Headset choice
 

Hi

My first post on here, I've been lurking for a few weeks and found it a useful source of information, opinions, humour.

Anyway, I have a simple question, I am a student PPL, now on my third attempt over the years but now I can actually afford it (sort of). I'm not going to be a professional pilot but would see maybe a hundred or so hours per year to do what I want to with my PPL.

I want to buy a headset and see them ranging from less than 100 quid to nearly 700. I understand about ANR etc and have used it for years for train and airline travel. I can completely understand why someone who makes their living flying for thousands of hours per year would go for top of the range but ...

What would folk recommend as a suitable headset for my needs and why ?

I know there are threads on here that cover the choice of headsets but they are pretty much focussed on the needs of the professional or wannabe professional pilot.

Thanks

Paul

Get the best you can afford.

Whether you're flying your 900 hours a year, or just 20, hearing loss is irreversible.

You might want to consider getting a 'simple' headset now, but putting aside some money every year, and in three years or so, buying the absolute top-of-the-range headset. This way, its not a huge financial outlay all at once, but you will get what you need reasonably soon.

And once you buy the better one, your current headset becomes your spare, or for a passenger, etc.

David Clark H10-13.4

Medium priced, top quality!

Get the best you can afford.

Whether you're flying your 900 hours a year, or just 20, hearing loss is irreversible.

You might want to consider getting a 'simple' headset now, but putting aside some money every year, and in three years or so, buying the absolute top-of-the-range headset. This way, its not a huge financial outlay all at once, but you will get what you need reasonably soon.

And once you buy the better one, your current headset becomes your spare, or for a passenger, etc.

Sound advise, nothing worse than crap headsets, detracting from learning

hey Paul.

I'm in exactly your position, and decided that spending money on a decent headset would be worthwhile. So I got a Clarity Aloft...

http://www.clarityaloft.com

It's a bit unconventional, but I cannot recommend it highly enough. Amazingly comfortable, very effective isolation from cockpit noise, superb sound quality. Check out some of the comments on the interweb - seems like everyone else is as pleased with it as I am.

mtw

I also have a Clarityaloft set...very very good.

I also have some DC 10-13.4..i cant complain at them either.

I also have a set of ASA's..for a budget set they are also very good.

Bose-X

Here is why:

I know they are one of the most expensive and it is hard to see how they justify the price, however:

they are really comfortable,

the ANR is excellent,

the design works really well.

If you are going to fly for a few years IMHO they well worth the extra cost, and will probably hold their resale value as well,

and I have tried them all !

Plus you can have good arguments with them on PPRuNe...

Tim

Bose Aviation X anyday. I used a 3/4s of a months paycheck to pay for them but they're well worth it. Theres nothing worse than having an uncomfortable pair of muffs on you head. Oh and the sound quality...superb!

A must for the GA Pilot. :ok:

Sound quality also depends on what you plug them in to...

A great headset plugged into a crap COM box will still sound crap...

If you're gonna be flying a rusty spamcam with WWII avionics, your bose-x will probably not make it much better, although ANR and comfort will still be there

That's true - but I dont have that problem in the planes I fly.

Recently got a set of DC 13.4's, found them comfortable, clear and it's improved my R/t considerably - I don't know if that's cos I'm getting used to the Rt, or because I can now hear/understand vs the school's rather knackered loan set.

Figuring I can get an ANR kit for them if required, and as mentioned elsewhere, the bose x type doesn't provide much passive NR.

Bose X

Light, extremely comfortable and very good quality sound.

Not suitable for lending to clumsy passengers though - for that, get a £100 David Clarke :)

Another endorsement of Bose X - light, comfortable, crystal clear communications. :O

On day one of flying school
 

My instructor said

"PompeyPaul, buy a decent headset. Save up and buy it, it's the cheapest way of doing it. Otherwise you'll be cheap, throw it away, buy mid range, throw it away, then buy expensive at the end. Borrow the club headsets, then when you've saved buy a decent headset"

I bought the DC10 13.4 (with ANR) and have not had to change headset (although I've only been flying for a year).

Make sure you buy off ebay, you'll get your headset almost half price.

bigbloke if you really intend to fly 100 hours per year (which would be way above the PPL average), then don't even dream of buying anything else but either a Bose-X or perhaps a Clarity Aloft. I have the Bose-X and am VERY happy with it. Others here have said good things about the Clarity, which is about half the price. I didn't get a chance to try them but was tempted.

To reiterate: hearing loss is irreversible.

Thanks for the replies and advice folks.

Bose X it is then.

Ordered them this morning.

Thanks again.

Paul

Which is why I don't use Bose X

A good passive headset (with or without ANR) and custom molded ear plugs.

The ONLY guarenteed means of protecting your ears.

Dont ear plugs also cut out the noise from the radio.. ie, the noise you actually WANT to hear?

Las,

No, since they have a filter that allows the voice frequencies to be less attenuated. As far as I know, they come in two levels, 9db and 15 db. I have the 9s and they make a huge difference.