Headset PIREP Please

[Bob_Belville]

I am a big fan of David Clark Company and I'm thinking to get a couple of DC H10-13X. (I inherited a Telex NC headset with the Mooney. it's OK, I guess. Friends who are a lot younger only know Lightspeed Zulu or Bose.)

 

I have a couple of passive H10 30s for the back seat. They are 30+ years old and DC rebuilt them for me last year to like new.

 

Can I get some comments on why these newer sets are 50% higher priced?

 

Thanks. 

[Skywarrior]

Bob, seriously, get a pair of Halos. Much cheaper, the noise attenuation is as good as ANR, and your head doesn't hurt...

[AndyFromCB]

try 

 

http://www.pilot-usa.com/

 

My oldest ANR headset from them is almost 15 years old and still going strong. Their 1779T headset is the best deal in the industry. Smokes Bose and Lightspeed in how quiet they are for half the price.

[bumper]

Expensive at $1K, but I really like the Sennheiser S1 digital ANR. Blue tooth for both  cell and stereo music, noise reduction on a par with Bose A20. Music and voice fidelity that's significantly better than the A20 (I did a hot swapping side-by-side test in my Husky (which is louder than the Mooney). And more comfortable than my old Bose-X. Like Bose, Sennheiser provides a 30 day free trial.

[DrBill]

I've used Lightspeed for 8 years now.  First the XL series ANR and now ZULU. The ZULU is the bests by far in quality of consstruction and pressure on ears and head.  No problem wearing these for 4-5 hours.  For my pass, I have a DC10 and ASA headset that work good.  Have to use them when I leave the Zulu at home and want to go fly.

BILL

[carusoam]

I like the Halos for the following reasons...

(1) no head clamp.

(2) uses simple technology, proven in the other environment I work in (ear plugs in a noisy space).

(3) I can use a baseball hat to supply protection from the other environmetal problems I have while flying (sunshine and cold).

(4) the guy I bought them from flies a Mooney.

(5) the guy I bought them from takes good care of his customers, so I read here, but have not had the need.

(6) no wallet clamp. They saved me a couple hundred bux over the ANRs.

(7) they worked as advertised. Very clear in an otherwise dreary IFR environment.

(8) I think I was offered a discount on a second set. Something happened, and I never bought the next one...

(9) no batteries or installation required?

(10) matches well with my glasses.

I like the ANRs that my flight instructor uses. They are nice. But I really like my Halos, and I'm not sure why.

If halos came with ANR, that would be interesting.

Best regards,

-a-

[yvesg]

I do not think there is enough isolation between the speaker and the outside in order to allow ANR for the Halos. I use cheap sets for now but this thread will definitely educate me for when I am ready to change them.

Yves

C-FQKM

[Cabanaboy]

Trade a old Dave Clark passive for a new Light Speed Zulu 2 and get $200 off. (cost is $700 after trade in)

 

http://www.lightspeedaviation.com/content/lightspeedaviation/CustomPages/tradeupprogram.htm

[OR75]

i bought a DC 10-40 and a DC 10-20 non ANR headsets a long time ago. 20+ years. Despite those being non-ANR, they are still the one i used most, and i would never take off without having one of the 2 inside the cockpit. I simply trust them.

i bought a DC 10-13X recently. a fine headset. it looks good, DC quality and longevity. OK ANR quality. the thing i don't like about it is that it uses a 9v battery. unless you get into managing battery inventories, I had rather everything in my cockpit uses small AA batteries.

i also have a lightspeed XL20. that was a waste of money. i never reallu liked them. the earcup plastic peals. the headset is unreliable and when the battery dies, the headset is useless. i sold one recently on ebay. i am thinking about selling the second one or trading it against a Sierra or a Zulu. what is keeping me for the trade toward a sierra or a zulu is the fact that i am not trusting lighspeed quality. even if the reviews seems to be good. my trust is based on the 20XL.

[HopePilot]

I like my Zulus and will probably buy the Zulu 3s whenever those are released.

[KSMooniac]

I'm a fan of Zulus and now the Halo after taking a few flights with it.  David Clarks are built well, but the modern headsets far surpass them in comfort, light weight, and performance.  A buddy had the -13x ANR from Clark and they were terrible compared to my old Lightspeeds (pre-Zulu).  Maybe his were a dud, but they were heavy and clampy even if the ANR performance was a dud.

 

Having said that, headsets are like underwear and everybody likes/wears something different.  Try to borrow some or demo at an airshow if possible, but definitely explore other options.  These modern headsets are so much better than the ones from 15+ years ago, and it is worth it to preserve our hearing.

[Bob_Belville]

Alright! Keep those cards and letters coming... we're a good many votes short of a consensus! I'm a briefs guy myself.

[Marauder]

Well Bob, being a briefs guy myself, let me weigh in. I own a set of the -13x, also own a Zulu and a Telex ANR. I think of headsets like underwear. Seem guys like the freedom of boxers and others like the equipment held snug. Headsets are the same way. I have a buddy who is a CFII and periodically flies with me to correct my acquired IFR bad habits. He hates my Telex and insists on wearing the Clark's. I personally find the Clark's like a pair of thongs. A bit too tight and putting pressure on the wrong places. I think it is all a matter of personal taste. I find the Zulus very comfortable. The Telex folks must have figured that more is better and have VERY large ear muffs on them. The Clark's are okay, but I find them uncomfortable after an hour or so in flight.

[AmigOne]

Like my Zulus very much, like the company approach to business (I have been at their customer appreciation dinner at Oshkosh twice now), like their excellent warranty service and love specially their trade in program.  Through this program I was able to unload at a good price some older headsets.  The company refurbishes the traded headsets and sends them free to aviation schools throughout the developing world.   I do not think that Boses's premium over Zulu is warranted.  

[Marauder]

My underwear drawer...

[Ned Gravel]

I do not think there is enough isolation between the speaker and the outside in order to allow ANR for the Halos. I use cheap sets for now but this thread will definitely educate me for when I am ready to change them. Yves C-FQKM

Yves: Halos for me too. Sent from my iPad

[Hank]

My Halos don't freeze my ears in winter, or make them sweat in summer. I can wear any hat, the sound is clear and I forget they are on.

[carusoam]

Hank you have made a good point. I've tried to exit my aircraft while still being plugged in. Thought it was just me getting older and goofier.

Best regards,

-a-

[DaV8or]

I used David Clarks for about 11 years. When I went to Oshkosh in 2010, one of my missions was to come home with an ANR headset from whatever manufacturer. This is the year that the Bose A20 debuted there and it was all the buzz. I tried everybody's headset on, including David Clark and in the end, the Bose A20 was the quietest. However, I came home with the Lightspeed Zulus. Within a hair of the A20 on the quietness scale, American company and they're much cheaper. I have been very satisfied so far. I'm sure the Zulu 2s are even better.

[AmigOne]

Hank, your headset will freeze your ears only if you keep them in the airplane in winter which I never do because I don't think is good for any headset. As to sweating in summer you are probably right but that can happen only briefly, while on the ground and gone with altitude.  And Caruso thanks for your comment, now I know I'm not the only one...btw misery loves company, I mean about getting older and goofier.

[kris_adams]

I have a pair of DC ANR. I cant remember the exact model (maybe 10-40x). I've had them 5 or 6 years and they have served me perfectly. I get about 25 hours out of each 9v battery. Headsets automatically turn on and off so it's a pretty painless system.

My headsets pretty much don't leave the plane, so I have cold ears in the winter too : )

At some point I'm planning to try a Halo as well. They look very interesting to me.

[201er]

The classic David Clarks are flat out terrible when compared to BOSE or Halo. But Halo is better than Bose at 1/3 the price. The David Clark headsets are really rugged and good for a renting student pilot or as backup headset for passengers. The Halo is more delicate but for the owner pilot that wants to leave it in the plane, it is simply the best. Anthony made great points about it but forgot the most important one, the voice clarity is second to none.

[Hank]

Amigo,

 

My headsets live in the plane in the hangar. The silicone inserts warm up simply by rolling them in my fingers before insertion. My wife complains about the cold gel seals on her DC set all the time.

 

As far as sweaty ears, mine used to be too warm when shooting approaches [typically under 3000' msl], whether practice or real. Same for occasional maneuver practice, flightseeing, taking friends to ride, and especially when headed south to visit family and ATC gives me step-down descents 50-60 nm out.

 

As others have said, headsets are a very personal choice. Whatever works for you is the best; for me, that is my Halo set. And yes, I sometimes try to get out of the plane without taking it off . . . .

[kurtsnyder]

Another vote on the Halos. They are a GREAT headset. I love not having the sweat rolling down from the earcups in the hot summer. They make me feel so much cooler too. Also, they're so comfortable that I forget that I have them on. They're good for people like me who wear glasses. If I take off in the muck and wear my regular glasses and then breakout into the sunny sky about a layer, it's very quick and easy to switch to sunglasses.

 

Get the Halos!!

[dougmilam]

I use a pair of Zulu's for me, but had a couple pair of older David Clark 13.4's for passengers. Decided to try the Headsets Inc ANC kit in one of the 13.4's. Flew with them today and the kit makes a tremendous difference. Switching between the Zulu's and the ANC kit headset showed that the Zulu's cut low frequency rumble a bit better than the kit and there was also a bit less higher frequency wind noise. When switching the kit ANC on, I immediately noticed a huge decrease in low frequency noise. For $200 the ANC kit turns an old passive pair of DC 13.4's into a pretty nice headset. Not top of the line, but very usable.