First flight with Bose A20 Headset...

[Addicted2climbing]

Hello all,

I few weeks back I posted some questions on the bose headset. I found one used on Craigslist for a great price and I tried it out for the first time in a 172.. ANR is amazing.. The engine went from a slightly anoying drone to the sound of a sewing machine... Its odd, I told my instructer it sounds like I am flying a sewing machine or dish washer now...

Now I suppose the trick will be to relearn the new reduced engine sounds and still be able to sense when things sound wrong...

Other than that really happy with my purchase.. I manged to get the a20 and an Ipad2 64gb 3g for less than the cost of what a new a20 sells for...:wink2:

Marc

 

[BrianR]

Love my A20. Yeah, it was extravagant, but I don't regret it at all. You were fortunate to find a good deal on a used one. I've gotten a Telex Stratus 50 as well as a couple DCs off e-Bay for really reasonable prices, but...the passengers get those. I'm not letting go of my A20!

 

[saracelica]

love my A20 as well. I usually forget to turn it on more then anything else and then I remember and it's heavenly. Sounds like a sewing machine, huh? I guess I'll have to pay attention.

 

[Tracey]

Has anyone found that hearing what ATC is saying is "more crisp" (crisper?) with better headsets? I have old (used) Dave Clarks and I can understand my instructor well, but sometimes ATC is muffled. I wonder if better headsets would lessen the "muffle" sound.

 

[denverpilot]

Has anyone found that hearing what ATC is saying is "more crisp" (crisper?) with better headsets? I have old (used) Dave Clarks and I can understand my instructor well, but sometimes ATC is muffled. I wonder if better headsets would lessen the "muffle" sound.

Yes. Each manufacturer can "tune" what you hear by enhancing mid and high frequencies, even in a non-ANR. Often by just changing the size of the speaker diaphragm.

By design, ANRs seriously change the frequency response of the output 180 degrees out of phase with whatever they're "hearing" with their microphones dedicated to the ANR process. In light aircraft they're usually compensating for lots of high end ("hiss") and low end ("rumble") so what's left in your ear is mid-range and lots of it.

Most folks find human voice highly intelligible with lots of mid-range punch but will also describe it with adjectives like "pinched", "punchy", "harsh" if turned up too loud.

The problem is, you'll need to borrow a few headsets to see what you like.

 

[AggieMike88]

I have the Zulu.2 (and like it). Speaking to hearing engine noise, you still hear it and will quickly adapt to the difference. Even smaller power changes are still discernible.