Export thread

Its controversial but how many of you enjoy a tune or two while on your ZT? I would also be interested what audio equip. you utilize if you do.Given the relative noise level I have just used foam earplugs so far.:frown:

chemingthroughtheleather said:

Its controversial but how many of you enjoy a tune or two while on your ZT? I would also be interested what audio equip. you utilize if you do.Given the relative noise level I have just used foam earplugs so far.:frown:

Click to expand...

Yeah your right it is a controversial subject especially if your running a business. I never listen to music when there's to many other thing to listen for that could be of importance.

I listen to music on the yards that ive done for a while. But my new yards I don't. Kinda weird but I geuss it's so that I pay I more attention and don't forget anything lol

I like to be able to hear the mower.
And everything else around me.

I listen to music on my own property. Not when I cut the neighbors though. Don't want them to think I don't care and off in lala land...even if I'm not.

I certainly appreciate commercial folks needing a work focus w/o distractions.I was thinking of the typical week-end warrior if you will....

chemingthroughtheleather said:

Its controversial but how many of you enjoy a tune or two while on your ZT? I would also be interested what audio equip. you utilize if you do.Given the relative noise level I have just used foam earplugs so far.:frown:

Click to expand...

My daughter got me a pair of the Howard Leight Sync earmuffs for Christmas. They don't have the built-in radio(just accommodate a connected MP3 player). I use my iPod Shuffle with them and they work very well too. I cannot hear my ZTR while jammin to my tunes mowing my yard!!! I agree, though, that it's probably not appropriate for a commercial business to use them.

I wear earbuds that look like earplugs. They cancel noise out even without music playing so that way I still have hearing protection. I don't see anything wrong with those who wear something similar. Besides sometimes you just need some tunes to keep you going.

chemingthroughtheleather said:

I certainly appreciate commercial folks needing a work focus w/o distractions.I was thinking of the typical week-end warrior if you will....

Click to expand...

The problem with that is the fact that it always seems to be the typical weekend warrior who ends up running or backing over some child and killing them or they end up losing an arm or leg. That's the reason you need to be able to hear the mower and be aware of everything else around you. You say you appreciate commercial folks needing a work focus w/o distractions, my question is why should the weekend warrior be any different? Anyone who runs machinery of any type needs to be focused.

Wildcat said:

I wear earbuds that look like earplugs. They cancel noise out even without music playing so that way I still have hearing protection. I don't see anything wrong with those who wear something similar. Besides sometimes you just need some tunes to keep you going.

Click to expand...

I've found that listening to music makes "anything" go by faster. My exercise of choice is swimming laps at the YMCA. I purchased a device called an X-One that comes with an iPod Shuffle. It fits on the straps of my swim goggles, is completely waterproof and seems to make exercising just fly by(plus I can find a good tune that I can synchronize my swim strokes to). Really makes it more enjoyable than "exercise"!! I was able to use the iPod that came with it for my earmuffs for mowing which worked out great. I lean toward 70's-80's Classic Rock, so I've loaded the iPod up with Steely Dan, Cars and J. Geils Band(all really good "exercise music").

I am ok with music on mower. But dont be tuned out from what you are doing. If screaming is what stops you from hitting someone you are to close.

Rd05lly said:

I am ok with music on mower. But dont be tuned out from what you are doing. If screaming is what stops you from hitting someone you are to close.

Click to expand...

You never know when some fool will come walking up to you.

I was trimming around a house and hit a lady with a rock because she came up behind me.

Carscw said:

You never know when some fool will come walking up to you.

I was trimming around a house and hit a lady with a rock because she came up behind me.

Click to expand...

I wear ear plugs so if I never look around I would hit stuff. Cant trust hearing to save you in high noise areas whats a little more noise to keep you awake and paying attention to the job at hand.

Rd05lly said:

I wear ear plugs so if I never look around I would hit stuff. Cant trust hearing to save you in high noise areas whats a little more noise to keep you awake and paying attention to the job at hand.

Click to expand...

You are right. With or without earplugs, headphones or earbuds you still need to look around and pay attention to what is going on. Its okay to take a pause during work and just look around quickly and continue. Most of the time my clients would wait on us to pause work and wave us down and talk to us. Besides, I don't feel sorry for any adult who walks up on me and gets pelleted by debris. Kids on the other hand, I do feel bad but they should be watched by an adult and kept away from the mowers and a weed eaters when they are at work.

Also Rd0lly, check your messages.

I use in ear earphones with ear muffs over them connected to iPhone. I also have 2 mowable acres. I don't have children at the house and next door neighbor (old couple) is about 10 acres away. So obviously your surroundings do matter when making these decisions.

Carscw said:

You never know when some fool will come walking up to you.

I was trimming around a house and hit a lady with a rock because she came up behind me.

Click to expand...

The key word in your reply was "fool". Anyone approaching a worker on a mower should know to approach with eye-to-eye contact. My wife knows better, I have neighbors on both sides without kids(and they know better). I hope you know that you weren't responsible for that lady getting hit with a rock. Besides, I do keep my eyes open when mowing(and the likelihood of "hearing" someone approach is slim and none:0)

Rd05lly said:

I wear ear plugs so if I never look around I would hit stuff. Cant trust hearing to save you in high noise areas whats a little more noise to keep you awake and paying attention to the job at hand.

Click to expand...

Did you really just say this?
Like everyone does not look around when they are mowing

djdicetn said:

The key word in your reply was "fool". Anyone approaching a worker on a mower should know to approach with eye-to-eye contact. My wife knows better, I have neighbors on both sides without kids(and they know better). I hope you know that you weren't responsible for that lady getting hit with a rock. Besides, I do keep my eyes open when mowing(and the likelihood of "hearing" someone approach is slim and none:0)

Click to expand...

When I am mowing I try and keep I eye on the whole yard it is not easy when I am cutting 4 foot tall weeds and looking just in front and to the side of my next pass.
You would be surprised at what I find in yards. Worst thing is axe heads.

When my wife is using the trimmer we watch out for each other. I never make a pass with the shoot towards her.
I have had thing cone out from under the mower that would have killed her.

I hit a rock 2 years ago. It hit the door on my truck and stopped at the other door.

I bought a set of 3M ear muffs with AM/FM. I usually hear the Braves game when I'm mowing. I've cut grass for 50 years so I think I know how to pay attention even with the local radio station playing. Besides, the AT is loud enough to have on hearing protection so I'd be wearing muffs drowning out most of the sound regardless.

When you cut your own lawn you know where every little bump is. Cutting foreclosed homes things just kinda come up out of nowhere.

Some yards are so bad I will change my blades before I cut them. Put in a old used up set.

Went and got some sony headphones last night.

Plugged them into my iPhone and cut a yard today.
I take back everything I said. I will now use them doing most yards.

Totally understand both sides of the conversation...perception for professional commercial cutters and preference for residential mowers.
I and the later of the two. I have an average pair of ear protection with ear buds to mp3 player which I feel I have to turn up a little loud. I would love to have some opinions of other than the 3M Work Tunes, what are some of the best ear protection to cut the mower noise and hear music at a lower level.

Vanousb said:

Totally understand both sides of the conversation...perception for professional commercial cutters and preference for residential mowers.
I and the later of the two. I have an average pair of ear protection with ear buds to mp3 player which I feel I have to turn up a little loud. I would love to have some opinions of other than the 3M Work Tunes, what are some of the best ear protection to cut the mower noise and hear music at a lower level.

Click to expand...

You could wear ear buds with muff over the top

Rd05lly said:

You could wear ear buds with muff over the top

Click to expand...

Actually what I do...think my ear muffs are on the cheaper side and do not cut the noise as much as I like. Any suggestions of some really good noise cutters?

Vanousb said:

Actually what I do...think my ear muffs are on the cheaper side and do not cut the noise as much as I like. Any suggestions of some really good noise cutters?

Click to expand...

I use Stihl earmuffs which cut the noise good enough I can listen at half volume.

Carscw said:

Went and got some sony headphones last night. Plugged them into my iPhone and cut a yard today. I take back everything I said. I will now use them doing most yards.

Click to expand...

Yeah nice isn't it? IMO mowing is done with your eyes not ears...like you said earlier. Would I likely hear someone yelling with my ZTR at full throttle and ear muffs on? Doubtful, music or no music the chances of hearing anything outside your mower is slime to none. The only debate here is whether Pros should or shouldn't. I see no problem in what your doing if you know the yards like the back of your hand.

This has been very interesting discussion!Hoping everyone is obviously making safety a priority. Getting more suggestions as to your equipment,pros and cons/costs could be most useful.My sense is that we could possibly take some of the trial and error out of the process.:thumbsup:

My friend got hit by a garbage truck one day out cutting his yard years ago, just so happens that he had a radio bungee corded to the back of his mower. Was still running and driving with the wheels all warped. :laughing:

RaptorSD said:

My friend got hit by a garbage truck one day out cutting his yard years ago, just so happens that he had a radio bungee corded to the back of his mower. Was still running and driving with the wheels all warped. :laughing:

Click to expand...

Either someone needs to talk to that garbage pickup service about driving their trucks in somebody's yard or talk to your friend about the danger of mowing the street:0)

I have been using headphones and listening to music when I mow my lawn for years.
I work in construction and have to listen to roaring diesel engines all week. I want to listen to music on the weekend when I mow, not the noisy mower.

I bought a Stanley ear muff with the built in radio and really like them. They block out enough of the noise that I can still hear the machine running and the music quality is better than expected. I am aware of the safety concerns though and I'll stay off the streets:laughing... :wink:

I use the motorola bluetooth headset. It's water proof, cordless, all the controls (volume, track, pause/play) are on the headset next to your ears, fits in your ears and behind the head so it's not in the way and stays attached to your head very well. I use them for running, mowing etc..... They are awesome!!!

I personally feel more aware of my surroundings when I listen to a little music. The hum of just the mower spaces me out a bit.







Sent from my iPhone using LMF

Ok just my 2 cents worth. I have 60% hearing loss it the high tones(woman's voice range) My doctor requires me to ware hearing protection. I have tried many of the ear muff styles. Because they normally give better protection. Well the other day I broke the only pair I had and went to Bass Pro to get a new pair. I could not find any except for shooting ones. WOW what a difference. I can hear a lot of things that where not there with other muffs. Mower noise was still mostly gone but higher pitched stuff still came through. Just love them. I could actually tell my spinals were a little low on grease.

Re: Music on a Mower? My solution--hearing protection, music, can hear kids talk.

Here's my solution, a set of active hearing protection muffs with stereo audio in port. $40

Works great, I can hear children talk with the mower at max throttle, can hear music too.

And the 4V rechargeable battery pack is light, and works for a long time.

And I use them for shooting too.

--3D

No way. I like hearing the engine, blades, etc.. I also have dogs that may get too close or a Wife yelling it's dinner time. I don't listen to music on my bike either. I have seen too many joggers/walkers about have a coronary when someone comes up on them. DUH...

I was using my Dr brush mower wearing ear buds. My oldest son came over to visit. He walked up behind me tapped on my shoulder. I elbowed him right in the mouth busted his lip and loosened his front teeth. I don't wear Em anymore. AL

I use ear-buds when mowing. I can hear the music clearly, but being buds they still allow plenty of engine and blade noise through. The mower sound is clear enough to hear each component without issue, but dampened enough to not cause hearing damage or block the music.

Have 33dbr ear plugs combined with Peltor H10A muffs. The v-twin is still loud enough that my hearing is down after an hour or so in the seat, looking for a better solution, maybe something with better attenuation in the lower register yet still able to hear a voice. I already have some hearing loss playing music, mower is loud.

Re: Music on a Mower? My solution--hearing protection, music, can hear kids talk.

3dmodeler said:

Here's my solution, a set of active hearing protection muffs with stereo audio in port. $40

Works great, I can hear children talk with the mower at max throttle, can hear music too.

And the 4V rechargeable battery pack is light, and works for a long time.

And I use them for shooting too.

--3D

View attachment 22257

Click to expand...

OK give name and model number of the muffs. I want a pair.

For residential use Pandora on the Galaxy S5 phone with the factory earbuds and mic make cutting 5 acres, tolerable. Select my favorite station, "Bob Marley." and get to mowing. If a call comes in, music stops, I power the mower down, yack it up, then back to the task. My area is fenced, my neighbors have common sense, my wife and daughter have common sense, so no one has suffered as of yet...and the band played on. :wink:

I listen to Audio Books with ear buds that clip over the ear and then I carefully place muffs over them. This approach makes mowing even more fun.

I mow an 1 1/2 acres - No dogs, no children, completely fenced in yard and if wife needs my attention while I'm mowing stands well off to the side until I notice her and shutdown.

Zeroturner said:

I listen to Audio Books with ear buds that clip over the ear and then I carefully place muffs over them. This approach makes mowing even more fun.

I mow an 1 1/2 acres - No dogs, no children, completely fenced in yard and if wife needs my attention while I'm mowing stands well off to the side until I notice her and shutdown.

Click to expand...

Nice. :thumbsup: I have a couple Spanish lessons in MP3 format, I wanted to take but I doubt I would hear everything above the din of the motor.