Best Budget Headset for PPL training (under £250)
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,443
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From: Cambridge, England, EU
Dave Clark is more or less the industry standard isn't it? They are around that price bracket if I remember.
Joined: Sep 2015
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From: London
I bought my first headset, a fantastic second hand David Clark H10-40 for £120. I had to buy a new mic sock, but I think they're only £5 or so! :-)
Now I do fly with Bose A20 - and I don't think I'll ever go back (except when the batteries die in the active noise cancelling)!!
Now I do fly with Bose A20 - and I don't think I'll ever go back (except when the batteries die in the active noise cancelling)!!
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 158
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From: Scotland
Not an issue for me in a single seater but I have heard some of my friends who fly two seats and more remark that different headsets into one intercom can be incompatible and give rise to all sorts of difficulties in cockpit communication. Might be an issue in a training environment if true so perhaps confer with your flight school.
Moderator
Joined: Feb 2000
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 14,480
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From: UK
Lots of people like wearing pale green - and they work, albeit with rather high clamping forces and an occasional incompatibility with non-DC headsets on the same intercom.
If it's budget, go with Harry Mendelsson. I have used their budget HM40s for years for most of my GA flying. A couple of years ago, as an experiment, I took those and a pair of new DCs on a long trip, swapping them a few times. Apart from the clamping force, there was absolutely no difference in quality that I could detect.
My first HM40 I bought in 2003, in 2013 it misbehaved (cable went and it went quiet in one ear) - I sent it to HM, and they did a complete overhaul and sent it back for £50. I wore it this week, was working fine still, albeit that I treated myself to a new one last year and it's now usually my passenger spare.
Aviation Headsets | HM Series | Mendelssohns
I've yet to actually try out the HM ANR headset. Has anybody else? For learning, that is still cheaper than a passive pair of David Clarks and on paper, looks like a fantastic deal.
G
If it's budget, go with Harry Mendelsson. I have used their budget HM40s for years for most of my GA flying. A couple of years ago, as an experiment, I took those and a pair of new DCs on a long trip, swapping them a few times. Apart from the clamping force, there was absolutely no difference in quality that I could detect.
My first HM40 I bought in 2003, in 2013 it misbehaved (cable went and it went quiet in one ear) - I sent it to HM, and they did a complete overhaul and sent it back for £50. I wore it this week, was working fine still, albeit that I treated myself to a new one last year and it's now usually my passenger spare.
Aviation Headsets | HM Series | Mendelssohns
I've yet to actually try out the HM ANR headset. Has anybody else? For learning, that is still cheaper than a passive pair of David Clarks and on paper, looks like a fantastic deal.
G
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Suffolk u.k.
I bought a pair of the Pooleys standard headsets for £120 inc VAT. They do the trick nicely, not too pricy and can get spare parts cheaply too...
Maybe not as good as others at the noise cancelling business.
Maybe not as good as others at the noise cancelling business.
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,684
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From: Down at the sharp pointy end, where all the weather is made.
We've got 3 of the Pooley's budget headsets in our School PA28. They stand up to the rough and tumble of trial lessons and students bashing them about and standing on them etc. You can get new gel cups for them if required and Pooleys will repair them if needed. I've tried them out and they seem perfectly good for wearing up to 3 - 4 hours a week.
I tried David Clark and couldn't get on with the high clamping force, so flew with a Peltor I bought from Transair when they first opened. They lasted nearly 20 years. When David Clark brought out their first ANR - the X11 - I invested in them as they seemed marginally better than the Bose at the time (10 years ago). They were horrible, but having spent all that money, I kept with them. I was really pleased when the carbon fibre headband snapped. I then invested in the Lightspeed Sierra. Absolutely brilliant, lovely ANR, Bluetooth for the phone, seem compatible with everything.
I'd say DON'T invest in a decent headset whilst training (unless you've got plenty of spare cash!) Spend the money on extra flight training instead, it'll reward you better. When you get your licence, that's the time to treat yourself.
TOO
I tried David Clark and couldn't get on with the high clamping force, so flew with a Peltor I bought from Transair when they first opened. They lasted nearly 20 years. When David Clark brought out their first ANR - the X11 - I invested in them as they seemed marginally better than the Bose at the time (10 years ago). They were horrible, but having spent all that money, I kept with them. I was really pleased when the carbon fibre headband snapped. I then invested in the Lightspeed Sierra. Absolutely brilliant, lovely ANR, Bluetooth for the phone, seem compatible with everything.
I'd say DON'T invest in a decent headset whilst training (unless you've got plenty of spare cash!) Spend the money on extra flight training instead, it'll reward you better. When you get your licence, that's the time to treat yourself.
TOO
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,288
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From: Enzed
Don't buy anything cheap .
A. If you decide not to keep flying something like a DC will be much easier to sell and will fetch a better second hand price.
B. If you continue flying you will be pleased you spent the extra money.
I've had a DC 10-80 for well over 25 years and over 7000 hours of flying. It's never let me down.
I've had many sets of cheaper headsets given to me to repair. Many, even though they they looked similar to a DC at first glance, were just junk.
If you're not sure whether or not flying is for you buy a second hand DC or similar if the new price is outside your budget.
A. If you decide not to keep flying something like a DC will be much easier to sell and will fetch a better second hand price.
B. If you continue flying you will be pleased you spent the extra money.
I've had a DC 10-80 for well over 25 years and over 7000 hours of flying. It's never let me down.
I've had many sets of cheaper headsets given to me to repair. Many, even though they they looked similar to a DC at first glance, were just junk.
If you're not sure whether or not flying is for you buy a second hand DC or similar if the new price is outside your budget.
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: London
The reason I'm in need of owning a headset is because half of the headsets at my club are dodgy i.e mics cutting out mid-flight, which requires re-adjusting and occasionally using my instructors back up headset (which is DC). I wouldn't have this luxury during solo flights, hence the need for my own reliable headset.
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,443
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From: Cambridge, England, EU
The reason I'm in need of owning a headset is because half of the headsets at my club are dodgy i.e mics cutting out mid-flight
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 14
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From: London
The school, instructors and aircraft are all sound. The reasoning behind the dodgy headsets is that there is an expectation that students will get their own headsets, so the poorer quality free to use headsets are mainly used for trial flights and not for PPL, CPL, IR students.
Joined: Jan 2008
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
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From: Canada
I'm still using the David Clark I bought new in 1982 - 'still going strong. I have bought other DC's in the mean time, never another brand. I've tried others, (and have a lot good to say about Bose A20's), but DC does the job.
For training in a 152, used DC's in decent condition are all you need. Don't invest in expensive noise cancelling yet. In a 152, it'll not make enough difference for you.
A measure of the value of choice of a headset is how easily it can be repaired, should it need it. The Bose A20 I borrowed last week has a loose mic pivot. If you bounce a landing, it droops. I took it to the avionics shop (where I was purchasing my most recent DC headset). They could not fix that. They phoned the local Bose repair shop, who also was not able to recommend a simple fix for that. I returned it in the condition I borrowed it, rather than better. I have found that DC's can be easily repaired and adjusted as required.
While selecting a new noise cancelling headset for my louder aircraft last week, I flew down with the borrowed Bose to baseline my expectations (I agree that Bose have made themselves something of a quality standard, with very effective noise cancelling). I tried the new DC One-X, and AKG AV100 in the aircraft. They both worked well, and seemed equally effective, though I chose the DC simply because I have faith in their product support. But all the chat of noise cancelling is beyond the scope of the OP's question. My advice, buy a used DC headset, and have it repaired if needed, It'll last you, and be the very best long term value.
For training in a 152, used DC's in decent condition are all you need. Don't invest in expensive noise cancelling yet. In a 152, it'll not make enough difference for you.
A measure of the value of choice of a headset is how easily it can be repaired, should it need it. The Bose A20 I borrowed last week has a loose mic pivot. If you bounce a landing, it droops. I took it to the avionics shop (where I was purchasing my most recent DC headset). They could not fix that. They phoned the local Bose repair shop, who also was not able to recommend a simple fix for that. I returned it in the condition I borrowed it, rather than better. I have found that DC's can be easily repaired and adjusted as required.
While selecting a new noise cancelling headset for my louder aircraft last week, I flew down with the borrowed Bose to baseline my expectations (I agree that Bose have made themselves something of a quality standard, with very effective noise cancelling). I tried the new DC One-X, and AKG AV100 in the aircraft. They both worked well, and seemed equally effective, though I chose the DC simply because I have faith in their product support. But all the chat of noise cancelling is beyond the scope of the OP's question. My advice, buy a used DC headset, and have it repaired if needed, It'll last you, and be the very best long term value.
Joined: Jan 1999
Posts: 6,209
Likes: 2
From: north of barlu
Cheap is not so cheap !
Get the best headset you can afford, a second hand top of the range DC or Bose is the answer.
The reason ?
The cost of mis-hearing your instructor will slow your progress and is likely to cost more in extra flying than it saves in reduced headset price.
The reason ?
The cost of mis-hearing your instructor will slow your progress and is likely to cost more in extra flying than it saves in reduced headset price.