worrall26 Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 Hi all, Does any one use these hearing protectors. Looking at getting some for next season. Not cheap. Sure will be fine in hide, but if out beating or rough shooting, don't want them to easily fall out of ears. Welcome your thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spurs 14 Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 They won’t fall out don’t worry , lots of people use cens but have heard few stories about after care , repairs costing a lot etc , I bought some moulded ear plugs last year , love them , not digital just basic ones cost £75 had a fitting etc at the game fair , can recommend them , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 42 minutes ago, worrall26 said: Hi all, Does any one use these hearing protectors. Looking at getting some for next season. Not cheap. Sure will be fine in hide, but if out beating or rough shooting, don't want them to easily fall out of ears. Welcome your thoughts. I have the standard cens; they stay put in the lugs. I'd recommend a bright colour, just in case one does drop out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 (edited) I have a set which I purchased around 10yrs ago and they still fit well and , they will not fall out. I had issues with the company, they do not have a good bedside manner and I would not deal with them again for that reason, but the units still keep working. Initialy the firm said they needed a service every year or so and I returned mine for a check over and service although they worked perfectly. They charged me £70 for it and took and age to do the job. When I rang to see if they had been lost their attitude was curt and downright rude. I have no quible with the unites they do the job. If you sit in high seats they are brilliant because with the volume turned up you can hear the slightest rustle or crack of a twig. Edited January 23, 2020 by Walker570 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 I have the Cens Mino and they have been good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 I use emtec passive ear protection. Inexpensive stay put and do the job perfectly. I would not pay the price of digital as I do not see the benefit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diver One Posted January 23, 2020 Report Share Posted January 23, 2020 I have CENS passive ones....the cheapest. Never had an issue an old boy who shoots with us went CENS Digital......he gave up and went back to,his Pellator cans ( electronic) as the CENS were eating batteries...apparently not ,fitted with an on off switch abother lad went for a fitted moulded type with a neck chord....waste of time and caught on his stock everytime. Eventually knot came undone and one fell off. Luckily he had chosen bright orange and he found it in the mud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted January 24, 2020 Report Share Posted January 24, 2020 8 hours ago, Dave at kelton said: I use emtec passive ear protection. Inexpensive stay put and do the job perfectly. I would not pay the price of digital as I do not see the benefit. Hi Dave, May I ask if the passive ones allow normal conversation ? Also, being pretty deaf, I fear that without the digital ones enhancing the normal speech/noise, I would not get any benefit. Shooting alone would be OK, but I often share a hide when pigeon shooting and conversation/banter is the order of the day. I suppose that I could try the passive and then upgrade if and when necessary. I cannot get on with 'cans' and currently use Napier Pro 9 which are good but obviously don't enhance any surrounding noise/speech. OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted January 24, 2020 Report Share Posted January 24, 2020 1 hour ago, Old Boggy said: Hi Dave, May I ask if the passive ones allow normal conversation ? Also, being pretty deaf, I fear that without the digital ones enhancing the normal speech/noise, I would not get any benefit. Shooting alone would be OK, but I often share a hide when pigeon shooting and conversation/banter is the order of the day. I suppose that I could try the passive and then upgrade if and when necessary. I cannot get on with 'cans' and currently use Napier Pro 9 which are good but obviously don't enhance any surrounding noise/speech. OB The passive ones do allow normal conversation in my case. I would though share your concern if you are slightly deaf. I have electronic ear muffs that I use when I am shooting clays or standing with my daughter. They are very good for conversation. I agree you could try something like Emtec and if they are not quite right you at least have spares when shooting on your own etc. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted January 24, 2020 Report Share Posted January 24, 2020 1 hour ago, Dave at kelton said: The passive ones do allow normal conversation in my case. I would though share your concern if you are slightly deaf. I have electronic ear muffs that I use when I am shooting clays or standing with my daughter. They are very good for conversation. I agree you could try something like Emtec and if they are not quite right you at least have spares when shooting on your own etc. good luck Hi Dave, Regrettably, I am a little more that `slightly` deaf so require something that enhances speech when shooting in company. I may well look into Emtec. Thanks for your reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted January 24, 2020 Report Share Posted January 24, 2020 3 hours ago, Old Boggy said: Hi Dave, May I ask if the passive ones allow normal conversation ? Also, being pretty deaf, I fear that without the digital ones enhancing the normal speech/noise, I would not get any benefit. Shooting alone would be OK, but I often share a hide when pigeon shooting and conversation/banter is the order of the day. I suppose that I could try the passive and then upgrade if and when necessary. I cannot get on with 'cans' and currently use Napier Pro 9 which are good but obviously don't enhance any surrounding noise/speech. OB I find I need to remove them to get the full benefit of conversation. I have the cen passives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted January 24, 2020 Report Share Posted January 24, 2020 1 hour ago, Penelope said: I find I need to remove them to get the full benefit of conversation. I have the cen passives. Perhaps I should get some and just wear them at home when the wife`s in ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted January 24, 2020 Report Share Posted January 24, 2020 (edited) 19 hours ago, Walker570 said: I have a set which I purchased around 10yrs ago and they still fit well and , they will not fall out. I had issues with the company, they do not have a good bedside manner and I would not deal with them again for that reason, but the units still keep working. Initialy the firm said they needed a service every year or so and I returned mine for a check over and service although they worked perfectly. They charged me £70 for it and took and age to do the job. When I rang to see if they had been lost their attitude was curt and downright rude. I have no quible with the unites they do the job. If you sit in high seats they are brilliant because with the volume turned up you can hear the slightest rustle or crack of a twig. Exactly as above. Mine are a bit older and I have had a lot of issues with them, especially the 'aftercare' or more the lack of it ! I have Emtech plugs which have been, and still are, great, but being almost completely deaf in my right ear and partially deaf in my left, due to a couple of minor strokes, I need enhanced hearing through my ear defenders. I bought the Cens when I was doing a lot of Instruction and when they worked, they were very good. However I began to have more and more problems with them and Cens seem to have a standard charge of £70 PLUS any further work that may be required (always after the warranty has expired). I now rarely use the Cens and have reverted back to my electronic 'cans' for clay shooting, but I still use the Cens for my game shooting (around 4/5 days per season). If I am shooting alone (pigeons) I use the Emtechs, which are passive. I found that I could have a conversation whilst wearing the Emtechs', prior to having the stroke, but they are useless now I am deaf. I remove the one Emtech and put my hearing aid in, to have a conversation. No good at a shooting ground though. I was game shooting with a young man who had bought some electronic plugs at the Midland Game Fair. He was very pleased with both the product AND the service that he had received, I can not recall the Company name, but there are not many doing electrical plugs. I am thinking of treating myself to some new electronic plugs but I will NOT be buying Cens again. Have a look at the Vario plugs. Edited January 24, 2020 by Westley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worrall26 Posted January 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2020 Thanks for your input. I wear awesafe electronic ear defenders. There on Ebay. Got to say no problem with hearing through them. If your near river have to turn volume down. Cheap at around £35.00 Just would have liked something not as intrusive, although don't get in way of gun. Cens are dear and that annual service charge is a no no.. Not good customer relations with them. Stick with what I have for now and keep looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildfowler Posted January 25, 2020 Report Share Posted January 25, 2020 I’ve had Cens for a long while, when they were working properly they were great. My wife managed to wash them, which they obviously didn’t like. The cost to send them to be looked at was close to the cost of just buying new digital inserts so I never bothered! And like others have said, they certainly weren't very helpful, nothing like the big brand optics manufacturers etc. I think cens enjoyed a monopoly on that market for too long and now take it for granted. mine have since come back to life and are generally fault free, but when they do give up, I’ll be looking at one of the other manufacturers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Boggy Posted January 25, 2020 Report Share Posted January 25, 2020 Sounds like Cens are good if they prove to be trouble free, but if there's a problem, then the after sales service is not so good. Also, the servicing sounds a bit of a rip off. OB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Foster Posted January 26, 2020 Report Share Posted January 26, 2020 I would agree with a lot of the comments made above, I have the passive ones - they have worked perfectly and at £100 are well worth the money. I doubt however that passive CENS are any better or worse than other brands. The passive ones do not need servicing. i was given a set of Minos by somebody who had got tired of them. The only way to switch them off was to remove the batteries and even then it was a new set every time. I paid £100 to have them fitted with moulded inserts which worked well but very quickly became loose at the connection between the insert and electronics. I returned them to CENS but there was no acknowledgment of any defect - I wrote a quite polite letter which was in the main ignored. It also only took a few trips before the electronics went in one ear and I gave up as repair was uneconomic; I don't think they can repair them so I think they make up some bull**** figures to make you but a new set. I have been very tempted with the cheapest of the new range (which have an on/off button) but the lack of aftersales service (both from my own experience and also forum feedback like this) has put me off giving them any more money - its now £400 minimum which is a lot compared to the passive ones. Regarding the passive plugs and an conversation - yes generally they are fine. The problem is that if everyone else has their cans turned up to amplify sound they will talk quietly and that does not help. If everybody is wearing passive plugs then no problem !!!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted January 26, 2020 Report Share Posted January 26, 2020 I like my cens, but over 5 weeks for a simple repair and no communication from them only me chasing for what I was told will be repaired and returned in 2 weeks. If I need another pair I will be buying a different brand with decent customer service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carinatauk Posted January 27, 2020 Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 18 hours ago, rimfire4969 said: I like my cens, but over 5 weeks for a simple repair and no communication from them only me chasing for what I was told will be repaired and returned in 2 weeks. If I need another pair I will be buying a different brand with decent customer service. Which alternatives were you considering? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovemyheckler Posted January 27, 2020 Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 CENS customer service is some of the worst I have experienced. I certainly wouldn't recommend them or buy from them again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted January 27, 2020 Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 8 hours ago, carinatauk said: Which alternatives were you considering? Until my Cens die I will stick with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted January 27, 2020 Report Share Posted January 27, 2020 8 hours ago, carinatauk said: Which alternatives were you considering? By talking to people with them, Vario seem to be a reasonable Company to deal with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no1ghillie Posted February 1, 2020 Report Share Posted February 1, 2020 Have used Cens digital for last 3 years , and have had no problems, sometimes I use them passively ie not switched on , if shooting on my own . If in company on driven days or doubling up in pigeon hide I will always fully activate. Duck flighting at night you can hear the ducks long before you can see them Have to remove them during the day to let my ears breathe if on a long days shooting I have bought Cens mini's for both my sons and they love them. Best advice buy the best that you can afford, you only have one set of lugs issued to you when you are born. I have so many friends that are either tone deaf or have serious hearing problems due to no ear protection whilst shooting over the years. no1ghillie@gmail.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 1, 2020 Report Share Posted February 1, 2020 Wish you had been there to advise 70yrs ago no1ghillie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 On 01/02/2020 at 17:03, Walker570 said: Wish you had been there to advise 70yrs ago no1ghillie. Ay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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