Headset adapter question

genna

genna

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Thought I'd ask this here.

Looking to buy a headset with Helicopter U-174/U(US Nato) plug and use it in a GA (dual plug) airplanes.

Any problems going doing this with a simple adapter?
http://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/sep/1251

Any impedance worries?

Thanks
 
genna said:
Thought I'd ask this here.

Looking to buy a headset with Helicopter U-174/U(US Nato) plug and use it in a GA (dual plug) airplanes.

Any problems going doing this with a simple adapter?
http://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/sep/1251

Any impedance worries?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I've seen a few guys use them with no issues, I'm actually doing the reverse actually using my GA plugged headsets (Clarity Aloft and Bose A20) for helicopter training and haven't had any issues with the twin plug to single plug adapter.
 
I would recommend against the extra cables. The adapter should be impedance matched if it isn't a flaming pile of ****, but there are WAY too many cables draped around light singles these days, with all the magic gadgets. I wouldn't suggest adding another.
 
Two questions:
1. What's the headset?
2. Are you planning on moving the headset between helos and fixed wing? Or is it just going to be only in fixed wing?

If the answers are "a common brand" and "only" then you are probably better off doing a conversion instead of an adapter.
 
I use that exact adapter and it works just fine. Unless it's a military headset you shouldn't have impedance issues. And at least my helicopter headset has a single, coiled cord, so cockpit clutter isn't an issue.
 
I used DC Helo headsets for years in my Citabria and others with adapter with no issues.
 
dillardrg said:
I used DC Helo headsets for years in my Citabria and others with adapter with no issues.
Click to expand...

I use it with David Clark headsets and have had no problems.
 
I had a student who bought a Bose helicopter headset and tried using an adapter to split it to the dual ga plugs. He could hear fine but the microphone didn't work. I'm not sure what he ever did, or if he got them working.
 
I also have the reverse situation, with a fixed wing headset plugged via two-to-one adapter into helicopters, and I have had mixed results. In all cases the headphone speakers work fine, but in some cases the mic does not work properly when coupled with ANR. So I would strongly recommend insisting on an option to return the goods if not working properly in your machine(s) of choice.
 
Lindberg said:
The microphone not working sounds like an impedance mismatch.
Click to expand...
Not in my case. It has to do with the auto-sensing of some headsets of the mic bias voltage to turn the ANR headset on/off to conserve its battery. Apparently some helicopters don't have that bias, and the adapter doesn't help.
 
I also went the opposite direction with a dual GA plug going into a U-174 adapter (this one, in fact) for when I fly in customer helicopters and use my personal, twin-plug A20's. No issues whatsoever with that setup from my experience. Would guess going the other way wouldn't be a problem either.
 
Thanks everyone. I ended up not buying it (Halo). Price looked very attractive at first, but in the end it got pushed up to my limit
 
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