Headset Recommendation

[dasmith]

After about 1000 hours in each of the following ANR headsets:
1. Bose Aviator
2. Lightspeed
3. FlightCom Denali

I've got to vote for #1 as the Bose headset with a close 2nd as the Lightspeed. The FlightCom is absolute crap and when it broke, they didn't honor the warranty or the words directly from a company director during Sun N Fun last year. Your mileage may vary but not by much. Whatever you do avoid FlightCom's ANR headset and go with a Lightspeed (higher comfort) or Bose (comfort and extremely good quality).

[Mike Cross]

Just got a Bose and can vouch for its performance. I figured if you're going to spend 300 plus why not go the whole hog? Adams Direct were the recipients of my largesse as they offered the best price at the time. Fast delivery.

[The Nr Fairy]

Don't normally respond to headset threads - Bose have a good rep as ANR sets, if expensive, and I fly aircraft which someone elsa has outfitted with Boses.

However, the DC10-56 with the ENC seem to be reasonable plus if the batteries go they act as decent passive sets - but I've never used DCs in anger, and the one time (last week) I used them they seemed a bit tight on the head.

Any experiences of the DC sets?

[18greens]

I've got a set of DC13.4x and I'm glad I've got them. I would not go back to passive.

I find noise attenuation a funny thing. Whenever you try active headsets in the shop they never seem that impressive, and even in the plane they do not immediately hit you but when the batteries go flat then I notice. With the batteries in the radio communication is much clearer and the low level thrumming is removed.

That said I tried a set of bose in the plane (swapped with another pilot) and the attenuation is great. I think my next purchase might be the bose if the dcs ever wear out. The only downside i can see with the bose is they are no good if the battery goes flat whereas with the dcs you still have a 10-13.4

[soay]

I've tried DC, Sennheiser, Bose X and Clarity Aloft (http://www.clarityaloft.com/), in that order, and much prefer the latter. There's no pressure on your head, no batteries to worry about, its passive noise reduction is just as good as ANR, and the sound reproduction is excellent. Second place goes to Bose X, but they are a lot more expensive.

[S-Works]

There can be only one........

I have tried more headsets than I care to count (most in a box in the loft now) and the only one that cuts the mustard is the Bose-X. Stunning quality, light weight, even look great. You have to be pretty remiss if you let the battery go flat. It last about 40hrs and then flashes amber for about 6 hrs before giving the ghost up. I always fly with a couple of spares in my bag anyway.