Headsets A20, Zulu 3 or PFX?

[Elevator Driver]

G'day



With the recent release of the Zulu 3's, has anyone out there in pprune land
had a chance to compare them to the A20's? I'd also be very interested to
hear peoples opinions regarding the PFX and how it shapes up?

I'm currently bashing around with an older set of A20's with lightspeed
serria's as my back up set.

As I've recently started flying a Twin otter, which maybe the world's second
loudest aircraft after the islander?!!? http://www.pprune.org/tech-log/436319-britten-norman-islander.html#post6118466 link describes
the noise princible of flight that DH must have borrowed from the islander :sad:)
both of these headsets struggle to cope. Particularly with the higher
frequencies (turbine, wind and prop noise)

To top it all off our aircraft has a terrible com-panel :ugh: so just considering what other headset options might be out there? :ok:

[Wiggley]

I went to a set of Zulu 2's when my BoseX couldn't handle the R985 up front. No complaints about the headset and the service was great when my ANR box packed it in out of warranty, it got replaced free of charge! Though the only thing I've noticed about the Lightspeeds vs the A20's other mates have is that the cord shielding ends up brittle after 4-5 years of commercial use.

If you can make it to Avalon I'm sure there'd stands with all headsets for you to try out.

[rjtjrt]

............
Though the only thing I've noticed about the Lightspeeds vs the A20's other mates have is that the cord shielding ends up brittle after 4-5 years of commercial use.

........
Wiggy
Zulu 3 is said to have an upgraded cable, presumably to fix this.

[Left 270]

I now have a set of PFX and have previously owned Zulu 2's/A20. The zulu/A20 differences are basically personal preference, the PFX is a whole new level and should be for the price.
I love how good the quality of the transmissions are with them and overall comfort but they are a bit buggy, take 4 batteries, go flat quickly and make strange noises if the seal around the ear is disrupted (mostly when eating). What they do well they do well enough for me to put up with the other stuff but is annoying.

[Ixixly]

left 270, I have the exact same problems with my PFX, little disappointing to be honest, I was actually considering moving back to my Zulu 2s, but think I'll sell both sets now and buy these Zulu 3s if they're good.

I have rather large ears that require more room, the Boses never suited me for this reason by the Zulu 2s were perfect and the 3s are promoting themselves on having lots of room inside the cups so that's a massive plus for me. Not to mention 2 AAs again instead of 4, I don't use Ipads so the extra stuff it links to is really not much use to me unfortunately.

Will definitely go try a pair hopefully on Monday, I'm assuming the shops around have started getting stock, some have them listed as "Instock" or at least one I can try on!

[MikeJulietHotel]

The quietest headset I've ever used is the DC H10-56HXL (http://www.davidclarkcompany.com/files/literature/H10-56HXL.pdf). It's not the most modern flashy looking headset but it has very, very good passive attenuation and then a great active attenuation as well. Note that it's a helicopter headset so it has a curly cable (which works for me) and you will need an adaptor to go from the NATO to a two plug.

I like mine so much I bought a second pair for whoever else is in the other seat. I've been using mine for 10+ years and it looks new.

A lot of the newer "fashionable" headsets have poor passive attenuation and rely on the active attenuation which is better at some frequencies than others.

[RadioSaigon]

Like previous posters, I upgraded from Zulu 2 to PFX 18 months or so ago. The headset is in daily use, 4-6hrs a day. In honesty, I regret selling my Zulu 2. If I still had that, it's what I'd be using. Battery life on the PFX is horrendous -but that's partially due to the very poor quality of the batteries available here in Indonesian Papua. But even with batteries I have purchased in AUS and carried here, the life is poor. The odd noises (some Very loud, especially as the batteries weaken) are distracting, annoying, uncomfortable and IMO unacceptable from a "premium" product such as this.

Far from being all bad though, when working well, the ANR performance is superb. The clarity of calls and music (bluetooth) has to be experienced to be believed. And before people pounce on me re battery-life & bluetooth use -nope, I RARELY activate bluetooth because of the impact on already piss-poor battery life.

Another very strong point of the PFX is the cable used. I've not seen equivalent or better on any other headset. I'm pleased to note the new Zulu 3 has the same cable! I'm thinking very seriously about "down"-grading to the Z3 in the near future.

[Left 270]

If the Z3 had the same transmission quality (I describe it as the same as AM to FM quality) I would also downgrade.

Every now and again I switch off the features with the button on the side which downgrades the quality of the PFX to Z2 quality just to remind myself how much better it is.

[FutureFO]

I've had and used the DC X11, Zulu 2, PFX and A20 - A20 is my choice. PFX are very good but damn the use up batteries very quickly.

[Ixixly]

Bought myself a set of Zulu3s today, have to say I find them to be extremely comfortable! The contour of the new seals is subtle but I'm sure will do an excellent job. HEAPS of space inside the ear cups, even big ears like mine fit in easily and the noise cancelling is excellent but I haven't had a chance to test them in the Aircraft just yet.

Glad to be back to the smaller control box and only needing 2 batteries and definitely feel more comfortable to wear as well. Will probably report back in a week or two with my experiences using them in flight if no one else has already done so.

[belly tank]

Totally agree what some of the other guys have said re PFX!

I fly offshore heli, had a Bose X loved it, sold it as it was getting on a bit and decided to try the PFX. Great ANR, Battery life is very poor i was changing the 4 AA every 3-5 days depending on hours flown, ear cups make odd noises when seal broken, found the Battery unit big and bulky.

Ive sold it after 6 months and going to try the A20.:D

[Left 270]

Be very interested on a comparison to the PFX Ixixly.

[ContactMeNow]

I have the PFX.. had it for over 500 hours in loud pistons.

I don't find the control box too cumbersome, as I am not holding it and it sits nicely in one of the map pockets.

Noise cancelling is amazing! Gap in the seal can be annoying at times, but all ANR sets seem to experience this. 8 hour days don't leave me with a headache and the kevlar cable is second to none.

I get around 25 hours from a set of batteries, with the usual bluetooth and music streaming while flying.

I don't have the issue with batteries being costly. I have a few sets of rechargeables.. Emailed lightspeed and they said they are safe to use, just wont get the low battery warning. But given the predictable 25 hours of use, it isn't an issue.

Invest in a decent charging station and some high quality batteries and you will break even at the 400-500 hour mark.

Keep an eye out for secondhand units. I picked mine up for $800 within only 3 months worth of use on it. Lightspeed said they were more than happy to carry the warranty (5 years) over to me.

[Mimpe]

I always go for the noise cancelling with the best passive protection.

The worst case scenario is loss of noise cancelling at a vital moment.

Sennhausers have good passive properties, but their noise cancelling tends to block lower frequencies which may be insufficient for a turboprop- they are well made and confortable.

Lightspeed noise cancelling is very good, and they have good passive protection, but are a little less robust.

Bose passive protection is less, but they are comfortable, with excellent active noise cancelling.

[Virtually There]

I thought I'd save a few dollars and buy a pair of Zulu 2s over the Bose A20s - ostensibly because the Bose phones didn't have Bluetooth at the time - but after 12 months I came to my senses and bought a set of A20s anyway. I'll doubt I'll ever go back.

IMO, Bose A20as are better made, with better ANR, better alround sound and are simply more comfortable to wear for extended periods. They also seem to be more reliable with Bluetooth connections and have a better low-battery warning system. (Rechargeable battery life is about the same.)

After 12 months, the Lightspeeds needed new ear pads, the mic boom lost its ability to stay in place (it can't even be reversed for when you're sitting in the right-hand seat), and my ears always hurt after wearing them for extended periods - despite all that room, my ears always seemed to find the hard bits inside the cup to press against.

The Bose phones are a tighter fit - which helps with noise seal - but are deeper and seem to be a better shape (certainly for my ears). My wife likes the Lightspeeds because they don't have a lot of clamping pressure. I also can't fault their customer service. So now they're hers.

[Left 270]

Just in regards to the batteries. I've always used rechargeable and got at least some warning of them depleting with the other lightspeed sets. Also I've started using the coles brand $7 rechargeable with no noticeable difference in performance (rubbish either way) between them and the expensive ones.

[ContactMeNow]

Difference between cheap and expensive batteries generally is their capacity. Cheaper ones tend to be 1200-1400mAh, while the higher end ones are 2700-4000mAh.

A standard alkaline battery is around 2000mAh, while a Lithium ion battery is 2800mAh. So using a higher capacity rechargeable battery should give you the same, if not longer battery cycle.

[Ixixly]

Clearedtoreenter, I've own a couple of excellent David Clark PNR headsets that did block a lot of the noise, I've found that the trade off though is that the clamping force is a lot higher to get that effect and therefore with long sorties become very uncomfortable and downright painful. I remember trading from my DC H10-60s, excellent headset but anything more than 3hrs became a bit painful, the change to my Zulu2s was incredible and never looked back ;)

[geeup]

Have you lads seen the Bose QC15s with a Uflymike adaptor?

[717tech]

My Bose X is showing signs of wanting to retire. Had it since 2006 and it's been in for repairs on three occasions (twice out of warranty). But I think it's time to update.

I've used the A20 with my previous job quite a bit. Seems to be quite a good headset, other than one or two having the very uncomfortable squealing occasionally.

No experience with the Zulu brand. But from the reviews I've read, they seem to be more susceptible to the squealing.

Question is; Does anyone know of any rumors of Bose releasing a new Headset any time soon? The A20s have been around for a few years now. All be it, with a few updates along the way.

[Ixixly]

Hey All,

Sorry for the late review, been a bloody busy couple of days but have used the new Zulu3s for about 30hrs now and felt it would be time to put up a short review as promised!!

I'll start with the build Quality, much like the Zulu2s the headsets themselves are sturdy, the mic boom seems to be greatly improved over the PFXs which I had trouble getting into a good position, this one is a bit stiffer and easy to place where you want it.

The Ear Cups are excellent, even with the slightly thicker than usual arms on my glasses they're fairly comfortable after even a 6hrs flight, one of the first things you'll probably notice is the slight curve of them now to hug your face a bit better and it definitely seems to be an improvement. In days gone by when having an inflight snack the chewing motion would often cause small gaps and thusly have the noise cancelling not working that great but I haven't seem to have had that problem now with the new ones! Very comfortable as well and even with my above average sized ears they fit magnificently, for those of you graced with normal sized ears you shan't have a problem. I'll probably send away for a set of the taller head pads which they offer for free as they're just a tad big for me as they currently are, they include instructions in the manual of whom to email to get a set sent to you at no cost.

Next thing you'll obviously notice is the new braided cable, just like the PFX model cable, comes across as very sturdy and will now stand up to me accidentally getting it caught in various aircraft doors over its lifetime!

The control box is identical to the Zulu2s except for now being in Hard Plastic which will prevent the unfortunate sticky end that the Zulu2s were becoming known for. Still just the 2 batteries required, I used a set for approximately 30hrs with Bluetooth most of the time which I feel is good life for them. These were rechargeable batteries from Aldi as well, I expect my Eneloops to do slightly better. Usual bluetooth connnection but also includes the ability to use their "Flight Link" app in conjunction if you happen to be an Apple user, which I'm not so I can't really comment on that aspect.

Bluetooth sound quality is pretty good, might just be me but I've noticed it's a little echoey, if you're an audiophile it'll probably bug you a little but I found after tweaking the EQ on my phone it works excellently. Used them as headphones on a commercial flight and you won't hear a damned thing from the outside world when you've got them on, not even on a Fokker 100 down the back! The Aux Input though provides very clear quality as well if you're so inclined to deal with the extra tangle of cords.

They also have a 7 year Warranty if you hadn't heard and with the dealings I've had in the past their repairs are fast and done well with very little hassle.

In terms of Noise Cancelling they're probably somewhere between the Zulu2s and the PFX in Favourite Mode. I would definitely choose them over the PFX though which has an unfortunate habit of losing noise cancelling a fair bit when turning your head, chewing or any other slight movement!! As mentioned I used them on both a 737 and a F100 whilst heading to work and you can't hear a damned thing from the outside world, have used them at work in a "Heavy" Cessna Twin and they provide excellent noise cancelling there and even after 7hrs of flying are still perfectly comfortable to wear.

In Summary, are they worth the $1200? If you've got Zulu2s you'll find these to be an incremental step up to be honest, a bit better noise cancelling, a bit better seals and a bit better quality with the braided cable and such, so if your Zulu2s are getting a bit old and you were looking for a new set then I'd highly recommend them. The trade up program is, as before, not yet available for trading in your Zulu2s for 3s but this is usually just for the first few months I've noticed and they don't offer an option to trade in the PFX models unfortunately. They also offer trade in for any Bose X or A20.

Honestly, pop into your local store, ask to try on a set and you'll probably walk out $1200 lighter like I did!!

On a completely unrelated note...anyone looking to buy a pair of Lightspeed PFXs in excellent condition? :D

[Left 270]

Thanks ixixly.
How would you compare the quality of the radio transmissions ?

[Ixixly]

Left 270, extremely clear as you'd expect. I actually got so caught up in my first flight with it in on that I didn't realise it hadn't turned on by itself and wasn't till part way through the flight when I was trying to figure out why calls were difficult to understand that I realised! After that no problems.

Of course if you're an Apple person then you can also use the Flight Link App which records all comms and allows you to play them back as well!

[newty74]

has anyone tried nicad/nimh batteries or lithium batteries? for a high drain these should last longer.

Also i just noticed they discontinued the headset...why? anyone know? was a good one. I'm still using it.

[The name is Porter]

I'm a long time user of the Lightspeed, for the life of me I couldn't understand the point of the PFX.

[Okihara]

Of course if you're an Apple person then you can also use the Flight Link App which records all comms and allows you to play them back as well!

That's very good to know, thanks Ixixly! I'm an A20 kid (and can't complain, using rechargeable batteries, works well) but unless Bose comes up with something similar, that'll be a serious argument to purchase a Lightspeed headset next.

[beached az]

Eh driva,
me wanna humbug a lift to Palm, what time da 4 o'clock flight leaving???
:ok:

[gchriste]

I have noticed one of the online pilot shops in Aus is talking up the last days of their Bose sale, with an impending *large* in their words price increase. Anyone heard anything credible about a pending Bose price increase or is this just sales spin? In the market for a second one to place an old passive headset I have.

[wheels_down]

Well due to ongoing pressures on the Foreign Exchange front it’s hard to see how they can’t increase prices.

Similar behavior seen in the local retail market also, the likes of Kmart and BIGW quietly raising prices lately.

[Konev]

I have noticed one of the online pilot shops in Aus is talking up the last days of their Bose sale, with an impending *large* in their words price increase. Anyone heard anything credible about a pending Bose price increase or is this just sales spin? In the market for a second one to place an old passive headset I have.

The downunder pilotshop in NZ did somethign similar last year.

[gchriste]

Well they weren't joking. Bose A20 with Bluetooth now $1795. Lightspeed Zulu 3 $1350. To the original post, which is better, you have to think unless Lightspeed also increase their prices, at the moment it is slightly irrelevant, there is no way there is a $445 difference in value between the two.

I grabbed one off the Qantas Store on Thursday night as they started a 25% off Bose sale before the price increase, so 2,000 points and $1078. But as of Friday morning Qantas took them off their store, so no longer an option to pick them up cheap there. Seems even Qantas decided they were too expensive. Now if only they offered Lightspeed.

[Brandon1566]

I bought a pair of PFX headsets in 2014, unfortunately shortly after I started getting a strong bass noise in the headset that wouldn’t go away. I threw them in my closet and forgot about them until today.

I cannot say how good their customer support is. I called them and told them the situation. The lady told me unfortunately your headset is out of the 5 year warranty. She said I will come you a free repair of the headset.

I don’t know many companies that would do the same in today’s age. My short experience with the PFX was great very good headset esp if you like to listen to music. I do remember they’re horrid if you break the seal on the ear but the quality of the sound, customer service and the ANR far surpasses anything else on the market in my opinion.

[TCAS v2]

Anyone tried the Lightspeed Tango wireless headset?

[Stickshift3000]

Anyone tried the Lightspeed Tango wireless headset?

No, not I.

What if I had?

[WhoFlungDung]

Just bringing this thread back to the top. Anyone using tango’s? They look awesome.

[AlphaVictorFoxtrot]

Just bringing this thread back to the top. Anyone using tango’s? They look awesome.

Not first hand experience, but from a friend that got them, it was essentially a Zulu with worse battery life. So, I guess it depends on how much you hate the cords. Also, remember that, if your battery runs flat, you're NORDO until you get the replacement in (instead of just losing the ANR with the Zulu)

[RadioSaigon]

Also, remember that, if your battery runs flat, you're NORDO until you get the replacement in (instead of just losing the ANR with the Zulu)

Not quite. Like you, I have a friend who flies quite regularly with the Tango’s. I asked him about them, looked at them and (briefly) considered a pair myself -but went with the Zulu 3.

Far from going NORDO, If the battery runs flat, there is a cable on-board the headset that connects to the control box, allowing full (if passive only) functionality. It’d be quite odd for a headset manufacturer to design/supply a device that doesn’t have a fail-safe option, don’t you think?

[AlphaVictorFoxtrot]

I mean, you'd still be NORDO until you fished out the cable and plugged it in. Either way, unlike the corded version, there would be a gap where you're not receiving/transmitting. (I mean, I assumed it had a cable. Not having a backup seems like it'd be silly)

Now, if you're diligent with charging the batteries, and you're not doing the kind of days that push the batteries to the limit, you shouldn't have any issues with them. In fact, I'd say if you're flying recreationally, this is probably the best combination of features in a Lightspeed.

[uncle8]

You will never be NORDO if you operate these headsets correctly. There is a twelve hour battery life and warning tones and flashing lights start when there are three hours remaining. Sensible, timely, recharging is required.

[Anthony Adeyemi]

Hey All,

Sorry for the late review, been a bloody busy couple of days but have used the new Zulu3s for about 30hrs now and felt it would be time to put up a short review as promised!!

I'll start with the build Quality, much like the Zulu2s the headsets themselves are sturdy, the mic boom seems to be greatly improved over the PFXs which I had trouble getting into a good position, this one is a bit stiffer and easy to place where you want it.

The Ear Cups are excellent, even with the slightly thicker than usual arms on my glasses they're fairly comfortable after even a 6hrs flight, one of the first things you'll probably notice is the slight curve of them now to hug your face a bit better and it definitely seems to be an improvement. In days gone by when having an inflight snack the chewing motion would often cause small gaps and thusly have the noise cancelling not working that great but I haven't seem to have had that problem now with the new ones! Very comfortable as well and even with my above average sized ears they fit magnificently, for those of you graced with normal sized ears you shan't have a problem. I'll probably send away for a set of the taller head pads which they offer for free as they're just a tad big for me as they currently are, they include instructions in the manual of whom to email to get a set sent to you at no cost.

Next thing you'll obviously notice is the new braided cable, just like the PFX model cable, comes across as very sturdy and will now stand up to me accidentally getting it caught in various aircraft doors over its lifetime!

The control box is identical to the Zulu2s except for now being in Hard Plastic which will prevent the unfortunate sticky end that the Zulu2s were becoming known for. Still just the 2 batteries required, I used a set for approximately 30hrs with Bluetooth most of the time which I feel is good life for them. These were rechargeable batteries from Aldi as well, I expect my Eneloops to do slightly better. Usual bluetooth connnection but also includes the ability to use their "Flight Link" app in conjunction if you happen to be an Apple user, which I'm not so I can't really comment on that aspect.

Bluetooth sound quality is pretty good, might just be me but I've noticed it's a little echoey, if you're an audiophile it'll probably bug you a little but I found after tweaking the EQ on my phone it works excellently. Used them as headphones on a commercial flight and you won't hear a damned thing from the outside world when you've got them on, not even on a Fokker 100 down the back! The Aux Input though provides very clear quality as well if you're so inclined to deal with the extra tangle of cords.

They also have a 7 year Warranty if you hadn't heard and with the dealings I've had in the past their repairs are fast and done well with very little hassle.

In terms of Noise Cancelling they're probably somewhere between the Zulu2s and the PFX in Favourite Mode. I would definitely choose them over the PFX though which has an unfortunate habit of losing noise cancelling a fair bit when turning your head, chewing or any other slight movement!! As mentioned I used them on both a 737 and a F100 whilst heading to work and you can't hear a damned thing from the outside world, have used them at work in a "Heavy" Cessna Twin and they provide excellent noise cancelling there and even after 7hrs of flying are still perfectly comfortable to wear.

In Summary, are they worth the $1200? If you've got Zulu2s you'll find these to be an incremental step up to be honest, a bit better noise cancelling, a bit better seals and a bit better quality with the braided cable and such, so if your Zulu2s are getting a bit old and you were looking for a new set then I'd highly recommend them. The trade up program is, as before, not yet available for trading in your Zulu2s for 3s but this is usually just for the first few months I've noticed and they don't offer an option to trade in the PFX models unfortunately. They also offer trade in for any Bose X or A20.

Honestly, pop into your local store, ask to try on a set and you'll probably walk out $1200 lighter like I did!!

On a completely unrelated note...anyone looking to buy a pair of Lightspeed PFXs in excellent condition? :D
I'm interested in buying your zulu pfx if it's still for sale. Just let me know.