Budget Headsets???

[airgirl]

I am in the market for a budget headset to see me through my PPL course. Ultimately I would like to get some David Clarke H10 13.4's but at the moment funds just do not run to it unfortunately.

I have been lookin on the internet at various ones all at or under £150 (Pilot P51, Avcomm, ASA etc) and just wondered what budget ones anyone is using and how you have found them for comfort, compatability with David Clarkes and general quality. I fully accept that I aam not going to get DC quality at a budget price but I would at least have my own headset.

Any advice or information greatly received:ok:

Many thanks

[Zulu Alpha]

Look on ebay for a David Clarke. They last very well so a second hand set is a good buy. There are 9 auctions for DCs running now and three 13.4s with the price around £130. Use the money you save to get some cotton earpiece covers to make them comfortable in warm weather.

ZA

[julian_storey]

Zulu Alpha is absolutely right.

When I first started learning to fly, I bought a cheap, nasty headset. They didn't last very long and seemed to have compatibility issues with David Clark sets.

Buy a good second hand set on the internet. I bought a set of used DC's 10 years ago, I fly for a living now and I STILL use them :ok:

If you REALLY want new, these are about as cheap as you can get . . .

--|HD-1000A|AVIATION HEADSETS, H/PHONES HD | CPC (http://cpc.farnell.com/_/hd-1000a/aviation-headsets-h-phones-hd-1000a/dp/AV12745?_requestid=131344)

. . . but a second hand DC set will probably last longer.

[Gertrude the Wombat]

I've got a 13.4 for myself and a cheapo Pooley's one which I give to passengers ... none has ever complained ...

[Lomcovaks]

Airgirl,

I've got a couple of pairs of DCs. knocking around at home. I'm at work at the moment so I can't confirm the model.

One has a retro-fit noise cancelling box and I think both have gel earseals and I think I may have some cotton covers still.

I will stick them on Ebay at some point but I'm sure I can give you a very good deal if you'd like one or the other or both sets now. You can even have some Telex headset bags to carry them in.

I live in west London, W4. Send me a pm if you're interested.

Lom

[RTN11]

I've got a David Clarke which cost me £200 4 years ago, and i've never had any problems.

The only experience I've had with budget headsets is borrowing one from the school, and they've always been in awful condition. Even the ones in good condition didn't offer much comfort, or quality of sound.

I would say a second hand David Clarke, or similar, on ebay would be better than a budget one new.

[Zulu Alpha]

A little story about David Clarke

I have a pair of old DC H10-80s, I purchased them approx 18-19 years ago. After about 5 or 6 years of using them a couple of times a week the microphone used to droop a little as the friction device got a bit tired. Not helped by the fact that I used a headset bag and folded the microphone away each time. On the 10-80 you cannot tighten the microphone like you can on the other models.It wasn't a big problem so I just lived with it.

Anyway one year I was at Sun and Fun and was passing the DC stand and got talking to their man. I mentioned that I had some 6 yr old 10-80s and that the microphone was a little loose. He immediately asked whether I had them with me. They were at my hotel so I took them to show him the next day, thinking that he might know some cunning way to tighten them slightly. When I went back to the stand he took one look and exchanged them for a new set from their display case and gave me some spare gel ear seals and microphone foam covers. He said how sorry he was that I'd had problems with the microphone and that he hoped that the seals and microphone cover would compensate.

The new units still work perfectly today. So I have always recommended DC headsets, many others have also had great service from them.

So, get a pair of second hand DCs from ebay, you will probably keep them forever, but if you do decide to sell you'll get your money back....and if they ever get damaged ( I doubt they will fail) you can easily get all the bits to repair them as they are all listed on the DC website.

ZA

[Pilot DAR]

I completely agree with the foregoing posts, buy the DC's, spend the extra if you have to, take the "used" risk, you won't regret it. One of my sets is 26 years old from brand new, and still just fine. I have also had above and beyond the call of duty from DC staff.

You get what you pay for, and with DC you truly do!

Pilot DAR

[Genghis the Engineer]

I've flown 6.5 hours this week with a pair of budget Harry Mendelsons which cost me I think £80 about 6 years ago. I'm not sure quite how many hundreds of hours I've flown with them but I'm only just starting to think about replacing them. (Although to be frank, that's only 'cos I'm getting fussier, they still work very well, are extremely robust, and the only thing I've ever had to do with them was replace the foam mic-sock a couple of times.)

And I may well think about their own-brand sets again.



DCs are of-course excellent in isolation, but can be a little tight for long trips, and also sometime suffer compatability problems with other headsets. I'm not the greatest fan of them.

G

[Zulu Alpha]

As discussed elsewhere, the problem of incompatibility is most likely caused by the aircraft. If the aircraft has a quality intercom then each of the headsets has its own amplifier and they all work OK.

To save money, some installations don't have an intercom or have a cheap one where all the headsets share an input amplifier. All the headsets are wired in together and if their impedances are different (ie different manufacturers) there will be times when they don't match correctly. Thus using two different headsets will cause a problem. Very difficult to predict which ones will work together. In almost all cases two of the same make will work together.
Having a popular brand such as DC will help as they are very common and many instructors use them. XYZ cheapos are probably more likely to be incompatible.

ZA

[Retired Redcap]

Hi Airgirl,
When I started my PPL in 2007 I wanted a pair of DC but finances were tight and second hand ones pricey on eBay. I bought a budget pair from David Knight on eBay for around the £70.00 mark (new with free case) with a view to replacing them with DCs at a later date. After 2 years I have no complaints and will carry on with them until they give trouble and then I will treat myself to the DCs.

[OneIn60rule]

So were mine.

DC 13.4 and they are very good. If I am correct, you get a warranty and such for 3 years? not that I need one ! These have served very well for about 5 years and are still brilliant.

Having said that I would get any pair of headset as long as it's not a mechanical boom (looks too off and always needs tightening!) and has a good feel to it (over the head).
Oh not forgetting a warranty or return policy.
(Hence DC's seem brill)

[Shunter]

As mentioned above, the SkyLite/KnightTech headsets sold by David Knight on eBay are actually pretty good. I bought a couple of pairs to stick in the back for pax, and they're better than the DCs I bought during my PPL for a fraction of the price. I really don't understand why people buy them - they're horrible things. All the instructors at my local FTO moan like hell about them causing interference with other sets.

I have a Bose set these days, but given the choice there are plenty of alternatives I'd put above DCs. Don't buy a set just because all the sheep at your club have them. Go somewhere where you can make some comparisons, then make an educated choice.

[tinyfuzz]

Telex Echelon 20 Headset >> great quality, extremely comfortable & cuffs the entire ear (mine)

[Whopity]

I am in the market for a budget headset to see me through my PPL course. Buying cheap tools can be a false economy. When you inevitably have to replace it, either with another cheap one or even a better one it will have cost you more than buying a decent one in the first place!

[A and C]

If you buy a cheap headset you will have to buy a quality headset very soon but just one leason repeated due to not fully hearing your instructor will cost you as much as the DC that you did not buy!!

Go for the quality option.

[bubo]

looks a bit strange that no one recommends you to get a cheap headset,but I agree as well - get yourself quality.
couple of years ago I was ferry flying within Europe two times a month and flying even for 2 hours with FlightCom headset was a nasty experience and can not be compared with David Clark.

[atceng]

I've have the CPC offering, (see Julian Storey) On first try very poor mike performance.Checked on 'scope discovered 'phones shipped with wrong side of mike facing mouth!
Twisted it round,worked perfectly.
Of course this was after dismantling it down to mike insert,checking soldering etc etc.:8
No way of seeing this as mike has foam sock covering.
Now has custom white stripe on active side jic.
Been using it a few months now and at least as good as 'club' pool sets.
Sorry fisbangwallop,now you know why I was readability 3.:\

atceng

[airgirl]

Thank you for all the hints and comments. As I said, unfortunatley there is no way that at the moment I can afford a new DC. I have got a couple of irons in the fire with secondhand DC's otherwise for the time being it will have to be a budget one to keep me going for now and then ultimately I will buy a set of DC's and keep the budget one for passenger use.

Keep any thoughts or comments coming though please :ok:

[Ian.Ellis]

I have flown 400 hours with an Avcomm headset (+ one for passengers) from Transair since 1996 in perfect comfort with no problems. Compatibility with instructors etc using DCs in AA5', PA28s, DA40s no issue.

[Wessex Boy]

I bought a SH pair of HMs from eBay 18 months ago and have found them fine for what I need (PA28)

[baron_rouge]

Check your private messages.

[airgirl]

OK, does anybody have a secondhand David Clark for sale. If so please could you get in touch. It needs to be a passive headset as they work best in our aircraft. Thought I had found one but have not been able to contact the chap. Am watching a couple on Ebay so there is a chance there but wanted to widen my chances of finding one!! :ok: :ok:

Thanks everyone

[jonburf]

Hi. I would recomend Ebay for some 13.4, but ask about your flying club, lots of people have 13.4's and when they come to upgrade, they arent needed anymore, so some cheap potentials there.
Also to just go a bit mad, have a look at nanocomm GA, by puretone. They are a new kind of custom made in ear system. where you have custom ear cast's taken and have a bespoke headset in the end. It's very light, cancels more noise than you DC's and cost roughly the same. I am considering getting some myself.

All the best
jon

[LowNSlow]

I'm with Genghis and WR, My HM-40's are comfy, effectivein a very noisy cockpit and still work perfectly after 7 years. The only thing I've done is changed the mic sock.

I found the DC's that the flying club used gave me a headache after 1/2 and hour and yes, I did try adjusting them.

[Deep and fast]

Pilot 17-79 are an excellent budget ANR headset. Used them with DC with no compatability issues. Used in singles and twins.

D and F:8

[trex450]

I have a few thousand hours flying Islanders (very noisy) and would thouroughly reccomend either the Peltor 8006 or the Sennheiser HMEC 100. I have occasionally worn DC's but never found them comfortable. I have worn the other two types for up to six hours at a time and they have always been comfortable. They are also much cheaper than DC's although not what you might call budget. If you want to go one step further later on then the best on the market is the Sennheiser ANR models. Every bit as good as a Bose. In something like the Islander they are in fact better. Hope this helps.

[BEXIL160]

Not quite as many hours in noisy aeroplanes as TREX, but I can also thoroughly recommend the Sennheiser ANRs.

They're also quite robust. I have had a pair of HMEC400s for the last 6 years and 600 hours of noisy cockpits. A bit scratched, but they still work perfectly.

Top Tip. Get a set of rechargable AA batteries for the ANR box.

I also have a pair of cheap HMs for my occasional passengers. No compatability issues and 'er indoors thinks they are comfortable.:ok:

BEX

[Bigglesthefrog]

Firstly, Radio is one of the bugbears of student pilots. There is enough to do when learning to fly without having to worry about poor quality RT, so try your hardest to get a good quality pair. Miss a lesson if necessary and put the "saved" money to the headset.
Having said all that, I'm with Genghis, WR and LowNSlow as I to bought a pair of Harry Mendelssons years ago. They have never given me any problems in any aircraft and I used them for years flying a lovely old, but noisy DH Hornet Moth and they were so comfortable too. However, one day and with a bit of extra money in my pocket, I bought a pair of DCs, swaggered out to the plane and put them on. Certainly very good quality, although no better than Harry's.... But an hour on, I asked my wife to take over for a moment as I reached into the back for the dear old HMs and gave my poor throbbing ears and pending headache some relief:sad: