Lightspeed Sierra PIREP

RyanB

RyanB

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So after flying with various ANR & PNR headsets for the past six years, I decided it was time to get an ANR headset of my own, so I bought a pair of Sierra’s. So far, I’ve only put about 2hrs on them, but enough for a short PIREP.

First impression was overall comfort. They do seem a tad bit heavier than the Zulu 2’s (I have not used the Zulu 3’s) which is a bit surprising since the Sierra’s are mostly hard plastic, but it’s a high quality plastic and feels well put together. Even without the ANR turned on, they have really good passive reduction, so if the batteries went tits up during a flight, you’ll still have ample noise reduction. I’ve used the Bose X, A20’s and Zulu 2’s and while not side by side, I can’t detect any difference between the Sierra or the Zulu 2. A lot of people say the A20’s have better ANR than the X but I don’t think they do, I can’t tell a difference, same goes for these in comparison to the Zulu 2’s.

My only complaint, and it’s a small one, is the headband is a bit larger, as it protrudes outward, farther than the Zulu or A20’s do, which is one thing I like better about them being a bit more streamlined. Overall, if you’re looking for a new headset but don’t want to drop a grand on a pair of Zulu 3’s or A20’s, go with the Sierra.

Anybody here fly with the DC One-X? That’s one I haven’t tried yet either and would be curious on PIREPs from those who have them.
 
Let me know if you need more :) I have all the Lightspeed models available.
From my side by side testing in my Cessna and Bonanza the noise cancelling on the Sierra is just as good as the higher priced headsets.
In the Pitts and Christen Eagle or anything extremely loud the Zulu 3 and PFX are quieter. The more noise you put to those the better they work.
The Bose suck. They never worked for me in the loud planes.
The DC passive are great. I think the one-X sucks from the testing I did back to back with Lightspeeds.
 
pigpenracing said:
Let me know if you need more :) I have all the Lightspeed models available.
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Wilco!
pigpenracing said:
From my side by side testing in my Cessna and Bonanza the noise cancelling on the Sierra is just as good as the higher priced headsets.
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I agree, that’s what I’ve observed so far as well. I really like the Bose X, but since they’re not supported any longer, I decided not to go with them, even though they’re still a great headset.

Overall, I think it’s really a placebo effect. Those who have the top tier headsets say they’re better than the others since they expect them to be, but in reality, they’re really not. I couldn’t tell one bit of difference between the Bose X and the A20 in regards to the ANR capability. It’s been awhile since I used the Zulu 2’s but I don’t recall remembering any difference between them or the Sierra’s.
 
Ryanb said:
So after flying with various ANR & PNR headsets for the past six years, I decided it was time to get an ANR headset of my own, so I bought a pair of Sierra’s. So far, I’ve only put about 2hrs on them, but enough for a short PIREP.

First impression was overall comfort. They do seem a tad bit heavier than the Zulu 2’s (I have not used the Zulu 3’s) which is a bit surprising since the Sierra’s are mostly hard plastic, but it’s a high quality plastic and feels well put together. Even without the ANR turned on, they have really good passive reduction, so if the batteries went tits up during a flight, you’ll still have ample noise reduction. I’ve used the Bose X, A20’s and Zulu 2’s and while not side by side, I can’t detect any difference between the Sierra or the Zulu 2. A lot of people say the A20’s have better ANR than the X but I don’t think they do, I can’t tell a difference, same goes for these in comparison to the Zulu 2’s.

My only complaint, and it’s a small one, is the headband is a bit larger, as it protrudes outward, farther than the Zulu or A20’s do, which is one thing I like better about them being a bit more streamlined. Overall, if you’re looking for a new headset but don’t want to drop a grand on a pair of Zulu 3’s or A20’s, go with the Sierra.

Anybody here fly with the DC One-X? That’s one I haven’t tried yet either and would be curious on PIREPs from those who have them.
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I've been flying part 135 in both Alaska and the L48 with Sierras for the last 3 years. About 1500 hrs. Never an issue. I think they are a good alternative to the $1000+ price tag of the upper end ANR headsets. I agree about the seemingly oversized headband. It's the same size as the Tango model uses. However, I don't find the PNR when the batteries fail to be very good. I've had cheapo PNR headsets that do a better job. ALWAYS carry spare batteries. They are very comfortable for long flights, unlike DCs that I need to remove every now and then to give my noggin a rest from the clamping pressure. I will say I liked my Bose X better as well, but the lack of parts support from Bose has mine sitting on a shelf in the garage.
 
I've been using the Sierras for almost 8 years now, and have basically the same to say about them. They are great headsets at a relatively lower price point compared to other NR headsets. The "headband" is a bit larger, which is only a real problem when you're taller like I am and periodically bump your headset off the headliner. I do also like the fact that the Sierras can have the mic boom on either side of the headset. Not sure why you can't do this with more models. It's silly, but that was a big selling point for me on them. I like having the mic on the right side of my head.
 
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