jas24zzk
16th Mar 2012, 12:49
Quoting lostwingnut
The DC's mentioned above (page 1) are roughly $200. They are ok, but not great for anything over an hour or two, as pilot's we get used to headsets, but passengers do seem to struggle a bit.
I've also used some StarComs that were $120 each, but all we got was complaints about crushed heads from passengers (after bending them out it was complaints about loose fits - can't win).
Have always wondered how a nice set of normal, off the shelf headphones would work. Maybe a set of Sony or Phillips noise cancelling headphones from JB or Harvey Norman.
You have a couple of issues at play here.
1. Cost.
2. Compatbility.
Dealing with cost first. Many pilots are happy to spend up to 2k for their personal headsets, with roughly a 5yr life expectancy for the unit. For their passengers, they want to spend as little as possible, with a lifetime expectancy out of the units. Go figure. Getting something the Pax are comfortable to wear is difficult, I recall when i first transferred to power finding it difficult to wear headsets coming from an ears clear gliding environment. I like your thinking, some of those upper end Hi-Fi headsets are uber comfortable, and even when you step into to some of the upper end computer stuff with boom mics, they leave aviation headsets behind, unless you are talking Bose where aviation and pc headsets look identical, only the internals differ.
Compatability.
Sure you can make any headset you buy from JB HiFi work in an aeroplane, but at what cost?. It is more than just changing the plugs to make them fit. The speakers have a different resistance, and the microphone has a different impedance, so you would need to build a breakout box to cover the differences. It is possible to do, but it would mean that if someone wanted to borrow a headset off you, they would have to borrow the whole set including breakout box, unless you had individual boxes for each headset...a further cost impost...unless you have the skill set to make your own, which then opens a further can of worms in the 'aviation approval' legal stuff.
I guess, if you are an aircraft owner, providing headsets for your Pax is one of the smallest costs involved (Jabawocky's joyriders probably get to enjoy the best of bose). If like me, you are a hirer, hiring extra headsets is also a small cost. Most places charge only $5 per unit, and if you are on a trip hire, they usually waive the charge. As a hirer, thats a lot of short flights to justify buying your own passenger set.
Your premise tho is quite correct, the cheap Aviation stuff is crap for comfort....we are beign taken for a ride.
The DC's mentioned above (page 1) are roughly $200. They are ok, but not great for anything over an hour or two, as pilot's we get used to headsets, but passengers do seem to struggle a bit.
I've also used some StarComs that were $120 each, but all we got was complaints about crushed heads from passengers (after bending them out it was complaints about loose fits - can't win).
Have always wondered how a nice set of normal, off the shelf headphones would work. Maybe a set of Sony or Phillips noise cancelling headphones from JB or Harvey Norman.
You have a couple of issues at play here.
1. Cost.
2. Compatbility.
Dealing with cost first. Many pilots are happy to spend up to 2k for their personal headsets, with roughly a 5yr life expectancy for the unit. For their passengers, they want to spend as little as possible, with a lifetime expectancy out of the units. Go figure. Getting something the Pax are comfortable to wear is difficult, I recall when i first transferred to power finding it difficult to wear headsets coming from an ears clear gliding environment. I like your thinking, some of those upper end Hi-Fi headsets are uber comfortable, and even when you step into to some of the upper end computer stuff with boom mics, they leave aviation headsets behind, unless you are talking Bose where aviation and pc headsets look identical, only the internals differ.
Compatability.
Sure you can make any headset you buy from JB HiFi work in an aeroplane, but at what cost?. It is more than just changing the plugs to make them fit. The speakers have a different resistance, and the microphone has a different impedance, so you would need to build a breakout box to cover the differences. It is possible to do, but it would mean that if someone wanted to borrow a headset off you, they would have to borrow the whole set including breakout box, unless you had individual boxes for each headset...a further cost impost...unless you have the skill set to make your own, which then opens a further can of worms in the 'aviation approval' legal stuff.
I guess, if you are an aircraft owner, providing headsets for your Pax is one of the smallest costs involved (Jabawocky's joyriders probably get to enjoy the best of bose). If like me, you are a hirer, hiring extra headsets is also a small cost. Most places charge only $5 per unit, and if you are on a trip hire, they usually waive the charge. As a hirer, thats a lot of short flights to justify buying your own passenger set.
Your premise tho is quite correct, the cheap Aviation stuff is crap for comfort....we are beign taken for a ride.