Thank you everyone, appreciate your feedback.
I did not realize the world of aviation headset plugs was the equivalent of asking electrical engineers to physically model bureaucracy
(kidding I'm sure valid reasons exist)
I did some research today and I'm tempted to get a LEMO Zulu 3 to future proof (CEP is tempting but would be restrictive for my missions). However I'm uncertain if it needs a powered adapter? I suspect it does. In addition the reviews I've seen on powered 9V adapters seem to indicate short battery life, not sure how valid these are.
Do different brands require specific LEMO to GA/Heli adapters?