3M 90541-80025T TEKK Protection Digital WorkTunes Hearing Protector and AM / FM Stereo Radio
by 3M
|
List Price: Our Price: $40.97 You Save: $39.02 (49%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $38.25 (click here) Category: Tools See more product details |
|---|
Tools and Hardware Reviews of 3M 90541-80025T TEKK Protection Digital WorkTunes Hearing Protector and AM / FM Stereo Radio
Customer Review: Don't Purchase
Summary: 1 Stars
This Worktunes AM/FM headphone radio (#90541) isn't worth buying, even at the reduced price Amazon is selling them for. They are junk.
I was persistent and tried out two(2) of the Worktunes from Amazon, thinking the first one was just defective from the factory. Amazon was good at replacing them promptly.
I think the unit is good for hearing protection against outside loud sounds or perhaps as a MP3 only listening device (I hadn't tried that) and, though tight on the head, it fits around ears well(a little tight) and is fairly comfortable. But, as a digital AM/FM radio, it is the poorest radio I've ever owned. I've seen similar comments from others hear.
I have a similar digital AM/FM (with an input jack) headphone radio that I purchased about 10 years ago from Radio Shack that is three (3) times better for listening to AM/FM stations while working. I wanted to replace it because the outside noise wasn't being blocked enough when I cut my grass or worked in the woodshop and the earmuff part of the headphone was getting pretty ragged. I like the digital tuning part of the radio.
I owned a "dial-type" tuner AM/FM headphone radio once that kept getting knocked off station every time you bumped the radio's tuner dial. This would happen while bending your head and the radio touching your shoulder, or your forearm touches the dial while working-I'll never buy the dial-type one again for listening while working.
I have the same local AM and FM stations that I can pickup very well with my table top radios, the Radio Shack AM/FM headphone radio, and an undercounter radio, that this radio picks up either poorly or not at all. The local FM station (~15-20 miles away) sounds good unless you turn your head. It starts to fade into other FM stations. The only way to then get the signal back is to either turn your head back where it was or put your hand on it's whip antenna. This shouldn't happen on a FM channel. There is definitely something wrong with the FM antenna system (probably AM, too) on this radio.
The AM station's reception is similar to my Radio Shack unit. You face one direction, you get the station. You face another direction, the signal goes away. The only difference with the Worktunes, compared to my Radio Shack radio, is that the Worktunes won't even pickup, at all, a station about 30 miles away.
This radio has antenna, perhaps internal radio circuitry problems. I expected more from a Peltor radio. I tried to find information on the Net about these reception problems, from the company that makes the radio, without luck.
I returned my last Worktunes to Amazon within the 30 days and am awaiting a full refund.
I'll keep an eye out for another company making a digital AM/FM headphone radio, or for Peltor to come out with a redesigned digital AM/FM headphone radio before buying one again.
Hope this helps others decide on their purchase of this radio.
Customer Review: Peltor headset
Summary: 1 Stars
As a pilot who uses headsets, and an avid AM radio listener, I was very excited to obtain my new Digital Worktunes 22 headset for working around the house. I ordered it from Amazon and received it promptly. Pretty exciting!
The headset is effective at cutting out noise. Unfortunately, it has the worst AM radio reception of any radio I have ever owned (and I own at least 10 AM radios including: Sangeen/CCrane (3), Sony (4), Coby, Eton's (2) and a few more. Due to my aviation background I truly expected Peltor to be at least comparable to the basic radios I own, but the AM reception quality of this headset is so inferior that I have sent a letter to Peltor (something I never do) to voice my unhappiness with this product. The buzzing/static sound is loud and annoying no matter if the station is close and powerful. Distant stations (that can be received by my other radios) are completely impossible to receive.
I will say the comfort and quietness is quite effective, but I bought these to listen to AM radio and to use my IPOD (audio IN) connection. The lack of reception ability is shockingly inferior to even my worst radio. It's truly disappointing to research a product and, after purchasing it, discovering that it's reception capabilities are inferior to any product I've ever owned in my lifetime (I'm 60 years old).
In a time of increased technology and competitive product lines I just would expect a decent product (especially from Peltor). If you market this primarily as an AUDIO IN device with good sound deadening qualities, that would be reasonable, but to suggest this as even a comparable AM radio is clearly misleading. In fairness, other that Amazon feedback, I never saw any marketing that suggested this was a capable AM product, I just assumed as a Peltor, it would be capable. Note: I haven't used the FM so I can't judge it.
I just enjoy AM radio and hoped this would be a decent addition to my fairly large AM radio collection. It sure would have been nice to be able to enjoy this product as described and to be able to recommend it to friends and family.
It may be possible that I have a lemon and if Peltor responds I will give an update. In the meantime, I would caution anyone from buying this product unless the AM radio station you enjoy has a transmitter within a few block of where you live.
Note: Update (5/15) I was unable to change my rating to a 2 star which I chose to do because of it's effective noise reduction quality and relative comfort.
Customer Review: Better ways to spend your money...
Summary: 2 Stars
I'd love to make this a positive review. Truly, I would. But this is an inferior product, and I think you should know that before you throw away your money as I have.
Other reviewers have mentioned the poor quality of the FM reception. They're telling the truth. Not only is the reception of nearby stations poor, this tuner is incapable of screening out the other stations of similar frequencies. So, not only can't you properly follow the story you're so desperate to hear on NPR, you've got to contend with country western music overlaying said story. And the "reception" (I'm being generous) changes depending on how you're holding your head and on your position on the globe. If you can hear the radio where you're standing, walk ten feet in any direction and all bets are off. Needless to say, wearing them while mowing the yard can be an amazingly frustrating experience.
So, perhaps you're thinking this won't really bother you, since you're planning to use the handy included cord to listen to your MP3 player. Sorry. Plugging in a high quality audio source [I use my iPhone or iPod] only serves to accentuate the extraordinarily poor quality of the other audio components in these headphones/hearing protectors. Really, you'd be amazed how lame they truly are. In fact, the distortion at the modest and modulated levels allowed by the electronics is so bad you might not even recognize a favorite song when it comes along.
I purchased these when my earlier version of the WorkTunes headphones (Peltor WorkTunes AM/FM Radio Headset with 22 dB Reduction Hearing Protector #90545) expired. Overall, I was happy with them, but one channel mysteriously quit working, and I was intrigued with the prospect of listening to an iPod with the new version. I should have kept my money. Don't make the same mistake I have. Benefit from my misfortune. Here's what you should do:
Buy ANY other reasonably priced over-the-ear hearing protector on Amazon and use them over a pair of Apple earbuds (Apple Earbud Headphones (White)) or another high quality pair of in-ear headphones (Apple In-Ear Headphones- M9394G/C). Your ears will thank you and your wallet will, too.
Customer Review: Almost perfect
Summary: 5 Stars
I tune and rebuild pianos as a hobby, so you can imagine how much I value my hearing. I never even swing a hammer without hearing protection, so I have a pair of earmuffs on pretty much all the time while in the shop.
Of course, I also love music. Since I got the Worktunes headphones, I can listen to my music clearly without having to blast it over the sounds of power equipment.
Pros: Digital tuning. Memory presets. Lasts 2 solid days on AA batteries when listening to the radio. Pretty durable. Great reception in rural areas (as good as can be expected from an antenna of this size). Speaker sound quality and dynamic range from an external MP3 player is excellent - much better than I expected.
Cons: In cities and areas of strong signals, the receiver frontend saturates easily and you will hear several stations poorly at once (intermodulation). This is a common problem for many simple FM receivers.
The volume knob doesn't function for the MP3 input... it would be nice if I could change the volume of my music without fidgeting with the MP3 player. This also means that the MP3 input bypasses the amplification circuitry. The power for sound comes from your tiny MP3 player's battery rather than the cheap robust AA batteries in the headphones. That was poor engineering, as it would have been very easy to pipe in the input through the audio amp - sparing the tiny MP3 battery and utilizing the volume knob. In fact, I will modify the input in this manner very soon.
With the radio and the noise reduction, you really can't hear a darn thing that is going on. That could be good and bad. Someone could be robbing your shop in a bulldozer and you'd never know it. Two people have already snuck up on me while wearing these. Be aware of your security. I would not recommend using these while working in a bad neighborhood, or in a situation where a partner will be depending on you to hear screams for help.
Summary: For the price, don't expect anything perfect. The radio problem is minor and common. The noise reduction is excellent. This product exceeded my expectations. If I break these, I will gladly buy another pair. I don't know how I lived without them!
Customer Review: product comparison
Summary: 3 Stars
I work construction and there are 3 of us there with 3 different radio headphones so I'll give some feedback on all 3.
Kelly has the widely available AO Safety Worktunes and I have the Peltor WTD2600 model. These two sets are both made by Peltor and are almost the exact same. The AO Safety muffs are not as deep. This means that sometimes you can feel the foam stuffing on your ears and also the noise suppression is only 22 db. The Peltor WTD2600 set have deeper muffs, which means higher profile, slightly bulkier but very quiet. Besides that, they seem to function the exact same in regards to the radio and MP3 playback. I am a bit disappointed in the radio. We live in an area with great local college radio stations and these headsets only pick up the really big, corporate radio stations. This has a lot to do with location but any jobsite radio or car will pick up the smaller local stations and these headphones will not. The AO Safety are about $50 and the Peltors are about $60, the difference being the db suppression, I assume. The sound quality is mediocre. One drawback to these ear muffs, more so for the Peltors, is that when you have them on you will not be able to hear someone speaking to you whether you are playing music or not. For that feature, you would have to have noise canceling headphones, ones that actually let in sounds of lower decibels but suppress the louder ones.
Ian has the Ryobi Tek4 4V Noise Suppression Headphones, for about $70. These have a similar muff to the AO Safety and also a comparable sound quality for MP3 playback but they have no radio. These ARE noise canceling, however, and that is a pretty nice feature to have. There is an easily accessible knob to regulate how much of your environmental noise gets through. At the highest suppression level everything is really muffled and you will only hear loud things such as saws or hammering. At the lowest suppression level the saw will be sharper but still quiet and certain things, such as birds tweeting, will actually be slightly louder than usual. Also, they come with rechargeable batteries. Ian claims my Peltors are more comfortable.