TELS knew about the **it RT quality a couple of years ago and them upstairs in ATCOland were told and chose to ignore it.. .The reason for "earmuff" style is supposed to allow concentration on ones own job and ignore the rest of the row in the OPs room - nice in the ear jobs would work just as well if not better, but hey lets not go 21st century yet - next thing you know all the nice paper strips will disapper...