing safety chart that compares the reaction time of electronic ear defenders against the formation of a gun blast to coincide with the release of their new hearing protection app for firearms, GunSonics.
Electronic ear defenders sold for shooting use, have a microphone on one or both ear cups that feed an internal amplifier, which then transmits ambient sounds to the user with speakers inside the ear cups. When a gun is fired the amplifier temporarily shuts down and hearing protection is dependent on the speed of shut down and the passive attenuation of the ear cups.
The key factor is whether electronic ear defenders act fast enough to prevent harmful sound pressure peaks from reaching the user's ears, via the internal electronics.
Gunshots generate an ear devastating wave blast that peaks within 1 millisecond (thousandth of a second) that is millions of times louder than the safe listening levels recommended by The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
The chart reveals how even the fastest electronic ear defenders on the market are too slow to react before gunshot blasts peak. The GunSonics! app uses the iPhone's advanced audio processing to catch and stifle 100% of the gunshot blast.
The sound pressure level (SPL) of gunfire varies from 144dB for a 0.22 caliber pistol to 170dB for larger revolvers or rifles. Any exposure to an electronically amplified gunshot can lead to non-reversible noise induced hearing loss or tinnitus.
GunSonics! the ear protection app sets a new safety standard in electronic ear protection for firearms enthusiasts.NIOSH states that exposure to one gunshot at 140 dB SPL constitutes 100% of a person's daily allowable noise exposure. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) permissible exposure limit for impulsive noise is also 140 dB SPL.
The GunSonics! App works with passive ear protectors, worn over the top of Apple standard issue headsets connected to an iPhone or iPod Touch. This allows shooters to choose passive ear protectors with a higher NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) to achieve maximum protection.
Essency co-founder, Alex Georgiou said: "The safety comparison chart on www.gunsonics.com shows that the advanced audio processing of the iPhone used by the GunSonics! app blows away the tech used in electronic ear protectors. When used with high NRR passive ear protectors, GunSonics! provides the safest method to hear, talk and shoot at a fraction of the price of electronic ear defenders."
GunSonics! the ear protector app is available now on Apple's iTunes App Store priced at $9.99 USD.