Quiet Technologies Headset...

kenjr

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KenJr
I bought one of these and got it last week but finally flew with them today.

WOWZA. Man, I love these things!!! I have to admit I was skeptical they could compete with my Zulu's, but I was so impressed with them.

The obvious advantage is there's no cupping on your ears, no weight at all. If you don't mind ear buds, of course. I know some people can't do them. After a while you forget you even have a headset on. The mic is great, flexible, perfect sensitivity and easy to get right where you want it. Construction seems sturdy enough for me. They come in a nice case that fits easily in any flight bag. Wires are kevlar wound, didn't feel flimsy to me at all. Obviously you'd need to be careful with it - but I don't feel that much more so than a headset.

The sound quality was awesome - both through the mic and what was coming in through the ears. You don't need as much volume (I was immediately turning everything down...) because the speakers are in your ears.

The big thing is making sure you insert them right. I used the foam bits (it comes with several tips to use) and you squish them up and make sure you get them in far enough. They have a video showing how to do it properly on their site.

Only downside I see is it takes a few seconds longer to get them in - but the more experience the faster it should go. I know I've read from some folks that the foam on the tips gets a little hard when the weather gets cold.

Other than that - for less than half the price of my Zulu's, I've found a winner. I think the guy who makes them is an audiologist, so he knows what's up. When I saw what they were made of - I was thinking, no way. After a couple hours of flying with them. Yes way.

http://www.quiettechnologies.com/
 
Congratulations. I got a pair and gave my wife the Bose. She wanted to try mine. Now she and I both wear the QT Halo headsets and the Bose went to a new home. His customer service is OUTSTANDING. It is a long story, but he went way above and beyond to help me out...... No more headclamp and no more sweaty ears in the summer, AND I hear much better. Everybody happy, happy, happy.
 
The big thing is making sure you insert them right. I used the foam bits (it comes with several tips to use) and you squish them up and make sure you get them in far enough. They have a video showing how to do it properly on their site.

Only downside I see is it takes a few seconds longer to get them in - but the more experience the faster it should go. I know I've read from some folks that the foam on the tips gets a little hard when the weather gets cold.

I've had my QT Halo for 3 years and love it.

I use the silicone earbuds rather than the foam ones: they are easier for me to use, last longer, and seem to work just as well.
 
The silicone are the "pink" ones?
 
I intended to buy these as my first headset about 2 months ago but they were backordered. I ended up getting the Zulu.2 but will buy a Halo once I pass my checkride
 
I used the foam tips this trip...I liked them. They give you 4 sets or so of each with the initial order, so unless you got really gunky ears they should last a while. :)
 
My white silicone plugs lasted two years, then one fell off. There are spare silicone ones in the case that I found after ordering a replacement bagful when QT was closed, and he called me back anyway. Had them in two days. Did I say he was closed that day?

Love, love, love my Halos!! (Just remember to take them off before getting out of the plane . . . You'll forget you're wearing them.) I'm afraid to let my wife try them.
 
Yup, my wife and I love ours! No more headaches and it's so much easier with sunglasses and hats. The sound quality is great as well as the noise reduction. I enjoy listening to music piped through the audio panel.
 
Actually you can... but it's a wired solution.

yeah, mine has an AUX jack, so you'd have to wire it in unless you had something you can wire into your com panel. But, no bluetooth or anything like that. I haven't tried it - but I'm sure it would sound great. The 'box' has a master volume and a switch to change from mono/stereo - so I'm sure it would sound great with music. No idea if it attenuates the aux volume when the com is activated like the higher end headsets either.
 
FYI - this is what you get. I got the black - couldn't bring myself to do the yellow frame. :)
 

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yeah, mine has an AUX jack, so you'd have to wire it in unless you had something you can wire into your com panel. But, no bluetooth or anything like that. I haven't tried it - but I'm sure it would sound great. The 'box' has a master volume and a switch to change from mono/stereo - so I'm sure it would sound great with music. No idea if it attenuates the aux volume when the com is activated like the higher end headsets either.

If you want to spend a bit more money, this product can provide wireless music connections: http://www.pilotblulink.com/

The other way is going to be a bluetooth enabled audio panel like the PSE 8000BT
 
I own the Clarity Aloft, which has a similar concept. The triple-flange ear tips are almost a must-have! No more touching used foam tips, or having to fuss with them at all. Pop them in and pop them out. The foam tips will provide better noise protection, but the triple flange will have very minimal to no less protection than the foam.
 
I wore the triple-flange tips on my Halos until they fell apart, then went back to the foamies. I like the longevity of the triple-flange, and their insensitivity to temperature, but I prefer the comfort of the foamies. (By "insensitivity to temperature", I mean that I find the foamies a little difficult to insert on the hottest days, because they spring back to full size before I can get them inserted fully in my ear.)
 
I use the PilotBluLink with my Halo headset which allows me to easily use the phone to call for clearance delivery from my home field which is uncontrolled. Having music over the phone blue tooth is a great bonus for long trips. It also means I can listen to my favorite music without disturbing my wife while she reads.
 
Anybody have any experience with them in an open cockpit? I'd love to get rid of the ear-cups-on-the-helmet look....

Ron Wanttaja
 
I've been considering buying these. Their website has a 'simulator' page with sound files that supposedly illustrate the difference between their product and a traditional headset:
http://www.quiettechnologies.com/index_007.htm

Can anyone who owns a pair comment on whether those sound files are an accurate representative of the difference you hear with the halo vs a headset?
 
\__[Ô]__/;1290327 said:
I've been considering buying these. Their website has a 'simulator' page with sound files that supposedly illustrate the difference between their product and a traditional headset:
http://www.quiettechnologies.com/index_007.htm

Can anyone who owns a pair comment on whether those sound files are an accurate representative of the difference you hear with the halo vs a headset?

My Halos are noticeably quieter than my PNR David Clarks. Significantly so. I have no ANR headsets to compare it to, though. If you read closely on the simulation page of the QT website, his description of the simulator setup sounds legit, and after all, he is an audiologist.

QT Halo Website said:
Photo of manikin using older Quiet Technologies AuriComm headset. The manikin has microphones in the ears that simulate the physicial properties of the average human ear.

CONDITIONS:

1) Sound is presented 1 meter in front of the manikin through a loudspeaker speaker with Cessna 182 sound file. Sound pressure level is a constant 95dB SPL (a) at the ear.

2) Various headphones are substituted on the manikin and the resultant sound levels and audio spectrum are compared.

3) Air Traffic Control speech simulation is presented at a constant level of 75dB SPL through each headset tested. Audio spectrum is shaped to accomodate variability of frequency responses of various headsets.

The following sound files are the speech through the headset speaker + Noise transmitted through the headset.
 
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