Student Headset

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Austin Patterson

Filing Flight Plan
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Jan 2, 2021
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Austinru15
Hello all. Sorry to beat a dead horse. But I have read loads of material on aviation headsets and am unsure which one to get. I’m in a university on an aviation track to become a CFI. However, I’m about to being my PPL. I considered many budget headsets but know that I will likely use the headset for a long time. I, like many college students like to be frugal as the money I spend on the headset has to be saved back for flight time (Walmart funded flight), but if the differences justify the cost I can do that. I was ready to get the Zulu 3 because I found one nearby on Craigslist with only 17 hours of use. But I read the mic is only on the left (which I guess isn’t great for CFIs?) My school primarily flies Piper Warriors and Archers if that matters. I have a fairly large head so I am worried about the clamping of an PNR headset. Advice is appreciated. Thank you
 
Damage to your ears from loud noises is cumulative and the hearing loss does not reveal itself for years, even decades. If you are just starting out on this aviation journey, protect your ears! Get yourself an ANR headset. Yes, it is more expensive but 40 years from now you will be very glad you spent the money now.

-Skip
 
Bonanza!

Oops you asked about a headset ...

Seriously - I have a set of "in the ear" Clarity Aloft and like them very much. However there seems to be a lot of recommendations lately for these:

https://cqheadset.com/product/cq1-headset/

These cost less than the CA and some say they are a better product. These might help with the clamping concern you mentioned...
 
I recently sold my Zulu 3s and bought the CQ "headset" (is more like an "earset"!).

I'm very happy I did. My wife liked them so much I had to buy her a set.

That head clamping pressure gets annoying. While the CQs aren't noise-canceling, the sound effect is quite similar to noise canceling. It has to do with the ear plugs keeping the noise out while the radio sounds are transmitted thru a small tube that goes thru the ear plugs. It's hard to appreciate until you've tried them. Also they are half the price of Zulu 3s, don't use batteries and are fully adjustable to fit your head. And you can wear any sunglasses and a ball cap with no issues.
 
David Clark 10-30 or similar will do fine. The noise levels are reduced enough that you should have no damage from noise, but they won’t cost a small fortune.

Or, if you have the money, drop $1000+ on active noise canceling, but you can just save that as a gift when you get your private
 
eBay is your friend. The entry level David Clark's H10-13.4 can be had for a good price. Buy a set and let it get you through your training and when you have a few more dollars you can upgrade and keep the Clarks for the passenger or sell them. upload_2021-1-3_4-14-20.jpeg
 
Skip Miller said:
Damage to your ears from loud noises is cumulative and the hearing loss does not reveal itself for years, even decades. If you are just starting out on this aviation journey, protect your ears! Get yourself an ANR headset. Yes, it is more expensive but 40 years from now you will be very glad you spent the money now.

-Skip
Click to expand...
Good advice. I learned to fly back in the day when we used an open speaker and a hand held mic. Today I need to wear the most powerful hearing aids modern technology can produce and I still can't hear as well as most people.

Student's ears need just as much protection as anyone's. Maybe more because you have to live with the consequences for the rest of your life.

As Joni Mitchell said; "You don't know what you got till it's gone".
 
Thank you all for your replies. I did not look into the in ear sets which I will now! And of course the David Clarks are headsets that I see recommended all over for their rugged durability
 
I wear a set of second hand DCs. FWIW, I don't consistently wear them with the mic on one side or the other - never noticed it in my field of vision.
 
IMO the DC 10-13.4 headset is the best value headset out there. Especially for someone wanting to fly a lot,in potentially a lot of different aircraft (CFI, moving from airplane to airplane).

While you can get cheaper headsets they won’t last as long. Cables failing with internal broken connections are the the most common issue. Other issue with a number of inexpensive headsets is poor noise canceling microphones, that pick up a lot of background noise.

Sure the ANR is nice I currently use a Zulu 3. But I used 13.4’s for nearly 20 years and still use them as the set for new students and passengers. I even still just pick them up myself sometimes for short flights or when changing planes frequently.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL
 
The only difference the side the mic is on makes is that the cord may have to go across your lap depending on which side your headset jacks are on. A very minor annoyance but certainly not a deal killer in my opinion.
 
Another vote for the DC H10-13.4. I did my training in the mid 1990s and then took a ~20 year break. When I got back into flying in 2019, I fished out my DCs from the basement and, besides needing a new mic muff, they were perfect.

For a second headset, I bought a brand new DC H10-76XL on ebay. You can often find new ones for $200-250 or less. These are ANR but come with a military plug. A plug adapter for GA planes runs about $25 and it's also necessary to swap out the microphone for a M-7A mic (which runs about $45). So if you're willing to do a bit of work and put up with a plug adapter, you can have a set of David Clark ANRs for ~$300.
 
David Clark makes great, rugged headsets that last forever and if there ever is a problem, DC customer service is second to none.

That said, don't buy them unless you test them first, for at least a few hours. Many people, besides myself, compare them to a head vice. Many others love them. I guess it depends on the size and shape of your own head. Take advantage of free trials with free shipping, both ways.

If you buy them on EBAY at a great price and you don't like them and have to buy another set, you won't be saving any money. On the contrary . . .
 
Daleandee said:
Bonanza!

Oops you asked about a headset ...

Seriously - I have a set of "in the ear" Clarity Aloft and like them very much. However there seems to be a lot of recommendations lately for these:

https://cqheadset.com/product/cq1-headset/

These cost less than the CA and some say they are a better product. These might help with the clamping concern you mentioned...
Click to expand...
Both great solutions if you want tinnitus around age 45 and hearing aids later.
 
Go with one of the in-ear headsets, either the QT Halo or Clarity Aloft Classic. Both have return policies that will let you return the headset if you don't like it.

The in-ear design is much cooler in the summer, allows you to wear a hat/ski cap in the winter, has excellent noise reduction (after you learn how to properly insert the ear-plugs), requires no batteries, are smaller in your flight bag, and are significantly less expensive than the best ANR headsets. If you're flying without an intercom you can easily remove one of the ear-plug for easy conversation.

Don't worry about the mic being on the left side. It is easy to clip the wire to the back of your collar when you're flying from the right seat.

I use the CA Pro Plus in the B737 and have used the QT Halo in general aviation airplanes. Before that I've used everything from a basic DC 10-40 though the top of the line ANR headsets.

The QT Halo is your most economical choice for now at $399.

http://www.quiettechnologies.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=66_59
 
Data point of 1 - on the DC 10-13.4, I do not like the one piece flexible boom mic. The one I have is not long enough and length is not adjustable. I also have a problem with it staying near my mouth, so a lot of times I wind up holding it close while transmitting. The headset is comfortable, earpads are great and not too clampy, but the mic annoys me.
 
IMHO, in-ears would be a major hassle for a busy CFI getting in and out of an airplane every hour. In your position, I’d buy my own DC passives. Zulus make great gifts for someone to give you down the road.
 
I appreciate all the posts and have considered them. As of now it looks like I’m going to try and get a set of DC’s. For the reasons of it being so sturdy, good customer service, and on the economical side of headsets. The suggestions of moving up and retaining the DC’s for a passenger are great. I appreciate the help
 
OneCharlieTango said:
IMHO, in-ears would be a major hassle for a busy CFI getting in and out of an airplane every hour. In your position, I’d buy my own DC passives. Zulus make great gifts for someone to give you down the road.
Click to expand...

You make a good point about the in ear headsets but the OP is about to begin PPL training and wants to become a CFI so he'll have plenty of opportunity to evaluate them and most companies will allow a return if the customer isn't satisfied.

Putting in and removing the ear tips are not time consuming or difficult once the procedure is learned but doing so will require changing the tips regularly and while that part isn't difficult the correct tips can get costly. But if you're a CFI that cost just gets added to the rate and paid by the student. :D

Having said that I do have a couple of sets of LightSpeeds (one is an older ANR & the other is passive) that I sometimes use for a short jaunt around the patch. But neither of those will come near the clarity (no pun intended) or ear protection of the CA in ear headset.

An earlier poster said the CA's would cause Tinnitus without any supporting evidence. I've asked them to prove that statement as what they have done by making such an unsubstantiated & bogus claim is a thing we refer to in the country as, "Throwing a rock & hiding your hand."
 
If it isn't too late, I would like to second @GeorgeC recommendation to see if @pigpenracing has any Lightspeeds. I got a set of Zulus for my passenger headset and couldn't be happier. Like brand new and you will save hundreds. I bought a set of Zulus new to replace my DC 13.4's after I got my Private and I wish I had bought them on day one.
 
Okay. I suppose I contact him through the forum? I’ll have to save up a little longer to get the Zulus but I might can talk my parents into helping me out some. Thank you
 
Yep. And you can check over in the classifieds section... I think there is a thread there somewhere about Zulus/Sierras/Tangos for sale.
 
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