Headset longevity

[TheOddOne]

My Lightspeed Sierra has just broken after 1500 hours and 5 years. It's snapped where the left earpiece swivels on the headband attachment. It generally looks pretty battered with scuffed earpieces and headband, the mic boom is seriously frayed and the cable is split in several places. I guess it doesn't owe me anything. It's had a hard life, being constantly used in different aircraft and chucked about quite a bit. However, unlike its predecessor, a David Clark X11, it has worked just fine right up to the point of physical failure. The x11 was pretty horrible, I only kept using it 'cos I'd spent so much on it. I was pleased when it snapped in two across the headband and it went in the bin without a second thought.

Now, please advise what to replace the Sierra with? I want something that has:
a) ANR
b) VERY lightweight but still reasonable passive noise reduction for when the batteries fail mid-flight
c) Bluetooth for the phone
d) excellent audio quality
e) compatible with a wide variety of aircraft intercoms and other headsets
f) can withstand being chucked about

Someone lent me a Bose A20 recently and I wish they hadn't as it was head and shoulders above anything else I'd ever used. However, I can't afford/justify the expenditure on instructor's money. I might think about it if anyone can assure me it will exceed the life of the Sierra. Has anyone gone beyond 1500 hours of typical instructor use?
The SEHT Bose look-alike looks tempting at £700 but is it durable? It seems to lack Bluetooth which is a bit of a downer.
Any helpful suggestions?

Thanks,
TOO

[dirkdj]

Lightspeed service will repair your headset, they may charge you for wear items such as earpads etc.

[Jonzarno]

Although I am not an instructor, I have used a Bose headset for 2500 hours over the last 12 years. I would certainly recommend them.

[A and C]

The Bose A20 is clearly he best option, I assume that you are in the UK and if so could claim the tax back from the HMRC as providing your employer gives you a letter saying a headset is required. There is also a H&S issue to back up the cost of the headset as you are working in a noisy environment.

You won’t get all the money back from the HMRC but it will take the sting out of the Perchace.

[MrAverage]

Zulu 3, but put it back in the case at the end of each flight. I've had a Zulu 1 since the year they were released (12 years ago?) and a Zulu 2 for around 10 years. Both still surviving full club use. Lightspeed service is spectacular...............

[Shoestring Flyer]

Zulu 1's for the last 10years. Still perfect condition,changed ear seals a couple of times thats all.

[rarelyathome]

My A20s are going back for the second time in 4 years. Problem in the mic plug. They do a great service but the A20s are not quite robust enough for a busy instructor who has to change aircraft frequently. If only the plugs weren’t moulded!

[Big Pistons Forever]

I still use the original David Clarke I bought in 1981. I have upgraded the old carbon mic to an electret one and replaced the ear seals a couple of times but it still works fine.

[Tinstaafl]

I still use my 40yo DC H10-40s in any prop plane I fly,
and Telex 810 noise cancelling in jets. My DCs have survived my 36yrs bush and city work. Tropics, desert, North Sea areas.

[Ironpot]

I’ve had the DC ONE X for just over 2 years and been very pleased with them. I think they do everything you listed but I don’t use the phone just the iPad on Bluetooth.
I can’t tell you how they compare cos they were an upgrade on the DC H10 13-4 that I still have as spares.

[Duchess_Driver]

My DCs have also performed well for nigh on 20 years now, but Triggers Broom springs to mind.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LAh8HryVaeY

I’m now on my 2nd Bose A-20 (some thieving scroat had ithe first away) and whilst very good as has been stated already it isn’t robust enough for instructing - not just the moulded plugs. It’s been back twice for repair but having said that both times at no cost to me and came back with new “consumables”. Can’t fault the service.

Doesn’t help you make a choice (I think you’d ruled it out anyway) but probably enforces your decision to search for another (cheaper) option.

Remember though - buy cheap, buy twice!

[Jhieminga]

My DC H10-13X has 11 years and some 1200 hours of use on it and is still going strong. Doesn't tick the box for (c) in your list but it will provide good passive noise reduction without batteries and therefore ticks that half of the (b) requirement.

[l10fly]

An ANR module failed in my DC 10-13X last year after about 5 years use. Whilst it was away being repaired I tried a Bose A-20 & ended up buying a set, I could not go back & the repaired (FOC) DC's are now used by my students. As an instructor I received a 100Euro discount under Bose's 'Profession Pilot Appreciation program', applied for through Bose's European website and honoured by Pooleys, it may be worth asking if it is still available TOO.

[TheOddOne]

Yes, I nearly filled in the form but I was put off comments above re robustness. I thought I'd give SEHT's Bose look-alike a go as they offer a 'no quibble' 5-year guarantee and I like the company. I met the guy at a show at Telford a couple of years ago and thought he was pretty straightforward and had some spares I needed at good value for money. We'll see!

Thanks for all the comments
TOO

[n5296s]

My A20s are going back for the second time in 4 years. Problem in the mic plug.
Surprised you needed to send it back for this. I managed to wreck one of the plugs by closing it in the canopy on one my several failed attempts to fly an Extra 300. They just sent me a new cable, which is fitted by opening up the battery box. Since it was still under warranty, they didn't even charge me.

[rarelyathome]

Surprised you needed to send it back for this. I managed to wreck one of the plugs by closing it in the canopy on one my several failed attempts to fly an Extra 300. They just sent me a new cable, which is fitted by opening up the battery box. Since it was still under warranty, they didn't even charge me.

wish they’ done the same but I got a work note and postage instructions (postage covered by Bose). Took 6 weeks to get a response over the summer despite prompts. I would be happy with a cable I could replace in a few minutes rather than having to fly 30 hours or so with my old DCs in the 2 weeks the A20 will be away.

[BigEndBob]

My H10-40 headset like Triggers broom, had it since 1987, one new mic and got through two lots of springy head band and cables. Also several ear seals. They have done 15k hours.
One thing i do hate, gel ear seals only seem to last 18 months before they burst and in warm weather they keep falling off.

One of my students had a Bose ANR bought for her. She used it only once as she said she couldn't hear the engine when landing and put her of the set.

[27/09]

Plus One for the David Clark One X

[S-Works]

I have done over 7,000hrs on my A20s and I did around 4,000hrs on the Bose-X before them. Superb headsets, never missed a beat. You only get your hearing once so don't buy cheap.

If you are wearing a headset all day long the bose is by far the most comfortable I have ever used. The Clarks are just purgatory after a few hours.

[BigEndBob]

Not sure headsets protect hearing completely. The only way i think is to wear a bone dome. I'm sure the sound waves penetrate the skull and attack from the inside. I certainly have tinitus from wearing a H10-40 last 30 years. Not sure any extra hiss in the headset made any difference.

[27/09]

S-Works
I've worn the traditional style David Clarks (passive and ANR) for several thousand hours (I'm guessing well over 10,000 hours) and they were certainly not purgatory to wear. Might I suggest the ones you wore weren't adjusted properly to your head? Also the DCs were very reliable, all I ever replaced on my personal headset (about 7000 hours) were mic socks and ear cushions. This was a major factor in deciding to buy the One X's when everyone around me had Bose. I tried the Bose, I reckon the DC One X fits better, is at least as comfortable and just as quiet.

BigEndBob
I wore DC's with the highest passive rating for many years before I bought the One X's. The difference is like night and day. Hearing damage can happen outside the cockpit with noise from nearby aircraft while you're on the ramp etc.

[S-Works]

S-Works
I've worn the traditional style David Clarks (passive and ANR) for several thousand hours (I'm guessing well over 10,000 hours) and they were certainly not purgatory to wear. Might I suggest the ones you wore weren't adjusted properly to your head? Also the DCs were very reliable, all I ever replaced on my personal headset (about 7000 hours) were mic socks and ear cushions. This was a major factor in deciding to buy the One X's when everyone around me had Bose. I tried the Bose, I reckon the DC One X fits better, is at least as comfortable and just as quiet.

BigEndBob
I wore DC's with the highest passive rating for many years before I bought the One X's. The difference is like night and day. Hearing damage can happen outside the cockpit with noise from nearby aircraft while you're on the ramp etc.

Are you really lecturing me on the way to wear a headset? I can tell you that I find DC headsets purgatory to wear. I have been issued with enough of them in time at work to know exactly how to adjust them and they are crap. I fly a turboprop for a living and they are utterly dreadful for cutting the noise. The Bose are just sublime.

[ASRAAMTOO]

My employer has recently decided to equip our aircraft with the DC One X. I am afraid to say I hate them with a passion. The sound quality is fine, build quality good, unfortunately at the slightest forward movement of my head they fall off forwards, no matter where I try and seat the headband.

[27/09]

Are you really lecturing me on the way to wear a headset? I can tell you that I find DC headsets purgatory to wear. I have been issued with enough of them in time at work to know exactly how to adjust them and they are crap. I fly a turboprop for a living and they are utterly dreadful for cutting the noise. The Bose are just sublime.



Not lecturing you at all, get off your high horse.

I was relating my experience with DC's which is obviously different to yours. In my experience they are not crap as you so eloquently put it. I was merely offering one suggestion as to why your experience was different, obviously not. Telling me you fly a turbprop for a living cuts no ice with me, it certainly doesn't make you special. It might interest you to know there are a few piston aircraft that rival a turbo prop for noise.

I have a couple of turbo prop hours too and the DC's were just fine at noise cancelling.