Headset Advise

[chileno 777]

(Do not know if this is the right forum):

Planning to buy a good ANR headset…

Between Lightspeed Zulu, David Clark X11, Bose X or Sennheiser HME 460 which one do you recommend? Looking for a headset with the best noise protection… (Money is no object)

Thanks

[tigermagicjohn]

"Money is no object" - I think you have raised the question in the wrong forum then I think for most here on these forums, money is an object!
Not exactly going to spend £300 - £700 on few different headsets to test them out!

I have always assumed buy the most expensive one, that has to be the best one, or what?

[redsnail]

Since you're in South Africa, I would be looking at the most robust headset you can find. Typically, Dave Clarks are very tough and able to withstand pretty much any charter pilot can throw at them.

DCs are the headsets of choice for folks heading to the GA charter world so I would look at them closely.

For my bush flying days, 99% of the crew had DCs. I wouldn't trust any thing else. Now a days in the lil bizjet I use Sennheisers.

[chileno 777]

"Money is no object" - I think you have raised the question in the wrong forum then I think for most here on these forums, money is an object!
Not exactly going to spend £300 - £700 on few different headsets to test them out!

I have always assumed buy the most expensive one, that has to be the best one, or what?

Pls do not get me wrong...I am not rich, it is just after some (hard) savings I am ready to invest in good headsets...

All the above mentioned models have a similar price....that is way I asked the question.
Not always the more expensive one is the better.

Thanks anyway.

[captain_rossco]

I've used th Bose X and DC X11, neither of which i owned, the Bose X blew the X11 out of the bloody water. Not even close comparison.
I've no idea about the Lightspeed Zulu, but the name alone makes we want to smash my own face in.

Regards
CR

[bajadj]

my twopenneth Bose for ANR, DC 13.4S for PNR.

[profot]

The Bose X are excellent but if you are in a noisy light a/c you will find them next to useless if the power unit fails as in passive mode you cant hear a thing!

When I did my research I ended up with the Bose headset for two reasons, 1. comfort, 2. The X11 DC was the nearest rival and I heard from quite a few flying instructors who bought them that they were good but unreliable.

[Shunter]

1 horse race. Bose-X every time.

If you're a clumsy individual who can't look after things, buy DCs; you can throw them down the stairs once a day for the next 20 years and they'll probably still work, but the audio quality is average at best and they have a tendency to interfere with other sets when using older intercoms. But for outstanding audio quality, Bose-X headsets are simply superb. The batteries are good for 40+ flight hours, and they have an auto-off function so you don't have to worry if you unplug and forget to switch them off. Carry some spare batteries, and pay attention when you switch them on as the LED on the battery pack will indicate when you've only got a few hours left.

I have no idea why DCs are so popular, but then I also have no idea why sheep follow each other around.

[G09]

Hi chileno 777, I went through the same dilemma a few months ago, even though I narrowed it down just to the Zulus and BoseX. I had a chance to try both of them and guess what ? Both performed exceptionally as I expected you just can't go wrong with either. I went for the Zulus eventually and so far there hasn't been a thing for me to complain about (as long as the batteries are charged that is).

[chileno 777]

Thank you for all the inputs.
My search has been narrowed to two headsets: Bose X and L. Zulu.

[chileno 777]

I went for the Zulus eventually

May I ask you why did you prefer the Zulu?

[Parson]

I too have been looking for an ANR headset, and research has also narrowed it down to Bose v Zulus.

I was going to go for the Zulus based on price, but having decided to try them on, it has to be the Bose. The Zulus just don't fit my head and the Bose were far more comfortable, so try before you buy if you can. Everyone's head shape is different.

[Dan the weegie]

I owned a DC X11. The batterylife was very bad, the PNR was good vs. Bose but the ANR on the Bose was miles better, so I sold the X11 and bought a Bose in the US when the £ was better against the $. I have however seen a couple of good comparison reviews recently that recommends this
Beyerdynamic HS 600 DANR Active Headset @ Flightstore Pilot Supplies

Personally, I have a Bose X now for regular flying and if I'm planning on going upside down, a DC 10.13 headset

[TicketyBlue]

Bose X - fantastic. DC 13.4 very robust and if you do manage to break them, you can easily obtain spare parts and fix them yourself.

[ford cortina]

Used to have DC 10.13's clamped my head a bit. I have Lightspeed Thirty 3G for GA flying, amoung the best ANR. Use Sennheiser at work, my own pair.
Regarding Bose, well being a bit of a audiophile myself, I hold with this, Buy Other Stuff Elsewhere.

[sapperkenno]

Bose X - Comfortable, light, works well.

I managed to get my hands on one (fairly cheap) here in the US, and no complaints so far. I tried the Zulu, but it looks daft, feels heavier, and I didn't like the fact that (albeit in a quiet shop) I could hear the high pitched white noise constantly when I turned the ANR on. It made me look like that Craig David character on Bo' Selecta, as the earpiece's are HUGE in comparison to the X11 and Bose. The Zulu, as far as I know, will allow you to use a cell phone or MP3 player with it straight out of the box, whereas the Bose requires some faffing around and buying an adapter (adding extra cost to an already expensive bit of kit).

From personal experience, the Bose is great. I've used it in numerous spam-cans, and even in a 'cub with the window/door open where it still does it's job well (but seems to eat batteries quicker!?). My buddy who also owns a Bose flies a B1900D, and says it drowns the turbines out nicely. It's a nice feeling to fire up the engine, whack on the Bose (which drowns out some noise as a "passive" headset) then hit the ANR and listen to the quiet "whoosh" and then the sound level drops remarkably. You can still hear the engine though (which sounds the same, just quieter), so it's not like it's taking you out of the loop, just reducing the impact on your ears.

My only minor niggles with it, are that stall/gear warning horns, marker beacons (anything through the cabin speaker) etc. can be significantly reduced in volume, but still heard.

I've also heard good things about the Sennheiser, so you'd just have to get out and try some on and have a play around until you find one that you like.

[chileno 777]

Really appreciate for all the posts.
I decided to buy the L Zulu. Thanks for the help.