If you’re a competition shooter looking for affordable, outside-the-ear electronic hearing protection, these earmuffs are for you. Michigan-based Warbird Protection Group has packed digital sound compression technology, a pair of omnidirectional microphones, high-definition speakers and a rechargeable internal battery in its Intrepid RC electronic earmuffs.
Eschewing Bluetooth wireless connectivity in favor of a 3.5 mm audio input jack for playing music, Intrepid RC muffs retain Warbird’s innovative noise suppression technologies at an attractive price. Full dynamic range, high-definition 40 mm (20 ohm) speakers make for “clear balanced sound”—which is just as well, because you can also use the Intrepid RC earmuffs as regular headphones.
There aren’t a lot of electronic earmuffs made for shooters that can play music without Bluetooth baked in. While there is no denying the convenience of Bluetooth for streaming music, the fact remains that this popular wireless feature will drain your earmuffs’ battery at a faster rate, as well as that of your smartphone’s battery.
Here’s a closer look at what’s on offer for folks open to electronic earmuffs without Bluetooth.
First up is noise reduction. Digital sound compression circuitry inside the Intrepid RC earmuffs blocks certain frequencies and lets others pass, and, according to Warbird, have a 0.01-second reaction time. The internal electronics work in conjunction with two omnidirectional microphones located on either side of the earmuffs to help isolate desired sounds—like a range officer’s commands or your spotter calling out wind data—from background noise. The system provides a more natural hearing experience while protecting your hearing from loud gunshots.
Warbird literature states the NRR (Noise Reduction Rating) is 23. NRR measures the attenuation capability of hearing protection. The level of noise entering your ear while wearing hearing protection is approximated by the difference between the environmental noise level (weighted: dBA) and the NRR. For example, if the environmental noise level is 90 dBA, since the Intrepid RC’s NRR is 23 decibels, the level of noise entering you ear is approximately equal to 67 decibels. Something to note—while NRR is what the Environmental Protection Agency requires earpro manufacturers to print on product packaging and in the manual, there’s some debate about whether it’s a good indicator of protection from hazardous noises like gun blasts. (Read my article about NRR.) The Intrepid RC manual recommends that you “wear ear plugs under the earmuffs for additional protection in high noise environments.” Also, improper fit will reduce effectiveness.
As for the design of these earmuffs, they are slim and comfortable to wear for extended periods. Made with a composite housing and thermoplastic polyurethane-covered gel ear seals, it’s easy to get the cups to fully cover your ears without any gaps. Besides being lightweight, the composite housing also aids in sound dampening. In addition, the adjustable headband has a metal frame covered with fabric and will even fit over a ballcap, while the folding design is convenient for storage.
Four buttons are laid out in a row on one earpiece to control the power, volume and variable amplification. For the latter, tapping the select button toggles between ambient noise amplification for the left, right or both earpieces. One thing I really like—the power button is recessed, so it’s easy to distinguish it from the other three buttons while you’re wearing the earmuffs. Pressing the power button for three seconds turns the earmuffs on or off. You’ll know they are on when you hear the distinctive sound effect. Flanking the power button are the volume up and down buttons, and there are five volume levels to choose from.
Warbird says that battery life is up to eight hours of continuous use. When the battery is running low on juice, the Intrepid RC earmuffs will play a sound effect and the blue LED indicator light will begin blinking. To help save battery life, there’s an auto shutoff feature. A micro-USB charging port is on the bottom of the earcup with the control buttons. Warbird includes a USB charging cable (not USB-C, but the older kind), but doesn’t provide a USB power brick.
AT THE RANGE
My first outing with the Intrepid RC earmuffs was outdoors at the sporting-clays course with a TriStar Arms Cypher SP 12-gauge over-under shotgun. With the volume set at the second level, I could hear what my fellow shooters and range staff clearly and without distortion. Not only that, impulse noise from firing my shotgun and gun blasts from nearby shooters was dampened to a manageable level.
Next, I wore the earmuffs indoors at the NRA Media test range while evaluating Beretta’s A300 Ultima Competition 12-gauge semi-automatic scattergun. Noise attenuation again worked flawlessly. While Warbird recommends wearing earplugs for added protection in “high noise environments,” which I interpret as shooting at an indoor range, I didn’t and had zero issues.
I also brought the earmuffs with me on a trip to Staccato Vegas in Pahrump, Nevada, for a media event that entailed shooting bolt-action rifles chambered in 6.5 mm Creedmoor with Swarovski’s new Z5(i)+ line of riflescopes. Again, the Intrepid RC earmuffs performed admirably. I could easily hear what my fellow shooters could say while wearing them, as well as follow instructions for zeroing and operating a ballistic turret on optics I wasn’t familiar with.
While I didn’t use the earmuffs for an eight-hour period to test the claimed battery life, the internal battery did have enough power to last for two two-hour range sessions over the course of a day in Nevada. I’m sure the auto shutoff feature helped with this. As for recharging time, after that day I plugged them in and set my phone timer. The battery was fully charged in 68 minutes.
In short, if you’re looking for electronic hearing protection and don’t want earbuds, Warbird’s Intrepid RC are a solid option if you don’t mind the lack of Bluetooth.
MSRP for the Warbird Intrepid RC earmuffs is $119. There are two other models in the company’s Intrepid earpro lineup: a standard model ($79) that ditches the internal rechargeable battery for three AAAs, and the Intrepid BT ($159), which has all the features of the Intrepid RC and adds Bluetooth. Go to warbirdpro.com.
