Headsets

rcigliano said:
Just to let you know the Blue Angels use David Clarks. If they are good enough for them they are good enough for me!

I live my DCs.
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Why would you care what the Blue Angels use? They wear helmets and oxygen masks and use MilSpec headsets. Those aren't the same as GA.

The needs of a fighter pilot are quite different from that of a Cessna driver. Even if it weren't, such an "endorsement" would mean nothing. The "other" FARs require accepting the lowest bidder that meets spec. The spec may or may not really be the best thing for you. Ability to wear glasses or a cannula would presumably not be covered.

Endorsments from GA don't mean much either, but at least it's closer. I don't know and I don't care what Sean Tucker uses, for instance.
 
bflynn said:
Here's my headset - I like it, it works, functional and no issues.

http://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/product/11753

Note, sportys won't show you this product through the regular menu, you'll only get the $900 Lightspeed headset.

i'm not married to lightspeed, but for $200, it does a very good job. And I'm not shy about speaking up when I don't like something.

What I like in a headset equates to money....active noise cancelling, ability to plug in a cell phone, gel comfort ear pads. I'm not willing to spend that, so I don't have it.
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This is looking more and more like a winner.

Ill probably order through sporty's and if it doesnt work out for me return it and try out another set :)
 
Last count I had eight pairs of various DC's, including one converted to ANR, a Lightspeed 30-3G, 25XL, Zulu, Bose A20, and a Gentex helmet with ANR. Best comfort for a long flight is between the Zulu and Bose, best sound is the Bose, but best deal are my ANR converted DC's with gel cups.
 
I haven old DCs with te Headsets, In. ANR conversion. Very pleased.

My wife has the QT Halos, loves them. I am thinking about converting to those...
 
PBristolJr said:
The only problems I found with the QT halo's compared to the Clarity Aloft's was that in some of the trainers at my field the QT wouldn't break the squelch period. I've heard this problem from a few others.. The surgical tube is also a bit flimsy. The CA's are a couple notches more durable I believe.
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A number of years ago I tried the Halos but they weren't compatible with the audio system of the airplane I was trying to use them in. I could never get the volume turned up loud enough even after sending them back to the company for adjustment. The guy who owns the company was very helpful and cooperative and when it was obvious that the systems were incompatible he gave me a full refund. I ended up the CAs which I have been very happy with. I have used them for about 5 or 6 years. They get quite a bit of abuse and are not as fragile as they look. I use them mostly in a jet but I have tried them in piston airplanes and they do a good job. No more hot head-clamps for me.

I'm sure the Halos would have been fine if they had been compatible.
 
gprellwitz said:
Eh... I tried the Boses on a LONG XC (Chicago to Bahamas). They felt alright, but one of the two pair had a problem where the sound would cut out periodically. Not acceptable in a $1K headset. Been happy with the Zulus since then.
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Report it to Bose and they will make it right. 10 years and never had such a problem. And you're right--absolutely NOT acceptable in a $1k headset.
 
spiderweb said:
Report it to Bose and they will make it right. 10 years and never had such a problem. And you're right--absolutely NOT acceptable in a $1k headset.
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We just returned them and bought the Zulus after they came out a few years later. Again, this was 2004.:rolleyes:
 
Softcomm C-90 for me. ANR, of course.

The best advise in this thread has been the advice to see what works best on your head. Then buy that. We're all different and what works for me might not work for you.

David Clark has a stirling reputation for customer service from everything I've read. Softcomm has fixed my headsets, but for a fee. I've been using the same set for close to 12 years now and have had a couple of problems which they've taken care of. Not free like DC has been known to do, but significantly less than buying a new headset.
 
MAKG1

It was a tongue in cheek comment. Why do you care what I think?

So here is an endorsement from a GA pilot, I recommend David Clark for the quality, long life and great customer service.
 
Everskyward said:
A number of years ago I tried the Halos but they weren't compatible with the audio system of the airplane I was trying to use them in. I could never get the volume turned up loud enough even after sending them back to the company for adjustment. The guy who owns the company was very helpful and cooperative and when it was obvious that the systems were incompatible he gave me a full refund. I ended up the CAs which I have been very happy with. I have used them for about 5 or 6 years. They get quite a bit of abuse and are not as fragile as they look. I use them mostly in a jet but I have tried them in piston airplanes and they do a good job. No more hot head-clamps for me.

I'm sure the Halos would have been fine if they had been compatible.
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I understand that this happens, with all brands sometimes? My d&c set does this, really depends on others headsets though
 
I've owned Bose for 5 years this time and 6 years the last time. I really like the Bose X, I haven't tried the new ones and probably won't. I bought my son his own set a year and a half ago, slightly used, still looked like new, with the case and I paid $500.00 for them!:D I am buying another pair tomorrow for $300.00, they need new ear seals, but no big deal. That will give me two pair for each airplane and we won't have to rob a set each time we fly.:D
As a student, I would not pay $1000.00 for a headset, look for a good used set.:D
 
I use bose products. More often than not any more, I use the uflymic with a Bose QC-15. This is the standard stereo noise canceling headset that one can buy at Best Buy for three hundred bucks. The Uflymic clicks in, and makes it into a TSO'd aviation headset. It's light, very compact to go in a flight bag, and the battery will go over 50 hours.

I used that arrangement for years flying internationally, and it worked extremely well. I've used them in light airplanes, turboprops, turbojets, etc, on very long flights and short flights, and I'm very happy with them.
 
DouglasBader said:
I use bose products. More often than not any more, I use the uflymic with a Bose QC-15. This is the standard stereo noise canceling headset that one can buy at Best Buy for three hundred bucks. The Uflymic clicks in, and makes it into a TSO'd aviation headset. It's light, very compact to go in a flight bag, and the battery will go over 50 hours.

I used that arrangement for years flying internationally, and it worked extremely well. I've used them in light airplanes, turboprops, turbojets, etc, on very long flights and short flights, and I'm very happy with them.
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I am not putting down your choice. But doesn't that combination cost about the same as a used BOSE headset?
 
I guess that depends where you buy the used headset. I picked up a used Bose X a few years ago for about six hundred, on ebay. It was in very good shape, and I used it in the desert and other places; it ran like a top, but began hissing after a time. I stopped by sun n' fun at the Bose booth, and told them about it. They tossed me a new pair of ear seals, said they would do the trick, and they did.

The Uflymic wasn't something I considered until another crew member let me try one. I was on a leg between Honolulu and Los Angeles, and he wasn't using it for much of the leg. I was impressed by it's construction and the weight of the headset, but I was also very impressed by the compactness.

I was traveling around the world extensively at the time, and space in my bags was at a premium, especially my flight case. A Bose X (or today the A20) takes up a lot of room in a flight bag, and it's too expensive to simply carry around without protecting properly. The QC-15 folds flat and is very compact. Right now I can carry it in my helmet bag along with a helmet and flight suit and other gear, and it easily fits; it almost disappears.

A big benefit of the Bose QC-15 is that it's a regular music headset, and on long deadheads and commercial legs, I simply used it to listen to an MP3 player, or to review ground school recordings for the next upcoming recurrent class. It also had the wonderful effect of warding off people sitting nearby. Inevitably when sitting down in uniform, everyone wants to talk, and admittedly I've had some very interesting conversations with people from all walks of life on long airline flights. Most of the time when I'm traveling, however, I'm exhausted, and would prefer solitude, not conversation. The headset tunes out the world, and when people see you putting it on, it's like a neon "do not disturb" sign. It also makes listening to inflight music or movies a lot nicer.

Because it did double duty and works equally well in light aircraft, it became my go-to headset.

Airlines and 121 operations generally require a TSO'd headset, and that was the controversy with the use of the uflymic. The company eventually got TSO authorization for the headset combination, and I carried the document in the case in the event anyone asked. Nobody ever did, including FAA inspectors who rode on board.
 
I purchased recently a pair of David Clark H10-13.4 used headset from 2000. They did not work very well, but looked brand new. I had purchased these for $120 on Ebay plus shipping. The seller sent me back some money when I opted to send them into David Clark for repair. With shipping, the repairs cost $83. In the end, I payed less than $200. The headset cam back as if I just bought them new in a store. And, everything they repaired has a 5 year warranty on it. David Clarks customer service, and turn around time was great. Are there better head sets? Probably. Am I happy with my purchase? Definitely.

If you want the best, and can afford the best, go for it. If you are looking for a good deal, I would say do what I did. Talking to David Clark, they told me worse case scenario for my headset would be $130 for repairs before sending them in. The price I paid was what they told me the average cost was before sending them in.
 
After flying a couple of times with the Quiet Technologies Halo in-ear headset... I have to throw in another vote for them. Simply wonderful. VERY quiet, VERY clear audio, and far more comfortable than anything else I've seen or tried. I was very skeptical, now I'm a convert.
 
DaleB said:
After flying a couple of times with the Quiet Technologies Halo in-ear headset... I have to throw in another vote for them. Simply wonderful. VERY quiet, VERY clear audio, and far more comfortable than anything else I've seen or tried. I was very skeptical, now I'm a convert.
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Let me know how they hold up for ruggedness. I'm a skeptic too.
 
Jaybird180 said:
Let me know how they hold up for ruggedness. I'm a skeptic too.
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Coming up on the 2nd year with mine. And about 200 hours, I haven't broke them yet. But I do have to be carefull not to shut the wire in the door (it is thin)
 
Well I've shut my current headsets' cord in the door at least once. No problems yet (knockwood)
 
I have the headset from Clarity Aloft and although it looks fragile it has lasted for about 5 or 6 years of being plugged and unplugged, sat on, shoved in drawers, and general abuse.
 
I have Beyerdynamic ANR. I don't think anyone has mentioned it yet. Beyerdynamic is a German company that only started selling in the US in the past few years, and their headsets are made in Germany, not China. I like mine very much.
 
Jaybird180 said:
Well I've shut my current headsets' cord in the door at least once. No problems yet (knockwood)
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Oh I have done it several times, the door still shuts though, and you find out in flight if you can't move around enough :)
 
ja_user said:
Oh I have done it several times, the door still shuts though, and you find out in flight if you can't move around enough :)
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That belongs in the 'dumbest things I've done and lived' thread :):rofl::)
 
Jaybird180 said:
That belongs in the 'dumbest things I've done and lived' thread :):rofl::)
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Not even close to the dumbest. The first time I did it was in a piper, I was right-seat and wasn't PIC.


Now I check, and fix it on the ground.. :)
 
Well, I'm guessing that when people see you shoving in them in your drawers the incidence of theft goes down. Or would in my case.

Everskyward said:
I have the headset from Clarity Aloft and although it looks fragile it has lasted for about 5 or 6 years of being plugged and unplugged, sat on, shoved in drawers, and general abuse.
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wabower said:
Well, I'm guessing that when people see you shoving in them in your drawers the incidence of theft goes down. Or would in my case.
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How would you know it's my drawers I'm shoving them in or would that make a difference. :rofl:
 
My first "headset" was the uflymike setup mentioned earlier in this thread, which was perfect for flying right seat with a friend around the pattern. I later bought like new David Clark h10-13.4's off of Craigslist. I have a third set of Pilot Avionics pa 1190's I found, of all places, at a Goodwill store near Quantico, Va, where my kid wanted to grab some fatigues for paintball. I've been up with all of them, but nothing beats the DC's.
 
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DaleB said:
After flying a couple of times with the Quiet Technologies Halo in-ear headset... I have to throw in another vote for them. Simply wonderful. VERY quiet, VERY clear audio, and far more comfortable than anything else I've seen or tried. I was very skeptical, now I'm a convert.
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I can't comment on the functionality of the Halos (never used them, I'm sure they're great), but as a newb I don't think I like the idea of not having that sterotypical "pilot look" that comes from traditional looking headsets. As an aspiring PP, I guess having the look (sans the requisite skills) matters still to me! :D:D
 
Irish_Armada said:
I can't comment on the functionality of the Halos (never used them, I'm sure they're great), but as a newb I don't think I like the idea of not having that sterotypical "pilot look" that comes from traditional looking headsets. As an aspiring PP, I guess having the look (sans the requisite skills) matters still to me! :D:D
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You mean the headset hair, or the ear wax dripping out of your ears on a really hot day?

:yikes:
 
ja_user said:
You mean the headset hair, or the ear wax dripping out of your ears on a really hot day?

:yikes:
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Headset hair doesn't bother me but the earwax comment got my gag reflex going!:rofl:
 
Irish_Armada said:
I can't comment on the functionality of the Halos (never used them, I'm sure they're great), but as a newb I don't think I like the idea of not having that sterotypical "pilot look" that comes from traditional looking headsets. As an aspiring PP, I guess having the look (sans the requisite skills) matters still to me! :D:D
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Agreed Ray-Bans, and a big watch never hurt anyone :D

Im working on the leather bomber jacket next.;)
 
My first headset when I was a student was Sigtronics S-20 ($150 new). I bought them from a local store after giving them a try. For me, they were the best I could afford at the time and still very comfortable (for me). I've used a number of different sets as has my most regular passenger. She prefers TEXEX Echelon 20s; having used these in a rental in NC.
I also have BOSE X, Lightspeed Zulus, and DC H10-13x. The latter I bought new as a gift for completing my PP. The others were used off the AOPA classifieds. ANRs are, in my not so humble opinion, the way to go if you can afford them. Try a stereo with Bose after trying it with $15 sonys. You'll see the difference there as you will in the air. Bose has a nice write up on the tech. Definitely worth reading.
If you can try something out before you commit to the expense; in the environment; that's the best. You fly for 1 hour as a student and most I've tried stay pretty comfortable. Fly for 6 or 7 hours in a day and you will see a significant difference.
Also, check the classifieds and see whats out there. You see a lot of DCs, a lot of Bose, not so much the others. Is that because DCs and Bose are more plentiful or because, like me, pilots hoard?
 
The Halos are pretty well built. They're solid, no loose bits, and I don't see any places where the cable is likely to stress and break.

One of the things I like about them is that the transducers are part of the headband, so there are no wires flexing in the part you stuff into your ear. It's a silicone tube. Replacement parts are dirt cheap. Like I said, I was quite skeptical, and the kicker for me was the 30 or 45 day money back guarantee if you don't like them. I even packed the DC headset just in case. I'll keep it around for passengers,but my wife and I both love the halos. And when I build an RV, I'll be able to wear a hat with a brim too. :)
 
I'd love to get a set of "nice" ear-wear for the wife and I, but we have a toddler who just got used to putting on her headsets when we board the plane. If anyone doesn't wear them, she reminds them. It wouldn't seem right for us to have Halo's and her not to. And it's easy for us to see if she's wearing headsets, not sure about Halo's or QC's (or whatever), but I digress.....
 
Jaybird180 said:
I'd love to get a set of "nice" ear-wear for the wife and I, but we have a toddler who just got used to putting on her headsets when we board the plane. If anyone doesn't wear them, she reminds them. It wouldn't seem right for us to have Halo's and her not to. And it's easy for us to see if she's wearing headsets, not sure about Halo's or QC's (or whatever), but I digress.....
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A friend of mines, 7-8 year old son wears with Halo with the smaller ear pieces and loves them.
 
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