[ IASUS Concepts NT Sniper PRO Specifications ]
	Manufacturer	IASUS Concepts
	Website	www.iasus-concepts.com
	Model	NT Sniper PRO
	System	Throat Mic System
	Frequency Response	20hz - 20khz
	Transponder Frequency Response	20hz - 20khz
	Impedance	20 ohm
	Transponder Sensitivity	20hz - 10khz
	VOX Compatible	No
	Push-to-talk Function	Large Tactical PTT
	Standard Accessories	1x Silicone Earpiece, 2x Contour Molded Earpieces, 1x Throat Strap, 1x Carrying Bag.

[ INTRODUCTION ]

IASUS Concepts has been manufacturing throat mic communication systems for many years now and the first time I came across their product was in 2002. At the time, I was searching endlessly for a headset system for my Motorola FRS radio, and I had tried several of the more common headset systems offered by Motorola and other no name companies but non of them pleased me and they definitely did not work well on the airsoft field. They were cheap and unreliable, the PTT buttons and microphones on them were small and almost impossible to find during a heated firefight and they also suffered severely from background noise interference, especially in the wind. During an airsoft game, I was deep in enemy territory and was severely outnumbered, needed back up immediately. So I called for backup on the radio several times only to realize that my Motorola headset had split into two, I guess I was talking to myself. I can only assume somehow he wiring got caught on my sling as I was raising my gun to fire. Needless to say I was quite disappointed and I eventually got killed. That was the 3rd headset I broke in the same month and I swore I would not buy another one of those cheap headsets.

Then I had heard of a new product called the "Noise Terminator" from a local guy at our airsoft club, it sounded pretty cool so I decided to give it a shot, and so I purchased the NT throat mic to see what it was all about. This was the first throat mic system I have ever used and I fell in love with it almost instantly. The original Noise Terminator throat mic did not have an acoustic coil earphone or any fancy PTT, all it had was a normal earphone, a single transponder on a rubber lined neckband and a pretty standard PTT. Overall it looked kinda wimpy and I was not particularly satisfied with the PTT but it worked like a charm on the field and with it being a throat mic, I never have to look for the microphone to speak into again. Its amazing to see how far the original Noise Terminator has come and evolved over the years, IASUS has put in a lot of resources and research to develop and constantly improve their throat mic systems.

 

[ FIRST IMPRESSION ]

The all-new IASUS NT Sniper PRO has been re-engineered for 2006 and the unit comes in a simple but elegant black box. The new packaging by IASUS Concepts is quite impressive and significantly classier then the previous packaging. The box is larger mainly because of the new large PTT switch and the various accessories that come standard with the Sniper PRO.

First thing you see when you open the box is the throat mic itself secured in place with foam lining, with the IASUS logo proudly displayed in the center. I thought this was pretty sleek, not only does it look clean with no wires showing but it also protects the throat mic during shipping. The overall quality, fit and finish of the throat mic and the accessories are top notch and my initial impression of the new Sniper PRO is very good. IASUS definitely stepped it up a notch in the packaging department. Removing the throat mic and foam lining reveals a lower compartment that houses all the standard accessories along with the rest of the components of the throat mic. The instruction manual is straight forward and easy to understand, it explains the features of the Sniper PRO system and the proper way to use it. It also has a very detailed trouble shooting guide that outlines almost all the most common problems and their possible solutions. There is also a diagram on how to adjust the length of the acoustic coil to fit the user. I found this to be particularly useful as I was not even aware that the length could even be adjusted before this. The contents of the IASUS NT Sniper PRO throat mic system includes the following: 1x NT Sniper PRO throat mic, 1x Velcro Throat Strap, 1x Carrying Bag, 1x Pair of Contour Molded Earpieces, 1x Acoustic Coil Adaptor, 2x IASUS Stickers, 1x Instruction Manual. None of these things came with my original NT or NT Sniper throat mic so I was quite happy to see so many standard goodies.

[ IMPROVEMENTS ]

IASUS has made some significant improvements and changes to the new Sniper PRO system over the previous Sniper model. The most notable changes are the new large polycarbonate tactical PTT, improved Gen 2.0 transponder, noise isolating foam earpieces and higher quality, thicker heavy duty wiring. The new large PTT button is made from an impact-resistant polycarbonate plastic, this material is strong yet lightweight and is the same material used on the original iPod and on the windscreens of some motorcycles. The new PTT is waterproof and the actual button is made from rubber with the IASUS logo clearly stamped in the middle. I found the new PTT to be one of the best new features of the Sniper PRO and it was clearly apparent on my first day of use, it made transmitting in the middle of a fire fight a lot easier due to its size, especially when you are wearing tactical gloves.

The PTT can be clipped and secured to your equipment easily, allowing you to position it right where you want it. It can be activated by hand or with the butt stock of your weapon so you can transmit with your weapon in ready position, a pretty effective technique when you find yourself having to communicate while you're under fire or in a hot zone. The clip on the back of the PTT is also fully compatible with MOLLE gear. IASUS claims that their new PTT is waterproof so I submerged the entire PTT underwater to see if it would still work. It definitely kept the water out and worked flawlessy. I was still able to transmit with the PTT fully underwater and it still functioned flawlessly. All the vital components of the Sniper PRO throat mic are sealed for water resistance, making it splash proof. But ONLY the PTT is waterproof and the throat mic itself is water resistant, so I wouldn't recommend go swimming with it.

Sniper PRO Large Tactical Polycarbonate PTT

IASUS claims that their new PTT is waterproof so I put it to the test and submerged the entire PTT underwater to see if it would still work. And to my suprise it kept the water out and worked flawlessy. I was still able to transmit with the PTT fully underwater and it still functioned properly several days after the test. All the vital components of the Sniper PRO throat mic are sealed for water resistance, making it splash proof. But although the PTT is waterproof and the throat mic itself is water resistant, I would not recommend going underwater with it. This throat mic is designed to work in most weather conditions including heavy rain as well as hot and cold climates but they are not designed to work completely underwater.

Now the previous Sniper model had two transponders for transmission, but the engineers at IASUS had discovered that a single specially tuned transponder is actually more effective and clearer then having two transponders. I was informed that it was because people's necks may not be balanced, which leads to an imbalance of the tranmission wavelengths from each transponder if they did not line up perfectly, which may then causes some distortion in the transmission. So they re-engineered the Sniper PRO with only a single transponder that has been specially tuned for improved reception sensitivity and clarity. The transponder technology for the Noise Terminator has actually gone through many phases and improvements, it has been tweaked, tuned and redesigned many times throughout the years to perfect it and this is actually the 8th version. It is dubbed Gen 2.0 because it utilizes a new vibration sensor mechanism that improves the clarity and sensitivity of your vocal vibrations.

[ MAIN FEATURES ]

- Noise Terminator technology effectively eliminates background noise
- Gen 2.0 Transponder, improved clarity and vibration sensitivity
- Contour Molded Earpieces remains in the users ears even under heavy movement
- Adjustable Neckband for different neck sizes, foam padded for extra comfort
- Large Waterproof Polycarbonate Tactical PTT Button, switch hard-wired permanently
- Heavy Duty High Gauge Wiring, durable and flexible
- Tactical Velcro Throat Strap included
- Throat Mic Carrying Bag included
- Compatible with two-way radios by Motorola, Cobra, Kenwood, Garmin, ICOM, Yaesu, Midland, Uniden.

[ CLARITY / PERFORMANCE ]

So how well does the Sniper PRO eliminate background noise? To truly test the effectiveness its noise terminating technology, I went to the local shooting range. If you've ever been to a shooting range you'll now how loud it can get, most of the guys at the range were shooting .223's, and .308 calibre rifles which were pretty loud. I had a buddy sit inside a car in the parking lot away from the range, he is to communicate with me back and forth when my other buddy is shooting. My buddy used his .38 Super Infinity race gun for the test. The .38 Super round is a pistol round with a longer casing for added gun powder loads, used for IPSC shooting. This round is very loud and sends a shockwave through your brain and I didn't particularly enjoy standing beside him while he was shooting. As he unloaded the full 10 rounds in his magazine I would transmit a weird and non-sense message to my other friend in the car. Once the firing ended, he is to repeat what I said back to me on the radio. The results were quite amazing. I did 3 consecutive tests with messages consisting of 8 words that made no sense what so ever together. My friend had no trouble repeating everything I said word for word except for 1 word in the last test where he was a little off.

Next was the field test. I took the Sniper PRO to an airsoft game with the local boys and I was suprised how well it worked. The PTT was extremely handy, I had no trouble finding it and transmitting when I wanted to as I knew exactly where it was at all times. Even with all the bulk tactical vest and gloves, the large PTT made it a breeze to radio to my team mates at instant. The thicker heavy duty wiring really made a difference when I was crawling around in thick bushes, it did not got caught on anything and even if it did I was confident that I would flex enough for me to realize it was caught on something.

Reception quality was quite good and I had no trouble understanding my team mates tranmissions and they even commented that my tranmission is exceptionally clear throughout the day. The volume was loud enough thanks to the built in amplifier of the throat mic. This is an problem with alot of other headsets. Because each radio is different and some radios have weaker amplfiers than others, it is crucial for the headset to be able to amplify the sound even more to ensure that it can be loud enough for different conditions.I was also suprised at how comfortable the setup was, I had the throat mic on my neck for the entire day and it caused no irratation to the skin and fit snuggly in place. The throat strap has enough extra velcro for adjustability so if it got too tight, I would just loosen it up a bit to get some breathing room. Although I would think having something around your neck for an extended amount of time would become somewhat irratable after a while.

[ ACCESSORIES ]

The new Sniper PRO comes standard with many accessories previously not included with the older Sniper model, including a tactical throat strap, a pair of contour moulded earpieces, a nylon carrying bag, a acoustic coil adaptor, as well as two IASUS stickers. Non of these came with the older Sniper model and it definitely makes the Sniper PRO a great value. Now lets talk about the accessories that come bundled with the Sniper PRO.

The newly designed IASUS throat strap is in my opinion the best accessory to accompany the Sniper PRO system and it seems incomplete without it. The throat strap is is made of neoprene and the inner side is lined with a non-slipping material that is comfortable on the skin and prevents any movement of the throat mic. The throat strap is lined with neoprene on the outside and a non-slip material in the inner layer which is comfortable on the skin. High quality velcro fasteners ensures a strong and secure fit with practically no slipping. This throat strap has reinforced flaps that hold the throat mic in place, making it virtually impossible for the throat mic to become detached from the throat strap once secured.

New IASUS Velcro Throat Strap

The throat strap also serves several other functions, the main one is to keep the transponders positioned at the "sweet spot" at all times, ensuring that you get the optimal vocal vibration pickup when you need it, resulting in crystal clear transmission at any time. Another function it serves is for high-speed racing applications, for example motorcycle or snowmobile racing, where high winds and turbulence can cause interference to transmission during high speeds.

Standard Contour Molded Earpiece

As the name implies, the Ear Contoured Ear Pieces are shaped to the ear and will fit snug into your ear better than the original silicon earpiece. These ear pieces will keep the acoustic coil to stay in your ear. These ear pieces have been offered by IASUS before and are a USD15 value. One other thing to mention in this area is that there is now a little metal adaptor that will allow users to adjust the length of the acoustic coil to fit his/her individual needs. While, I was a little hesitant to use it to begin with, as it does involve cutting the acoustic coil. However, I found that the fit to be exceptionally well and I did not experience the problems of having the acoustic coil fall out of my ear. There are also simple diagram instructions on how to use the adaptor in the box.

Optional Noise Isolating Foam Earpieces

There is an additional optional of the foam ear pieces that users can choose from. The These foam earpieces are made from a special noise isolating foam material as used by today's helicopter pilots. They are moldable and highly effective at blocking out external sounds. Simply twist the earpiece to a small curl and place inside your ears and they will automatically mould to the inner shape of your ear. Now I know for a fact that these earpieces are not cheap, the material itself is very specialized and it used for specific high-end noise isolating applications. These earpieces have a hard plastic inner core, which ensures that sound passes through even if the earpiece is squished. A lot of cheap foam earpieces don't have this inner core and are prone to this problem. The only minor drawback is that they may get dirty during an airsoft game and since it is recommended that they should not be washed, IASUS chose not to bundle them with the Sniper PRO.

Another neat little accessory is the IASUS throat mic carrying bag. This black nylon pouch can be used to hold a lot of other things besides a throat mic. With the throat strap attached to the Sniper PRO and the large PTT, the bag fits everything just perfectly and its perfect for keeping your throat mic dry and clean during transport or storage. When I'm not using it for my throat mic, I also use it for my iPod or headphones and it works great. It is quite handy for alot of things not just for throat mics. This throat mic bag alone costs $10 USD if you buy it seperately, nice to see that IASUS has included this with the Sniper PRO, it really completes the Sniper PRO system and shows that IASUS is conscious about their clients.

[ COMPATIBILITY ]

The Sniper PRO is compatible with a large selection of two-way radios currently on the market including IASUS Concepts' own newly released 16 Channel UHF programmable two-way radio which is available in 2W or 4W models and is fully compatible with FRS and GMRS frequencies. All IASUS throat mics are available in a variety pin configurations compatible with the latest radios from manufacturers such as Motorola, Kenwood, Cobra, Garmin, Yaesu, ICOM, Midland and Uniden etc. For a full list of compatible radios, visit the IASUS Concepts website at www.iasus-concepts.com

IASUS NT SNIPER PRO AND UHF 16 CHANNEL TWO-WAY RADIO

IASUS does not offer one 'stock' headset with multiple adaptors for the various radios on the market. Apparently, the reason for this is because there are so many different radios on the market and one 'stock' headset cannot be optimally tuned for all these radios. In other words, the quality of performance will not be as good if adaptors were used. Makes sense. While I would find the adaptor option more convenient if I were to change radios from time to time, I am willing to sacrifice this minor convenience for the sake of performance anyday.

As for user compatibility, the Sniper PRO is adjustable in length for users with varying necksizes. However, I have a buddy who is rather large in size and weighs around 250 lbs, although the throat mic does fits around his neck, it just doesn't seem to work for him. I suspect it is due to his abnormally large neck size. Its sad to say, but it seems like the Noise Terminator throat mic just doesn't work for obese people.

 

[ WARRANTY / CUSTOMER SERVICE ]

All IASUS throat mic comes with a one year manufacturer's limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. No other throat mic manufacturer out there has a comparable warranty. I found that some other manufacturer's say that they offer a warranty but they in fact will not exchange your product even if the cause of the problem is due to poor quality control. The IASUS warranty covers one year of normal use but it does not cover damage from improper operation, misuse or neglect such as dropping the product onto hard surfaces. If you ever have any problems with your IASUS throat mic, I highly recommend you get in contact with Mr. Johnny Wong at IASUS Concepts. I have gotten nothing but superb customer service from Johnny and no matter what your problems are, you can be sure he will try his very best to resolve your issues. Make sure you register your warranty as soon as you receive your throat mic to ensure that you are covered by the manufacturer's warranty program.

[ CONCLUSION ]

In conclusion, I'd have to say that I am absolutely impressed with the new IASUS NT Sniper PRO throat mic and IASUS is definitely going the right direction with their throat mics. I highly recommend this throat mic for airsoft or paintball players looking for good value, dependable and practical headset system for their radio. The overall quality, fit and finish of the throat mic and the accessories are top notch and the background noise reduction is simply amazing and highly effective. The standard features and innovative design makes the Sniper PRO a sure winner that stands out of the crowd. In terms of value, you really can't beat the Sniper PRO. At a retail price of roughly $130 USD, you get a great looking noise canceling throat mic system bundled with a lot of accessories that don't usually come standard with any headsets. You really can't find another throat mic system on the market in the same price range that is even comparable to the Sniper PRO.

[ PROS ]	[ CONS ]	[ RATINGS ]
- Noise Terminator technology effectively eliminates background noise. - Comfortable and great value throat mic system in the $150 CAD price range. - Large tactical PTT is easy to activate in any situation even in full tactical gear with gloves. - Tactical throat strap and carrying bag are included with the system. - Contour molded earpieces included for both ears, remains in users ears even under heavy movement. - Backed by a 1-Year Manufacturers Warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. - Compatible with large selection of two-way radios currently on the market.	- Will not work with obese individuals or people with abnormally large necks. - Excess acoustic coil earphone needs some playing around to fit around your ear perfectly.	Quality	8.5
		Durability	8.5
		Clarity / Performance	9.0
		Noise Cancellation	10.0
		Comfort	9.0
		Warranty	9.5
		Accessories	9.5
		Customer Service	9.0
		Compatibility	9.5
		Style	9.0
		Value	9.5
		OVERALL	9.09
[ FINAL CONCLUSION ]
In conclusion, I'd have to say that I am absolutely impressed with the new IASUS NT Sniper PRO throat mic and IASUS is definately going the right direction with their throat mics. I highly recommend this throat mic for airsoft or paintball players looking for good value, dependable and practical headset system for their radio. The overall quality, fit and finish of the throat mic and the accessories are top notch and the background noise reduction is simply amazing and highly effective. The standard features and innovative design makes the Sniper PRO a sure winner that stands out of the crowd. In terms of value, you really can't beat the Sniper PRO. At a retail price of roughly $130 USD, you get a great looking noise canceling throat mic system bundled with a lot of accessories that don't usually come standard with any headsets. You really can't find another throat mic system on the market in the same price range that is even comparable to the Sniper PRO.
Review by Stan - Planet Airsoft Webmaster
RESOURCES IASUS Concepts Website - www.iasus-concepts.com