So, this old chestnut again...
I have a standard high-impedance GA helicopter headset with ANR. I'm shortly due to be flying an aircraft with (what I believe is) a low-impedance system; the stock headsets it comes with are nasty passives. I'd like to use my whizzy ANR set (complete with all my own drool on the mic sock), so I'm exploring options.
My headset is a Lightspeed Zulu, in the standard helicopter fit (U/174 plug, ANR, battery box - Zulu:C configuration). The mic spec is a 'noise-cancelling electret' with an impedance of 220-2200 ohm (according to the manual). Lightspeed's suggestion is that I convert it to a low-impedance mic (which they will do for me), then use an adaptor to get it up to high-impedance for when I'm in a high-impedance aircraft, such as this one:
Buy Pilot Products JB-23H Low to High Impedance Adapter for use in Rotor Wing applications- Sky Geek, Skygeek Pilot, Pilot Supplies, Military Headset Adapters, .
I've had a look around, and I've come across a converter from high to low (e.g.
High to Low Impedance Adapter (Helicopter) - MyPilotStore.com ). It seems to me that this might be a simpler solution, since it doesn't involve me posting my headset to the USA for conversion. Is there some disadvantage to this route that I'm not seeing?
The main drawbacks of converting a high-Z headset to low-Z, instead of a low-Z headset to high-Z, appear to be that I need batteries in the converter (the low-Z mic to high-Z system cable doesn't seem to need them). Also, since I guess there are a load more military headsets floating around which are low-Z, which need converting to high-Z for use in civvy helicopters, this conversion is better understood and supported.
Has anyone used a high-Z headset to low-Z aircraft converter? Did it work? Can anyone point out any advantages of low-Z mic --> high-Z aircraft over high-Z mic --> low-Z aircraft?
Any info / pointers appreciated
Edited to add: I'm aware of this thread:
http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/431...-matching.html which didn't really answer the same question. I am also aware of the DC headset which includes switchable impedance, and I'm not mad keen to be buying another headset right now. I've contacted Headset Services at Shoreham, and their response was "no idea, we don't deal with Lightspeed".