Jump to content

Headset


Recommended Posts

Wife and I have used the QT Halo in the past and like them, assuming you can find the right tips to comfortably fit your ears. They work very well if you can tolerate the ear plugs for however long you fly. I like the baffled silicone, wife likes the yellow foam.

I've used Zulus for many years (originals, then the 3's) and have no complaints. Way better than any legacy David Clark style (passive or ANR), and earlier LS models (at least the two generations I had).

I just bought a used set of Bose A20 and like them as well. I think the ANR might be a touch better than Zulus, but the audio quality/fidelity is far better in the Zulu for my ears. Not a big deal unless enjoying music. Both are very comfy.

I'll endorse any of those 3 options... But everyone is different! LS and Bose are well supported and you can save a few hundred buying used with confidence IMO. Halos are made by a Mooney owner, so you can help one of our tribe buying those!

Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are a few threads on headsets here

Do a search for “Best hearing protection” thread

i have Bose A20 that is good except the summer when my head sweats.  
I have UFly in ear noise cancelling headsets that allow me to not have a sweaty head nor clamping on my head but bending the wire to make them comfortable around my ears has proved challenging and still working at it. 
the CQ1 headset seems to address this issue and every review I have read has been positive. If I can’t get the UFly dialed in that will be my next headset to try. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a pair of Lightspeed Zulu 3s, Clarity Loft and a QT Halo. I like the Clarity Aloft's rigid structure. Holds everything in place nicely. The QT Halo are comfortable but the mic for me seems to flop around a lot. There is no doubt that either are great during the summer months. 

My one gripe is the ear plugs. I like the black ones from QT and the soft foam ones that Clarity sells. The only issue with the Clarity ones is they get stuck in my ear. I actually resorted to carrying needle nose pliers to have my wife pull them out. :lol: I am looking to having fitted ear plugs made. 

As for the noise reduction. It is different than the ANRs. Certainly quiet but as was mentioned above, you got to like having plugs in your ears for a while.

canal-tips-medium_grande.png?v=1372171048 Clarity

http://www.quiettechnologies.com/image/cache/catalog/Standard%20supersoft-250x250.jpg QT Halo's

Edited by Marauder
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had old second-hand anc David Clarks for years. The factory service, on the rare occasions it was needed, was stellar. I didn’t much mind the snug fit, and found those volume knobs on the earphones perfect for hanging the O2 nasal cannula tubes on. After many years,  I splurged on what seemed more comfortable AKGs, liked the 6-pin power jack, (look, Ma, no batteries!) and the Bluetooth was neat, but after maybe 5 years, the ear seals were looking shabby, and last week, the sound got scratchy, intermittent  and died.. Well, shoot. Then I remembered the Clarity Aloft set I inherited with the “new” Mooney, tucked in the back seat, and was very pleasantly surprised. I hate stuff in my ears, and have no pretty hairdo to worry about, so had never even tried them. Wow! The noise-cancelling was nearly complete. , quieter than either anc set.. It was far cooler on a hot day, and didn’t interfere with my glasses at all.. Very, very light, and I soon forgot the earplugs entirely.Haven’t tried the O2, so can’t say how all that stuff around my ears will work out. And didn’t even think to wonder about Bluetooth. 
 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am amazed nobody has picked up the baton Terma threw down when they designed a passive noise reduction headset. It consisted of molded ear plugs, with wires out of the mold going to a control unit. The microphone was in the ear plugs and was a little rubber bubble that picked up through the jawbone. They worked wonderfully, you could eat, don a mask quickly and ATC said the voice quality was super. The problem was they could never get them TSO'd with the wire junction into the ear mold being the weak link. I had an evaluation unit along with an exemption letter so I could use a non-TSO headset.  Then the plan was to eliminate the wires and just plug a box into the aircraft and bluetooth to the ear pieces. They dropped it all. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I second the comfort of the in ear. 
most folks seem to find the noise reduction better with ANR, but that isn’t the case with me. 
I can hear better with the clarity aloft, and the anr sets makes my ears ring for days after a three hour flight. 
I am very happy with the in ear sets. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everyone is obviously different so trying a few types until you find one that’s best for you may take time, we have Bose, Zulu’s and Halo’s, had earmolds mades at Oshkosh a couple years ago. I gave up on the Halo’s due to lack of quality IMO and poor performance. On short hops there OK. My wife hates the Bose and Zulu’s to heavy?. Now she’s having issues with the custom molds installation. Therefore I’m ordering her Clarity Aloft prior to her next long trip. Will soon have two lightly used Halos available both they have custom plugs, they’ll have to replaced. Like many above we spent lot’s on various sets without conclusive results 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Assuming you don't mind the feel of a tight foam insert in your ear canal, you will find the noise attenuation of the best ones to be excellent. I flew with a demo Clarity a few years ago and the noise protection was incredible, even compared to my Lightspeed.

Not quite the same: Currently, in addition to my Lightspeed, I have a UFQ L2, a Chinese knockoff of something, which combines in-ear with ANR. I originally bought it as a vacation spare but began using it in the summer when I fly my club's Diamond with the clear bubble canopy. The main benefit is that I can wear a big floppy had over the headset for extra shade. But the DA40 is incredibly noisy (far noisier than any Mooney I've been in from C to R) and the UFQ is markedly quieter than my Lightspeed.

BTW, if you are thinking if the UFQ, I think the L1, same headset without the ANR, is pretty useless.

Edited by midlifeflyer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, midlifeflyer said:

Assuming you don't mind the feel of a tight foam insert in your ear canal, you will find the noise attenuation of the best ones to be excellent. I flew with a demo Clarity a few years ago and the noise protection was incredible, even compared to my Lightspeed

I’ll bet you’re right.  The foam plugs I use for motorcycling and shooting are good for 32 db of noise reduction.  If the clarity and halo can come close to that, they are probably quite a bit quieter than my base A20’s, if I’m reading this report correctly.

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/surveyreports/pdfs/360-13a.pdf

-Dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I fly a M20k 231 and had both the QT halos and Clarity Aloft.  I liked both but liked the Clarity Aloft just a little better, mostly because it fit me a little better.  I prefer these to ANR headsets especially in the Southeast where it’s hot and humid half the year.  I also find myself less fatigued after long flight legs as well, maybe because of the lack of head clamping but it could also be because the audio is much clearer than my over the ear PNR headset. as a bonus, the CA headset also plays music very well through my BT audio panel. 
 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.