Headset with ANR

[bigdunk]

Looking to buy a couple of headsets with ANR wondered if anyone has any suggestions. I have a gel filled one and all the gel has leaked out and dont fancy that type again. Obviously the Bose ones are seriously expensive, do you get what youpay for ?

[db16]

ANR, as U say are expensive and not necessary, as otherwise I would not be the Scottish (and only) agent for Firefly whose FLY750 RETAILS for £80 + P&P You could have half a dozen and still have change for the price of a pair of ANR headsets. 26db passive noise reduction and you MUST be able to hear the motor!! db16:):)

Send me a private message and I will give you all the gen; yes, they do have gel seals but are as comfy as DCs

[Fuji Abound]

I am a total cynic about headsets.

Take it form me the Bose is the best. Is it worth the money, well that depends on your definition of "worth" but it is head and shoulders above the rest.

Useless without the ANR turned on mind you.

[vortexracer]

I swapped to bose and have never regretted spending the money. for me it made flying so much more pleasurable not just or the anr but the comfort too. makes even a 152 fly like a beech.

[michaelthewannabe]

I got myself a Clarity Aloft...

http://www.clarityaloft.com/

http://www.clarityaloft.com/images/features_07.jpg

about 35dB noise attenuation (similar to ANR), weighs next to nothing, doesn't interfere with glasses, incredibly comfortable, supremely clear sound. You just forget you're wearing it. Allegedly similar performance to a Bose-X (and much less weight) but more than £200 cheaper. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Only gotcha is that if you wear it for many hours a day every day, you'll end up having to buy new rubber tips quite regularly at about £10 a box. But for occasional use (like most private pilots) that's irrelevant. I've done about ten hours with mine so far over a couple of months, there's no sign of the original tips degrading in any way, and there's another six or eight pairs in the box...

[gcolyer]

I juts bought a clarityaloft set on Monday gone. I have to say they are excellent and half the price of bose. I bought them in New York for $512

I took them straight out and done some seaplane flying. I have never tried the bose-x so I cannot give a comparrison. All I can say is they are excellent and the difference between them and DC's is amazing.

I am in New York until Sunday so if anyone wants a set without international shipping PM me.

[Fright Level]

I'm looking at buying a pair of NR headsets too and many threads on various forums praise the Bose. My problem is I'm a keen hifi enthusiast and Bose is the very last piece of equipment I'd consider buying as, imho, their stuff is overpriced, overmarketed hype. This is putting me off spending top end for the Bose X's. Does anyone have any comparisons with the "proper" headset manufacturers, Sennheiser, David Clark etc?

[172driver]

It's unfortunately VERY difficult to do a proper side-by-side comparison of headsets. Essentially, you'd need to go flying with a sample selection.

I have bought the Bose-X and did just that with my old (non-ANR) set and the difference was simply amazing. I've also got a request from a friend with Sennheisers to do just that. As we live (and fly) in different countries, this may have to wait a little while, though. I'll report back.

I'd say the Boses are great, however only with the ANR on, the passive attenuation is crap. Others have commented on the Clarity Aloft ones (which I considered, but couldn't find a reseller in Europe with a money-back guarantee as with the Bose-X). They sound very interesting, however as I always wear earplugs when a pax on a longhaul commercial flight, I'm not so convinced of having something stick in my ear for long periods of time (as a pax I'm asleep, but still don't like the feeling much).

HTH

[The Grim EPR]

EDDNR - I agree with you regarding Bose and their overpriced HiFi, BUT I have their ANR Bose X and the hype is all true. Their QC3 headphones are also excellent.

If you have the money, get the Bose X. Dead good!

[CZMD]

If price is no object, you should try all of the name brands and buy your preference. I own pairs of the LightSpeed 25XL, the BoseX and the Telex Stratus 50D. I always wear glasses, and all three brands are comfortable on long (four hour plus) flights. The BoseX is the best in the Baron but the Telex is best by far in the Husky. Telex has impressive passive and ANR, while the BoseX ANR is overwhelmed by the noise of the Husky or a warbird. The BoseX ANR is sweet in almost every other aircraft.
Headset performance also depends on the audio panel. If you have a good, stereo audio panel and good wiring, you will get better performance from the high-end headsets. Try the headset in the plane you will fly the most.
I still use my old DC 13.4 with gel when instructing at the club because they are comfortable for short flights and almost bulletproof.

[Justiciar]

Whilst away recently I sent my old pair of DCs to AD Commcepts, who have converted them to ANR by replacing all the innards and adding a box with battery. I had never previously used ANR and I have to say the difference is amazing. I can now actually hear ATC! I don't know how they compare to a new set, but at £190 fitted (less if you do the fitting yourself) it seems to be a very good compromise, far cheaper than a new Bose or DC and means I get to keep using my tried and trusted old set. I think they can convert most types of headset so may be worth giving tham a call.