[Soundslikejosh]

Bill,

The questions you pose are good ones, and depend on the situation in question. For shooting, plugs are better than muffs, but not dramatically so. The concern about bone-conducted sound is worth considering, but the research shows that ear muffs do not cover enough surface area to cause any significant reduction in bone conducted sound. This is not true for military-style helmets that are designed to act as hearing protection devices (HPDs) but they are not common among civilians and unlikely to be used because they are hot and dorky.

Taking a few steps back- plugs are slightly better than muffs, when both are used properly. However, muffs are more likely to be worn incorrectly than plugs, thus widening the gap. In practice, most people will get better attenuation from plugs. However, if someone reads this and is a big fan of muffs, do not interpret this to mean that muffs aren't good. They just aren't AS good as plugs. This is frequency specific, and the preceding statements are general to gunfire, which may or may not carry over to whatever industry a person may work in. In some cases, ear muffs in fact are better, but thats the exception, not the rule. If someone has a question about their work place, I'd need some description of what machinery they are exposed to.

I don't know what the literature says about electronic hearing protection, but I will report back when I know.

In conclusion, regardless if you choose muffs or plugs it is imperative that you use them properly. Expandable foam plugs must be seated deeply in order to expand properly. Small ears may have trouble with common plugs, if possible find small size ones for smaller people. Muffs can be vented by eye protection, and for that reason I do not shoot with muffs on. It is better to select a HPD that you can properly use, than to select one based solely on its NRR.

Hope this helps. Feel free to keep the questions coming.