LightSpeed Zulu 3 vs PFX

WannFly

Final Approach
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Priyo
anyone tried both and can report on what the primary differences are other than price?
 
I have no idea but stopped by the Lightspeed booth at OSH and said I fly behind a Rotax912, which was best, and did the PFX handle the higher frequencies, not just the lower ones.
The woman said for me to use the Zulu 3 as the PFX microphones could be affected by loud engines like the 912 and not provide the right feedback.
That's all I know, so one will have to ask somewhere else for corroboration or followup.
 
No experience with the Z3, but the PFX and Z2 I am very happy with.
 
the Zulu 3 is the Zulu.2 with a different cord, it is braided like the PFX.
The PFX is the top of the line model. It is lots more user controllable for sounds, you can change it up to your style. The Zulu 3 you just turn it on and go. The PFX is quieter and music quality is better. I have like new PFX's for $699 shipped. They come with the case, new earseals and several years of warranty.
 
the Zulu 3 is the Zulu.2 with a different cord, it is braided like the PFX.
The PFX is the top of the line model. It is lots more user controllable for sounds, you can change it up to your style. The Zulu 3 you just turn it on and go. The PFX is quieter and music quality is better. I have like new PFX's for $699 shipped. They come with the case, new earseals and several years of warranty.

Thought they also fixed the Zulu 3 so it would record audio both directions via Bluetooth to their App, whereas at least with ththe nearly Zulu 2, it will not. You have to hook up a cord for half of the audio input to record both sides.
 
Anyone have battery life Z3 vs PFX comparison?
 
I wanted to buy the PFX originally, but the size of the control box put me off, I didn't have anywhere convenient to put it. I used the Z2 and rest the box in the door handle on the Cardinal.
 
I was replacing PFX batteries at the end of every 8 hour flying day basically. Now I run the Z3 with LEMO plug and am very happy with that. I can tell the difference in music quality and quietness between them, and the PFX wins hands-down however.
 
I was replacing PFX batteries at the end of every 8 hour flying day basically. Now I run the Z3 with LEMO plug and am very happy with that. I can tell the difference in music quality and quietness between them, and the PFX wins hands-down however.
do you find any substantial difference with ANR quality?
 
do you find any substantial difference with ANR quality?

The PFX is much quieter when it enters the "ultra quiet" mode or whatever light speed calls it. When you're not in ultra quiet mode though it's the same as the Zulus, but you also can't turn the music up all the way. I probably have one of the higher time pairs (about 2300 hours on them) and certainly the version 1.0, so I'm also sure the product has improved substantially since then.

I liked them a lot but since I fly so much and use Bluetooth the battery life was unacceptable IMO.
 
I will second Dave's observation.

We use the PFX in the back hole of our RV-8. It is MUCH quieter than our Zulu 1, but goes through batteries at a 5 to 1 rate.

If you have on-board power (a mod I plan to make) this would be a non issue, obviously.

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I have the original zulus and they stopped working last month ( had them for years) I think someone tugged on the cord. It costs $100 to have them repaired so I am trading the in for the Z3s which in addition to having a tougher cord has better sound attenuation according the the folks at LIght Speed. I have a LEMO plug on the pilots side of my plane but no other spot and I have a partner in the plane so when I'm with him I fly right seat half of the time. Plus when I fly with friends they may not have a LEMO plug so I'll probably go with the battery pack.
 
Did try put PFX today. I have never used zulu 2 or 3, so dunno, but I did try A20. Think pfx is tad tighter than bose on the clamp. ANR pretty much same. There were times when I couldn't hear my transmission intermittently, not sure what was that all about, but will fly a couple of times next week and see if it was a one time thing or not. The control is freaking huge, and I thought Bose had a bulky control, but I like the fact that I can secure it on the map pocket.

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You know how a normal ANR headset, when you turn it on, gets much quieter?

The big deal with the PFX is that it does that... twice. The first one is right when you turn it on, like a normal headset. But then, it maps the shape of your ear and generates a customized cancellation signal for you, and it gets much quieter again. It's quite amazing.

While I haven't tried it in an airplane yet, one of the guys I camped with at OSH said that the first time he tried the PFX he freaked out because the ear mapping finished shortly after takeoff and he thought their engine had failed because it went totally silent.
 
You know how a normal ANR headset, when you turn it on, gets much quieter?

The big deal with the PFX is that it does that... twice. The first one is right when you turn it on, like a normal headset. But then, it maps the shape of your ear and generates a customized cancellation signal for you, and it gets much quieter again. It's quite amazing.

While I haven't tried it in an airplane yet, one of the guys I camped with at OSH said that the first time he tried the PFX he freaked out because the ear mapping finished shortly after takeoff and he thought their engine had failed because it went totally silent.
It's pretty good ANR, and that feature keeps remapping and adjusting the gain or whatever it is, but I could hear the engine, albeit it's nowhere close to as loud. But yah, u have to pay attention to it

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While I haven't tried it in an airplane yet, one of the guys I camped with at OSH said that the first time he tried the PFX he freaked out because the ear mapping finished shortly after takeoff and he thought their engine had failed because it went totally silent.

I've had that feeling before even with the Zulu 2. Too many years long ago behind D.C. Headclamps. I've even reached up and pulled an ear cup off my head to make sure the engine "sounds right" when something felt rough or odd.

A PFX might regularly weird me out until I got used to it.
 
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