Lightspeed Delta Zulu

I want to invent a headset that when it hears an awful radio call it gives you a wet willy. "yeah, uhhhhhh, we're, uhhhhhhh 5, no 7, uhhhh, 10 nautical miles east, uh west, no 10 miles north of uhhhhh, the field, we're gonna, uhhh, overfly the uhhhhhh field for a teardrop entry <<< SQUISH WET WILLY>>> ....uuuhhhh 10 miles north inbound with delta"
 
I'd like to know about the lifespan of the co monitor. Most "legit" co detectors need to be calibrated every couple years and replaced after a couple calibrations. Otherwise it's a good idea. I have an electronic co in my plane, but the club plane just has a stupid spot detector.

They didn't address my two biggest gripes about the Zulu 3... the mic boom is too short, and you have to remove the batteries and flip the Itty bitty teensy tiny dip switch to change between mono and stereo modes.

I do kind of like the lithium battery. Being able to charge it in use is pretty good too. Not enough improvement to make me upgrade though. The app stuff doesn't excite me. AA's last me about 40 hours and are easy enough to change.
 
Last edited:
Thanks Doc for the heads up. I ordered one. Will report back on here my ‘review.’

(Edit: see my review on post #22). Two thumbs up!)
 
Last edited:
"Delta Zulu"? I guess they ran out of AIRMETS.
 
I was interested until I saw it was just a smidge heavier than the regular Zulu’s. I have all Lightspeeds but after flying with Bose too, I finally can say I notice the small weight difference after a few hours a day.
 
Jim K said:
I'd like to know about the lifespan of the co monitor. Most "legit" co detectors need to be calibrated every couple years and replaced after a couple calibrations. Otherwise it's a good idea. I have an electronic co in my plane, but the club plane just has a stupid spot detector.

They didn't address my two biggest gripes about the Zulu 3... the mic boom is too short, and you have to remove the batteries and flip the Itty bitty teensy tiny dip switch to change between mono and stereo modes.

I do kind of like the lithium battery. Being able to charge it in use is pretty good too. Not enough improvement to make me upgrade though. The app stuff doesn't excite me. AA's last me about 40 hours and are easy enough to change.
Click to expand...
I believe I heard on one of the videos, good for 10 years...

Also I don't think Lightspeed has an Android app, just IOS; Probably to compete with Bose...

You all know who owns Bose, right?





Apple.
 
FPK1 said:
"In a move that can be described as either incredibly surprising, or completely unsurprising, Apple has purchased Bose and announced its intention to consolidate the brand with Beats, resulting in "Beats by Bose" headphones and speakers." Apr 1, 2018, edited Jun 13, 2019

"Apple Buys Bose, Announces "Beats by Bose" Headphones | AVS Forum" https://www.avsforum.com/threads/apple-buys-bose-announces-beats-by-bose-headphones.2967994/
Click to expand...

Again, if you seriously believe Apple owns Bose, your should check the date on that announcement.
 
eman1200 said:
I want to invent a headset that when it hears an awful radio call it gives you a wet willy. "yeah, uhhhhhh, we're, uhhhhhhh 5, no 7, uhhhh, 10 nautical miles east, uh west, no 10 miles north of uhhhhh, the field, we're gonna, uhhh, overfly the uhhhhhh field for a teardrop entry <<< SQUISH WET WILLY>>> ....uuuhhhh 10 miles north inbound with delta"
Click to expand...

I wish I could like this more than once.
 
The idea of calibrating the sound based on a hearing test profile seems pretty cool for all the deaf-ish people.
 
eman1200 said:
I didn't read the specs, but how does this differ from you know, volume?
Click to expand...

IDK but I'd be interested in trying it since I do have profound hearing loss.

Based on results from a custom 12-frequency hearing test in the new Lightspeed app, HearingEQity automatically adjusts Delta Zulu to optimize every ATC call and conversation specifically for your individual hearing profile. Individualized profiles can be saved, and different headset users can switch profiles.

Now if these would just turn squeaky high pitched female voices that I can't hear into say Barry White or Mike Rowe voice, I'd be sold. I flew into KMKC once and ATC running approach had a terrible voice for these radios.
 
Last edited:
Except A. Bose left the stock for the company to his alma mater, MIT.
 
Daleandee said:
They prolly add a "tone" knob ... :dunno:
Click to expand...

I imagine it's more of an electronic EQ accessible via phone app. Uses some sound profiles to shift/amplify certain frequency ranges in order to bring out sounds that your ears have difficulty with while leaving other ranges alone.
 
SoonerAviator said:
I imagine it's more of an electronic EQ accessible via phone app. Uses some sound profiles to shift/amplify certain frequency ranges in order to bring out sounds that your ears have difficulty with while leaving other ranges alone.
Click to expand...

Absolutely ... I was being quite simplistic.
 
I’ve finally been able to do a comparison test of the Delta Zulu with the Bose A20 on a flight yesterday.

I’ve been searching for the perfect headset for a long time now. At first it was the Lightspeed Zulu 2 and 3. They were comfortable and worked well.

Then I gave wireless headsets a shot in the Husky, picking up a couple of Lightspeed Tangos. Loved the freedom they gave me.

All of the Lightspeed headsets worked well, with only a small complaint that my strobe light (non-LED) came through slightly as a pulsating tone. After switching to an LED Strobe and Nav light, the noise diminished a bit. It’s not something that annoys me too much, but my partner didn’t like it.

So I finally tried the Bose A20. She loved them and that’s what she’ll continue to use.

But for me, after messing with two different CO monitors, and forgetting to turn them on before the flight or to charge them at home, I was really drawn to the Delta Zulu.

Noise Cancelling

Testing it yesterday side-by-side with the A20 revealed a couple of things. First, the A20 is about 2 db (total wag on the amount) quieter than the Lightspeed. It wasn’t something you’d notice after a minute of using either headset.

Comfort

Second, while the Bose has less clamping force on your head, it rides on top of some of my ludicrously large ears. I’ve had this cause some pain after a few hours of flying.

The Lightspeed (Delta Zulu and Zulu 3) has a larger ear cup that goes completely around your ear. It was a nicer feel for me, even though it had more clamping force.

Sound Quality

Next, listening to music on each headset, I felt the Bose was ‘muffled’ like there was little treble to the sound. Putting the Delta Zulu on, it sounded like a great set of earphones. That’s when it dawned on me. I had done the hearing test through the app which takes the different frequencies and has you lower the test volume on each frequency until you could just barely hear it. Well, the first 7 or so lower tones were simple, but as I got to the higher frequencies I had to crank up the volume just to hear them after four decades of flying.

So I’m convinced the changes to the settings on the Delta Zulu is what allowed me to hear all the details in the music. As far as ATC was concerned, I'll need to do a few more flights to really know. I don't remember having any issues with either one.

The "killer app"?

Finally, the main reason I’m keeping the headset; the CO monitor. It’s slick as can be. If the levels are low and not a factor, no warning is given. But if you’d like to hear what the current level is you push a button and it will give you an instant read-out. “Carbon Monoxide 6,” it’ll say.

Not only that, but I just opened the Lightspeed app and was surprised to see it recorded the levels from the flight yesterday. Can you guess how many T&Gs I did? You can actually see the climb-out CO levels. My airplane has a belly pod, so the CO levels are higher than on a standard Husky.

Here is yesterday’s flight:

IMG_0686.jpeg

I had 30 days to try this headset out before deciding to keep it. After one quick flight I’m sold.

Unpaid, unaffiliated, just wanted to share my quick review.

Kent
 
Last edited:
My concern with bundling additional non-audio capabilities into a headset is that it makes it more expensive to maintain and repair. Carbon monoxide detectors are amperometric devices with a limited lifetime, typically 5-10 years. (Eventually, the electrolyte in the detector dries out or the anode gets poisoned.) So how much will it cost to replace the detector when it reaches end-of-life, and will the part be available at that time? Compact stand-alone CO detectors with digital displays are available for about $100.
 
eman1200 said:
I didn't read the specs, but how does this differ from you know, volume?
Click to expand...

I have 50% hearing loss just at some specific frequencies. It probably tests your hearing for that and increases the volume at those specific frequencies to increase the hearing loss for those frequencies to 100%
 
chemgeek said:
My concern with bundling additional non-audio capabilities into a headset is that it makes it more expensive to maintain and repair. Carbon monoxide detectors are amperometric devices with a limited lifetime, typically 5-10 years. (Eventually, the electrolyte in the detector dries out or the anode gets poisoned.) So how much will it cost to replace the detector when it reaches end-of-life, and will the part be available at that time? Compact stand-alone CO detectors with digital displays are available for about $100.
Click to expand...

Well, on the bright side it makes it so that you don't forget to turn it on each time. Hopefully there is a replacement "cartridge" or similar that doesn't involve having to send the entire headset in for CO service repairs.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I have 50% hearing loss just at some specific frequencies. It probably tests your hearing for that and increases the volume at those specific frequencies to increase the hearing loss for those frequencies to 100%
Click to expand...
Yes, that's what I got from their promo material - they are basically using modern hearing aid technology to to adjust the audio frequencies for us. At my age, it's something I'm going to look into.
 
The unit I use from Sportys costs $170 and the monitor needs to be replaced every 2 years according to the Sportys description. (Tocsin 3)

The Delta Zulu will be replacing that sensor which I never did find a good spot for in the cockpit and often left at home or forgot to turn on.
 
I have Zulus now. I’m not seeing a compelling reason to buy the new version.
 
Are there any more pireps on the new Delta Zulu headset? Is the new sound customization feature helpful? Does it help clarify reception of ATC communications? Looking for more first hand reports as I consider purchase. Thanks.
 
wsquare said:
Are there any more pireps on the new Delta Zulu headset? Is the new sound customization feature helpful? Does it help clarify reception of ATC communications? Looking for more first hand reports as I consider purchase. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I have a DC One-X and recently bought a Delta Zulu because of the frequency band tunable gain feature due to my hearing loss. I only used them for about 1hr of a flight then switched back to the One-X's. I did not perceive any improvement in clarity of comms but I wear hearing aids under my headset anyway. What I did not like was that the ear seal was more easily disrupted compared to the DC's but that is a feature of one's individual anatomy and eyeglass configuration. The main complaint was that I had to have the mic firmly against my lips to have the VOX circuit pick up without cut out of the first milliseconds of speech or I had to raise my voice considerably to avoid this delay. The foam was abrasive feeling and it was a hard no-go for me. I may trade my chief instructor the set for instrument time but if she passes then I will sell them for $900 + shipping. She loved the Zulu's so she may find the DZ great. YMMV.
 
Being able to adjust EQ to compensate for hearing loss would be a good feature.

Like eman posted, if only we could edit some of the other stuff would be nice...last call.
 
It seams like every new piece of technologies that you bring aboard the plane have a co2 meter these days
 
Interesting. I'm going to take a strong look at this. I do have some high pitch hearing loss in my left ear due to an injury, and I've been happy with my previous Lightspeed headsets.

Also, their support has been fantastic, and yes I have been able to get parts from them for a 12-year-old, long-discontinued headset.

@Kent Wien What happens if you don't launch the Lightspeed app prior to flight? Does it still let you go back and check CO levels later? I ask because, while I do have the iPad app that goes with my Zulu PFX, I've used it maybe twice. ForeFlight is the app I use while flying, and I'm not going to remember to open the app every time I fly.

Also, you mention a lithium battery and charging during flight - Does that mean it uses the LEMO power to charge a battery that you can use with a non-LEMO plug adapter in LEMOless planes? One of the advantages of Bose over my current Lightspeed is that I have no battery, it's strictly panel-powered, so if I buy an adapter it has to have its own batteries and provide power. It'd also make for a noisy emergency.

Thanks for the PIREP!
 
robin ardoin said:
I have a DC One-X and recently bought a Delta Zulu because of the frequency band tunable gain feature due to my hearing loss. I only used them for about 1hr of a flight then switched back to the One-X's. I did not perceive any improvement in clarity of comms but I wear hearing aids under my headset anyway. What I did not like was that the ear seal was more easily disrupted compared to the DC's but that is a feature of one's individual anatomy and eyeglass configuration. The main complaint was that I had to have the mic firmly against my lips to have the VOX circuit pick up without cut out of the first milliseconds of speech or I had to raise my voice considerably to avoid this delay. The foam was abrasive feeling and it was a hard no-go for me. I may trade my chief instructor the set for instrument time but if she passes then I will sell them for $900 + shipping. She loved the Zulu's so she may find the DZ great. YMMV.
Click to expand...

I am a bit confused by your post. The mic issue per Lightspeed is set where you might need it closer to your lips than past lightspeed headsets. That’s the factory setting. It is however adjustable to whatever you prefer. They also state to make sure the mic is set up to face the correct direction or you will have the same issue. I don’t understand selling for 900 when you can return them to lightspeed for a full refund.
 
Last edited:
@Jeff767 Yes, I read the manual. I made adjustments to the gain but found the vox circuitry still did not activate to my liking. I did not like the fit of the earcups as well as my DC OneX. Why sell them for $900? I would like to give a local student or CFI a chance to own a set and save them some money. It would mean more to them than to me. I’ve been like that with all my toys. :)
 
Just give them 200 bucks in that case! Let them use it for their headset of choice!
 
Lithium battery? Is it user-replaceable? If not, no way, no how.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top