Frequently Asked Questions:
Richard Bunning, English & World Champion clay shooter.
Who are SWATCOM?
SWATCOM is a brand owned by Talking Headsets Ltd, who have been supporting resellers & end users with hearing protection & communications all over the world for 20+ years.
Why do the SWATCOM Active8’s look just like the SORDIN/MSA Supreme headsets?
The SWATCOM Active8’s are manufactured for SWATCOM to our requested specification by SORDIN. After years of supplying SORDIN/MSA products, we decided to pick out the best parts of the supreme models over the years & compile them into 1 headset… The Active8.
Are they worth the money?
Can you put a price on your hearing? Hearing protection is overlooked in many cases, regardless of age it is extremely important that you preserve and protect what you have (Unless you don’t mind going deaf…) The SWATCOM Active8’s are not only built to military specification, deeming them fit for soldiers – they are extremely comfortable thanks to the GEL ear seals, water-resistant & come with 5 year warranty covering the electronics.
So what makes the SWATCOM Active8’s special?
Comfort – Fitted with GEL Ear seal rings, these give supreme comfort and when wearing glasses or safety specs the GEL rings seal over the arms of glasses/specs to increase comfort rather than having the arms digging into the side of your head, also improving the seal from the ear defender to your ear/head.
Durability – Built for soldiers, these ear defenders most certainly are made to last. Fully submersible to 1 metre for up to 30 minutes, the internal electronics are sealed with silicone, making them reliable and safe to use in the wet. ABS Plastic cups keep the internals safe & sound, with an adjustable Headband, protected by a luxurious leather headband cover or fabric camouflage if opting for the Multicam model.
Electronics – Not everyone wants to use the electronic features all of the time (we recommend you do) – Don’t worry about preserving battery life as the Active8’s have a 600 hour battery life with battery save function (Auto switch off after 4 hours) The electronic features built into the headset work as follows…
There is an LD (Level Dependant) Microphone on each cup, these microphones process the noise inside the headset for you to hear, when you are wearing the headset & it is powered on… The sound is extremely clear, processed through an ASIC board (We wont get too technical), the microphones pick up 360 degree so you are fully aware of your surroundings and the direction of sound, in some cases people have experienced a serious improvement on hearing their surroundings and this leads to the point about the SWATCOM Active8’s not only protecting your hearing, but ENHANCING IT. Further more, the sound that is processed through the microphones is limited to a safe level of 82 dB, so any impulse noises i.e. gunshots will be reduced down to a safe level (You WILL still hear the gunshot, it will just not be as loud as if you were not protected) This applies to any additional impulse noises for example clapping, slamming a door etc.. thus keeping your ears protected at all times while you are wearing the SWATCOM Active8’s.
James Bradley Day, World champion clay shooter & shooting instructor
The Great British Rifle Team
Look after your ears, and they’ll listen out for you.
When shooting a gun, in most cases there is a loud BANG once the trigger is pulled… the loud BANG is often assosiated with a ringing sound once your ears have been exposed to it unprotected, this ringing sound is called tinnitus. Everyone is different so some may experience this sooner or later but nobody is immune. Over time, having your ears exposed to these extremely loud frequencies are only going to lead to one thing… Hearing loss! And this is irreversible.
We continue to advise people, offering the best hearing protection on the market (In our humble opinion) to not only protect, but preserve your hearing regardless of the level it is at, its never to late to save what you have!
Since launching the SWATCOM Active8, it has rapidly become regarded as “The Headset” and is in contention to be recognised as one of the leading electronic hearing protectors used by shooters all over the world. Our aim is not only to continue this trend, but introduce it into many more areas and industries all over the world, as we strive to continue to provide the best hearing protection available on the market.
Here’s what others had to say about the SWATCOM Active8.
Written reviews:
Yes, they’re a lot of money, but so is a day out in the field. Once you’ve spent a fair wedge on a day out it makes sense to have the best kit to make sure your day is as good as it can be. If that theory resonates with you and you prefer ‘over-the-ear’ defenders to plugs then you need look no further.
Advancements in the ASIC technology, added lanyard to the battery cap to avoid loss, and automatic power shutoff, the headset has a very good level of improved functionality for both professional or recreational shooters. The 360-audio awareness is notable as the dual speakers in the SWATCOM give an almost surreal level of hearing sensitivity in all directions.
SWATCOM’s Active8 waterproof ear defenders are designed primarily for shooters in Police, Military and Professional scenarios with the greatest need for protection, whilst retaining full situational awareness in all conditions. The ear cup itself with no electronics offers 25dB SNR through which the latest ASIC digital signal processing, transfers 360° perception of non-damaging noise, via the internal speakers. This means that your ears retain a beneficial connection to the external environment.
SC37 Fleximic
Do you like the sound of turning your SWATCOM Active8 headset into a communications headset? If the answer is yes then the SC37 is the perfect accessory for you. The Fleximic assembly easily attaches securely to the Active8 as seen pictures on the right, simply plug in the lead to the AUX input on the headset, the TP120 plug provided on the lead plugs into a PTT Switch (Of which we can provide) to fit your desired radio model.
- The SC37 Fleximic can easily be removed from the headset when not required.
- Noise-cancelling water resistant electret microphone
- Simple, rugged attachment to all SWATCOM Active8 HEADBAND headsets
- Fitted with NATO TP-120 MIL-Spec connector
- Connects to SWATCOM MIL-Spec PTT2000 series
- Audio connection via 3.5mm stereo connector
SWATCOM Bluetooth Neckloop
The SWATCOM Bluetooth Neck-loop is an easy to use, comfortable & durable Bluetooth accessory giving SWATCOM Active8 users the option to connect the headset to their smart phone via Bluetooth allowing them to either stream music or have a telephone call. Our SWATCOM Bluetooth neck-loop is the perfect accompaniment to your SWATCOM Active8 headset. Simply plug the neck-loop into your Active8, switch the loop on, pair to your mobile device or radio and you’re away!
- Integrated microphone gives the user the ability to have a natural conversation over the phone, radio or other full duplex handset whilst wearing their headset.
- Includes USB cable for easy recharging.
- Can be unplugged and removed when not required
- Easily connects to Active8 headset with 3.5 mm connector
- Enables phone calls & music streaming
- On/off and volume control
- 10 hours Talk time and music streaming
- 2 hour charge time
Interested in getting more for your money? Why not browse the bundles…
Hunting and shooting accessories
Explore our range of accessories such as range bags, hygiene kits for refreshing your headset, safety glasses, custom stickers, tactical gloves and more.