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Ion Audio Tough Sounds Review | Hearing Protection Headphones with Bluetooth and Radio

In this review, I will be taking a look at a mid-range Bluetooth hearing protection from Ion Audio called Tough Sounds. This is a good product by a quality manufacturer that has received an average of 4/5 stars on Amazon. I’d encourage you to read on to learn more about what these headphones have to offer and whether or not they might be a good fit for you and your situation.

 

Quick Review


Ion Audio Tough Sounds Quick Review
  • Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) - 55
  • Battery Life - 50
  • Sound Volume/Quality - 50
  • Size & Comfort - 85
  • Durability - 75
  • Other Features - 50
  • Price - 90
65

Summary

These Bluetooth hearing protection headphones have an overall rating of 67/100. They offer great hearing protection, built-in AM/FM radio and a few other features for a good price. However, the trade-off for the lower price is a lower sound quality and sketchy radio reception.

 

In-Depth Review


I’ll now be going through the basic elements of any Bluetooth hearing protection devices you should be considering one-by-one. If you’d like a brief explanation of each of them you can do so by reading this article.

 

Noise Reduction Rating (NNR)

The NRR of these headphones is 25 dB. This is an excellent level of noise protection and should be good enough to protect your ears from a wide range of every day loud activities.

 

Ion-Audio-Tough-Sounds-Review---Bluetooth-Hearing-ProtectionBattery Life

According to the manufacturer’s information, the battery life of these headphones should exceed 20 hours per charge; however, there are many customer reviews on Amazon that claim the actual charge is much less and more along the lines of 10 hours per charge.

The battery should last about 1,000 charges but, unfortunately, the battery is not replaceable by the consumer. If you do need to replace the battery you’ll have to take it to a professional. But, if you truly get 1,000 charges out of your headphones, you’ve gotten more than your money’s worth.

 

Sound Volume/Quality

The sound quality of these headphones is about average, which is to be expected given the price point they fall into. If you’re looking for “blow you away” sound, these aren’t for you, but if you’re just looking for “good enough” sound at a decent price, then these will do just fine for you.

 

Size & Comfort

The ear cushions on these headphones are extremely comfortable, but the adjustable headband may not expand to a large enough size for those of us who have a “larger than normal” head size…myself included!

The lightweight construction of these headphones ensures that your neck won’t get sore after long hours of wearing them.

Durability

Going off the last point of their lightweight construction, this very fact means that they may need to be treated with a bit of care. In fact, there are a few customer reviews on Amazon of the hinges that attach the earmuffs to the headband breaking after a while.

 

Other Capabilities

In addition to everything mentioned above, there is also a built-in AM/FM radio with 20 presets available so you can save all of your favorite radio stations. However, the radio reception isn’t all that great at times, especially on the AM frequencies. Another consequence of the radio feature is an antenna that sticks off the headphones. This may increase the radio reception, but also creates another component that can be damaged or broken.

There is also a built-in microphone which allows you to talk on the phone if you’re connected by Bluetooth to your smartphone. If you’re not into Bluetooth or have an older device, you can plug your audio source into the 1/8″ stereo input jack. The headphones also come with a short (6-8 inch) USB to USB chord to use for charging.

 

Price

As I already mentioned, these headphones from Ion Audio are in the low to mid-range price point. They will cost you about $60 new on Amazon.

 

Who Are These Headphones For

These Tough Sounds headphones from Ion Audio will work well for normal day-to-day use such as yard work, chainsaw, lawn mower, blower work, etc.

However, I would not recommend them for heavy industrial use or extremely loud sounds as they are not a high-end product. If this is the environment you’re working in I would recommend a much high-quality set of protection.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Ion Audio Tough Sounds Hearing Protection Headphones with Bluetooth and Radio is, overall, an average product. It’s in the mid to low-level price point and you get what you pay for. If you’re looking for some ear protection that does the job and allows you to listen to the radio or Bluetooth without breaking the bank, then these may be the ones for you!

If you have any questions or thoughts regarding these Bluetooth hearing protection headphones from Ion Audio, please leave them in the comment section below! I look forward to hearing from you!

Dustin “Kirby” Garness

5 Comments

  1. Craig miller December 31, 2016
    • Dustin G. January 28, 2017
  2. Vinay November 27, 2019
  3. Mike gutowski May 23, 2020
    • Dustin G. February 10, 2021

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