Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2011 Jun;144(6):950-3. doi: 10.1177/0194599811398872. Epub 2011 Feb 24.
To compare noise reduction of commercially available ear-level hearing protection (muffs/inserts) to that of firearm muzzle suppressors.
Experimental sound measurements under consistent environmental conditions.
None.
Muzzle suppressors for 2 pistol and 2 rifle calibers were tested using the Bruel & Kjaer 2209 sound meter and Bruel & Kjaer 4136 microphone calibrated with the Bruel & Kjaer Pistonphone using Military-Standard 1474D placement protocol. Five shots were recorded unsuppressed and 10 shots suppressed under consistent environmental conditions. Sound reduction was then compared with the real-world noise reduction rate of the best available ear-level protectors.
All suppressors offered significantly greater noise reduction than ear-level protection, usually greater than 50% better. Noise reduction of all ear-level protectors is unable to reduce the impulse pressure below 140 dB for certain common firearms, an international standard for prevention of sensorineural hearing loss.
Modern muzzle-level suppression is vastly superior to ear-level protection and the only available form of suppression capable of making certain sporting arms safe for hearing. The inadequacy of standard hearing protectors with certain common firearms is not recognized by most hearing professionals or their patients and should affect the way hearing professionals counsel patients and the public.
比较市售耳级听力保护器（耳罩/耳塞）与枪口抑制器的降噪效果。
在一致的环境条件下进行实验性声音测量。
无。
使用 Bruel & Kjaer 2209 声级计和 Bruel & Kjaer 4136 麦克风对 2 种手枪和 2 种步枪口径的枪口抑制器进行测试，该麦克风采用 Bruel & Kjaer Pistonphone 进行校准，并使用 Military-Standard 1474D 放置协议。在一致的环境条件下，记录未抑制的 5 次射击和抑制的 10 次射击。然后将降噪效果与最佳市售耳级保护器的实际降噪率进行比较。
所有抑制器提供的降噪效果明显优于耳级保护，通常优于 50%。所有耳级保护器的降噪效果都无法将某些常见枪支的脉冲压力降低到 140dB 以下，这是预防感音神经性听力损失的国际标准。
现代枪口抑制器大大优于耳级保护，是唯一能够使某些运动武器安全的抑制形式。大多数听力专业人员及其患者都没有意识到某些常见枪支的标准听力保护器的不足，这应该影响听力专业人员为患者和公众提供咨询的方式。
