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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-29 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• Howard Leight Honeywell — biggest strength: It works two ways at once, as a passive hearing protector or as stereo earmuffs fed by a 3.5 mm AUX cable, so you can listen to music without giving up protection.
• Howard Leight Honeywell — biggest trade-off: Its Noise Reduction Rating is 25, which is meaningfully lower than the Pro For Sho's, and its stereo function only works when something is plugged into it.
• Pro For Sho 34dB — biggest strength: A 34 dB NRR in a compact, foldable body — a rare combination, since most earmuffs above 30 dB are bulky and heavy.
• Pro For Sho 34dB — biggest trade-off: There is no audio input at all. It blocks sound and nothing else, and the snug fit may feel tight until it breaks in.
• Who each pick is for: Choose the Howard Leight if you want music or audio on the job; choose the Pro For Sho if the loudest possible environment is your priority and you want it to fold into a pocket.
The Howard Leight Honeywell by Sync is a stereo earmuff first and a hearing protector second — or maybe both at once. Its distinguishing feature is a 3.5 mm AUX input jack and cable, so you can plug in an MP3 player, phone or other personal listening device and hear it through the earcups while the shell still blocks outside noise. An advanced acoustical bass chamber boosts low-end that stereo earmuffs normally lose, so music does not sound thin. There are no knobs, dials, switches or batteries — nothing to adjust and nothing to replace, which matters when your hands are busy.
For protection, it uses patented Air Flow Control technology to reduce sound across all frequencies, landing at a Noise Reduction Rating of 25. That is solid for general workplace and hobby noise, but it is not the highest number you can buy. The build is aimed at all-day wear: lightweight earcups, a padded headband, and reinforced fork slides that hold up to rough handling. It is made in the USA, comes in black, and is sized one-size-fits-most for adults.
Pro For Sho 34dB: Who It's For
The Pro For Sho 34dB is a single-purpose tool, and it is unapologetic about it. The headline is the rating: 34 dB NRR, with OSHA-adjusted guidance putting it around 31 dB in practice. That is unusually high for a compact muff — the brand notes that most earmuffs above 30 dB are bulky and heavy, and the whole point here is to deliver that protection in a slim, foldable shell that drops to pocket size. It carries ANSI S3.19 and CE EN 352-1 certification, and it is engineered specifically to cut high-frequency sound like gunshots, power tools and engines.
One honest caveat is baked into the design. These are passive noise reduction earmuffs, which means they reduce noise rather than cancelling it, and low-frequency sound — conversation, bass — gets through more easily than a sharp crack does. For extreme noise, the brand's own guidance is to double up with earplugs underneath. The other thing to know is fit: the muffs are snug by design for a better seal, so if they feel tight at first, clamping them over the product box for a few hours loosens the headband. It is fully adjustable and padded for kids through adults, and it comes in Standard and Large.
Buy it if you shoot, hunt, run loud yard equipment, or sit through fireworks, monster truck events, races or drumming — and for sensory use, where a quiet, reducing environment helps with concentration, meditation or sensory overload, including autism and ASD. Skip it if you want to hear music through your earmuffs, because there is no audio input.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Listening to music while protected → Howard Leight Honeywell. The AUX jack and cable are the whole reason it exists.
• Most compact and packable → Pro For Sho 34dB. It folds to pocket size; the Howard Leight is a fixed stereo earmuff.
• No batteries, no controls, ever → both. Neither has a power switch or battery compartment, and neither needs one.
• Best for a shooting range or fireworks → Pro For Sho 34dB. Its design targets high-frequency impulse noise like gunshots.
• Best for all-day wear at work → Howard Leight Honeywell. Lightweight earcups and a padded headband with reinforced fork slides are built for long shifts.
• Best for sensory and concentration use → Pro For Sho 34dB. A slim, high-attenuation muff with no audio to distract you.
• Best if you want a single do-everything pair → Howard Leight Honeywell, as long as you accept the lower rating.
In my opinion, these are not really competitors — they are two answers to two different questions. If I could only own one and my priority was quiet, I would buy the Pro For Sho 34dB: its 34 dB NRR, foldable build and range of sizes make it the more capable pure protector, and it is the one I would hand to anyone facing gunshots, engines or fireworks. But if my day involves noise and music, I would buy the Howard Leight Honeywell without hesitating, because a 25 dB stereo earmuff you actually enjoy wearing beats a higher-rated one you leave in the drawer. Decide which of those two buyers you are, then check the current price on Amazon before you commit.
FAQ
They block sound physically rather than electronically. Dense foam and sealed earcups absorb and reflect incoming noise, and the tighter the seal around your ears, the more sound is kept out. Both the Howard Leight Honeywell and the Pro For Sho 34dB work this way — no batteries, no microphones, no active circuitry.
It is the umbrella term for earmuffs and headphones that reduce noise through materials and fit alone. The Howard Leight Honeywell is rated at 25 NRR and the Pro For Sho 34dB at 34 NRR; that rating tells you how much noise the shell is expected to cut. Higher NRR means more blocking, but passive designs generally handle sharp, high-frequency sound better than deep, low-frequency rumble.
They suit loud environments where you want the noise gone without power: shooting ranges, hunting, power tools, yard work, fireworks and race events. The Pro For Sho 34dB also works as a sensory aid for concentration, meditation and sensory overload, while the Howard Leight Honeywell adds a wired stereo option for music at work.
No. The Pro For Sho 34dB blocks more sound, but the Howard Leight Honeywell lets you listen to music and wear it comfortably for long stretches. A muff you keep on is more protective in practice than a stronger one you take off — so match the rating to how you will actually use it.
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