ANR Upgrade Question for Joe W.

[inav8r]

Joe, I noticed in another post that you mentioned that you had installed the Headsets, Inc. ANR upgrade into your headset. I just got around to looking into it as an option for my Sigtronics S-40 headsets (which I notice is on their list of approved installations). How do you like the upgrade and did you install it yourself? If you did your own installation how difficult was it? I do have some limited experience with a soldering iron...

Disclaimer: I'm not trying to endorse (or advertise) a particular company here, but I am looking at upgrading to ANR headsets and the price of their upgrade makes this option pretty attractive.

 

[Silicon Rallye]

I had the ANR upgrade installed on my David Clark H10-80. This particular model has one of the best specifications for passive noise reduction. With the addition of ANR, it has made a significant improvement in comfort.

The only downside is that the power supply is an "either/or" situation where you have separate units for using either the self-contained battery or aircraft electrical.

 

[bbchien]

I did this one on a Softcomm d4. You really do need the 23 watt soldering iron, a battery powered drill (variable speed), and you can do this. My fairly klugy hands were abel to do the install in 2 hours, w/o cussing.

 

[inav8r]

My fairly klugy hands were abel to do the install in 2 hours, w/o cussing.

I take it that you're not a surgeon!

*HIDES*

 

[poadeleted3]

I got my headsets used, with the ANR upgrade already installed, so I don't know how hard it would be. They do have their installation manuals on their website, and it certainly looks doable. I will be doing this upgrade to my wife's DC headsets, and think I'll do it the Lightspeeds my son inherited from me.

As to how I like it, it's wonderful!!! As already mentioned, with headsets that already have good passive protection, the ANR gets rid of a LOT of annoying noise that I hadn't even noticed was there. I can still hear my engine just fine, and wind noise. The reduction in noise makes for much more restful trips. I think the newer versions have an auto-cutoff, which would be handy, since I've already killed one battery by leaving them on. Battery life is decent long.. current 9V battery has been in approaching 15 hours.

http://www.headsetsinc.com/ is their website.

Oops, I see you already have their website...

 

[inav8r]

Yea, when I read your post the other day (last week?) I wrote a note to myself to check into them and found them today!

It sounds like a great option, and since they're not that expensive I think I will order me a kit and try them out!

Thanks for all of the great responses everyone!

 

[gismo]

Joe, I noticed in another post that you mentioned that you had installed the Headsets, Inc. ANR upgrade into your headset. I just got around to looking into it as an option for my Sigtronics S-40 headsets (which I notice is on their list of approved installations). How do you like the upgrade and did you install it yourself? If you did your own installation how difficult was it? I do have some limited experience with a soldering iron...

While I haven't done one of these mods, I have looked at their kit and it looks pretty easy as long as you have the right tools (SMALL soldering iron for instance). This has to be one of the least expensive ways to get ANR and the performance in a DC (the only one I've worn) isn't bad.

Some downsides are that you do lose some of the passive reduction (due to loss of interior volume) and they still fit like whatever you start with (EG: DG head clamps).

 

[fgcason]

While I haven't done one of these mods, I have looked at their kit and it looks pretty easy as long as you have the right tools (SMALL soldering iron for instance). This has to be one of the least expensive ways to get ANR and the performance in a DC (the only one I've worn) isn't bad.

I haven't installed ANR but I have opened my DC 10-30's up to replace the acoustic foam a while back. (IME, the foam is good for about 10 years then you'll really notice a difference when you replace it) The wires inside DC's are pretty small. (24-28 gage IIRC) They're not really bad, just don't get in a hurry or frustrated and it'll work out just fine.

Small soldering iron. Needle nose pliers (rubber band on the handle to hold them closed). Small screwdrivers. Tweezers are great tools to hold several small uncooperative wires together while soldering. Small knife for stripping insulation. If you have to remove the old cable, it has a metal clamp on the cable that you have to force open and standard pliers is good for securing it again. Follow directions. Patience.

FWIW anyone with DC's can go to their website and get the wiring diagram, complete parts list and exploded diagram for whatever headset you have. (approx 130K pdf file depending on the picture) Nothing wrong with having that stored away on your hard drive...

 

[mdreger]

I did the Headsets Inc. conversion to a pair of Flightcom headsets. 4DX type IIRC, the old black ones with the articulated wire microphone. I used a cheap Radio Shack pencil type soldering iron. You will completely replace the speakers currently in your headsets with the ones in the kit. IIRC they also give you all new wires except for the ones from the earcup to the microphone. This was a couple of years ago and I don't recall any significant problems.

 

[mgkdrgn]

You CAN do it yourself, and I did it myself on a Peltor and David Clark set.

That said, if I had to do it all again, AND I wasn't as pressed for time as I was the first time, I'd send the headset to them and let them do it. I've built entire TV's from kits (old enough to remember HeathKit?), and this job was, I think, tougher than that due to the "rebuild" nature and the VERY tiny guage wire you will sometimes be working with. Not a lot of room for error.

I AM however VERY pleased with the results!