Headsets for students pilots
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Join Date: Nov 2006
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Headsets for students pilots
Hey,
I am soon to start my training and have to decide on a headset. I was told to get a standard David Clark headset for $450 but heard that for a bit extra i could get a much better pair. I was thinking about a Lightspeed 20XLc.
I thought that if i get a decent pair now then that will last me through the next couple of years. The lightspeed model is around 600 so i am happy to spend that much more.
What do you think? And does anyone have any suggestions...
ANR was the main reason which attracted me to towards a higher class set.
Cheers peeps
LJones
I am soon to start my training and have to decide on a headset. I was told to get a standard David Clark headset for $450 but heard that for a bit extra i could get a much better pair. I was thinking about a Lightspeed 20XLc.
I thought that if i get a decent pair now then that will last me through the next couple of years. The lightspeed model is around 600 so i am happy to spend that much more.
What do you think? And does anyone have any suggestions...
ANR was the main reason which attracted me to towards a higher class set.
Cheers peeps
LJones
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Hi L.
i started with a DC (No ANR) for my private training, didn't really like it, just too loud and i hated these stupid plastic earpieces (and the colour). So i bought the Lightspeed XLC20, i used it in all kinds of Helicopters for almost 1000 hours.
The noise reduction worked fine at the beginning, but unfortunately it broke down at one point.
After a while i started flying around with ANR just on one side, then the ANR broke completely down, at the end i couldn't hear at all on the left side.
Like i said, i liked it alot at the beginning, maybe i just had a bad pair, but i wouldn't buy a Lightspeed after that experience anymore.
I replaced it with a Bose X, and that is by far the best Headset that u can buy. It's extrtemly comfortable on the Head, and the ANR is excellent.
I know it's way too expensive, but if you wanna do yourself a favour, go for it! You won't regret it!
i started with a DC (No ANR) for my private training, didn't really like it, just too loud and i hated these stupid plastic earpieces (and the colour). So i bought the Lightspeed XLC20, i used it in all kinds of Helicopters for almost 1000 hours.
The noise reduction worked fine at the beginning, but unfortunately it broke down at one point.
After a while i started flying around with ANR just on one side, then the ANR broke completely down, at the end i couldn't hear at all on the left side.
Like i said, i liked it alot at the beginning, maybe i just had a bad pair, but i wouldn't buy a Lightspeed after that experience anymore.
I replaced it with a Bose X, and that is by far the best Headset that u can buy. It's extrtemly comfortable on the Head, and the ANR is excellent.
I know it's way too expensive, but if you wanna do yourself a favour, go for it! You won't regret it!
Join Date: Mar 2008
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You cant beat a set of Dave clarks they will last you for years, I would not go for ANR they cut out very important engine noise that mite save your live, as a wise man once said keep it simple to much tecnolgy means more to go wrong. Take a look at wot most airforce pilots use and most turbo prop pilots use you can bet its a pair of the old green.
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A lot of airline crews are using the Bose QC2 headset with the "U Fly Mic" addition. See it here. http://www.uflymike.com/id19.html
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had my david clarks for nearly 200 hours,(3 years) much abuse has been thrown at them and they have never missed a beat.
A new set of ear seals and mic protector and they are like new again.
Definatly agree with the above ANR is not for everyone as some people, including myself like to hear what the fan is doing up front. Plus if it can go wrong it will.
Nick
A new set of ear seals and mic protector and they are like new again.
Definatly agree with the above ANR is not for everyone as some people, including myself like to hear what the fan is doing up front. Plus if it can go wrong it will.
Nick
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To be honest as a student completing the PPL, I purchased a pair of Dave Clark 10-13XL – They are Brilliant in everyway, I suppose we all champion preferences for one reason or another. This particular headset for me is exceptionally comfortable and light; the audio quality is very clear and crisp with very limited interference. I will use these long after I’m flying commercial…Hopefully!!!!
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You obviously haven't tried a good headset then....
I used to use DC's, simply because everyone else did. That'll teach me to follow the crowd. Since acquired some Bose-X, second hand, for a decent price but in as-new condition.
Simply in a different league. Try a pair sometime, you'll never put on your DC's ever again.
I used to use DC's, simply because everyone else did. That'll teach me to follow the crowd. Since acquired some Bose-X, second hand, for a decent price but in as-new condition.
Simply in a different league. Try a pair sometime, you'll never put on your DC's ever again.
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Used H10-13.4s previously, then upgraded to H10-56 HXL. Awesome. Start with 4 dB extra attenuation than the rest of the DC range (that's 27 dB passive - the best on the market unless you're wearing a helmet as far as my research led me to believe), then top it off with ANR (or ENC as DC calls it). I can still hear everything that is going on (or wrong), just at a more comfortable level.
One big difference is how much more clearly the audio comes through with ANR, makes distinguishing those radio calls much easier (and you can have the radio at a lower volume).
In the AS350 it doesn't make a huge difference as the cabin is fairly quiet. It really helps taking the scream out of the Jet Ranger however. And in the R22 it makes a huge difference (especially with the doors off). I tried a pair of the Bose X in the R22 for comparison and even with the ANR on it was not as good as the passive attenuation of my H10-56s with the ANR off. And I might as well been wearing styrofoam earcups when I turned the ANR off on the Bose (which can happen inadvertently when your batteries run out - I know that people say "well I always carry spares", but I tend to most of the time as well. All it takes is that one time when you've put the batteries in your case in the baggage compartment and the ANR runs out 30 min into a 3 hour flight - in the case of a R22 that would be untenable).
That said, the Bose are a fantastic headset in a less noisy cabin (such as the AS350). For those that might pooh pooh these comments as those of a fling wing pilot, I also hold a CPL (A) and have had enjoyed the benefits of ANR in a noisy C152 cabin as well.
Personally I would recommend getting the best passive protection you can, and in my humble opinion recommend ANR on top of that. Hope any of that helps and good luck finding the right set.
One big difference is how much more clearly the audio comes through with ANR, makes distinguishing those radio calls much easier (and you can have the radio at a lower volume).
In the AS350 it doesn't make a huge difference as the cabin is fairly quiet. It really helps taking the scream out of the Jet Ranger however. And in the R22 it makes a huge difference (especially with the doors off). I tried a pair of the Bose X in the R22 for comparison and even with the ANR on it was not as good as the passive attenuation of my H10-56s with the ANR off. And I might as well been wearing styrofoam earcups when I turned the ANR off on the Bose (which can happen inadvertently when your batteries run out - I know that people say "well I always carry spares", but I tend to most of the time as well. All it takes is that one time when you've put the batteries in your case in the baggage compartment and the ANR runs out 30 min into a 3 hour flight - in the case of a R22 that would be untenable).
That said, the Bose are a fantastic headset in a less noisy cabin (such as the AS350). For those that might pooh pooh these comments as those of a fling wing pilot, I also hold a CPL (A) and have had enjoyed the benefits of ANR in a noisy C152 cabin as well.
Personally I would recommend getting the best passive protection you can, and in my humble opinion recommend ANR on top of that. Hope any of that helps and good luck finding the right set.
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Well, i lost battery with my Bose X once with doors off in a chooper. It's not nice, i agree, but you are definetly still able to communicate......
Also the Bose starts cutting out for splittseconds for at least 1-2 hours before the Batteries go completly dead, means you have enough time to change the batteries before ANR goes completly, you will just have short cutouts every 5 minutes.
Like S88 said, if u buy it you will never look back!
Also the Bose starts cutting out for splittseconds for at least 1-2 hours before the Batteries go completly dead, means you have enough time to change the batteries before ANR goes completly, you will just have short cutouts every 5 minutes.
Like S88 said, if u buy it you will never look back!
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The Bose flashes at you when you switch it on. Green and you're fine. Yellow and the batteries are getting low, but you've still got hours left before they die completely. Keep a couple of Duracells in your headset bag and when you switch on pre-flight, just throw the new ones in if you see yellow.
Done 90hrs with the Bose now, and my second set of AA's are still flashing green.
Done 90hrs with the Bose now, and my second set of AA's are still flashing green.
