Headset advice- what you wish you knew?

[Chip Sylverne]

By using a cheapo wire motorcycle intercom frame, a good pair of in-ear monitors (mine are Shure) a Bose mic boom and an impedance matching thumb wheel volume control, you can make yourself a really quiet and good-sounding headset for about half. The price of Clarity Aloft.

Plus, you can wear any hat you want to when you go flying.

 

[Will Kumley]

By using a cheapo wire motorcycle intercom frame, a good pair of in-ear monitors (mine are Shure) a Bose mic boom and an impedance matching thumb wheel volume control, you can make yourself a really quiet and good-sounding headset for about half. The price of Clarity Aloft.

Plus, you can wear any hat you want to when you go flying.

I was thinking just the other day about all the motorcycle headset parts I’ve got in the garage. One complete set is virtually new as it didn’t fit in my helmet after I purchased it but decided to keep the headset anyway as it was a good quality set and I figured I’d eventually find a use for it.
Then the other part of me wondered why motorcycle headset companies haven’t jumped on the ANR setup. Lots of motorcycle riders, including myself, wear earplugs on long trips to cut down the wind noise and reduce fatigue.

 

[Chip Sylverne]

I was thinking just the other day about all the motorcycle headset parts I’ve got in the garage. One complete set is virtually new as it didn’t fit in my helmet after I purchased it but decided to keep the headset anyway as it was a good quality set and I figured I’d eventually find a use for it.
Then the other part of me wondered why motorcycle headset companies haven’t jumped on the ANR setup. Lots of motorcycle riders, including myself, wear earplugs on long trips to cut down the wind noise and reduce fatigue.

ANR requires a good seal around the ear. Probably pretty hard to get under a helmet.

 

[Will Kumley]

ANR requires a good seal around the ear. Probably pretty hard to get under a helmet.

Well that explains it. Thought I figured out my get rich quick scheme but now I’m foiled by the details.

 

[denverpilot]

I have 2 pairs of A20s, 2 pairs of Sennheisers that I got cheap cause a shop was getting rid of them and a pair of DC 13.4s.

I had high hopes for Sennheiser around 2010. They could have done great things.

They didn’t.

 

[SoonerAviator]

I wish i had known that Lightspeed and Bose headsets are made of cheap material. They look really good at first. The Lightspeed cables dry rot and fall apart after a few years. As does the controller. I grew tired of shipping Lightspeed headsets in to get repaired. I wish i had known that i would be buying ear pads and head pads on a regular basis (they don’t last either). SO i went back to trouble free David Clark 13.4S and had them converted to ANR by Headsets, Inc in TX. Love this combo that performs great AND after 3+ years I haven't had to buy anything else or have either repaired. I have 2 Lightspeed Zulu 2s that need go back to factory right now with various failures,,,again. They are spares now for passengers.

First I've heard of LS cables "dry-rotting".

 

[N1120A]

I had high hopes for Sennheiser around 2010. They could have done great things.

They didn’t.

They really could have. The $200 mine cost was worth it though

 

[SoonerAviator]

I had high hopes for Sennheiser around 2010. They could have done great things.

They didn’t.

Yup. I've had several sets of Sennheiser ear buds and earphones. I liked their stuff and looked at them when going ANR, but I just don't think they put forth the effort to try and solidify a place next to Bose/LS.

 

[Skepilot]

By using a cheapo wire motorcycle intercom frame, a good pair of in-ear monitors (mine are Shure) a Bose mic boom and an impedance matching thumb wheel volume control, you can make yourself a really quiet and good-sounding headset for about half. The price of Clarity Aloft.

Or, also for about half the price of a Clarity Aloft, you can get the UFQ L2 which has the added benefit of ANR. No assembly required.