3M Peltor X1A Over-the-Head Ear Muffs, NRR 22 dB, Pack of 1, Noise Cancellation

I was looking for a product that can help me focus better while working on my computer or reading books, articles, etc. at my home. The key application was usage inside my house.I was a bit apprehensive while ordering this model because the users rating for this model- X4A was only about 3.5 stars and there were only around 10 ratings, while some other models from 3M have more than 100 ratings, with average rating of 4.4 stars!!!However, I am pleasantly surprised after brief usage, after receiving it.Quick feedback:I got it just today evening and the first impression is that its performance is awesome!!It feels as if 90% of sound is blocked and it's better than what my active noise canceling solutions provide.It's weight appears tolerable to me; it's subjective thing but I am still mentioning this as I moved from ear buds.I got it for ~ Rs3300 and I feel that it's good value for money at this price.I am wondering as to why other users have given it such a low rating!My prior experience with noise canceling earphones:I used Bose QuietComfort 20 (wired earphones with active noise cancellation) for several years.Then I upgraded to a newer model- Bose QuietControl 30 (Bluetooth wireless), and have been using it for several years now.Last year, I got ear infection repeatedly in quick successions (within a week or two weeks) and doctor suggested to avoid earphones! So, I thought to search for some alternative solution, not involving ear buds.I was deliberating whether to go for active noise canceling headphones or something else.Then I found these ear muffs.I spent several hours to find the right brand, right model while I had flexible budget.I was looking for the most suitable solution.So, why did I choose model X4A over X3 or X5?X4A is sleeker than the other two models.X3 provides similar noise reduction and is cheaper by Rs1000 but it appears 'bulkier'.X5 specs are better than that of X4A for noise reduction, but:1. X5 also appears bulkier than X4A,2. X5 is about 100 g heavier than X4A.3. I also suspected that grip of X5 over the head would be tighter which may make it difficult to use continuously for hours everyday.4. X5 is costlier by about Rs 2000, though this was not the decision making criterion here.Potential key negative aspect of the product:It feels pretty tight on area around ears, after few hours of continuous use.I am not sure whether it would still be tolerable after few days of continuous use.I will update my feedback if it turns out to be too difficult to use on a daily basis, for several hours each day.Special Note on Combo of Active and Passive noise suppression:I was able to use my Bose wireless ear buds below these ear muffs without any difficulty!This provides even better isolation and also the ability to watch audio-visual content.Update on 22nd June, 21:Feedback after two and half weeks of use:1. It has become much more easy to use- the sensation on and around the ears due to the pressure of pads has reduced significantly.2. Isolation is very good. Floor cleaning robot is barely audible with these earmuffs on.3. Picking up my pulse: I noticed that there was a repetitive sound. After a while I realised that it was my own pulse! The ear cups must be pressing against some artery around my ear and picking my pulse which I was able to hear due to absence of noise!4. Tip to reduce uneasiness around ears:Push the earlobes inside the rim of ear cups with your finger, this allows you to move the cups slightly up. This creates more space for the upper parts of the ears which now may not be in direct contact of the cups.This significantly reduces the sensation of unease caused by long and continuous use of earmuffs.5. Caution/safety concern:Be aware that you may miss listening to your family member who is shouting for help in an emergency situation in another part of your house!Suggestions:1. Make some alternate arrangement to be able to draw the attention of the wearer of these earmuffs, like some strong electronic buzzer which can be triggered by using a remote control.2. Keeping your mobile phone in your visual range may help, so that you don't miss an incoming call in an emergency.

This is a decent set of earmuffs, but you hear due to the increased sensitivity of the ears in the closed environment. Don't mistake my words for saying this doesn't work. In fact, this pair offers very good protection from noise that I could be close to loudspeakers without much pain.There's a slight problem that the bands press on the sides of your head with so much pressure that you feel your brain popping out ( I got a bad headache wearing these for 1.5 hours ). On the flip side, you could just widen the band with your hands (it's a flexible metal inside a TPE, so no worries of breaking; LOL, the band is probably impossible to break). Once I widened it, the thing became a pleasure to use.I'd recommend using a pair of earplugs or in ear earphone heads to further boost the insulation, which does a really fantastic job at deadening most day to day noise. I originally wanted the Peltor X5A which costed INR 3000 which has a marginally high attenuation at the mids, but the extra INR 1100 wouldn't justify the increment in protection as well as having to carry a larger bulk while looking like a dork - as I usually wear my pair while traveling in buses (and people mistake it for a large pair of headphones). All to say, it's a good product.

Nothing beats 3M. If used along with 3M 1100 earplugs, we are all set. Together these reduce surrounding noise or sound by more than 80%.

The product has a strong odor and is uncomfortable to wear, causing a headache. Furthermore, it cannot be returned or exchanged.

3M Peltor a name one can always trust in the ear muff category. I had been using a 3M optime 101 over head earmuffs (/ green) for nearly 4 years onboard ships . Finally after years of harsh use the metal part gave away and I had to look for a replacement . I decided to try out the X5A model as it boasts of an noise reduction rating that is best in the market , 31 dbs , plus I trust Peltor to know their stuff . I was quite happy to find it on Amazon India and decided to buy from here instead of amazon.com as it was almost the same price with the duty etc included ( It is made outside India ) .It was delivered before the scheduled date and I was a bit surprised by the size , it was a bit larger than I expected . ( If you would like a more compact model X4A would be an excellent choice and good for most applications ).When I first wore it blew me away with the amount of noise it had cut off . I could hardly hear most of the noise and what ever I could it had been reduced dramatically . It would sound ridiculous but this X5A is almost comparable to a Bose QC35 performance . I am very impressed by its performance , yet to try it out in my work place though .This is worth every penny for students, or people living in noisy environments who cannot concentrate due to the high noise level around them . It is a bit expensive no doubts but it gives a performance that somewhat compares ( somewhat ) to an active noise cancelling head set which is worth 30 k at one tenth the price !If you want good noise isolation without spending too much money this is it . Only thing to remember is this is not very small , it does look a bit large though not very heavy , it is quite comfortable to wear and feels snug. I have not worn it for long period so can not comment on that yet , but with my previous experiences with Peltor I know this will do its job .

This is an amazing masterpiece of original peltor. It comes with thick booklet which contains all the info you need. I have been using this product for a while now and I can assure you that this is the best brand when it comes to ppe. Specially this X4A model is very light and can wear it all the day without any discomfort. I suggest you to add replacement parts for this in your store which would be useful.