Best Hearing Enhancement for Turkey Hunting Reviews 2021
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If you know the turkey hunting game and the methods used to locate them and get them to make noise in the woods, then you’ll know that some hunts are much harder than others to locate those turkeys. This can come down to a number of different reasons, however, one bit of equipment that can assist you in trying to locate these birds is a hearing enhancement. If you can't see the turkey, then the next best thing you can do is listen carefully for them.
Hearing enhancements are ideal for turkey hunting as they’re simple and easy to use, just simply switch on and attach to your ear and your good to go. Hearing enhancements are not going to get in the way or impair your hunt, they can be small and discreet, and are certainly not going to give you away.
The question is – what’s the best hearing enhancement for turkey hunting out there? Well, let us guide you and show you what our top picks are below.
Top 5 Rated Model Comparison Table
Image | Enhancement | Style | Noise Amplification Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Howard Leight by Honeywell Impact Editor's Choice | Over-Ear muffs | 82 decibels | |
 | In-ear/Behind-ear | N/A | ||
 | Over-Ear Muffs | 50db / 9x | ||
 | In-Ear | 50db | ||
 | In-Ear | N/A |
Reviews of Best Hearing Enhancements for Turkey Hunting
These ImpactSport ear muffs from Howard Leight are a great deal for the price. They have omni-directional microphones, like the Walker model, and amplify sounds up to 82 decibels; at that point, the amplification automatically shuts off. They also boast a noise reduction rating of 22 decibels, blocking out plenty of ambient noise for use in all environments.
The ImpactSport headphones also feature some cool, convenient additions not found on other hearing enhancement devices, such as integrated AUX input for your phone; you can listen to music while shooting on the range, if you’re not out hunting. They run off AAA batteries and can boast up to 350 hours of battery life on low power. An auto-shut off kicks in after 4 hours.
One caveat when using these; they are not powerful enough for shooting indoors. If you’re outside or turkey hunting, they’ll work great, but they simply do not block enough sound to protect your hearing indoors. For outdoor turkey hunting, this thankfully is not a problem.
Otherwise, if you’re on a budget and want a good pair of over-ear noise-enhancing headphones, the Howard Leight ImpactSport are still a solid option.
Pros
- Noise amplification up to 82 decibels
- 22 decibel noise reduction rating
- Omni-directional microphones for picking up ambient noise
- Great budget price
Cons
- Not powerful enough for indoor shooting
Verdict: Best Overall
From trusty brand Walker comes the Razor X’s, a pair of behind-ear headphones, with retractable earbuds coming out of the neckpiece. This means they keep a low profile and don’t interfere with aiming your hunting rifle– so you can hit your target every time. Other than that, they feature the same dynamic and powerful noise-amplification systems as their other models; Hi Gain Omni-directional microphones, HD speakers in the earbuds, Sound Activated Compression.
Unlike other noise-enhancer models, which often run off AA or AA batteries, the Walker Razor features a rechargeable LiPo battery, which packs 250 MAH and up to 10 hours of power. You can recharge it via the Micro USB port on the neckband. There’s also an Auto Shut-off that kicks in after 4 to 6 hours to preserve battery life.
A few people have complained about the overall design, however; for example, the power button touches your neck while wearing, which can lead to it being pressed or during use, and lets it absorb sweat – potentially causing problems. And overall, the quality just isn’t very good; they may break or give out after a few months of use. We’d also really like to see better battery life.
The Razor X’s are a great choice if you really like the idea of the behind-the-ear, retractable design, and they do a decent job at sound-enhancing and noise-canceling. They’re also quite reasonably priced. We prefer them over the Walker HD Pro model and rank them as our best In-Ear Model.
Pros
- Omni-directional Earbuds
- Comfortable, behind-ear, retractable design
- Sound Activated Compression
- Rechargeable LiPo battery
- Rechargeable via Micro USB Port
Cons
- Power button touches neck
- Quality could be better
- Short battery life
If you’re looking for a good pair of over-ear noise-amplifying headphones, the Walker Ultimate Power Muff Quads are our top choice. They use four Hi-Gain Omni Directional Microphones to pick up sounds and noises coming at you from all angles and are tuned for Low Noises and Low Frequencies in order to pick sounds clearly in all conditions. With 50db of amplification, they offer sound enhancement up to 9x, paired with a noise-reduction rating of up to 26db.
One handy feature that the Ultimate Power Muff Quads have is Independent Volume Controls and Adjustable Frequency Tuning; these let you finetune the sounds and frequencies picked up and enhanced, as well the overall volume level, independently of each other and to your exact needs and preferences.
But, while the sound quality, dampening and amplification is great on these headphones, the build quality isn’t. The headband is flimsy and cheap for muffs of this price range, and they’ve been reported to snap without much use. The overall quality control really isn’t that great, either, and one side of the headphones have been known to give out and stop functioning randomly.
For a pair of over-ear muffs, however, these are your best option, and worth the extra price-tag.
Pros
- 4 omni-directional microphones
- 9x Sound Enhancement capability
- 26db noise reduction
- Independent Volume Controls, Adjustable Frequency Tuning
- AAA-Battery Powered
Cons
- Poor Durability, Overall Build Quality
- One side of headphones breaks before the other
These hearing devices from Walker’s Game Ear are a sleek, low-profile and effective hearing enhancement. They have 4 digital sound processing channels, with a 20-bit audio processor, to pick up virtually every detail and sound out on a hunt - from snapping twigs to footsteps on dry leaves. There’s one adaptive listening mode, and up to 50db of sound enhancement.
Hunting can put your hearing devices through the ringer, subjecting them to rain, wind, sweat and other elements which is why the Game Ear HD Pro use a Nano-Tech water repellent coating that protects them from rain and moisture. This newer model is also 20% smaller than their predecessors, so they can keep a low profile in your ear. Other features include Automatic Feedback Control, Toggle Volume Control and Sound Activated Compression.
Our main complaint with the Walker’s HD Pro devices is that they are not as durable as you might like, even with the waterproofing. The sound amplification is also a bit quiet - and there can be a lot of feedback - even with the Automatic Feedback Control included.
Overall, the Walker HD Pro Elite are a good pair. For the price, they’re not a bad choice, though we prefer the Walker Razor X as our top choice for in-ear sound-enhancing ear-buds.
Pros
- In-ear design – low profile
- 50Db of sound enhancement
- 4 sound channels
- Water-resistant coating
- Automatic Feedback Control
- Volume Toggle
Cons
- Not very durable
- Quiet
- Feedback Problems
The BritzGo 702 Premium Hearing Amplifiers are another good choice for in-ear amplifiers, at a decent price. They have a sleek, low-profile build that is comfortable and don’t stick out when being worn. They also have easily-accessed controls, with dedicated volume control, and a push button for switching modes; they feature two different modes – Soft and Sonority – which let you adjust for picking up quiet or loud sounds more easily.
The Britzgo 702 includes two hearing devices, which feature interchangeable hearing tubes for both right and left ears; you can switch and toggle between ears easily as needed.
Now, for the bad: the Britzgo 702 are overall poor quality; they’re lacking in sound quality and amplification department. They’re also not very well built and can’t always withstand the rigors of heavy outdoor use without being damaged or even breaking.
Overall, the Britzgo aren’t a bad choice. But for the price, we recommend getting the Walker Razor X for less money, better performance and even better quality.
Pros
- Small, low-profile design and build
- Easy controls, push buttons, for easy enhancement
- Soft and Sonority modes for enhanced sound and speech detection
- Interchangeable Left/Right hearing tubes
Cons
- Poor quality build
- Poor sound quality
What to Look for in a Good Turkey Hunting Hearing Enhancement
Noise Amplification and Dampening
Noise amplification and dampening are the single most important consideration for a pair of headphones. You need enough noise amplification to hear footsteps, snapping twigs and other noises in the outdoors, while also having enough amplification to block out other, unwanted sounds – and dampening the sound of your gunshots. Most hunting headphones will offer noise amplification up to 50 or 82 decibels, while offering up to 25 decibels of noise dampening.
Design
Some people like the sleek, low profile of in-ear buds, while others prefer the extra comfort, noise-dampening and isolation that over-ear muffs offer. Also, you’ll need to choose between behind-ear earbuds similar to a pair of sport headphones, or the style offered by hearing-aid type devices.
Quality
Don’t skimp on quality, either; the best noise-amplifying earbuds certainly aren’t the cheapest, but the increased sound quality and durability is usually worth the added cost.
The Final Say
The rounds off our post of our top hearing enhancement picks for turkey hunting. Hopefully, you’re now armed with the information you need to purchase a quality hearing amplifier that will allow you to hear those turkeys better in the woods. Hunting these birds takes a lot of patience and practice, so any type of advantage you can gain on them should always be welcomed.
As a final recommendation, we suggest the Howard Leight headphones.
