My First Headset: Quiet Technologies!

[bullwinkle]

After reading some really good reviews of this product, I went ahead and ordered the Quiet Technologies HALO headset to use in my training. I like that it's so lightweight, and a LOT cheaper than a top quality ANR headset. In theory the sound dampening should be as good as ANR.

It's got a 30 day money back, so tell me now if I really screwed up here!

BTW, when I called the company on the phone, they took an additional $10 off the cost of the "special" web offer of $359...so I got it for $349 shipped, which seems VERY nice if the headset's all I have heard it is.

 

[CJones]

My dad has the QT Halo. He really likes his, even in the extremely noisy RV. My wife has used it once (switched out the ear buds of course), and she fell in love with it. She hates the idea of wearing the 'traditional' ANR headset now. I'm sure you'll like it!

 

[gismo]

My dad has the QT Halo. He really likes his, even in the extremely noisy RV. My wife has used it once (switched out the ear buds of course), and she fell in love with it. She hates the idea of wearing the 'traditional' ANR headset now. I'm sure you'll like it!

I haven't tried the Halo but I have owned two other in ear headsets (Clarity Aloft and LightSpeed) and neither were anywhere near as quiet as a good ANR headset in a piston/prop airplane. They are better than any over the ear passive type in that setting and in anything where wind noise is high they are excellent at masking that. They might even sound quieter than a low end ANR headset but they just don't do much for the low frequency sound of a propeller. I seriously doubt that the Halo is any different in that respect.

 

[Everskyward]

I tried the Halo two or three years ago. The problem I had with is was that it was somehow incompatible with the audio system in the airplane in which I wanted to use it. The volume would not turn up high enough. Strangely it was just that particular airplane because I tested it in other airplanes and it worked fine. The manufacturer was very cooperative with me. He tried to readjust the volume setting once and when we agreed there was something incompatible about the units, he took it back and gave me a full refund. I ended up getting a headset from Clarity Aloft, which uses the same in-ear idea and it works fine.

 

[CJones]

I haven't tried the Halo but I have owned two other in ear headsets (Clarity Aloft and LightSpeed) and neither were anywhere near as quiet as a good ANR headset in a piston/prop airplane. They are better than any over the ear passive type in that setting and in anything where wind noise is high they are excellent at masking that. They might even sound quieter than a low end ANR headset but they just don't do much for the low frequency sound of a propeller. I seriously doubt that the Halo is any different in that respect.

Maybe the RV is just a better suited platform for the in-ear headset: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=16389

 

[gismo]

Maybe the RV is just a better suited platform for the in-ear headset: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=16389

Perhaps the RVs have more high frequency content in the noise spectrum than a Bonanza, Baron, or Cirrus those being the airplanes in which I compared the in-ear to ANR. The in-ear definitely win on noise attenuation when that is the case. That said, it appeared to me that many of the pilots on that thread were most impressed with the comfort which is hands down better (unless the cockpit is real cold) than any over the ear headset. Some did claim better attenuation but most just liked in-ear overall.

 

[Neal Howard]

RVs are a well-suited platform for the Zulu headset too. I've worn mine in RV-4's, 6's, a 7A and a Super-8, and the results are fantastic. Much quieter than a Lightspeed 15-XL, 20-XL or even a Thirty-3G.

RVs sound pretty much like riding around in a tin can with a jackhammer running full blast against the firewall, if you don't have good headsets.

 

[gismo]

RVs are a well-suited platform for the Zulu headset too. I've worn mine in RV-4's, 6's, a 7A and a Super-8, and the results are fantastic. Much quieter than a Lightspeed 15-XL, 20-XL or even a Thirty-3G.

RVs sound pretty much like riding around in a tin can with a jackhammer running full blast against the firewall, if you don't have good headsets.

One problem I've experienced in LOUD airplanes with most ANR headsets is the issue of driver overload. The sound level required inside the earcup to cancel the noise exceeds the capability of the ANR and the result is extremely annoying as the ANR acutally makes the result louder than it would have been without any attempt at cancellation. In an AT-6 I've had this happen with several different ANR headsets including Bose-X, LS Thirty3g, and a Telex. So far it appears that the Zulu is immune and I was told that it's circuitry does indeed attempt to minimize this problem by rolling off the ANR rather than letting it clip.

If this problem happens in a RV then I could see why a good passive in-ear type would work better. I found this to be true in my taildragger which has a lot of exhaust noise.