Adapter for 3.5mm headset to GA airplane dual plug?

[nj-pilot]

Does such a thing exist?
For example, if I have a corded headset I use with my computer or phone/tablet, does anyone make an adapter so that I can use it (i.e., as a back-up) in case my GA pilot headset breaks?

 

[MuseChaser]

The short answer, if I understand your question correctly, is no. On a regular GA headset, there are two plugs; the mic plug provides FOUR different connections.. tip, outer ring, inner ring, and sleeve.. because it has to incorporate the PTT function (aviations transmissions are not duplex).. while the headset (speakers) plug has either two if mono (tip/sleeve) or three (tip/ring/sleeve) if stereo audio. No standard multimedia headset, even if it has a mic built in, provides for those connections. So, no.. you can't find a cheap way out other than buying a cheap aviation headset.

 

[Dan Thomas]

You don't want to use non-aviation headphones in an airplane. Many are only 8 ohm impedance while the airplane's system is matched to 150 ohm impedances, and you could fry the audio panel, intercom or radio.

 

[Parad0x177]

I hate to buck the system as the new guy, but there actually ARE such things. Look for UflyMike (the first one I was aware of) and NflightMic (another one I just found and available from Amazon). They do exactly what you are talking about.

There are only two catches I am aware of:
1.) Most of them seem to be aimed aimed at the Bose QC headphones, so YMMV with other types.
2.) They are not (currently) TSO-compliant that I am aware of, so commercial pilots may not be allowed to use them.

Other than that, though, they seem to work well and a lot of folks like them. If you happen to already have a set of consumer headphones that will work with the adapter, it might be a viable option to save some cash. However, just the price of the adapter will cover a cheap aviation headset (or maybe nicer, if used). And, if you DON'T already have the headphones, the combined cost might go a long way towards a pretty respectable (if perhaps not ANR) aviation headset.

Good luck!

EDIT: Added links (now that I can).

 

[Dana]

The short answer, if I understand your question correctly, is no. On a regular GA headset, there are two plugs; the mic plug provides FOUR different connections.. tip, outer ring, inner ring, and sleeve.. because it has to incorporate the PTT function (aviations transmissions are not duplex).. while the headset (speakers) plug has either two if mono (tip/sleeve) or three (tip/ring/sleeve) if stereo audio. No standard multimedia headset, even if it has a mic built in, provides for those connections. So, no.. you can't find a cheap way out other than buying a cheap aviation headset.

Take another look. A standard GA mike plug has three, not four, connections (military plugs are different). The PTT(tip) and the audio (ring) share the ground (barrel).

The mike in a multimedia headset will normally work with a modern aircraft radio with just a wiring adapter with PTT connected. The earphones will require an impedance matching transformer. In my last plane I used just such a setup (homemade) and it worked just fine; I'd be surprised if somebody doesn't make it commercially.

 

[MuseChaser]

Take another look. A standard GA mike plug has three, not four, connections (military plugs are different). The PTT(tip) and the audio (ring) share the ground (barrel).

The mike in a multimedia headset will normally work with a modern aircraft radio with just a wiring adapter with PTT connected. The earphones will require an impedance matching transformer. In my last plane I used just such a setup (homemade) and it worked just fine; I'd be surprised if somebody doesn't make it commercially.

This pic is from my DC H20-10 set. Four contacts. You could be correct about the rest, and I was ignorant of other possibilities, but when I looked at the four contacts on this plug, I couldn't envision anyway to make a regular multimedia headset/mic work with a system that was PTT and single duplex. I guess where there's a will, there's always a way... just don't know if it's a great idea or not.

 

[Parad0x177]

Connectors are just convenient ways to make (and break) electrical connections. In and of themselves, they have little to nothing to do with impedance matching and such.

The conversion kits I mentioned take care of all of that and leave you with a rig that is electrically and functionally indistinguishable from a typical, purpose-built aviation headset. Even the physical form is probably indistinguishable to the uninitiated or casual observer.

Really, if one has already made the investment in a set of Bose QC25s or QC35s and doesn’t fly a lot, it might make a viable option. Could be good option for a spouse or family member that doesn’t fly frequently.

 

[Dana]

This pic is from my DC H20-10 set. Four contacts. You could be correct about the rest, and I was ignorant of other possibilities, but when I looked at the four contacts on this plug, I couldn't envision anyway to make a regular multimedia headset/mic work with a system that was PTT and single duplex. I guess where there's a will, there's always a way... just don't know if it's a great idea or not.View attachment 75929

That's weird. Definitely not a standard mike plug, which only has one ring. Though if it's the right size (.206 dia) it presumably plug into a standard jack and just not use the extra (#3) ring. Maybe DC had some extra feature if used with a proprietary connection or intercom or something.

 

[denverpilot]

This pic is from my DC H20-10 set. Four contacts. You could be correct about the rest, and I was ignorant of other possibilities, but when I looked at the four contacts on this plug, I couldn't envision anyway to make a regular multimedia headset/mic work with a system that was PTT and single duplex. I guess where there's a will, there's always a way... just don't know if it's a great idea or not.View attachment 75929

DC is connecting the mic to the two rings and the sleeve is a common ground shared with the headset jack in that headset. Tip isn’t connected, of course, since tip to ground is the PTT signal in GA headset plugs.

http://www.davidclarkcompany.com/files/partslists/pdf/PL19517P-98.pdf

I think they do this because the mic is a condenser mic and not dynamic and they want to provide power without shorting directly to ground. I don’t think that headset will work in an old airplane with radios that don’t provide power to the mic. But I’m not sure on that.

That mic plug has some interesting bumps in it which seem to also indicate that it’s not a standard TRRS connector where the barrel is the same circumference for the two rings and the sleeve. Like they’re trying to get that plug to stay in better if the cable is yanked on a little bit. That could be the other non-electrical reason.

DC is great. They provide schematics for all of their headsets along with part numbers for all components as web viewable or PDF on their websites. The newcomers and their fancy ANRs just don’t. Big “secrets” to keep and the apple “it can’t be fixed locally, you just ship it to us” mentality that’s so popular these days.

Nice to see a company still have parts lists that you can order and schematics. A dying service.

 

[flyingron]

The headset plug is pretty standard 1/4", either two conductors or three, depending on whether the thing supports stereo. About 600 Ohms or so. Never had an issue with that. The tip is the left/mono channel. The ring is the right (if present), the sleeve is the common.

The microphone plug is problematic. It's smaller in diameter (.205). The tip is the push to talk (when connected to the common). The fat ring (#2) is connected to nothing. This is just a historical artifact of the phone systems these connectors were orginally scavenged from. The next ring (#3) is the microphone audio. The sleeve again is common.

The problem is that an aviation "microphone" again steals technology from the old phone system. The model is that of a carbon microphone, which means that it wants a voltage across it that it provides a variable resistance for with the transmitted sound. You average home microphone is some sort of dynamic microphone or in later days a condensor microphone. The latter requires an amplifier to bring it up to dynamic mic levels. The neat thing about most modern aviation headphones is that they use the bias voltage for the old carbon mic as a source of power for the condensor mic amp. The rest of the circuit emulates the carbon mic.

While it's not impossible to take consumer headsets and mics and convert them, it is not as easy as just rewiring the connectors.

Here are my two tricks learned over the years:

A portable intercom (in my case a Sigtronics PO) will often do some of the dirty work for you, providing mic bias, etc... and provide places to tap in recorders or whatever. I use this to allow me to use my aviation headsets with things other than aviation radios such as ham or just a scanner (great at NASCAR tracks where you can use the noise attenuation).

If you want to record aircraft audio, a small microphone for your camera tucked into the earcup of one of the people in the plane picks up things a lot nicer than many of the kludges at direct connection.

 

[Scott Barton]

Does such a thing exist?
For example, if I have a corded headset I use with my computer or phone/tablet, does anyone make an adapter so that I can use it (i.e., as a back-up) in case my GA pilot headset breaks?

Amazon -
Dual 3.5 mm Adapter for Aircraft intercom (General Aviation (Dual Plugs))

 

[flyingron]

I think you're referring to this listing: https://www.amazon.com/Aviation-Adapter-Headphone-Airplane-intercom/dp/B0755TJVP3

That goes the opposite way he's talking. This allows you to plug non-aviation mics/headphones into an aviation panel. He wants to use an aviation headphone on a computer.

I got a COMM1 USB-to-Aviation Headset jack thing for next to nothing off one of the boardies. That works great, but now I'm just using my Bose QC700s. Much easier, no wire.

 

[denverpilot]

Lol another year dead thread ALIVE! It’s alive!!!

Zombies in June! Woot.