Super puma Bose

[P1V1T1]

Hello everyone , can anyone tell me if a low impedence us nato Bose headset would work in a super puma . Thinking about shopping around .
I'm thinking alot of ABZ people might know?
Thanks

[willderbeast]

No problem as long as they are definately Low Impeadance... I work with two fellas that use and love them.

Der Beast

[sox6]

Don't do it. Proven not effective. Get noice cancelling ear plus. Cheaper and proect your hearing better.

[Brilliant Stuff]

I have just learned about the ear plugs and I would also think they are a better investment compared tot he Bose.

[T4 Risen]

I have had and used the bose low impedance for 5 years on the north sea and never had a problem with it. I have tried and tested the ear plugs with both bose and peltor and found them a complete waste of time, uncomfortable and make the radios even more difficult to make out. Just look on the thread about ANR headsets, there has been a good argument running on there for a while. It is true that when the batteries fail the bose gets a bit noisey usually just as you are turning short finals to the rig!!! but with a spare battery in hand it is not a real problem. Personally i have found the Bose very comfortable, fairley reliable and make working the north sea a bit more bearable.........if you know someone that has a set see if they will let you try it for a couple of flights....thats how i ended up buying a set.
T4

[Brom]

As I understand, noise trials found that the Bose headsets did have a good noise cancelling effect, however, when it came to high frequency noise attenuation (especially the high frequency noise that does the damage to your hearing and is above normal hearing range) then they were no better than any other cheaper headset. The noise cancelling earplugs, that Sox6 mentioned, do work and cut out the high frequency noise, however, not everyone can get on with them.
The choice is yours.

[Jack S.]

go to www.cep-usa.com, buy a mini cep set and get used to turning the volume down by half. By far the best noise reduction option out there.
I parked my bose headset after trying them.

[P1V1T1]

I did get the noise cancelling ear plugs ( they were moulded to my ears ) and to be honest they were !@#$ ,unfortunately it was very hard to hear what was going on overall .
Its a hard decision , anyone that finds the perfect headset please let me know .

Thanks everyone for the info , much appreciated .You have saved me from making a very expensive mistake , hope I can return the favor sometime :ok:

[T4 Risen]

surely that is the idea of ear plugs....your not supposed to hear anything..... ;)

ON a serious side in IMHO i dont think the molded plugs are up to much.
t4

[What-ho Squiffy!]

I've used Headset X in the Super Pumas and it works fine. However I ended up using my old David Clark's because of getting out on the deck in the rain. The open ports on the Bose render them very far from waterproof, and with hot changeover, you need hearing protection. If I did it over again, I'd probably try a Gallet helmet with ANR.

Cheers.

[bigglesbutler]

I used my BOSE on the Tiger for a year with no problems. I have recently got the moulded earplugs and will wear them under the bose. The logic being the bose is comfortable and makes flying for a long time comfortable, and the plugs protect high level hearing.

I have tried a helmet, albeit on a SAR S61 and I hate it with a passion. Each person has their own opinion, and if they are still doing it I suggest you do the BOSE trial, try it and keep it if you like it or return for a full refund.

Good luck whichever way you go.

Si

[slowtyper]

Has anyone used the Gallet with ANR ?

If so what was it like ?

[WSPS]

I have. Must say it is not really up to the job. I had quite a few problems with it on the BO105. It was fine for slow work with underslung loads and banner towing but rubbish at higher speeds. Have tried it on the 350 as well - again, same problem!

It seems that the ANR just cannot deal with the higher speeds. The result were quite bad interferences. Of course it could also be a fitting problem (ANR fitted in the wrong place etc.).

I will try to have my David Clark X11 converted for the Puma next week. As far as I hope it should be a fairly straightforward job.

Anyone else have any experience with Gallet/ANR in the Puma?

Cheers

[Captain Gartmort]

I use the Gallet with ANR in the S76 and dont have any problems. I used to use the Bose but changed for the better protection a lid gives. The ANR on the Gallet is as good as the Bose, and just like the Bose, when the battery goes it gets a bit noisy.

[Chickenhawk1]

Hey all, I have a set of David Clark H10-56HXL and I'm about to start flying the Puma. I'm just wondering if anyone either has, or knows of a way to convert them to low impedance? Seems the Peltor just do the job and Bose left a whistle in my ears after the one time I tried them (they cut too much bass and middle out of the vox as well as everything else I reckon) so not too keen to change tbh.

Anyway, any ideas?

[jemax]

Chickenhawk,

I had my H10-13XL converted to H10-66XL's, in effect this means that they are now switchable between high and low impedence.

The entire mike boom needs to be changed and they add a small toggle switch to the outside of one of the earpieces as well as other stuff inside the headset.

I fly a L1 Super Puma and they work v well, good passive reduction when the batteries fail, usually last about 2 normal days. Also v Good ENC when you vacate the aircrafts for Rotor Run turn around.

Only downside is that the work was done by Headset Services Ltd in the UK and the turnaround was v slow, 10 weeks. Also the price was on the high side £201, but they did a very professional job of the conversion. So I guess you get what you pay for.

I tried the Standard issue Peltor's with earplugs, but I found the radio too quite even on max volume. The DC's converted allow much better control of internal comms and radio, which would enable me to wear the earplugs and hear the comms OK with the DC's.

Hope this helps

[asianrotorhunter]

Hi All,
I'm in my early 30's and already have a serious case of tinnitus, so I'm looking for something offering the most protection before i go deaf.
I work in the S-76 offshore in a hot&humid climate so I'm reluctant to try a helmut. Would a Bose and CEPs do the trick? double up, ANR and ear plugs, should work in theory...right...?

Could a Bose even be modified to plug in CEPs?

Cheers,
ARH

[bigglesbutler]

Just as an update after my previous post. I have now been flying back on the Super puma for a year, I use the afore mentioned earplugs AND my BOSE and am happy. I get low freq noise cancelling and the BOSE clears up the radios and intercom whilst the earplugs get rid of the high frequency damaging noise. I know some people hate the earplugs, and it took a while for me to get used to them, but give them time its worth it.

One note of warning:

WEAR YOUR HEADSET WHEN YOU GET THE PLUGS MOULDED INTO YOUR EAR

When you wear your headset it compresses your ear and puts pressure on the ear/plugs causing discomfort. Whereas if you wear the headset whilst moulding it wont.

Good luck

Si

P.S. a friend did manage to wire in the CEP to his BOSE, but found the volume control a bit difficult, had to add a volume control into the loop too.

[Chickenhawk1]

jemax,
Thanks for that, seems a bit pricey but I'll look them up.
N

[asianrotorhunter]

The Bose is well established in the industry. Has anyone used the new Lightspeed Zulu in a helicopter. Reviews on the net indicate that the zulu is a bit better than the Bose.

bigglesbutler - What type of earplugs are you using? passive or CEP's, foam or silicon?

ARH

[TipCap]

I have, and use, both the Bose and David Clark ANR on the Mark 1 ( obviously not at the same time :) ) and imho they are both as effective as the other with the ANR working. Both are set by Headset services, Shoreham to Low Impedence. With the Bose, I find that the active is better but the David Clark passive is better with less ANR. The David Clark is heavier and is tighter to the head but with the gel earpads quite acceptable. I have occasionally forgotten to switch on the David Clark ANR and didnt realise it since the passive protection is so good. With the Bose always have a spare battery available. Rechargeable batteries dont last as long as standard "heavy duty" batteries. Rechargeable PP3 batteries (DC headset) can only be charged to 8.1 volts. The Bose is more expensive than the David Clark. Personnally, I am not convinced on earplugs alone but then it is cheaper for Companies to provide earlpugs to comply anti-noise legislation than to buy effective headsets!!! Mind you, after 40 years flying turbine helicopters, my hearing is shot anyway!!! :D Fact though, since using an ANR, I find the long days not so tiring and my hearing, whats left of it, has not deteriorated further - pardon?? I think it is "horses for courses". Both have their pluses and minuses

[bigglesbutler]

Asianrotorhunter:

I use the silicone moulded plugs supplied by the company, they are a specific aviation plug. I can't remember the name sorry but they aren't cep's and they are a passive plug.

Si

[Brilliant Stuff]

Those passive plugs you are talking about are made by a compay in Luton, you can have them also with speakers built into them.

[letmein]

Converted my Bose X to accomodate the CEP, works great for me.

[polar57]

Also Converted my Bose X to take the CEP, works great for me too.

I even did a brief "How to convert bose" post on here somewhere.

Without doubt the best solution by miles, I have tried most options too.

Biggles: NO NEED TO SHOUT, NOT EVERYONE HERE IS DEAF !!!

;)

[bigglesbutler]

Biggles: NO NEED TO SHOUT, NOT EVERYONE HERE IS DEAF !!!

LOL sorry, I just wanted people to not miss that one as I wish someone had told me before getting mine moulded. I had a helluva time getting used to them due to moulding them minus headset/helmet.

Si