Headset longevity
My Lightspeed Sierra has just broken after 1500 hours and 5 years. It's snapped where the left earpiece swivels on the headband attachment. It generally looks pretty battered with scuffed earpieces and headband, the mic boom is seriously frayed and the cable is split in several places. I guess it doesn't owe me anything. It's had a hard life, being constantly used in different aircraft and chucked about quite a bit. However, unlike its predecessor, a David Clark X11, it has worked just fine right up to the point of physical failure. The x11 was pretty horrible, I only kept using it 'cos I'd spent so much on it. I was pleased when it snapped in two across the headband and it went in the bin without a second thought.
Now, please advise what to replace the Sierra with? I want something that has:
a) ANR
b) VERY lightweight but still reasonable passive noise reduction for when the batteries fail mid-flight
c) Bluetooth for the phone
d) excellent audio quality
e) compatible with a wide variety of aircraft intercoms and other headsets
f) can withstand being chucked about
Someone lent me a Bose A20 recently and I wish they hadn't as it was head and shoulders above anything else I'd ever used. However, I can't afford/justify the expenditure on instructor's money. I might think about it if anyone can assure me it will exceed the life of the Sierra. Has anyone gone beyond 1500 hours of typical instructor use?
The SEHT Bose look-alike looks tempting at £700 but is it durable? It seems to lack Bluetooth which is a bit of a downer.
Any helpful suggestions?
Thanks,
TOO