If you’re anything like me, listening to music helps motivate you and makes the time seem to go by faster. Not every job lets you rock out with the tunes—but when you can, it’s nice to have a solution that holds up. I mean, the workplace can be a really noisy place. The ISOtunes Xtra Bluetooth headphones have an answer for this. Of course, being OSHA approved for noise control, they also present a great solution for ear protection.
10-Second Summary
I thoroughly tested the quality, run-time, and noise-reduction properties of the ISOtunes Xtra Bluetooth headphones over a period of several weeks. I can confidently recommend them for any work that requires OSHA-certified noise cancelation…or when you’re trying to avoid hearing movie spoilers on public transit!The ISOtunes Xtra Nitty Gritty
With an OSHA-compliant ANSI-certified noise reduction rating of 27 dB(A), these earbuds really do well at blocking out noise. In a repetitive daily field test, I wore these while riding on public transit. Some joker thought it would be funny to shout spoilers for the Avengers: Endgame movie.
I didn’t hear a word.
Needless to say (though I will anyway) the noise reduction rating from me is a solid 10/10.
Using the ISOtunes Xtra Bluetooth Headphones on the Job
To give you a more vocational idea of how well these earbuds work, I also wore the ISOtunes Xtra noise-canceling headphones while mowing the grass. Typically, I don ear protection on the order of 25 dB(A) noise reduction. While they block out the volume of the mower, they do little to remove the low-frequency hum. The ISOtunes Xtra noise-canceling headphones did something unique. They not only let me mow the lawn without overbearing noise. They also allowed me to stream my favorite music at the same time!
The sound quality was decent. You can get in-ear headphones with better quality, but they will likely cost more. They also won’t do much to protect your ears. The ISOtunes have a maximum output of 85dB(A). That gives them the OSHA-certification for all-day usage. Think of it this way: Blocking noise only solves part of the issue. If you also plan to pipe music into your ears—you need to make sure you don’t replace harmful tool noise with equally harmful music levels. ISOtunes limits the output to solve this key issue.
And, the noise reduction is executed so well, that 85 decibels of output make the music plenty loud while you’re mowing the lawn with a Cub Cadet Pro Z 560 zero turn mower.
Features That Make a Difference
The ISOtunes Xtra Bluetooth Headphones also come with a 3-button remote. The simple controls made it easy to raise and lower volume, skip, pause, and play music. It also includes a microphone that eliminates most background noise. Not only can you talk with all your friends—you can do it while in a shop full of grown men gleefully testing power tools.
Even with the noise reduction, the sound quality remained crystal clear. These beat most earbuds I’ve used in the past, both wired and wireless.
With an advertised battery life of up to eight hours, you won’t have to worry about constantly having to recharge your headphones every few hours. They’ll last a whole day (at school or the job site). That means you won’t miss out on a second of your awesome tunes, soundtracks, podcasts, or audiobooks.
The ISOtunes Xtra wireless earbuds include several interchangeable earpieces. The foam earpads for the Xtra are larger and more comfortable than the originals. They not only fit my ears—but my whole family was able to try them and not have to share. Even after prolonged use they never bothered me—and I have sensitive ears that eventually ache with most Bluetooth earphones.
ISOtunes Xtra Noise-Canceling Headphones Features & Specs
- Model: ISOtunes Xtra IT-02 / IT-07
- IP45 rated against dust and water
- ANSI-certified 27 dB Noise Reduction Rating (NRR)
- OSHA-compliant, including ISOtunes signature SafeMax™ Technology (85 dB volume limit)
- Bluetooth 4.1 + EDR w/aptX
- 10-hour music playback and talk time, 240 hour standby time
- Battery: Non-replaceable integrated lithium-ion
- ISOtunes™ signature mic with background noise cancellation
- Color: Black/Yellow (IT-02) or Black (IT-07)
- Weight: 16 g / 0.75 oz
- Includes: Soft carrying case, USB charging cable, 4 pairs (XS/S/M/L) of heat-activated ISOtunes TRILOGY foam earplugs, and 3 pairs of silicone double-flange eartips (S/M/L).
- Warranty: 1 year
- ISOtunes Xtra: $79.99
- Origonal ISOtunes: $59.99
- ISOtunes PRO: $89.99
Conclusion
If you love music and need a solution that provides hearing protection, these earbuds are perfect for you. You can grab them online for $79.99.
