Beating the Headset topic to death

[Hotel Tango]

Been using the low end DC 10-13.4s for a while and I'm finding that they're starting to hurt and the noise is starting to bother me.

Just wondering what everyones advice is for a good pair of ANR headsets.

I've been looking at the DC 13X, Telex Stratus 50-D, Lightspeed 3G and Flightcom Denalis.

My DC hurts my ears, even with the undercut gel ear seals (which unfortunately freeze rock hard up here if you leave them in the plane), so I'm a little hesitant to go that route, but everyone says they're indestructable. Lightspeeds are more comfortable, but they're big and I've heard are not as rugged. Since they've been around longer now and it's been a while since the last thread, has their quality improved? (I try to take care of them and don't bang my headset around much) Then the other ones I've been considering are the Stratus and Denalis.

Any advice? Price is a factor unfortunately

(Background info: Flying turboprops in the frozen north)

P.S. Anyone selling?

Thanks in advance!
HT

[185_guy]

A friend had lightspeeds and loved them, said they worked great (in a caravan)

I had a set of Denali's, they were comfy, but the gel seals werent very thick or gelly....and they were so light, that when u turned your head they dident stay stuck to it, so noise would enter....very annoying. I also broke a little plastic piece off the denali's too....they're not super tough. And the noise cancelling dident seem to work as well as the DC's (in a norseman) But about the only way to have good noise cancellng in that old beast was to pull the mixture!!
I now have the DC's, and love them. I do not find them uncomfterable, maybe a little heavy, but even after a 12-14hr day, i dont mind them at all. Now if the batteries would last longer...........

[teacher]

I wear old Peltors and love them.

[jumperdumper]

BUY THE BOSE NC headset.....they cost more but they are the best on the market in my opinion.
I 1st bought the Peltor then moved to the DC and just bought the Bose noise cancelling headset. I wish i would have bought it earlier in my career. It is a great headset just ask anyone who has used them.
They are light, comfortable and tougher then i would have though.

[MAG1]

We use the BOSE too. They are amazing.

[xsbank]

Bose.

I'm deaf as a post now, and the Bose are the best. It was the first couple of years in a Beav before god invented headsets that got me.

Trust me, buy the very best - I can't hear crickets, small birds, conversation in a pub or my knife scraping a plate (my wife sure can). And while you're at it, turn down that stupid IPOD.

Oh yeah, you will all LOVE tinnitus - it takes 2 years from the loud noise event for the hearing damage to manifest itself, so don't think you got away with it. Remember how your ears rung after a night in a club? And buy yourself a good set of ear defenders for your walk around. Put your name on 'em and don't let them walk away. You'll thank me for this one day!

Nag nag nag. Don't f*ck with your hearing.

[mduffy]

After 8 years I still think my Peltors (passive) are the most comfortable headset I've worn.

For ANR the Sennheisers (smaller set) we the quietest and most comfortable I've tried. I could't believe they worked at all in a loud cockpit, but they were remarkable. If the battery died however... useless.

[chipmunk]

Another vote for Bose here - a year listening to 2 Garretts made a noticeable difference in my hearing with just the DC ANR, so I got the Bose - and it's sooo worth it. You can't buy back your hearing once it's gone.

[Phillips66]

I love Peltors - the most comfortable and best noise cancelling out there!

I know they look cheesy but I've had mine for 6 years with no problems (except for broken wires from the battery box - easy fix).

A buddy of mine showed me a neat trick - hook them up to a time Xed ELT battery - lasts over a month. Cool!

I've owned / tried all the others. Bose are the most highly over rated headset out there. Don't try them behind a radial. You will be VERY disapointed.

David C's are great (I own a pair) but not as comfortable for me. With the DCs the top of my head hurts - with the Peltor you gear rid of the top of the head pain but they do clamp the ears a little harder, which makes them cancell out a bit more noise.

Over.

[asdfasd]

By far the best

Sennheiser HMEC-25-CAP ANR Headset

[aileron]

Ya you left probably the best option off the survey: Bose; they may be more expensive, but it's your hearing (plus the head doesn't feel like it was in a vice all day).

[Hotel Tango]

I agree, the Bose are probably the dream set... BUT there is, unfortunately, such a thing as TOO much money for a newer FO to spend.
Going price seems to be $1200 (Slightly less than 8% of my anual salary). Food, rent and bills are priority right now.

However, I have been really looking into the Telex Stratus 50-D. The specs seem to be really good, has all the features I want and cost a fraction of the cost of the Bose (still expensive though). I notice it's gotten a few votes but no one has said anything about them. I hear they're a pretty good set. Anyone own a pair? If so please share! They look like they'd have better passive noise reduction than the bose.

Thanks for all your advice and keep 'em coming.

(I'm leaning away from the DCs just because of comfort issues)

http://www.telex.com/aircraft/products. ... s50Digital

[HuD 91gt]

Well, besides the Bose (I've never tried, but only heard great things), the most comfortable has to be the Lightspeed. I absolutely love my 30-3G, and has had no problems. I have heard Lightspeed have had some reliability issues, but it seems if you get a lemon it will keep breaking, and if you get a non lemon, it won't break :p

Great thing about the DC, is that when the batteries die, you still have good noise cancelling (from the standard gel seals), compared to the Lightspeed foam which doesn't offer much buffer in the noise cancelling.

[xsbank]

All of the ANRs are substandard with dead batteries.
As for Bose and radials, I flew with 2 Wright Cyclones and the headset worked fine. First time I used them in a Beav, I actually heard the supercharger wind up - wild sound that I'd never heard before!

Buy the Bose on the never-never.
Sennheisers are delicate, only good if they're free.
David Clarkes will pop your head.
Telex are good, but heavy and goofy looking.

[Brint]

I had a pair of the Denalis, for a day. I found they made a very high pitch noise when the NR was activated. They also seemed a little light and flimsy. I was afraid if I caught my foot on the cord jumping out for the dock, I'd destroy the headset.

Packed it up and returned it for the DC. I've had no comfort problems and it has worked great for me for nearly 4 years now.

For overall value, construction and noise reduction, I'd suggest the David Clarkes.

[w squared]

Does anyone have any experience with the Oregon Aero "Hush Kit"?

They replace the headset seals and the foam fill inside the headset cups with a visco-elastic polymer that is supposed to be more comfortable and provide better noise attenuation. I've heard great things about putting those kits into helicopter helmets, but I haven't heard any feedback about headsets.

[virga]

peltors all the way, no ANR but still quieter than DC ANR's.

[Snowgoose]

I have the Oregon Aero kit on my DC 13.4's and it's awesome. Hugely noticeable differece. Most importantly that it's quiet even with sunglasses on. I've been behind turbines and radials and no complaints. Wouldn't mind giving a Bose a test drive, but I am in aviation so that'll be a while before I can afford that.

[Louis]

About the "David Clamp" situation, I've worn various DC passive headsets (H10 series) and recently got 10-13Xs. Love them.

The passive ones I had worn all had a single foam headpad and the headband had to be streched to its maximum length to fit, and even then, most had a certain tendency to clamp my head which was uncomfortable over time. My new headsets came with a "double" headpad that is not only more comfortable, but makes the headset fit much better. Only other explanation I can think of would be that DC might changed the metal headband at some point.

Louis

[privateer]

I love my DC. Out of all the headsets I have tried I think its Best. Flight-coms don't mix well with other headsets.

[critical engine]

anybody know much about the Sennheiser HMEC 400 ???

http://www.sennheiser.ca/en/Action.Lass ... 59&-search


whats better, that or the HMEC 25-KA??

[duplicate2]

Telex Stratus 50-D is an excellent all-around headset.

Plus column: better ANR than DC, better construction/reliability than Lightspeed, better passive than Bose, more comfortable than DC, has music/cell phone input.

Minus column: big and uncool looking, heavier than Bose, not widely available in Canada, service probably not as good as DC?

[Edo]

I recently tried a Bose set in Beaver.

After the first takeoff I was reaching for my DC. I held out and wore em for a few days. Started to really like em. There is some slight crackling on take off but no where near on mine.

My own set is a DC modified with the headsets inc ANR kit it works great in the air but on t/o it crackles so much I usually dont turn it on until after the power comes back. (kinda point less )

With the Bose its junk with the power off. Why are all ANR sets crap once the batteries are done? what happened to passive noise cancelling?

still may buy it. Unless I can find and ANR set that doesn't crackle on t/o

[logicaldisaster]

Bought the 50d, but stuck with the 10-13x due to these reasons. I really wanted to like the Telex, but just couldn't keep them due to following.

+DC's more comfortable

Telex was comfortable as well, but the gell earseals and the head padding made the difference for the DC's.

+DC's noise cancelling cancels enough to protect hearing while still letting you hear the engine (I beleive DC could make their sets cancel more sound, but choose not to)

Noise cancelling in the telex was better and worse. Better in the fact that it was unbeleivable how well it cancelled the sound. Worse because everytime I adjusted them on my head or turned my head quickly causing them to shift positions, the ANR would squeel loudly hurtin my ears. Really, really annoying.

+DC's more durable

Not even a competition. I am hard on my headset and although the telex is not built poorly, I would have to think that more care would be needed to keep them in working order.

+DC's have tested and true warrenty for 5 years

Telex have 3 years and I'm not sure about the customer service. I'm sure it is good, but maybe not david clark good.

+DC's look professional

Telex... well I put them on for my wife and she laughed her ass off. It looks very very stupid and that is the truth. If your single pilot with no passengers that can see you. Go nuts. If you don't care about looks. Go nuts. I even burst out laughing when I looked in the mirror.


Now for the telex...

+Mic is better

No question. The mic is better in the telex... PERIOD

+Speaker/ANR integration

Speakers are great and does not intereupt the anr at all. Turn it up and no distortion. I get distortion with the DC's when turned up high. It's like it interferes with the ANR.

+Noise cancelling

Better and worse like it said. See above.

+MP3 cell phone hookup

I can't understand why all headsets don't come with this. It's a great feature!

+Battery Life

I'm sure the telex is better than the DC's, but not possitive


In closing, like I said, I choose the DC's because they matched what I needed. Both had great passive noise canelling in the event of a dead battery unlike the bose. The telex is a great headset that IMO needs a bit more development before it could warrent the price tag. It's a great headset, don't get me wrong, but there are too many issues that keep me from giving it a thumbs up.

The DC's are still imo the best headset you can buy. The telex is close, but the DC comes out on top.

[Missed_Approach]

I love my DC. Out of all the headsets I have tried I think its Best. Flight-coms don't mix well with other headsets.

SAME! I love my DC's!