Bose A20 Headset Bluetooth Upgrade - PIREPS

[petrolero]

Anyone try this? I just ordered one and then I saw Paul B's review of it this morning on AvWeb. Figured I'd ask if anyone has any PIREPs on it.

Some of the things Bose does just make no sense to me at all. Why no Bluetooth Quiet Comfort for example... ???

And why the hell did they leave full BT capability (phone + audio) off the A20s in the first place? Safety? As if that problem hadn't already been solved. Probably because they knew I'd pay $300 for it years later.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

I have it in my a20s but honestly have not played too much with it. The switch has three positions but I have not deciphered them yet. There is a button with a blue light to connect the phone's bluetooth. Dang I need to read the manual, I usually hold the switch down then hit the A20 symbol on the phone and if that doesn't work, I monkey with the switch til it works. In any case, it is too loud, much louder than the radio or I/C but that could also be operator error. People I converse with when connected say it sounds like I am in the same room; ie good quality.

 

[NJP_MAN]

Unless the whole headset becomes wireless it doesn't make a difference to me. I just plug an extra wire in and I'm no worse off than I was before.

 

[fiveoboy01]

It works fine, functionality is the same as if you were using the AUX input before. One mode plays the music at a reduced volume when there's com either between passengers or pilot and ATC, and the other mode mutes the music completely.

There are some other little dip switches inside the battery compartment and I forget exactly what they do.

Where are you coming up with the $300 figure? I paid $150 to have my cable upgraded at Oshkosh, and additionally I bought a second A20(already equipped) at the same price as the "non Bluetooth" one.

 

[petrolero]

It works fine, functionality is the same as if you were using the AUX input before. One mode plays the music at a reduced volume when there's com either between passengers or pilot and ATC, and the other mode mutes the music completely.

There are some other little dip switches inside the battery compartment and I forget exactly what they do.

Where are you coming up with the $300 figure? I paid $150 to have my cable upgraded at Oshkosh, and additionally I bought a second A20(already equipped) at the same price as the "non Bluetooth" one.

Sporty's...

https://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/a...20-headset-cable-assembly-with-bluetooth.html

 

[fiveoboy01]

Now that you say that, I forgot that they gave you a $150 credit if you traded your current cord in for the new one.

 

[petrolero]

We know about the quality of the A20s as the top end of noise canceling flight headsets previously with only the capability for making phone calls but without BT audio (an egregious omission IMHO). Music by cable only which I never used because I have enough cables and **** in the plane already. All that is the same.

But who knew the A20s were also fantastic audio headphones! OK probably many of you knew this. I havent tried these in flight yet, but I just installed the BT audio upgrade and am sitting here on the couch listening to Queen and I am stunned at the quality and dynamic range. Perfect highs with deep (but not ridiculous) bass. It handles full volume without distortion at all.

Can't wait to finally have some music in the airplane.

 

[orange]

I just opened my box which contained my new A20's with the audio BT. I will test them out over the weekend. I'll let you know.

 

[Hank S]

Why would anyone want to Bluetooth music to only their headset? My wife likes to listen too. Fortunately there's a Music In jack rift there in the panel, tied into the intercom, omit goes to all four headset locations.

Everyone just has to listen to my music. Playing stuff that aggravates the pilot leads to PIO at altitude . . .

 

[petrolero]

Why would anyone want to Bluetooth music to only their headset?

My wife prefers to watch movies on her iPad. I'd like to be able to listen to Danger Zone as I think about F14s and Kelly McGillis (c. 1986) and, I guess, flying my airplane.

The funny thing is that she's the 'flight attendant' and the kids are so needy that she never gets more than about 5 minutes of movie between "mom!"

No but seriously, the main reason I think it was asinine that Bose didn't include full BT audio in the A20s that were originally sold with BT is because every other BT product in the world has both BT phone and BT audio (like my wife's Zulu2 and my kids' Zulu1s)... but also without BT audio I can't listen to ForeFlight which has some nice traffic and runway warnings.

Also where the hell are BT Quiet Comfort headsets? What the ****, Bose?!