In ear headset question

SixPapaCharlie

SixPapaCharlie

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I spoke to a gentleman at the field who said I can get clarity aloft in-ear headsets for a fraction of the cost of the 320s I have been using.

How would NON ANR in-ear headset compare to what I have been using with regard to ambient noise reduction and clarity?

My radios are primitive and I (so far) have been cruising a lot with the cabin open which is very loud. I have to close the canopy when I wish to talk to ATC.

I like the idea of the less bulky headset and since I am the only one flying this plane, I am not too concerned about giving ear cooties to anyone else. I will probably get low end ANR sets for the remaining 3 seats.

Back to the point though... in ear headsets w/o ANR... Do they do a good job of blocking noise?

He suggested I borrow his and take a flight but I am a closet germaphobe and I would struggle with that so I think I would like to let the audience decide on this one Chuck.

LoveConnection.jpg
 
I have a Bose A20 and Clarity Aloft. I fly with the CA more because its cooler and more comfortable. The noise reduction doesn't equal the Bose but it IS close if you use the right earpiece. I have the foam (which it comes with) and didn't like the fact that it takes so long to put them in your ears. I bought the silicon "christmas tree" looking ear pieces and the results are more than satisfactory.

Look for these on Amazon, pack of 10 for around $15. They will "screw" onto the threaded speakers of the CA headset.

Etymotic Research ER38-18CL Clear 3 Flange Eartips
 
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At OSH I went to the QT Halo guy and his demonstration showed amazing voice quality and noise reduction. I also stopped by the clarity aloft and played with them. I went with the Halo's. I will give you a better pirep as soon as I get my pair. Got them for my lady but think I will end up liking them better than my zulu 2's and if so will order another pair. I have 2 other david clark's for passengers but need to build up to 6 total. At least one lucky passenger will end up with the zulu 2's.

Sorry I don't have real world experience yet for you but the Halo guy said once I try them in the 310 I won't go back.
 
You can (and should) replace the in-ear piece before demo-ing his headset. Once you switch those out (or have him do it, if you're really worried about touching his ear wax) you're pretty "clean" as far as borrowing the in-ears go.

Edit: I've been flying exclusively with QT Halos for years and expect to continue flying with them. I swapped with a passenger who had Bose noise canceling and they were maybe slightly quieter (I also realized after that flight that I hadn't switched my ear pieces in over a year), but the "clamping" feeling was one I definitely didn't miss.
 
I use CA and the wife uses the Halo's we both love them and will never go back to head phone styles agian


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
They a great job blocking noise. I test flew a pair a couple of years ago and was very impressed with both the noise reduction and the sound quality.

Consider this evaluation is from someone who did not end up buying a pair. They gave me a bit of a "stuffed ear" feeling I didn't like. Plus, a bit of a cheap bastard reason - I didn't want to spend extra for bluetooth capability.
 
Get molded ear pieces made for your Halo headset. It is quieter than any ANR headset out there.

I am getting ready to sell my Bose a20.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I spoke to a gentleman at the field who said I can get clarity aloft in-ear headsets for a fraction of the cost of the 320s I have been using.
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Thank you for calling me a gentleman for a change!

I've got a pair of Clarity's and a pair of Halo's you are welcome to borrow to do your assessment. You don't even have to take me with you.

Let me know when you'd like them and I'll give you the secret code to Candyland.
 
I have Zulu2s and Halo. The Halo isn't as effective as the ANR of the Zulu, but it isn't bad. I tend to switch back and forth. The Halo is much nicer in warm weather. The additional quiet of the Zulu is nice on a longer flight, but that is offset by the weight. It is easy to almost forget you have a headset on wearing the Halos for awhile. I've tried getting out of my RV without taking them off a couple of times. I can't really decide which of the two I prefer...
 
Borrowing someone's earsets that have been used......

I have to go wash my hands now.... seriously....:lol::lol:
 
Zeldman said:
Borrowing someone's earsets that have been used......

I have to go wash my hands now.... seriously....:lol::lol:
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I assure you I have unused plugs for both sets. Because you are seriously correct!

You'd laugh if you watched me make sure I gotz mine and @Ravioli's co-pilot got herz. No ear wax transfers allowed!
 
I keep a few tips for my wife's CA in case I choose to wear them (typically because I gave my Zulus to the right seat passenger).

The CA tips launder pretty nicely. I found this out when I left them in my shirt pocket and they went through the wash.
 
I use my QT Halos exclusively, but I fly a Light Sport aircraft. I am extremely happy with the QT Halos and they do an excellent job insulating me from the noise.
 
Clarities have been all I've used for years...they're the quietest headset I've used, including ANRs.* My Maule was extremely noisy (metal door panels), and prior to the Clarities I wore earplugs under DCs, which was better than ANR.*

*ANRs probably lose quite a bit of efficiency since I wear glasses. But I never liked the "sound pressure" of the ANRs, either.
 
I have used ANR ear buds in my airplane. The ANR effect is there; but the buds themselves didn't fit that well. Might give it another try with custom ear inserts. For your airplane, you'd have to add a matching transformer to use the 8-ohm units.

(I searched on Amazon for "ANR ear buds," and when I didn't get any hits, I tried "ANL ear buds. Amazon auto-corrected it to ANAL ear buds. Interesting results.....)

Ron Wanttaja
 
I have both the Bose A20s and the Clarity Aloft Links. They are both great, although I find the metal band on the Clarity Alofts to hurt my ears over time (even though they don't clamp on my head at all). I would like to give the Halo's a shot sometime, but I wanted Bluetooth which is why I got the Clarity Alofts.

The A20s are really nice, but if you wear sunglasses at all they break the seal and you will get some additional noise. I find the CAs to be very similar to the A20s in terms of quietness. Music sounds way better on A20s though. One thing that drives me nuts about the CAs is that the cord between the bluetooth control and the headset is quite short so I can't put it in my side pocket. This means I have to try and keep the thing in my lap.

Honestly, it is somewhat of a wash, I like them both equally I would say.
 
wanttaja said:
I have used ANR ear buds in my airplane. The ANR effect is there; but the buds themselves didn't fit that well. Might give it another try with custom ear inserts. For your airplane, you'd have to add a matching transformer to use the 8-ohm units.

(I searched on Amazon for "ANR ear buds," and when I didn't get any hits, I tried "ANL ear buds. Amazon auto-corrected it to ANAL ear buds. Interesting results.....)

Ron Wanttaja
Click to expand...

hahaha
 
Ravioli said:
I assure you I have unused plugs for both sets. Because you are seriously correct!

You'd laugh if you watched me make sure I gotz mine and @Ravioli's co-pilot got herz. No ear wax transfers allowed!
Click to expand...

Just got finished washing my hands, read this, gotta go wash the hands again...

Seriously, I do not let other people use my mouse..... I keep it in a locked drawer.

I am sure I am heading towards opening a casino, staying in my room, naked, wearing tissue boxes over my feet, keeping toe nail clippings and urine in jars and designing the worlds largest all wood airplane called the "Spruce Moose..."

200_s.gif
 
I have a Clarity Aloft that I bought when flying the 310 and fly now in the 414.

It does a good job of noise reduction. The negative is that you do need to replace the ear foam pieces regularly as they get hard and don't fit your ear well anymore. They also offer 3 different sizes - turns out I need the large ones for my ear canals.

Ultimately it's my go-to headset. It's comfortable, lightweight, and cool in the summer.
 
I own a set of Clarity Aloft, a DC ENC and set of Bose headsets.

CAs are my preferred (best sound reduction) headset for the open cockpit Waco and Beech 18.
 
I use a set of Halos exclusively. The 3M ear tips I use with them block noise better than any ANR headset I've tried, including Bose A20s and Lightspeed Zulus. If you stick to the foam ear tips as opposed to molded inserts, you will have better results with noise cancellation.
 
Harold Rutila said:
I use a set of Halos exclusively. The 3M ear tips I use with them block noise better than any ANR headset I've tried, including Bose A20s and Lightspeed Zulus. If you stick to the foam ear tips as opposed to molded inserts, you will have better results with noise cancellation.
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Just out of curiosity - how are you using the 3M ear tips? Are you referring to the orange ones?
 
I have the TSO Clarity Aloft that I use in an Airbus 300, Bose X that I use in my M20C, and used to have a Sennheiser ANR (HMEC-25) that I used in the 727, Mooney, and Airbus.

The Clarity Aloft, as one person mentioned earlier, works pretty well as long as you have the right size tip. Initially I was using the larger of the two that came with the headset, but the noise reduction wasn't very good (and the Airbus is relatively quiet). Once I switched to the XL plugs (Dark grey) the noise reduction is better (about on par with a Sennheiser ANR) and the comfort is okay, although on my longer flights (3 to 4 hours), the box that has the electronics in it irritates the back of my left ear (Could just be the shape of my ears? I haven't heard this complaint from other CA users). Good quality sound reception, okay transmission quality (not as strong/clear as Bose or Sennheiser).

The Bose X are much better in my Mooney for noise, have almost no clamping effect, and seal well around glasses. I tried them in the Airbus but they cut noise so well it is hard to hear the First Officer (we don't use intercom). The CAs do not cut enough noise for my taste in the Mooney. The quality of sound reception and transmission is top notch.

The Sennheisers' I had were an older model, very light, very little clamping force, very reliable, and excellent sound quality. I think I prefer them over the Clarity Aloft but I sold them so will continue using the CAs in the bus. If I had to do it over again I probably would have had this headset refurbed by Sennheiser instead of buying the CAs.
 
Those pesky blobs of ear wax are like boogers...simply roll 'em between your fingers and flick 'em away. Or save 'em up and make an ear-scented candle!

(Classic headset wearer here)
 
The wife and I both have used Halos for about 5 years. Both of us appreciate the lack of "head clamp" and the decreased weight on our heads. The black foam tips that Phil now sells are quite a game changer when it comes to quietness. They were great with the foam tips, but the new black tips are even better and way more comfortable.
 
I've been using my Halos exclusively since late 2009, and I'm on my second set of "Christmas tree" silicone tips ($3/pair). Easy to insert both hot (100°+) and cold (~10°F) weather, no waiting for them to expand, and they don't try to push out of your ear if you roll them up wrong (because the silicone tips don't need to be rolled, just lift your ear and push 'em in!).

The big difference with CA is the speaker, and tonight I learned there's a box of electronics behind one ear of the CAs. The CA puts the speaker in your ear, ear bud style, and I hate earbuds--they hurt! With Halos, only the foam or silicone plug goes in your ear, and nothing goes around your head except the shaped wire.

Lightweight, quieter than my student-days Flight Com ever thought about being, and every now and then I still try to get out of the plane without taking them off. Even mow around the runway with a bush hog, Halos plugged into my handheld riding in my cargo pockets. Durable little suckers!
 
I just got the Halos a couple months ago. Just like everyone says, getting them to fit properly is key.
Haven't used the Bose A20's but have used Bose X, and Zulu's, DC's, etc. so that is what I compare them to.


My opinion-
Pros:
Very light and comfy
Priced reasonably
Great customer support
Easy to carry around
Easily adjustable (bend the wire, and/or pull out the extension)
No batteries
No small wires to break like the CA's (if that's a problem, I read some that complained)
Great noise reduction when inserted properly, and I can hear radio calls much better
Replacement foam tips are not stupid expensive as the CA's are (in my opinion)

Cons:
Takes a while to get them right sometimes
If you jerk the cord accidentally they will come loose(ish), you have to re-do them at some point.
The mic boom is too short for my preference but works ok. Getting it just right works really good.
They move around easier than standard sets, so I have to fidget with them more, but it's not really that bad
May get tangled in a mullet.

When I'm in the plane solo, I keep my standard headset (passive NR) on the seat next to me just in case I rip the Halo's out of my ears and need to get something on quickly.
Due to the fact that I already have some hearing loss, lately I wear the PNR set over the top of the Halo's for double noise reduction. Very quiet, and if you accidentally jerk the cord it's not a big deal at all.

If I had to choose just one set it would be the Halo's for sure. They get easier to use after a little practice.
 
AggieMike88 said:
@SixPapaCharlie ... I have a set of Halos if you want to borrow them and try out
Click to expand...

The Halo is garbage compared to the Clarity Aloft. I ordered one awhile back for my Pitts and sent it right back. The Clarity Aloft is very high quality and the special Comply screw on tips is the best thing. No other tips block the noise like these. My 540 Eagle was SOOOOO LOUD my ears rang for 3 days after a 15 minute flight. The Clarity Aloft was the only thing that blocked the noise. I even tried foam earplugs with a David Clark over the top. The Clarity was quieter than that. Right now I do not have a Clarity but plan to order one next week for the S1 Pitts I just bought. I will be flying it mostly open cockpit and the clarity will be great.
My opinion from lots of testing is the Clarity is quieter than any ANR. You must insert the tips correct and deep though.
 
pigpenracing said:
The Halo is garbage compared to the Clarity Aloft. I ordered one awhile back for my Pitts and sent it right back. The Clarity Aloft is very high quality and the special Comply screw on tips is the best thing. No other tips block the noise like these. My 540 Eagle was SOOOOO LOUD my ears rang for 3 days after a 15 minute flight. The Clarity Aloft was the only thing that blocked the noise. I even tried foam earplugs with a David Clark over the top. The Clarity was quieter than that. Right now I do not have a Clarity but plan to order one next week for the S1 Pitts I just bought. I will be flying it mostly open cockpit and the clarity will be great.
My opinion from lots of testing is the Clarity is quieter than any ANR. You must insert the tips correct and deep though.
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That is surprising to hear. I have the CAs myself but from what I've seen most people actually prefer the Halos
 
CC268 said:
That is surprising to hear. I have the CAs myself but from what I've seen most people actually prefer the Halos
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Most people prefer the Halo because they are cheap....
The Faro in ear is even worse. I tried one and it was total china garbage. I left a bad review on the Faro site but it never got posted.
After using the Clarity that Halo looked like real junk also. It was made so bad I sent it back without even trying it.
 
pigpenracing said:
Most people prefer the Halo because they are cheap....
The Faro in ear is even worse. I tried one and it was total china garbage. I left a bad review on the Faro site but it never got posted.
After using the Clarity that Halo looked like real junk also. It was made so bad I sent it back without even trying it.
Click to expand...

Haha well thanks for the review!
 
The Clarity is the best in ear and the Lightspeeds are the best over the ear. I have been in the headset business for 15 years and have tested everything made.
 
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