The Audionist
Radio Headphones: What’s the Point?
If you work outdoors (e.g., construction, landscaping) chances of you owning a portable radio is quite high. But if you move around a lot throughout the day, then lugging an FM radio along with you is neither practicable nor advisable for safety reasons.
Depending on the nature of your job, you might be given a set of hearing protectors or earmuffs to protect your hearing. Which begs the question: Why not combine the two—hearing protectors and AM-FM radio—and enjoy the best of both worlds?
The answer to that? The 3M WorkTunes radio headphones.
https://youtu.be/qxCzyf3CbhM
3M WorkTunes Hearing Protector: Headphones With Radio
The 3M WorkTunes is a hearing protector and headphone radio rolled into one device. It comes with a digital tuner for tuning in to any radio station of your choice, and doesn’t suffer from station fading like analog radios do.
In short, it’s a pair of wireless radio headphones.
The WorkTunes has a comfortable headband and soft-touch ear cushions for extended wearing. It even has 2 bass boost functions for increased bass response.
Design-wise, the 3M WorkTunes comes in black with yellow trimmings on the side of the ear cups. This helps to increase visibility from a distance, which could be important depending on what you use it for.
In terms of build quality, the 3M is durable and made to withstand heavy daily use. The battery cover has a sturdy hinge to reduce breakage. Even if you’re not using it at your worksite, you can still use it in your workshop or yard. The 3M FM radio headphones is simple to operate, comes with useful features and gets the job done.
Another bonus feature is the input jack which lets you connect the 3M WorkTunes to any music device, such as your iPhone or iPod. A pair of AM-FM headphones that plays nice with MP3 players? Check.
You probably wouldn’t want to do that while you’re working though, but it’s nice to know that 3M gave us this option.
Features of the 3M WorkTunes Radio Headphones:
- Easy to access controls
- Voice assist enabled
- Stores up to 50 radio stations
- Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 24 dB
- Compatible with MP3 players and iPod (via wired cable)
Final Thoughts
Granted, the 3M WorkTunes radio headphones is no Bose or Sennheiser in terms of audio quality or style, but it is a reliable hearing protector that lets you get about your daily work with some music thrown in for good measure. At its current price, the 3M WorkTunes is the cheapest AM FM radio headset that you can buy today. If you’re on the hunt for durable pair of headphones with built in radio, give the 3M WorkTunes a try.
One More Thing
3M also puts out a Bluetooth version that lets you connect your MP3 players wirelessly via Bluetooth. With this version, there’s no need for cables. Check it out in action below.
