Whats your best choice for 737 headphones

[msathre]

Whats up guys.

I'm currently on 737 with some old passive Senneheiser :mad:-phones. The problem is that I need to turn the volume up to max to be able to get some sound in the headphones and at the same time I'm sitting there with one ear free to be able to get what the captain is saying. So now its time to get something new :)

I've been recommended the Bose noise reduction 15 something with a mike from uflymike and know that many airline pilots are using them, but I'm also looking ahead where I might fly 800s in the future and don't want to sit there with some big headphones in a relative quiet 800 :)

So the last couple of weeks I've been looking at some active senneheiser which is smaller.

So are there anyone who have any experience with any headphones that works well in a 737 classic as well as 800? Let me know :)

[Denti]

in a relative quiet 800 That's a joke, right?

Depends on the companies installed intercom system but generally something like the QC-15, HMEC-26 or Bose A-20 is great. The 737 is a very noisy plane, one thing those airbus guys really did better, more space and a lot more quiet in those things.

[Notso Fantastic]

Just a point about the QC15/UFlyMike combination. I used it and it was marvellous (awesome is an apt description!), but the boom only swings forward on the left side which is a little more constraining for right hand seat use, but it is still superb nevertheless. Very lightweight and without bulk. Definitely not good for one ear off, intercom is a must. I was using for several years before that a Telex 850 ANR. Useful, and far nicer than the standard passive set, but the noise attenuation is very limited by the small size of the earphones, and one ear off hardly worth bothering. For 737, you need 2 plug use- my UFlyMike had a single plug, the Y-adapter was about £50. Beware the large Bose and Zulu cans, they are significantly heavier and must be a pain to keep in a briefcase. The QC15 comes in a useful and small case which will also hold the UFlyMike, and as they say in the colonies, 'really kicks ass'!

[msathre]

Thanks guys, I'm going for the QC15 then :)

[NineForks]

Re QC15. Just be aware this is great for a Captain but highly compromising setup for the FO or RHS pilot.

This is because on ground with "one ear off" as required to talk to each other, the mike is always on the Lhs (Cannot be changed) and therefore moves to wrong place as you uncover your ear facing your colleague..

Indeed if your colleagues generally don't use the aircraft intercom in flight the uflymike is an absolute disaster if the RHS needs their left ear uncovered. If you are using intercom in flight it is just workable but far from ideal overall.

I know several FOs in 737s who have tried this setup and they all gave up on it.
The only issues for LHS pilot are the well documented need for batteries for comms.. No power = zero comms ouch!

These are great half price solution ANR headsets though.

I have purchased the A20 Bose with XLR5 (so called Airbus plug) direct. I say so called as all new Boeing Jets have the XLR5 plug as standard including 737NG's, although I think the operator can still specify dual socket fitment if they really want to.

The A20 is excellent. Powers ANR off aircraft, no batteries are fitted inside the headset lead box. I thoroughly recommend this to XLR equipped 737 pilots if your budget can stretch. If you have a mixed fleet of GA dual socket 737s and XLR get the XLR version and relevant converter back to dual plugs.

That way you can at least power ANR off the aircraft fitted with XLR sockets.

Hope this helps.

[BaconRash]

The NG is alledgedly the noisiest cockpit in the history of the jet era. Bose X SNR everytime.