Aviation headset

MemphisCrimson

MemphisCrimson

Filing Flight Plan
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Apr 20, 2018
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Collierville TN
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memphisCrimson
Brand new student here and I need to purchase an aviation headset, any recommendations? I've done a bit of homework but I'd like to here some of yall's opinions. Thanks in advance.
 
as a brand new studentvi would advise not to spend a huge amount of dollars...just yet. i had a used David Clark headset which suited me just fine. once you’re sure you like flying see if your school or CFI can lian you different brands and models of headsets to try out. my home field has a pilot shop that slso allowed students at the school to borrow headsets on a trial basis
 
I used a standard DC passive headset for a while, and no complaints. I have a Bose A20 now though and love it. Once you know you are committed and if you have the extra funds, I would recommend it. The difference is night and day with the ANR and I feel less worn out at the end of flights if that makes any sense.
 
I used ASAs during training. Cheap ($150), durable, and a lifetime warranty.

http://www.asa2fly.com/AirClassics-HS-1A-Headset-P1302C49.aspx

GetImage.ashx
 
Buy an inexpensive/used set from ebay... After you have been flying a few hours, you will have a better idea of what you want in a headset. You can then use the second set as a "guest headset".

(I have a couple of Bose, a couple of ASA's as well as the Clarity Alofts) My preference does not matter, it is what YOU prefer. :)

Enjoy your training!
 
I guess I was one of the few who didn’t waste any time with cheap headsets and went straight to the Bose A20 lol. That said I think the Zulu 3s are the best value. The in ear headsets like the Clarity Aloft are great if your ears can handle the in ear “feel” and the band that goes over the ear.
 
If you are okay with a passive headset, go with the ASA. You can’t beat it for a hundred bucks, it sounds good, and it has a lifetime warranty. With cloth ear covers added, it’s reasonably comfortable. If you upgrade to ANR later it makes a great passenger headset.
 
MemphisCrimson said:
Brand new student here and I need to purchase an aviation headset, any recommendations? I've done a bit of homework but I'd like to here some of yall's opinions. Thanks in advance.
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Roll Tide! Welcome!

@pigpenracing , a member here, sells used headsets also. eBay and craigslist sometimes has used ones.
 
I'd agree with those about getting an inexpensive used set on Ebay first, then possibly upgrade later. I recently scored a very nice used David Clark H20-10 on the 'bay for $115. VERY comfortable and very good passive noise reduction.

Later if you decide to shell out the big clams for an A20 ($1,000 or so), the H20-10 makes a great passenger set. Or you may decide that the ANR isn't all its cracked up to be, since many of them have low passive reduction, and rely on acoustic "tricks" to make them seem quiet. (Let the flaming commence)
 
CC268 said:
I guess I was one of the few who didn’t waste any time with cheap headsets and went straight to the Bose A20 lol. That said I think the Zulu 3s are the best value. The in ear headsets like the Clarity Aloft are great if your ears can handle the in ear “feel” and the band that goes over the ear.
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I’m with you. I bought s pair of Zulu 3s before I had ever flown. Noise cancelling can save your hearing. I also wanted to give myself every opportunity to hear my cfi and atc clearly. Also these headsets hold there values well so reselling them if you end up not flying anymore seems pretty easy as long as you take care of them. Seemed like a no brainer to me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
I fly with ,Bose going to upgrade to the A20. I have an asa for guests,and a David Clark for when I rent.
 
You know what they say about opinions...

I bought a David Clamp set in training. Thought it was great. After a while I’d had the opportunity to try out some friends nicer ANR sets and they were all so much nicer. The lighter weight and less clamp were great. The ANR made a huge difference in communication clarity.

In hindsight I would have started out with a decent ANR set. I don’t think you have to buy a brand new $1,000 set either. I have bought 2 sets of light speed Zulus on eBay for around $400 each. They had a couple scratches but otherwise worked perfect. I still wear one set as my daily PIC headgear. The other for a pax.
 
Everyone finds different comfortable levels in different set, some more than others. Possibly arkvet, you tried the DC H20-10? But I'd wager you tried one of their "older" legacy styles, with the oval ear cups and metal bands. I too found those to be worthy of the title "Clamp". But the 20-10 is a very different style. Gel ear cups, gel under the headpad, flexible boom mic, not the articuled metal mic, and more of a rectangular shaped earcup. HUGE difference (for me) in comfort. YMMV

I'd agree the Zulu for $400 is a good deal, and probably the best way to go for a starter who wants ANR.
 
Wow! Thanks for all of the comments folks. I did look around on a few different websites, trying to figure out the differences and all of the headsets. Noise canceling seems definitely the way to go, I have some experience with my noise canceling headset that I use when I go to the shooting range Most of the brands that you all mentioned are the ones that I have seen pop-up the most. Good advice everyone, thanks again
 
Back in 2003, I was part of the USAF E-3 ANR flight test team. We flight tested a Bose product and someone else’s ANR product. The Bose was the clear cut winner of the two.

But, passive to ANR, we found that passive won out. With this caveat: Passive headset + foam ear plugs provided greater sound attenuation than ANR. Additionally, for our mission duration we would eat a set of batteries per mission. For a max-duration mission, spare batteries were required to have ANR protection from take-off to land.

End result: we allowed aircrew to choose ANR or passive. Once chosen, no going back. I’ve been out of the E-3 for 10 years and don’t know what they are issuing today.

There was about a 50% adoption rate, if I recall correctly.

About the same time, AMC did a study on the long term effects of prolonged ANR usage. They found some minor hearing loss associated with thousands of hours under ANR across aircrew using ANR.

Don’t recall if there was ever follow up on that.
 
TCABM said:
Back in 2003, I was part of the USAF E-3 ANR flight test team. We flight tested a Bose product and someone else’s ANR product. The Bose was the clear cut winner of the two.

But, passive to ANR, we found that passive won out. With this caveat: Passive headset + foam ear plugs provided greater sound attenuation than ANR. Additionally, for our mission duration we would eat a set of batteries per mission. For a max-duration mission, spare batteries were required to have ANR protection from take-off to land.

End result: we allowed aircrew to choose ANR or passive. Once chosen, no going back. I’ve been out of the E-3 for 10 years and don’t know what they are issuing today.

There was about a 50% adoption rate, if I recall correctly.

About the same time, AMC did a study on the long term effects of prolonged ANR usage. They found some minor hearing loss associated with thousands of hours under ANR across aircrew using ANR.

Don’t recall if there was ever follow up on that.
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I've wondered about this combination method. So you take a passive headset throw a set of "hearo's" (high fidelity earplugs for musicians) under them and for under $150 bucks have better attenuation than the $1k bose? hmm. but then again you have the worst of both worlds, muff weight/heat AND in-ear discomfort (if that bothers you)

Never pursued this as I like my QT Halos. And never thought my ASA's were lacking in attenuation. And I consider myself sensitive to noise in general.
 
exncsurfer said:
I've wondered about this combination method. So you take a passive headset throw a set of "hearo's" (high fidelity earplugs for musicians) under them and for under $150 bucks have better attenuation than the $1k bose? hmm. but then again you have the worst of both worlds, muff weight/heat AND in-ear discomfort (if that bothers you)

Never pursued this as I like my QT Halos. And never thought my ASA's were lacking in attenuation. And I consider myself sensitive to noise in general.
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In the end, I think it comes down to personal choice, budget, and comfort.

I’ve spent thousands of hours with the EAR/Dave Clark combo and it’s comfortable to me, because I grew up with that setup. The first Bose models were not comfortable for me.

I can see the Halos/Clarity models, with custom ear molds being an awesome setup. As could Lightspeed headsets, Bose, and pretty much all the other major brands.

If I were shopping today, I’d find the most comfortable one with the features I want like Bluetooth to multiple devices or 3D/spatial sound. There’s some really smart stuff out there today.
 
Cricket1 said:
Everyone finds different comfortable levels in different set, some more than others. Possibly arkvet, you tried the DC H20-10? But I'd wager you tried one of their "older" legacy styles, with the oval ear cups and metal bands. I too found those to be worthy of the title "Clamp". But the 20-10 is a very different style. Gel ear cups, gel under the headpad, flexible boom mic, not the articuled metal mic, and more of a rectangular shaped earcup. HUGE difference (for me) in comfort. YMMV

I'd agree the Zulu for $400 is a good deal, and probably the best way to go for a starter who wants ANR.
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I had the H10-13.4. Idk how they would compare to the ones you mentioned. To be honest I could still wear them. I’m hard headed and not too sensitive to the clamp. My family members, though, couldn’t tolerate them at all.

I think the ANR aspect is as important as the increased comfort.

The OP will just have to try a few and see what they like best.

I still say a used Zulu in the $400 range will be extremely hard to beat. ANR, pretty comfy. Blue tooth. Tough. 1/2 price of a new set.
 
Before I became a student pilot I wore in-ear headphones for many, many years and thousands upon thousands of hours while at home, work, running, bicycling, playing drums, etc. I've used them all from Etymotic Research, Shure, and various other brands of universal fit models to Sensaphonics, Ultimate Ears, and Westone custom-fit monitors.

I always looked down on active noise cancellation headphones like Bose. So when I started flying it seemed like a Clarity Aloft headset would be an excellent choice for me. But they drove me nuts because of the pressure changes. I was always popping them out and reseating them to try and equalize the pressure, but they were never comfortable for any length of time.

I ended up settling on Lightspeed. I tried both PFX and Zulu 3, and I've also tried Bose A20s and the David Clark ONE-X. The best feature of the Lightspeed is the kevlar cable, which is night-and-day better than the others.
 
Another local guy. Too bad you're an Alabama fan.

I use A20s and have no regrets
 
I love my light speeds 3s. And yes as stated above, the chord is tough. Even without the anr on they sound quiet and crystal clear.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Peter Anderson said:
I’m with you. I bought s pair of Zulu 3s before I had ever flown. Noise cancelling can save your hearing. I also wanted to give myself every opportunity to hear my cfi and atc clearly. Also these headsets hold there values well so reselling them if you end up not flying anymore seems pretty easy as long as you take care of them. Seemed like a no brainer to me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
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The implication that you NEED a $1000 ANR headset to "save your hearing" is ridiculous.

No doubt the ANR is quieter, less fatigue on a long cross country, and things like Bluetooth for the cell phone connection are great.

But for a student doing multiple, relatively short training flights ANR is hardly essential to protect ones hearing. I can't count the number of young folks I see with earbuds blasting loud enough I can hear their music, concert attendance, riding loud motorbikes and running things like weed eaters/lawn mowers without hearing protection.

To the OP, get a good used David Clark that won't let you down to start, and borrow every type of headset you can from fellow students and other pilots and try them out in the airplane. Things like fit over/on the ear, headband comfort, adjustment range for one's headshape and size, perceived audio clarity, heat buildup and other subjective factors all play into selecting the best option for yourself.
 
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MemphisCrimson said:
Thanks for all of the help folks. I found a used David Clark H10-60 on Ebay for $60.
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Used Clarks are a much better choice than new ASAs. I had to use ASAs in training twice, due to not having my A20s with me and the only set of Clarks at the flight school being used, and they were horrible. It didn't help that both were for hour long XCs, so I really noticed how uncomfortable they were. Clarks are much, much more comfortable than ASAs, though I do find they get a bit hot.

Once you know you are going to stick with it, if your budget allows, get the A20s or the Lightspeeds. I know it is a religious and political issue all in one for some, and then there are the in-ear people, but both are excellent products. Bose is doing a really good deal, which I think is ending soon, where you get a really nice $300 portable speaker with the purchase of A20s. I actually picked that one up when I bought my wife/guests a set of A20s for flights.
 
Oh yeah, I’m sure once I finish up I’ll graduate myself to a different pair. The clarks seemed to get the best backing from everyone i talked to and I figured they’d be a good backup or passenger set down the road.
 
MemphisCrimson said:
Oh yeah, I’m sure once I finish up I’ll graduate myself to a different pair. The clarks seemed to get the best backing from everyone i talked to and I figured they’d be a good backup or passenger set down the road.
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I think this is a great approach - getting a decent used headset. After you get your license and are sure you are going to stick with flying for the long term - I would get a good ANR headset. I waited 18 years to get a good quality headset. It makes a world of difference. I wish I would have done it sooner.
 
Also, try a pair of what you think you want on your head if you can. DC's are quality headsets, but I can't wear a pair for more than 1/2 hour without getting a headache. I have a large head (careful! The straight line is too easy...) and they are just too tight. I've got a couple of pairs of AVCOM's that I used for my private training and later bought two pairs of Telex first generation ANR headsets off eBay for ~$65.

How the set fits you is very important. Both for comfort and for hearing.
John
 
mscard88 said:
ROLL TIDE! :D
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Hey, I’m the first to agree that ‘bama grads play an important role in society. While they’re not much use as organ donors, medical students can learn a lot about diseases by performing autopsies on them.

Ramblin’ Wreck!
 
Half Fast said:
Hey, I’m the first to agree that ‘bama grads play an important role in society. While they’re not much use as organ donors, medical students can learn a lot about diseases by performing autopsies on them.

Ramblin’ Wreck!
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:incazzato: GT even have a feetball team? :D
 
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At the rate I'm going, it will take
ktup-flyer said:
Another local guy. Too bad you're an Alabama fan.

I use A20s and have no regrets
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jsstevens said:
Also, try a pair of what you think you want on your head if you can. DC's are quality headsets, but I can't wear a pair for more than 1/2 hour without getting a headache. I have a large head (careful! The straight line is too easy...) and they are just too tight. I've got a couple of pairs of AVCOM's that I used for my private training and later bought two pairs of Telex first generation ANR headsets off eBay for ~$65.

How the set fits you is very important. Both for comfort and for hearing.
John
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Good advice.

I figure these D/C's will run me through training for certain and I can test a few out after that. I flew my second flight yesterday (yeah, soooo green I am) and that was the first time I wore them.
 
MemphisCrimson said:
At the rate I'm going, it will take


Good advice.

I figure these D/C's will run me through training for certain and I can test a few out after that. I flew my second flight yesterday (yeah, soooo green I am) and that was the first time I wore them.
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Where are you training? Air Venture?
 
Yep, airventure. It was either that or Downtown Aviation and they are based out of Dewitt Spain, I live in Collierville and Air Venture is only 13 miles from my house.
 
MemphisCrimson said:
Yep, airventure. It was either that or Downtown Aviation and they are based out of Dewitt Spain, I live in Collierville and Air Venture is only 13 miles from my house.
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I took my written there. They're good people. You'll probably do at least one XC to TUP
 
If you're going on Craigslist to get headsets, and you have a laptop, get a computer to laptop adapter, so you can check them out. I use the FlightSound X (www.flightsounds.com), and it works on a PC and Mac, and is just a USB "sound card" that connects to an aviation headset.

That being said, I used it when picking up a Bose Series I for $75, it made me sure that I was getting a working headset. Plus, I'm the coolest person on the WebEx calls with them on at work.
 
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