Buy a decent headset. Don't be cheap and get one of those DIY ANR kits that requires a soldering iron. You are wasting your time.
ANR is the best thing that has happened to headsets. I fly most of my hours in a multi-turboprop and have owned ANR for the last 2 years. The best NZ$1000 I have ever spent. Period.
I have used several ANR headsets. Here's my 2 cents on the best ones:
BOSE X: By far the best, but also the most expensive. I have used the BOSE X in pistons and multi turboprops and it's absolutely superb all round. Nice and light, magnesium at the top etc. Very confortable. Very expensive.
TELEX 4105: This is the one I have now. I bought this one because it offered EXACTLY the same noise reduction numbers (passive and ANR dBs) as the Bose, but half the price.
It is not as good looking. The Telex sets are a bit clunky and heavier than the Bose, but it depends how much you want to spend. Who cares what you look like wearing it? It's all about preserving your hearing.
Also, the Bose chews through the batteries by comparison. The Bose X that I have used (which belongs to a mate of mine) only gets about 20 hours flying per 9V batt.
The Telex 4105 that I have gets 50 hours flying per 9V batt.
Also, don't be a cheap b*stard when it comes to buying batteries. I use the Duracell 9V which by far gives me the longest life. I have tried all the others. The only one that comes close is the Energiser E2, but I find the Duracell is better.
Bombay