Buzzing ears..ANR Headsets
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Join Date: Nov 2006
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Buzzing ears..ANR Headsets
Ears "buzz" and my hearing is shot to pieces for a while after every flight, regardless of a/c. I have a DC 10.4 headset...should I consider an ANR headset ... do they really make a big difference? The premium to be payed for ANR seems excessive to me...but if they relieve my suffering I could be tempted....views welcome...
btw: I have a recent Class One medical so there isn't enything wrong with my normal hearing AFAIK...
btw: I have a recent Class One medical so there isn't enything wrong with my normal hearing AFAIK...
Join Date: Jun 2001
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What are you flying to cause so much NIHL. A spitfire or a big Yak. Lucky you.
Like you I wondered if it was all bluff and a reason to charge more for nothing. I always found the 10-13.4 more than good enough for a trip a week.
However I like stuff and I fancied ANR so I got a set of 10-13.4XL and they are superb. I have to set the volume levels to min because anything else is too loud, radio is always very clear and I never get ringing ears , even after 5 hours flying in a day. I have a friend who uses bose headsets and they are good too but not good enough to warrant the premium (others will disagree) I'll be sticking with the 13.4's for now. I will never regret going ANR.
One word of caution. When you try them in the shop they don't seem very impressive. Its only after an hour of so of flying do you notice the reduced fatigue levels (and the lack of ringing)
You'd be happy to pay £500 in 20 years time to regain your hearing so why not pay it now.
Like you I wondered if it was all bluff and a reason to charge more for nothing. I always found the 10-13.4 more than good enough for a trip a week.
However I like stuff and I fancied ANR so I got a set of 10-13.4XL and they are superb. I have to set the volume levels to min because anything else is too loud, radio is always very clear and I never get ringing ears , even after 5 hours flying in a day. I have a friend who uses bose headsets and they are good too but not good enough to warrant the premium (others will disagree) I'll be sticking with the 13.4's for now. I will never regret going ANR.
One word of caution. When you try them in the shop they don't seem very impressive. Its only after an hour of so of flying do you notice the reduced fatigue levels (and the lack of ringing)
You'd be happy to pay £500 in 20 years time to regain your hearing so why not pay it now.
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As a musician, hearing is important to me, and I am wondering what to buy as regards headphones when I re-start my PPL. ANR seems like a good option except for this: when I was gliding, I used air-noise as a means of guageing airspeed when wanting to keep eyes out of the cockpit and I wonder to what extent this facility will be lost with ANR.
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Fear not, they don't kill all the noise. However engine noise largely masks airflow compared with gliding so it's not so useful. You'll find you become more aware of a combination of attitude, sound, and control response instead. The increase in clarity on the radio and intercom is a major bonus (if like me you end up taking the wife's cousin on a longish trip you can always turn the intercom off
).
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ANR kits & headsets
Bandit650,
You may well be able to get your existing DC 10.4s upgraded to ANR.
There are reasonably priced kits about for upgrading passive headsets, which you can install yourself and there are also some places that will install one professionally for a fee. Just do a search on this website for details: this is a subject that has recurred several times.
ANR only filters out the very low frequency noise, leaving you plenty of hearing at the frequencies that matter.
If you are flying professionally and you decide to buy a new ANR headset then Bose would be an investment. If Bose is too expensive then take a look at the DC ANRs. I am told that the DC is the next best ANR after the Bose, although this is a very personal thing and I'm sure there will be others who will disagree.
You can also get your headset included on your household contents insurance if you go to the right company.
Good luck!
Broomstick.
You may well be able to get your existing DC 10.4s upgraded to ANR.
There are reasonably priced kits about for upgrading passive headsets, which you can install yourself and there are also some places that will install one professionally for a fee. Just do a search on this website for details: this is a subject that has recurred several times.
ANR only filters out the very low frequency noise, leaving you plenty of hearing at the frequencies that matter.
If you are flying professionally and you decide to buy a new ANR headset then Bose would be an investment. If Bose is too expensive then take a look at the DC ANRs. I am told that the DC is the next best ANR after the Bose, although this is a very personal thing and I'm sure there will be others who will disagree.
You can also get your headset included on your household contents insurance if you go to the right company.
Good luck!
Broomstick.
