Latest LightSpeed trade-in offer

[FastEddieB]

My LightSpeed Sierra’s (2 pair) are getting a bit ragged after just over 10 years of use. When I bought them, I recall getting a $250 discount each for two really ragged 15XL’s that had served me well.

Just got an email from LightSpeed. They’re offering $350 for my Sierra’s toward new Zulu 3’s. Looking back to my Sierra purchases in 2012, they cost me $359 each after the trade-ins. That’s a decade of use for $9 each!

Here’s the offer:

I think elsewhere it says valid to the end of January. Similar offer on the Delta Zulu, but that involves a waitlist apparently, and I don’t thing in really need the CO detector. Just thought I’d pass along what seems to be a good deal.

 

[Lindberg]

I saw that they'll give me $300 for my Zulus, and thought, "What a deal!" Then I looked at what they want for a pair of Zulu 3s!

 

[FastEddieB]

I saw that they'll give me $300 for my Zulus, and thought, "What a deal!" Then I looked at what they want for a pair of Zulu 3s!

I haven’t been following, but isn’t $899 about what they’ve been?

 

[Lindberg]

I haven’t been following, but isn’t $899 about what they’ve been?

I have no idea, but that's insane to me. I did give them $300 to upgrade a Zulu 2 to a 3 a few years ago, and that seemed high, but a lot more reasonable. Considering they'll fix anything wrong with the phones and make them like new for $100, I don't see how they could be worth 9x that.

 

[FastEddieB]

Just a reminder that the trade-up deal I received in the email said the offer expires Jan 31. Just a few days left. Interestingly, as an aside, the promotion page on the LightSpeed site doesn’t seem to specify a cutoff date.

As an aside, a forum member offered me the same $350 each for my old Sierra’s, so I went that route instead. Keep them in the family, so to speak. The new Zulu 3’s arrived as I was composing this, so the Sierra’s will go out tomorrow.

 

[AggieMike88]

I have a PFX I wouldn't mind doing some sort of deal for a Zulu 3.

Interesting the rebate page doesn't include that model, the 2's, nor the Tangos

 

[Terry M - 3CK (Chicago)]

@FastEddieB were they $899?

I could swap out my functional Zulus for $599. Hmmm.

 

[FastEddieB]

Yes. $899 each. At least they didn’t charge tax or shipping. Getting $700 for my old Sierras took a lot of the sting out, especially since I got 10 years of reliable service from them.

 

[GeorgeC]

@RyanB

 

[asicer]

As an aside, a forum member offered me the same $350 each for my old Sierra’s, so I went that route instead.

@RyanB

..was my guess for the Sierra taker

 

[RyanB]

My LightSpeed Sierra’s (2 pair) are getting a bit ragged after just over 10 years of use. When I bought them, I recall getting a $250 discount each for two really ragged 15XL’s that had served me well.

Just got an email from LightSpeed. They’re offering $350 for my Sierra’s toward new Zulu 3’s. Looking back to my Sierra purchases in 2012, they cost me $359 each after the trade-ins. That’s a decade of use for $9 each!

Here’s the offer:

I think elsewhere it says valid to the end of January. Similar offer on the Delta Zulu, but that involves a waitlist apparently, and I don’t thing in really need the CO detector. Just thought I’d pass along what seems to be a good deal.

@RyanB

It doesn’t seem to work…?

 

[SoCal 182 Driver]

I already have two Zulu 3 headsets, and a barely functioning original Zulu. I'd gladly trade the old one in on a Delta Zulu if the trade-in offer is good. I put myself on the waiting list, and am interested to see what the trade-in offer is when it becomes available.

 

[Clip4]

I just sent a Sierra headset without the bag to Lightspeed for out of warranty repair. $175, they first sent me a prepaid shipping label, sent back a brand new headset back including a new bag and paid the shipping. Just saying.

 

[FastEddieB]

It’s their customer service that keeps me loyal.

My 15XL’s needed some mechanical repair after years of hard use. They apologized that they no longer supported that model. However, they sent me a whole box of repair parts for free, enabling me to keep them in use for a couple more years until trading them in on the Sierras. Above and beyond and all that.

 

[SoCal 182 Driver]

It’s their customer service that keeps me loyal.

My 15XL’s needed some mechanical repair after years of hard use. They apologized that they no longer supported that model. However, they sent me a whole box of repair parts for free, enabling me to keep them in use for a couple more years until trading them in on the Sierras. Above and beyond and all that.

When my original Zulu headset needed repair, they essentially told me to go pound sand, and would not provide any support whatsoever. Not even supplying parts so I could DIY.

 

[FastEddieB]

When my original Zulu headset needed repair, they essentially told me to go pound sand, and would not provide any support whatsoever. Not even supplying parts so I could DIY.

Not good. But seems atypical. Sorry for you.

 

[SoCal 182 Driver]

Not good. But seems atypical. Sorry for you.

I went so far as to have a buddy who lives in Lake Oswego go to their front desk to ask for the part I needed. They turned him away empty-handed.

 

[FastEddieB]

Went for a 1 hour flight with the wife this afternoon with the new Zulu3’s.

They do seem to be designed a bit more robustly and elegantly than the Sierras. Mainly more metal and less plastic. Maybe that will give them an edge in durability.

But after one flight we’re in agreement - there doesn’t seem to be a huge difference in actual usage. Wife says they fit more snugly, but that’s not surprising, them being brand new with new ear seals. Noise shielding and cancellation and clarity not appreciably better. No discernible difference in comfort or weight either. A longer flight will be a better test, but that’s it for first impressions.

That said, I’m still glad I’m upgraded. But to a new buyer, I’m not sure the extra money for the Zulu 3’s over the Sierras is necessarily worth it. More a reflection on how good the Sierras are, not a dig on the Zulu 3’s.

 

[asicer]

They do seem to be designed a bit more robustly and elegantly than the Sierras. Mainly more metal and less plastic. Maybe that will give them an edge in durability.

Don’t forget the braided Kevlar cables. And the hard-sided case.

there doesn’t seem to be a huge difference in actual usage.

Depending on how much headroom is in the cockpit, I find the Sierra hinges take up more space.

 

[FastEddieB]

Don’t forget the braided Kevlar cables. And the hard-sided case.

Nice features, no doubt. For now I still hold that for any pilot on a budget, the Sierras are probably just fine.

 

[asicer]

Nice features, no doubt. For now I still hold that for any pilot on a budget, the Sierras are probably just fine.

Probably. For me, it just wasn't as comfortable as the Zulu, Bose or DC One-X. But to be fair, I didn't notice the difference in comfort unless the flight was >1hr.

 

[Skymac]

I love Lightspeed but they frustrated me recently.

I own a flight school and called them to ask if I could buy a couple of used Sierras that they take in on trade. I thought it would be a great way to allow students to get hooked on a nice product and be a nice aid in flight training for people that might not be able to afford the higher quality headsets right off the bat. Presently I have 1 Sierra that I bought at retail price and use that as a rental headset and a bunch of free David Clark’s. They wouldn’t sell me any trade-in’s and said they just recycle them responsibly and they don’t get reused. Such a shame. I wanted to toss all of my DC’s and have a drawer full of Lightspeeds, but it doesn’t make sense to buy them brand new for students to beat on.

Obviously they can do whatever they want, it’s just a little disappointing.

 

[Lindberg]

I love Lightspeed but they frustrated me recently.

I own a flight school and called them to ask if I could buy a couple of used Sierras that they take in on trade. I thought it would be a great way to allow students to get hooked on a nice product and be a nice aid in flight training for people that might not be able to afford the higher quality headsets right off the bat. Presently I have 1 Sierra that I bought at retail price and use that as a rental headset and a bunch of free David Clark’s. They wouldn’t sell me any trade-in’s and said they just recycle them responsibly and they don’t get reused. Such a shame. I wanted to toss all of my DC’s and have a drawer full of Lightspeeds, but it doesn’t make sense to buy them brand new for students to beat on.

They're buying them back to take them off the market. Maybe like the mysterious "forum member," post up here that you're interested in buying used Sierras for the trade-in price.

 

[FastEddieB]

Maybe like the mysterious "forum member,"…

Nothing “mysterious” about not volunteering who the forum member was. He’s welcome to post about his purchase, but not polite for me to name him without getting permission first.

And yes, I’ve heard trade-ins get crushed. Seems like a waste, but LightSpeed certainly has a right to do with them as they please. For those wanting to buy used, there are a handful on eBay right now, albeit for more than $350.

 

[Skymac]

Nothing “mysterious” about not volunteering who the forum member was. He’s welcome to post about his purchase, but not polite for me to name him without getting permission first.

And yes, I’ve heard trade-ins get crushed. Seems like a waste, but LightSpeed certainly has a right to do with them as they please. For those wanting to buy used, there are a handful on eBay right now, albeit for more than $350.

I totally agree. I was just a little miffed, but guess they don’t need to sell scratch and dent stuff to help with advertising

 

[NordicDave]

They're buying them back to take them off the market. Maybe like the mysterious "forum member," post up here that you're interested in buying used Sierras for the trade-in price.

Nothing “mysterious” about not volunteering who the forum member was. He’s welcome to post about his purchase, but not polite for me to name him without getting permission first.

And yes, I’ve heard trade-ins get crushed. Seems like a waste, but LightSpeed certainly has a right to do with them as they please. For those wanting to buy used, there are a handful on eBay right now, albeit for more than $350.

I've managed large buy-back programs for name brand companies. A big part of the economics of a buy-back program is to get customers to upgrade and eliminate self-competition which would occur when the used market balloons with the product otherwise being shredded. The policy also bolsters the economic foundation of the installed base, which provides pricing support for new retail pricing models.