ANR Headsets
 

I plan to buy Active Noise Reduction headsets. Would you be so kind and recommend any? I fly Bell 427 :ok: .

Regards,

Yogi

I would go with the Bose hard wired to the Aircraft....Fantastic!!!:O

Hard wired or not: Bose X is the one :ok:

Get hold of one and try it....15 minutes should be sufficient...maybe even only the moment when you switch it on still at ground idle....

I have a David Clark set, think its garbage... the active part is pretty sketchy in how active it wants to be (it cuts in and out of activeness-ness), the volume with ANR on is lower than a non ANR headset (which I guess would work if the ANR actually was worth a ****), the battery box is in a pretty awkward position and is pretty big, battery didn't last super long, everyone I know with em has lost the battery box cover, etc. Works good as a backup and lend out set, but I don't even bother with the active switch... causes more of a headache than 5 radios at once gives you already. Without it switched on its a oversized set of normal DKs.

I hear the Sennheiser ones are pretty slick too, hell I have a pair of their studio monitor music headphones here and they are the cats ass, so I'd assume their aviation line is good.

Mike

I'm looking for an ANR set as well. Just tried the Bose X, and while they are a great headset, if you are flying with the window down the wind noise is picked up by the circuitry and sets off an annoying vibe. Other than that they are excellent.

Has anyone tried the Pilot USA or Flightcom Denali headsets?

I use Pilot and find them real comfortable,good sound and not prone to popping + fair passive protection, & with interchange cords, rechargeable batteries, cell\ music input real flexible if changing types of aircraft.
www.pilot-europe.com/products/aviationcat.php?prodtype=ANR_Headset

I also have a set of Mach 3 with custom ear moulds which are ok to, no anr but the isolation is said to be the same or better, than anr as it should suppress all\most of the damaging audio spectrum.

The custom mould man said they will not sound as quiet as anr but will cut out the high freq 1000 \ 1800 kHz better than any anr, and with the same or better protection at lower frequency's

I prefer the David Clark H10-56 over the Bose. Its is much more durable. Bose seem a bit flimsy to me. The ANR is better on the Bose, but when the Bose battery goes, its defeaning.

Bose is OK for occasional flyers but are too flimsy for regular use.

Manfromuncle,
i have to disagree, i have used the BOSE on the north sea for 5 years without a problem, its been dropped, bashed around the cockpit soaked in rain and lent to several collegues. I agree that it does look flimsy but i am more than happy with mine. I also agree that when the battery does go, usually when you are just on short finals or just lifting from the deck, it is a bit noisey but well worth the money.

T4

I prefer the David Clark H10-76. I've had it for ten years and it still works well. The only problem I've had was I wore out the power switch, consequently I had to replace the battery box.

I tried a friend's Bose and the sound quality was better, as you'd expect from Bose, but the noise suppression was not as good. Also when the battery dies on the DC you still have the same old good non-ANR sound suppression.

I thought the Nth Sea operators made you use company headsets only?

Be warned. It has been shown that whilst ANR might sound ok, they don't always protect against harmful noise levels. I am not trolling, just passing on what has been said on here before.

Droopy is right on. The ANR is nice for feeling good (and does cut the low frequency noise quite a bit) but it is the high frequencies, totally untouched by ANR, that do the ear damage. ANR is useless above about 1000 Hz.

Good sound padding to absorb noise at all the frequencies is absolutely required. ANR for comfort and less fatigue is nice and worthwhile.

totally agree with Nick and Droopy, plus another $0.02 (at no extra charge): I like flying ANR with fixed-wing, but not with helos. I've found that I really prefer hearing the XMSN/rotor speed...especially when practicing autos or Cat-A...the rotor speed can be a great cue, without keeping the nose inside too much.

I plan on getting a new headset. I have used the bose before and found them great so they would be my first choice however i am able to get the D.C for less than half retail. I have not tried DC's but heard they ok exept they chew through batteries.
To the people that have tried both which do you think better?and when you take big price difference into account which one would you go for?
I would rather save money but if D.C's not that good I will pay more and get better protection.

Opinion on Bose ANR Headset
 

Hi all,

I've been flying helos with bose ANR headsets for 11 years now and am pretty satisfied with them overall.

I used the older version first for 9 years, very efficient although a bit bulky and heavy. The cords and the battery pack were not perfect but still, it was still very enjoyable. Regarding the Bose headset X, I've been using it for 2 years now: it's great!

All those bad points I just described above have been corrected in the latest version (out for quite a few year already). They are very light, yet durable, the battery pack and the cords system are smaller and use now only 2 AA's, averaging 40 hrs of usage.

Regarding the fact that this is no fun when the batteries go dead (true), because of poor passive noise reduction, is not an issue to me. Who can't afford to have 2 spare batteries with him? There is a battery power indicator telling you the power remaining (amber 8 hrs, red 2 hrs). That can be part of your preflight if you fly by yourself with no autopilot, as you can't change batteries with your left hand only.

The only thing I am not so happy with is the fact that Bose hasen't designed a headset with dual impedance. Flying low and high impedance aircraft, I had to buy an extra microphone set (plug-cord-battery pack-microphone) at a cost of 275$ not including tax!!! (what a ripp off) You then have to unsrew the whole set and install the new one in making sure you don't damage the pins during the process.

From what I have heard from collegues, Bose doesn't perform that well though on certain aircraft (412s with windows open)

I can't compare Bose with other ANR headset but one thing is for sure: never again without ANR!

Maintenance wise, never had any problem, just need to change the ear cushions and mike foam from time to time like with any other headset.

Cheers,

Nomodakine

We're in the 21st century. Any quality operator should be ordering their helicopters with powered ANR headset jacks, and retrofitting their fleet with ANR. Pilots having to pack around their own ANR running off battery packs is OK for a General Aviation Piper Cub rental, but does not make the grade for a commercial/corporate operations. It just isn't that expensive to have those extra jacks to power ANR headsets in the cockpit.

malabo

Any one used the Flightcom Denali? it seems to have very good passive and active reduction numbers on their website.
It looks like it's abit beefer and has more passive protection than the bose.
And has anyone used the clarity aloft earplug headset? It also has some good reduction numbers.

Anyone....

:ok:

Anybody tried the DC x11 as a helicopter headset?, looks and sounds good.
Granted there is not a stand-alone helicopter one yet, but has anyone converted one with the correct leads?

Regards

Bose X rulezzz
 

Finally I decided for Bose X hardwired to aircraft. I am just amazed :D During first start-up I thought something was wrong with engines :) When cruising ANR is just brilliant.

Thanx for all advices!!!

Yogi

DC x11
 

Dupsspud, Watch this space. I have recently purchased a DC x11. I'm just waiting on the arrival of my 'Y' 2 into 1 conversion lead and I'll be able to use it. If that all goes well then I'll have the leads modified.

I was tempted by the Bose product but was put off by comments from Bose users over the last year or two whereby they thought that the Bose headsets were not robust enough. Time will tell if the new DC product is any better.