Abstract: A combination hearing protector and communication device may be incorporated into a set of earmuffs or earplugs, meeting the needs of workers who must work in hazardous noise environments and who must be able to communicate with each other as well as with persons outside the hazardous noise environment. Each unit of the system has two channels, one to transmit speech and one to receive speech. While each wearer will have an independent transmission channel, all wearers can use the same receiving channel. The system is designed to be incorporated into earmuffs or earplugs in such a way that their noise-reducing characteristics are not diminished. The system incorporated into the earmuff is no more difficult to use than a conventional pair of noise-reducing earmuffs in that nothing additional need be fitted into or onto the ears. Likewise, the system incorporated into the earplugs is as easy to use as custom-molded noise-reducing earplugs which are corded to keep them together.