Headsets

[Laichtown]

Nearing the end of my PPL and thinking of getting my own headset. Upto £200.00 Any advice?

[DX Wombat]

Lots. Try here for starters:
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=293848&highlight=headsets
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=289667&highlight=headsets
There are several more threads which you can find if you use the "search" function. :ok:

[Laichtown]

What does passive and ANR mean?

[soay]

Passive means that the earcups are squeezed so hard against your head that your brain hurts, unless you get a Clarity Aloft headset :ok:. ANR is explained here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_noise_reduction).

[Human Factor]

ANR is "Active Noise Reduction". The headset is powered either from the aeroplane's electrical supply or by batteries and a computer within it plays "anti-noise" (effectively the inverse of the external noise) into the earphones which cancels out the external noise. They can be extremely good. I use Sennheiser and David Clark on a regular basis and can recommend either. However, they're unlikely to fall within your price range as they tend to be £400 plus.

"Passive" headsets are the traditional type which are quite simply a headset which also acts as a set of ear defenders, almost certainly what you're using at the moment. You should be able to find a decent one for around £200. Once again, I would recommend David Clark. You tend to have to pay a bit more but they will last a lot longer.

[Laichtown]

Thanks folks, what does ENC mean?

Have got the transair brochure. Is the DC H10-13.4 the job for me?

[Lunchmaster]

The DC 10-13.4 you mention are the ones I bought having flown most of the PPL training in a school pair. I've got a pretty large head and always found them comfortable for most flights - anything up to about two hours is fine.

The only other headset I've tried is a friend's Bose-X. Now that is a seriously good ANR headset but I'm told it retails for around £600 so way outside your budget.

The only advice I was given was to try on several pairs until you find some that feel good. If you're learning in the DCs and haven't found them a problem, chances are they'll do you fine for you post-PPL flying. They also seem to hold their resale value if you want to upgrade later on.

Lunchmaster

[Cricket23]

Not only is it a case of do they feel comfortable, but what is the sound quality like. When you buy them ask if they have some way of trying the quality of the sound whilst still in the shop.

I got mine from the Transair shop at Victoria. The bloke their got me to plug them into a box of electrical tricks and we had a conversation through them. A bit weird in the shop, but I found that the quality of the sound differed quite a bit.

C23

[Human Factor]

ENC = Electronic Noise Cancelling = ANR ;)

[IFMU]

My first pair of headsets I bought long ago. Cheapest new ones money could buy. I forget the brand. They were highly optomized headache machines.

Then I bought a pair of Peltor's. Much nicer, lightweight, passive headset. I have flown with them for about 15 years.

Recently I've joined a club that owns a PA28R. It has a 4-place intercom. I'm interested to take my wife and two boys in the airplane, but need more headsets. Buying 3 quality, new headsets is a big chunk of change, either in dollars our pounds. So I went shopping on Ebay. Bought one old, used peltor and two more on the way from another auction. The first one I got was awesome. Just like my old peltors but a lot less worn. Quality headset, but cheap price. I bet the other two are fine too, find out this week. This is one way to buy headsets, so far it works for me.

-- IFMU

[pikanin]

For a good price on David Clake Ebay seems to have a resonable selection and they sell for under £100.

[Charles Sierra]

DC's all the way :ok:

[DX Wombat]

I'm with IFMU on this one - Peltor all the time. I find DCs heavy, unwieldy and uncomfortable. Also, they don't cut out as much external noise as the Peltor set I use.

[Weekend Flyer]

I've been using the DC 10-13.4 for around fifteen years and am very happy with them. Other than adding gel-filled ear seals (foam-filled were standard when I bought mine) and cotton ear covers, they proved comfortable and reliable straight from the box.

The 10-13.4 is a marked improvement over earlier DC models in terms of comfort. I wear spectacles and used to find some older headsets less than comfortable yet have flown up to seven hours in a day with the 10-13.4 without discomfort.

No, I'm not on commission, nor do I have any connection with DC!

[IO540]

I did a thorough test (against a noise source) of headsets back in 2002 and found most of the cheap ones are basically crap compared to the Bose X, and most of them were uncomfortable to wear for more than about an hour. The David Clarke ones clamped the head like a vice - maybe good if you are doing aerobatics :)

If I was buying a cheap headset now I would look at some of the new models which have come on the market in the last year or two. I gather some of them are a lot better.

[Laichtown]

DC 10 -13.4 have been ordered. Thanks for your help folks

[AJWatson2209]

Is their much difference in the David Clarke Range?

I have been looking for a headset and I notice most GA flyers are using H10-13's however I was looking at investing into the H10-60's? Any comments?

Thanks

[18greens]

AJ, I've been looking at the DC product range for 20 years and I've never understood what they all do

10-13.4, 20-10, 10-30, 10-40

All the same price, appear to do the same job but what is the reason for the availability of the range.

For my money the 10-13.4s do the job well.

[767bill]

Shipped from the US - online co called Skygeek - in about 72 hours to UK. With shipping £68.23 total ! (due exchange rate) I prefer them to DC s at least dog eared FC ones. The mic produces excellent quality transmission, commented on. How long they last we'll have to see.

[Small Rodent Driver]

Worth having a look at the Senheiser HMEC100,s.

I've had mine since they were introduced and found them to be excellent.

[egbgstudent]

You may hear all conversation of various noise reductions, but I feel that unless you are flying a particularly noisy aircraft (Pitts, Harvard etc) most good headsets are well up to the job. I like the David Clarke 10-13.4. They give good ear protection in most light aircraft, and vare very comfortable thanks to the gel ear seals, and the pillow over your head.
I am sure that others may disagree with this, but hey, that is just my own honest opinion.:ok: