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TR and I use a set of the Gen II hearing protectors. According to the brief we got when we were fitted, they use analog audio compression to control decible spikes above 80(+/-) db. They look like old fashioned hearing protectors and require a custom molded ear piece. So far, I'm very happy with them. What you are describing is the Gen III version (major product improvement and digital too!). If I survive long enought to coax a set of them, I'll post a review. All of them also work like hearing aids/"Hunter's Ears", amplifying small sounds around the wearer. Because of the audio compression technology you still hear the "bang", it's just limited to about 80 db. As a result, they sound "louder" than anything you may have experienced previously. Peltors (and other similar electronic muffs I know of) work by "clipping" - they quit passing the sound through (turn-off) whenever the spike exceeds the set point. Unlike the SureFires, this can make conversation less "optimal." I find I prefer the SureFires.
I gave some samples of the passive hearing protectors to interested parties and have recieved positive reviews of them too. (One of my brothers has a pair in the sandbox - I'll try debriefing him when he gets home.) They seem to work well in continuous use in areas where occasional loud noises might be encountered unexpectedly (gunfights) without degrading hearing acuity below a personally acceptable threshold. I have loaned sets on rifle ranges during matches and gotten good reviews - though most people think they're a "little loud." They don't deaden anything (like the foam plugs do), you can still carry on conversations without suffering hearing damage from gunfire, and they're (relatively) cheap. Unfortunately they are designed to block impulse noise so they aren't ideal in high ambient noise environments. Hope this adds something useful to TR's comments. FWIW - Peregrino
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