Isotunes Pro ?

[Martin-IT]

I got a pair of Isotunes Pro last Xmas, that I wanted to use to listen to the radio. 

I got a Bluetooth transmitter to connect to a boombox. Knowing my luck, I always keep my cell phone in the house.

I just started to use them this weekend, we are finally getting decent weather to work in an unheated garage.

It works great to listing to music....except...they seem always to be falling out, which mean not only I lost the music, but also, the hearing protection.

Before, I was using a pair of headband hearing protectors (Husqvarna)., that I used when I do chainsaw and for hearing protection when doing woodworking.

My solution, I put the Isotunes on, and then, the  headband hearing protectors.  The Isotunes then stop failing out, while being able to listen to music in a quieter setup.

Do you use them ? your experience ? Alternative product ?

 

[Wood Butcher]

I have isotunes.  I specifically got the kind with a strap that hangs on my neck and little wires to go over my ears.  I tried the stand alone ones...similar to apple air pods (I think that's what you have)  and they just don't stay in my ears.  They give you several different sizes of screw on foam  None of them really felt better but one of them did stay in better than the others.  Try swapping tips.  Just as an fyi to others..they don't seem to block sound any better than a pair of generic ones you can get on Amazon for like $40.  I tried my iso tunes and my kid's earbuds.  No difference.  That being said, I love being able to listen to my tunes while machining lumber.  If I'm doing something crazy loud I wear my over ear muffs on top but usually just the iso tunes are enough.  Bluetooth speaker for hand tools and iso tunes for machining.  Good stuff

[Mark J]

I use Bose noise cancelling earbuds.  I've replaced the OEM tips with Comply soft foam tips so I get a decent amount of passive hearing protection in addition to the active noise supression.  

I've tried to use earmuffs on top of the Bose, but the ear cups end up tugging the cords and pulling the buds out of my ears.  Also, there's no way to wear earmuffs with a face shield or PAPR.

Oh, and I don't listen to anything when I'm working (I know, just call me "Mr. Party").  I would find the music either distracting or something I would have to work to tune out.  In fact I keep the Bose's electronic box in a ziplock bag in my shirt pocket.  

[Chestnut]

I use the 3m Worktunes. Blutooth stinks and cuts out a lot and the audio quality is junk but they block a LOT of sound.

For other work i use sound isolating erabuds with a cord. IMO you just can't replace corded headphones for sound quality.

[JohnG]

10 hours ago, Martin-IT said:

I got a pair of Isotunes Pro last Xmas, that I wanted to use to listen to the radio. 

I got a Bluetooth transmitter to connect to a boombox.

...

It works great to listing to music....except...they seem always to be falling out, which mean not only I lost the music, but also, the hearing protection.

Before, I was using a pair of headband hearing protectors (Husqvarna)., that I used when I do chainsaw and for hearing protection when doing woodworking.

My solution, I put the Isotunes on, and then, the  headband hearing protectors.  The Isotunes then stop failing out, while being able to listen to music in a quieter setup.

Do you use them ? your experience ? Alternative product ?

 

Call me a millennial, but I always find it interesting when someone prefers to listen to the radio.

Have you tried the different size earpieces that come with it? Surely you are compressing the foam before inserting them into your ear? As with foam earplugs, I always squish them down before putting them in my ears so that they will stay in. Zero chance of them staying in without doing that.

 

22 minutes ago, Chestnut said:

I use the 3m Worktunes. Blutooth stinks and cuts out a lot and the audio quality is junk but they block a LOT of sound.

For other work i use sound isolating erabuds with a cord. IMO you just can't replace corded headphones for sound quality.

Yeah I have a set of the Worktunes that I bought before the isotunes. I rarely use them now. They are uncomfortable and less effective when also wearing safety glasses, even the ones with low profile arms, so I find that the isotunes actually block more sound. Bluetooth and sound quality on the isotunes is also better.

I have a set of Sennheiser wireless noise cancelling headphones that I use while working, and the sound quality is pretty darn good on those, though I'm no audiophile. I've thought about using them in the shop, but don't want to leave them out there and have the ear cups get all dusty.

 

7 hours ago, Mark J said:

Oh, and I don't listen to anything when I'm working (I know, just call me "Mr. Party").  I would find the music either distracting or something I would have to work to tune out.  In fact I keep the Bose's electronic box in a ziplock bag in my shirt pocket.  

I sometimes listen to music/audiobooks/podcasts and sometimes prefer not, depending on what I'm working on. Things like sanding or very repetitive, low risk tasks I can only get done if I have a bit of distraction. If it's something new and difficult or has a high PF, I turn off the audio.

[Chestnut]

42 minutes ago, JohnG said:

Yeah I have a set of the Worktunes that I bought before the isotunes. I rarely use them now. They are uncomfortable and less effective when also wearing safety glasses, even the ones with low profile arms, so I find that the isotunes actually block more sound. Bluetooth and sound quality on the isotunes is also better.

I have a set of Sennheiser wireless noise cancelling headphones that I use while working, and the sound quality is pretty darn good on those, though I'm no audiophile. I've thought about using them in the shop, but don't want to leave them out there and have the ear cups get all dusty.

I don't consider myself an audiophile either. The thing that bothers me is short cuts in the music or blips or other artifacts. I haven't really ran across BT that doesn't have it yet. I just don't think some people notice? I swear i have misophonia, there are sounds that give me awful anxiety. I don't really appreciate what ever it is in my brain that does that. So I'm gonna blame some condition and say that I'm the weird one, because most people love bluetooth.

That said the work tunes are awful. I'm using them to try and train myself to not be bothered by that stuff. It's kinda of working. Using them with out anything obstructing the ear cup is the only way i can run my router table though. No other hearing protection has gotten close at blocking the racket a router makes.

[pkinneb]

I use the ISOTunes for mowing and love them.

In the shop I typically have a TV on and use banded ear protection that I keep around my neck. 

 

[Mark J]

Yeah, I'm with you.  A lot of what comes out of the TV is just crap, better to have hearing protection.  

[legenddc]

I have the 3M worktunes with the cord and only one ear works. Kind of annoying but I haven't gotten around to replacing. I almost bought some Isotunes but the either love them or hate them had me concerned. I don't want to spend that much to hate them and if I got another pair of headphones the boss might kill me.

To the OP, I would try different size tips or even aftermarket noise comply ones.

[wtnhighlander]

12 hours ago, Chestnut said:

 IMO you just can't replace corded headphones for sound quality.

Tell that to the "smart" phone mfgs that keep trying to eliminate the headphone jack! 

Please!

[Chestnut]

1 minute ago, wtnhighlander said:

Tell that to the "smart" phone mfgs that keep trying to eliminate the headphone jack! 

Please!

That's why i buy LG.

[wtnhighlander]

3 minutes ago, Chestnut said:

That's why i buy LG.

Same. I'm still hanging on to one of the few models with a user-replacable battery.

[Chestnut]

5 minutes ago, wtnhighlander said:

Same. I'm still hanging on to one of the few models with a user-replacable battery.

Yeah i enjoyed that while it lasted. I could get a brand new battery or an upgraded battery every 9 months and never had to worry about lost battery life. Not the case any more. I've had a V40 for the last year and I'm starting to notice the battery life not last as long as it used to. I could probably pay to have it replaced but i worry about opening up electronics like this. They never seem to work as well after that happens.

I still end the day with ~75% remaining so i'm not concerned yet. Maybe next year i won't be in as good of shape.

[wtnhighlander]

V40 treating you well? It looks pretty capable.

I agree about things never being the same. I replaced the cracked screen on my son's MotoX 3 times before giving up and replacing the phone.

[Chestnut]

Just now, wtnhighlander said:

V40 treating you well? It looks pretty capable.

Yeah but it wasn't worth the money when i bought it. The V35 was 95% the same phone and $600 less expensive. My work pays for my phone so might as well get the best at the time.

It's a good phone. A few of the quirks that my old V20 had were fixed. The put a power button on the side instead of the back which is helpful. The reason i was drawn to it initially was for the 3 different perspective cameras, telephoto, normal, and wide. So many other phones were adding gimmicky depth of field sensors and time of flight sensors that add nothing to taking a real picture but increase the price of the phone. Cameras are better than the v20 but a 20 year old DSLR can wipe the floor with even the newest and best cellphone image quality wise.

[Chip Sawdust]

On 5/5/2020 at 5:21 AM, JohnG said:

Call me a millennial, .....

Millennial!

[Chip Sawdust]

I have an Anker speaker sitting on top of my rarely-used oscillating spindle sander. It plays all the time. When I want hearing protection, Peltor to the rescue. If I miss a song, who cares? I play music form my iPhone via Bluetooth and it never cuts out.

Mowing the lawn, I use some cheap NR headphones. I tried ear buds with the Peltors over the top, which kinda works, but get sweaty at all they can slip out. They don't get lost because the Peltors retain them, but it's an aggravation, which is why I switched to the NR headphones. I'm not much for earbuds. A co-worker has the Apple pro Buds and says they're the greatest, but for my ears, buds are "less-than". even with interchangeable bits of different sizes to try, they get loose or fall out eventually.

I don't think the shop is a place to try to be an audiophile.

[wtnhighlander]

I'm with Chip on this one. I listen to podcasts in the shop, but not with on / in-ear devices. Over the ear protection when machines are running. 

[treeslayer]

Google Mini and stream a variety of music over WiFi, over the ear muffs when machines are running 

[Coop]

So I guess my 9v AM only mini boom box is outdated? 

[Martin-IT]

I used a 20 years old boom box. I plugin a 25$ Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver, to make it bluetooth capable. I still like the randomness of radio, instead of the ongoing repeat of streaming service.  We have XM radio, on a 10 hours ride, I can tell you which song they will play next.  I could have used a cell phone to stream the radio, but at their price, I am not risking it in the workshop.  

[Foushee]

I have both the 3M Worktunes (haven't had the issues Chestnut mentioned) and the standard ISOTunes. I've found the ISOTunes tend to pop out after I start to sweat on hot days so I typically opt for the Worktunes when I run the heavy machines. But, for short periods in the shop I tend to grab the ISOTunes.