Shooters that are in need of hearing protection and at the same time want to keep their situational awareness or want to keep speaking on a normal comfortable level, will require something called active hearing protection. The SORDIN Supreme Pro-X is a product that does all of that and in this "Before You Buy" we’ll give you our thoughts on it.
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That being said, let’s first talk a little bit about the Sordin company, because to some it might be more familiar as “MSA Sordin”.
THE SORDIN COMPANY
SORDIN is a Swedish company that has been around since 1987. Their core is to develop & manufacture high quality professional hearing protection which are used by soldiers, hunters, shooting instructors and recreational shooters. But almost everyone knows them as “MSA SORDIN” and not as "SORDIN". Why is that and more importantly why isn’t that the case anymore.
"NO LONGER MSA SORDIN"
Well, for the last decade SORDIN was part of the MSA group. And during that 14 year period they were only focused on production. Now SORDIN was much more than just production before that time and they wanted to get back to that more innovative part of their business as well. So only recently SORDIN has become a company of its own again and thus it is no longer called "MSA SORDIN", but just "SORDIN".
SORDIN SUPREME PRO-X
Now that you’re aware of this, we here have a SORDIN Supreme Pro-X. This is even the LED version but what’s different about it compared to the non LED version, we’ll tell you later.
This ear pro is currently SORDIN’s most advanced hearing protection system aside their military line. So that said, we’ve put this ear pro to the test and in this video/blog we’ll cover our findings about it. And let’s just do that by starting with what you can expect when you get yours.
1. IN THE BOX
The SORDIN Supreme Pro-X comes in a very nice looking package. When you open it up, you’ll find the headset itself, a 3.5 mm mono jack plug to connect the headset to your phone or other audio devices. This way you’ll have an input to for example play music.
You’ll also find a manual and 2 triple A batteries. So that’s basically everything you need to get started with it right away.
Now that you’ve seen what’s in the box, let’s go over the various options you can choose from.
2. BUILT OPTIONS
COLORS
The SORDIN Supreme Pro-X is available in various color and build options. As for the colors it can either be purchased with green or black ear cups. There are also special color versions, but we’ll come to that in a bit.
CONFIGURATION
As for its configuration you have 3 options. You can get this hearing protection with either a leather headband, a textile headband or with a neckband.
- LEATHER HEADBAND
The version with the black leather headband is slim in design and comfortable to wear. It also allows you to be worn underneath for example a helmet without any discomfort.
- TEXTILE HEADBAND
The textile headband version on the other hand is a thicker version that can either come in a black or a camo color. Unlike the leather headband this one is removable and also replaceable thanks to its Velcro closure.
This headband features padding underneath the bridge which also sits comfortably. It will probably allow you to wear it longer without pressure points than the leather version, but it cannot be worn underneath other headwear.
- NECKBAND
At last you have the option to go for a black neckband version. The positive thing about the neckband is that, unlike from other companies, it doesn’t interfere with your neck when looking up. It also sits pretty comfortably, but does provide more pressure around the ears than the headband versions which might be something you might not like.
Now, from what we’ve experienced with the neckband version, we can tell that in overall most people will probably prefer the headband, just so you know.
LED VERSION
Furthermore aside these Supreme Pro-X options, there’s also a Supreme Pro-X LED version. This is let’s say the most elite version of the Supreme Pro-X that has a build-in bright white light in its left ear cup.
This can always come in handy if you need to light up stuff in dark conditions. Above that, this version also standard comes with gel ear cups instead of the basic foam ear cups.
The advantage of these is that they provide a cooling effect around your ears and for you people that simultaneously wear eye protection, these provide a better seal than the foam ones.
Normally you need to buy these gel cups separately, so it’s pretty cool they’ve made that available in a single package.
Above these extras, the Supreme Pro-X LED can come with green cups or 2 special colors that cannot be gotten otherwise, namely with a Multicam camo or an orange Blaze pattern.
So, that is all regarding the built options for this products, let’s now have a look at its quality.
3. HEADSET BUILT QUALITY
STANDARDS
Let us begin with the standards of the Supreme Pro-X. The headset is build according to the highest possible standards outside the military standards. To give you an idea, this for example means the ear pro is waterproof to a certain level.
The Supreme Pro-X features a slim cup design which is ideal for cheek placement when shooting and the cups are made of a very rugged plastic.
EAR PADS
Standard, the inside of these cups feature foam ear cushions with an extremely good seal which is due to their special shape. And as said earlier the LED version features gel cups that provide an ideal seal for the use with eyewear. Both the foam and gel cushions sit very comfortably as well.
Above this, a big plus is that your ears have enough space to fully fit inside the cups. This is not always the case with other brands and therefore we mention it.
BATTERY COMPARTMENT
The battery compartment can be found on the back side of the right cup and requires 2 AAA batteries.
How these are inserted and taken out can be a bit tricky, because the batteries sit together above each other inside the compartment. Taking them out is the most difficult in our experience, but luckily since the headset is really rugged build, you can smack it hard enough to get that bottom battery out again without any problems occurring.
As for the battery cap of the compartment, its design provides a waterproof seal so that no moisture can reach the electric components.
MENU BUTTONS
Next up are the menu buttons and these are located on the left cup of the headset. There are 3 buttons whereas the center one is the power button and with the other two you higher or lower the volume.
The good thing about them, is that these are easy to distinguish, even when wearing gloves.
INCLUDED CABLE
Going to the left ear cup, on its backside you can find the port for the 3.5 mm mono jack cable.
As said during the unboxing, the adapter is included in the box and it features both a straight and a 90° jack plug for user convenience.
BRIDGE
The bridge of the headset is made of a very sturdy but flexible plastic covered with either a neat leather wrap or a padded textile cover for comfort.
ADJUSTABILITY
The adjustability of the ear pro takes place in the bridge itself. Here you can pull out or push in certain increments of the bridge to create a custom fit.
And once these are in place, they won’t change their position in any way because it does require some force to move them.
NECKBAND VERSION
The neckband version is an entirely different thing. With this one, the sturdiness mainly sits on the back of the system. It is also pretty comfortable thanks to a black padded textile wrap that can also be removed.
The adjustment on this one, takes place on the top of the head with a quite simple looking, but comfortable Velcro adjustment system on its padded bridge.
SIZES
The extension of both a headband or neckband SORDIN goes pretty far and thus it will fit a very large number of people.
CONNECTORS
If we have a look at the metal connectors between the bridge and the cups, we can immediately tell that those are super solid and fixed in such a way that it’s impossible for them to come loose. And breaking these, will not be an easy thing.
WIRING
Next up is the wiring and we can directly tell you that these are the same as they use on their military line. Meaning a very sturdy wire cover that you can’t cut or split easily. Also the points where these cables meet the cups, are very rugged build.
MICROPHONES
Going further to the two external microphones that pick up the ambient sound. These are located on the front of both ear cups and are covered with a rubber frame for extra protection. It also ensures you don’t lose those cushions.
LED
At last as said earlier, the LED version comes with an integrated LED and this one is located on the front of the left ear cup. Right where the metal connector connects to the cup.
The LED is really well covered by its metal casing and therefor very well protected.
So, now that we have fully looked into the build quality, let’s dive into the features of this ear pro.
4. HEADSET FEATURES
ACTIVE HEARING PROTECTION
Since this is a product that provides active hearing protection it is also its most important feature. Unlike passive hearing protection that muffles all surrounding sounds, this one selectively blocks hazardous sounds while still allowing you to hear at a normal or even an enhanced level.
This is all possible thanks to the two external microphones that take in the ambient sound. The system then decides to either block or pass it through the internal speakers and creates a stereo sound that allows you to easily get a sense of direction to locate a sound its source.
The sound produced inside these speakers can be adjusted in 6 different volume levels and is maxed out at 82 dB.
SNR
In total, wearing the headset as it comes, gives you an SNR or signal-to-noise ratio of 26 decibels. For the neckband version this is 25 dB.
SOUND QUALITY
Furthermore, the Supreme Pro-X has recently been updated with new advanced natural hearing technology. We compared it with their Mil CC Slim version which user another kind of technology and we can say that it provides a more “full” environmental sound which is more comfortable to hear.
LOW BATTERY WARNING & AUTO SHUT-OFF
The Supreme Pro-X has an estimated battery runtime of 600 hours which is almost the double of other brands. It also features a volume memory setting, so you always turn it on at your preferred setting.
Above that, the system also warns you if about 40 hours of battery life is left.
LED
At last for the LED version, the light that it emits is a bright white one that has a pretty wide spread and a decent reach in order to be able to read something or work on something at an arms length. This LED also shuts down automatically after 3 minutes.
So, having talked about the features, let’s give you a more clear idea of what this product does in practice.
5. DEMONSTRATIONS
For this part we recommend you to watch the video since this is an audiovisual demonstration. The demonstration itself starts at 11:04.
FINAL THOUGHTS
- If we look at the product in its total, we can say that it is a very reliable and robust system that produces clear sounds and is convenient in use.
- The SORDIN Supreme Pro-X blocks hazardous sounds very well while allowing you to enhance your situational awareness. And thus in total allows you to be a more aware and safer shooter.
- Of course these are features that other hearing protection provide as well, but what really sets this one apart from others are its profile and comfort in our opinion. Its design is really slim and allows you to use long gun system without too much interference like when aiming for example.
- As for its comfort level, it is really easy to adjust, your ears have enough space to fully fit inside the cups and the headband doesn’t create any pressure points for hours straight.
- The SORDIN Supreme Pro-X also stays neatly in place the whole time and continuously provides an excellent seal. And the gel kit provides an even more comfortable feel, especially when wearing eye protection. And for the sake of your ears, we’d highly recommend the gel kit when wearing eye pro since it makes a big difference in the seal.
6. NO “DIRECT” COMM COMPATIBILITIES
Now, what this ear pro obviously doesn’t provide is a direct way to communicate with others over radio since it isn’t build for that.
If you’re in need for this you would normally require to get a SORDIN Supreme Mil CC Slim with a PTT, but that might be too expensive to some.
ALTERNATIVE COMM SOLUTIONS
An alternative that we highly recommend is to simply combine the Supreme Pro-X with a separate radio system that you simply mount on the top of your vest or jacket or on your non-dominant shoulder.
This way you can easily receive messages and conveniently send out messages as well. And if stealth is a requirement you can dim the volume of your radio more than enough, because the SORDIN still amps up the sound in such a way that you can hear everything clearly.
We did notice that the ear pro tends to block the sound of the radio if the two devices are very near to each other. It’s not that it doesn’t allow you to hear the radio, but it gets reduced in volume and that might be annoying to some, just so you know.
7. POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS
BATTERY CAP RETENTION
Aside this, one small point of improvement that might be smart for SORDIN to add to this ear pro is a retention on the battery cap, so you cannot loose it by accident.
We know this is present on SORDIN’s military models which we found really smart, because it then is an entire system you don’t need to worry about. It is something you can probably do yourself as well, but it’s always nicer to get it like that right from the box.
BATTERY COMPARTMENT
Another improvement we opt for is the battery compartment, because getting that last battery out can be a real pain, quite literally even. Sometimes you have to smack your hands until they hurt to get it out and let’s just say, you’re not looking out to do it again. Luckily the Supreme Pro-X has a long battery life.
Anyway, as for the rest we personally love to use SORDIN headsets and that is why we have made it our job to make them easily available through our webshop.
THANKS FOR READING!
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