ComTac™ VIII Hearing Defender, green, SNR = 29 dB

The 3M™ PELTOR™ ComTac™ VIII Headset helps provide hearing protection while helping to promote auditory situational awareness and communication in challenging environments. Some versions are equipped with a downlead cable for connection to a radio via Push-to-Talk (PTT) as well as a noise-canceling boom microphone for communication in noisy environments.

The Next-Generation Tactical Headset Platform
The 3M™ PELTOR™ ComTac™ VIII is the next generation of our communications and hearing protection headset platform for law enforcement and military applications, featuring an updated design and optimized system integration. Improved situational awareness allows wearers to operate more efficiently during tactical operations. The earcups, headband, and microphone attachment have been completely redesigned to improve attenuation, comfort, and overall user-friendliness for the wearer.

Environmental Listening for Auditory Situational Awareness
The environmental listening function, also known as "talk-through," allows safe sounds to electronically bypass the individual hearing protection while still protecting against harmful noise. A microphone picks up sounds outside the headset and transmits them to a speaker inside the headset. The level-dependent digital audio circuit detects noise levels above the desired threshold and compresses them to a safe decibel level or amplifies quiet sounds to an audible level. The ComTac™ VIII features our latest environmental microphones, which are positioned in a wider and deeper parabolic design.

Mission Audio Profile (MAP)
The ComTac™ VIII offers a way to customize the headset's audio settings for the specific mission environment. With conventional headsets, the frequency response is fixed. The user can only increase or decrease the volume. The MAP function offers advanced ambient listening modes with various gain settings and frequency adjustments to improve hearing in different situations. The Mission Audio Profiles (MAPs) have been developed for combat and combat support operations.

Hearing Protection and Earplug Mode
In critical situations, noise levels can be high enough to cause immediate and permanent hearing damage if proper protection is not worn. The ComTac™ VIII contributes to hearing protection and can also be worn in combination with earplugs to provide additional protection if needed. In earplug mode, it is possible to maintain a level of auditory situational awareness because the headset volume is increased to compensate for the additional attenuation provided by the earplug.

Mission-Critical Communication
Communication plays a vital role in modern military operations. The ability to communicate is essential to effectively react, coordinate, and respond. The ComTac™ VIII features soundscape technology that promotes speech intelligibility in noise. Soundscape technology allows for automatic changes to product settings based on the user's environment.
The external communication and environmental listening functions are independent of the Rx/Tx fail-safe; in the event of an electronic failure or dead battery, external device communication continues to function.

Features
- Environmental listening for auditory situational awareness
- Speech transmission in noisy environments via noise-canceling boom microphone (select models)
- Tested according to applicable sections of various military and other standards
- Hearing protection that protects against impulse noise and continuous high noise levels
- Earplug mode for maintaining auditory situational awareness when used with earplugs
- Advanced listening mode with Mission Audio Profiles (MAP) to maximize awareness based on the acoustic environment
- Soundscape technology for speech intelligibility during radio communications

Technical Specifications
Attenuation in decibels (dB): 29 dB (SNR)
Foldable: foldable/over-the-head style
Weight: 339 g

Scope of Delivery
- ComTac™ VIII Hearing Defender
- 2 x AAA alkaline batteries

What does the SNR value mean?

SNR stands for "Single Number Rating" and denotes the average attenuation of a hearing protector and thus its average protective effect. The SNR value refers to the average attenuation of the frequency range relevant to human hearing, from 125 to 8,000 Hz. For example, an SNR value of 30 dB (30 decibels) reduces noise exposure of 100 dB (100 decibels) to a comfortable 70 dB (70 decibels). Hearing protection should be available from 80 dB (80 decibels). As early as 85 dB (85 decibels) over a longer period (a 40-hour work week), human hearing can suffer long-term damage.

Important: The higher the noise exposure, the shorter the time you should expose yourself to the noise!