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3M Peltor WS ProTac XP Ear Defender Review | Defending Your Ears in Stereo Sound

3m-peltor-ws-protac-xp-ear-defender-headband-bluetooth-front-angleIn this review, I will be taking an in-depth look at a great Bluetooth hearing protection headset from 3M called the 3M Peltor WS ProTac XP Ear Defender! It’s definitely one of the higher priced hearing protection headsets out there, but if you’re looking for a great product and willing to invest in a headset that will keep your ears safe while you work, you should keep reading to learn more about the ProTac Ear Defender.

If you’d like to see another similarly priced, high-quality headset you can check out this review of the Peltor WS 100 headset.

P.S. I’ll be referring to this headset as “the ProTac XP” or “ProTac XP” from now on.

Quick Review


3M Peltor WS ProTac XP Ear Defender Review
  • Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) - 100
  • Battery Life - 85
  • Sound Volume/Quality - 90
  • Size & Comfort - 90
  • Durability - 75
  • Other Features - 80
  • Price - 75
85

Summary

This Peltor ProTac XP by 3M is a top of the line Bluetooth enabled hearing protection devices out there. It offers superior hearing protection (NRR of 31), amazing sounds, high-quality Bluetooth capabilities, and is comfortable to boot!

In-Depth Review


Now we’ll get into the meat of this review and look at all of the features this headset has to offer. I’ll cover the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR), battery life, Bluetooth range and quality, how it deals with phone calls, sound quality, size and comfort, durability, as well as a couple other less common features.

If you’d like to learn more about what to look for and consider when researching which Bluetooth hearing protection headset to buy, please check out this article:

What to Consider when Purchasing Bluetooth Hearing Protection

Noise Reduction Rating (NRR)

With an NRR of 31, this headset is among the highest I’ve seen…and I’ve researched a lot of hearing protection devices! This level of protection ensures that your ears will be protected in all but the noisiest environments on earth, i.e. most industrial settings, shooting ranges, hunting, working in a wood shop, doing yardwork, etc.

This headset utilizes DSP digital noise reduction technology as well as noise attenuation to actively reduce the outside noise entering your ears. This is why they are able to provide such a high NRR when compared to headsets that protect you purely using physical devices.

On top of all of this, the ProTac XP utilizes compression technology to protect your ears from sudden, loud noises such as gunshots or nail guns. This means the headset is actively listening to your environment and is able to instantly “compress” the sudden sounds to safe levels.

While this headset is constantly protecting your ears from loud noises, it still allows you to hear ambient noises as well as giving you the ability to have a conversation by isolating certain sounds. This is an amazing feature because you can hear important sounds (alerts, alarms, voices, etc.) while still protecting your ears from harmful noise levels.

 

Battery Life

According to manufacturer information from 3M, if you’re actively using Bluetooth, you will get up to 24 hours of battery life per charge. If you’re not using Bluetooth they will last up to 150 hours.

The headset requires 2 AA Alkaline batteries to operate. However, if you’re making the investment in this headset (or any other), I would highly suggest investing in some rechargeable NiMH batteries so you’re not burning your money purchasing batteries a few times a week, especially if you’re going to be using this headset regularly for long periods of time.

When your batteries are low a friendly voice will alert you to this by saying “Low battery”. In an effort to help you save batteries when the headset is not in use, there is an auto-off function that can be set for 2 or 8 hours.

Bluetooth

The ProTac XP supports Bluetooth 2.1 A2DP which allows for high-quality stereo sound to be streamed from any Bluetooth enabled device within range. All you need to do is sync it up with your phone in your pocket and you’re good to go for hands-free listening.

 

Phone Calls/Microphone

There is a built-in boom microphone so you can make and receive phone calls if you have your headset synced to your smartphone via Bluetooth. The microphone uses DSP noise reduction to ensure that the caller on the other end will be able to hear you clearly regardless of the noise environment you are in.

 

3m-peltor-ws-protac-xp-ear-defender-headband-bluetooth-front-angleSound Volume/Quality

There are high-quality stereo speakers in each earmuff so you’ll be able to hear the deepest bass and highest treble as you listen to your favorite podcasts or rock out to your favorite music. The stereo speakers are able to be right/left adjusted and you are able to change the frequency character to ensure the optimal listening experience.

 

Size & Comfort

This headset has the following dimensions, 8″ x 6″ x 6″, and comes in at 13.9 ounces. This means it is on the lighter side compared to many other Bluetooth hearing protection headsets and just about the same physical size.

The headband is padded and flexible and the earcups are cushioned to ensure a comfortable fit. There is also a retainer clip on each side of the headband padding.

Durability

As long as you care for this headset properly, you shouldn’t have any problem with their durability. They’re high-quality and manufactured by 3M, which produces high-quality products. The only concern I would have is catching the boom microphone on a stick or something if I’m walking through the woods while hunting, or some similar circumstance.

 

Other Capabilities

This headset also has a built-in communications radio that can be operated hands-free using its VOX functions. This means you can communicate via this headset while you work simply using voice commands!

 

Price

On Amazon, the 3M Peltor WS ProTac XP Ear Defender Headband Bluetooth headset will run you about $405. This is a high price point, but that’s because it is feature rich and does a great job protecting your ears compared to the cheaper options out there.

 

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line Bluetooth hearing protection headset that has a very high NRR, Bluetooth capabilities, high-quality stereo speakers, as well as many other physical and technological features, then you need to look no further. The ProTac XP headset from 3M will fulfill just about every demand you might have when it comes to a hearing protection headset. It will cost you a bit more than some other headsets, but that’s because you’re paying for a feature-rich device.

If you’re going to be spending a lot of time in dangerously noisy environments and are looking for a hearing protection headset to keep you safely entertained, then I highly recommend this one!

If you have any questions or comments regarding the 3M Peltor WS ProTac XP Ear Defender headset or anything else hearing protection related, please don’t hesitate to drop a comment below and I’ll get back to you ASAP!

Peace,
Dustin “Kirby” Garness

5 Comments

  1. Thomas B. Holladay, III January 9, 2017
    • Dustin G. January 28, 2017
      • Butch Holladay February 28, 2021
  2. Ben March 4, 2017
    • Dustin G. March 5, 2017

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