Clovis,
I can understand why the guy at the next bench was complaining. However, even ear protection is no guarantee with a muzzle brake, particularly for the next guy over. For the shooter, it is not as bad as the gas is not directed backwards but rather in a circle around the barrel and as the gas is pressurized and hot, the physics of expanding gases ensures that the guy at the next bench will notice it. While there are some differences, porting is pretty much the same.
I lost 25% of the hearing in my left ear and got tinnitus as a bonus when a short barreled gun with a brake was used at the bench next to mine. After only 2 shots, the damage was done not by the noise but by the shock wave of the gas. Had I not been wearing both muffs and plugs with a NRR rating of 29, hmmmmm, it would have been far worse.