Lightspeed Zulu 2

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GauzeGuy

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GauzeGuy
Since I've been using this headset for several months now, thought I'd do a quick PIREP in case anyone was debating about shelling out $900 for a set of these.

First, even though they're pricey, I love 'em. Very comfortable, I can easily wear them for hours. I often times use them as headphones when listening to music at oh-dark-thirty.

The noise reduction is great! Its nice to be able to clearly hear comms no matter how loud things get. The cheap headset I started with, not so much.

Other cool aspects are the line in for a mp3 player, and bluetooth capability.

Also flying commercial, this headset has saved my sanity during quite a few flights this year. A couple months ago, I had the misfortune of sitting right in front of a group of (obnoxious) young ladies enroute to Las Vegas, who obviously started the celebrating early. Also, I just flew back from MSP this evening, I was surrounded by crying infants. Didn't hear a thing in either case! :D

The only downsides (aside from cost) are that sometimes the noise reduction can be a little too good. When listening to music on a commercial flight, there has been more than one occasion when I've been tapped on the shoulder because I missed the "turn off your electronics" speech during the descent. Also, the noise reduction almost completely goes away when the batteries are shot. I learned that the hard way when doing some pattern work a while back. Keep some extra AA batteries on hand.
 
I concur with everything posted. If you have music playing loud enough it totally washes out the engine noise in a plane.
 
I've had a Zulu for close to 2 years, and decided to take up Lightspeed on the trade-up program for the old POS Bose X headset (so broken it's about worthless - so their trade-in value is a good deal for me) for a Zulu 2. Anyone who's had had one vs. the other to compare?
 
I have a Zulu 2, a Zulu, an A20, an X, and a QC15 with UFlyMike combo (yes I am a gadget freak, you dont even know the half). The Zulu line is my favorite overall. The ANR performance is fantastic, and I love music while I am flying so having bluetooth is perfect. I have to confess I use the QC15 and UFlyMike now exclusively for work as it is the lowest profile, most comfortable and lightest. If I didn't have it I would use the A20 (company policy is to not use metal headsets in the Lear due to possible scratching of the wind screen). When I fly acro or fun fly in anything I use the Zulu2. In the end they are all good. What I do not like about the A20 and the X, that the others don't do, is I hate hate HATE anything putting pressure on my ears. I can feel the A20 and X on my ears because the ear seals aren't thick enough. The others are great I don't feel a thing which greatly reduces my fatigue.
 
I love my Zulu 2. I had to send my in for warranty repair when the ANR kept shutting off/on intermittantly. Just got an email that they are in transit back to me after a delay in repairs due to the holidays. In the interim, I have been flying with a Zulu from a trade I made with another pilot who was going Bose exclusively. Once I get the Zulu 2 back, I am going to trade the Zulu in for another Zulu 2.

I love them. Very comfortable and the frequency response is excellent for my hearing situation.
 
Their customer service is second to none. And their trade-up program is awesome, as I just posted in another thread. Great product. Great company.
 
I'm considering getting a pair or two of Lightspeeds, but the Sierra is significantly cheaper -- does it reduce dB level as much as (or close to) the Zulu?
 
Apache123 said:
I'm considering getting a pair or two of Lightspeeds, but the Sierra is significantly cheaper -- does it reduce dB level as much as (or close to) the Zulu?
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They're really close. If their upgrade offer would have been extended to the Sierra's I would have considered them. The ANR dbs are very close, but the Sierra's are a couple of ounces heavier. Both have Bluetooth, but you can't stream music to the Sierras via Bluetooth.

http://www.tagpilotsupply.com/zuluandsierraheadsetcomparison.aspx
 
I progressed from DC H10-13.4 to Lightspeed 30-3G's, and I traded those 30-3G's for a new set of Zulu.2's. As a result of the trade-up programme, my total cash outlay was around $750 all said and done.

I was actually quite satisfied with the 30-3G's as they are a world of difference better than the passive DC's. Unfortunately one thing that got me to trade up was the rather flimsy construction of the 30-3G's. On my first cold winter flight I went to put them on my head and.... CRACK the plastic headband split in half. :( Despite that, they were still usable but it didn't inspire much confidence. Also the insulation around the plug wires was cracked exposing bare copper wire. The 30-3G's still worked when I traded them in, but I didn't know how much longer they would last. The second thing that convinced me to get Zulu'd was many of the pilots on Flying Wild Alaska seemed to be wearing them and I thought, "if it was tough enough for them, it's tough enough for me".

The ANR is great although I was a little dissapointed that the hissing in complete silence is still there when I tried using them for purely music listening. The music drowns out the hiss though but even if I can't hear it, it bothers me at some psychological level that it's still there.

The wire insulation and plugs on the Zulu.2 aren't very beef compared to David Clarks... This is really an area Lightspeed could improve upon.

Last niggle is that the Zulu.2's don't actually say Zulu.2 anywhere on the headset! It just says Lightspeed Zulu in small letters embossed on the earcups. Yes I know the earcups have a slightly different shape but I was still unsure I actually got the .2's! It's just a vanity thing but if I spent $900 bucks I want to be able to point out that I got the latest and greatest! :lol:
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I've had a Zulu for close to 2 years, and decided to take up Lightspeed on the trade-up program for the old POS Bose X headset (so broken it's about worthless - so their trade-in value is a good deal for me) for a Zulu 2. Anyone who's had had one vs. the other to compare?
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I had the opportunity to extensively sample both and ended up buying a Zulu and a Sierra for the right seat. I have another 30XL in the back along with 2 cheap passives.
 
Same as Henning, Zulu for me and Sierra for the wife. I wasted money on a number of cheaper headsets before going with the Lightspeeds, but I use those for the rear seats, so not a total loss I guess.
 
I LOVE my 20-3g's.... I tried on the Zulu at OSH this year and it is better.. But not 400 dollars better...
 
I upgraded a barely working set of old 20Ks for a Zulu about three(?) years ago after borrowing both a Bose X and a Zulu. The Bose was nice, but the Zulu fit my head better.

I just upgraded a non-working 15K for a Sierra and a passenger used that headset today for the first time. They're really nice too.
 
GauzeGuy said:
Also flying commercial, this headset has saved my sanity during quite a few flights this year. A couple months ago, I had the misfortune of sitting right in front of a group of (obnoxious) young ladies enroute to Las Vegas, who obviously started the celebrating early. Also, I just flew back from MSP this evening, I was surrounded by crying infants. Didn't hear a thing in either case! :D
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You know that we must now revoke your man card for not talking to the young ladies about their plans in Vegas, making arrangements with the crew to have them shown the cockpit after the flight landed and being a helpful wingman for the poor lonely broke FO. Plus, you'd have saved the Captain from buying the first round.
 
denverpilot said:
You know that we must now revoke your man card for not talking to the young ladies about their plans in Vegas, making arrangements with the crew to have them shown the cockpit after the flight landed and being a helpful wingman for the poor lonely broke FO. Plus, you'd have saved the Captain from buying the first round.
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LOL. Trust me, I was doing the flight crew a favor by not arranging such a thing. Below 10000 I heard quite enough to establish I had no interest. I felt dumber being in their presence. :mad2:
 
A Zulu.2 was listed for sale on the AOPA board.
 
FWIW I've flown with Sierras, Zulus, and Zulu 2s. Couldn't tell the difference of ANR between the three.
 
GauzeGuy said:
LOL. Trust me, I was doing the flight crew a favor by not arranging such a thing. Below 10000 I heard quite enough to establish I had no interest. I felt dumber being in their presence. :mad2:
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ROFL. I think I know what you mean. I've heard conversations that felt like they were sucking out my will to live with other humans. Ha.
 
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