Headset Provided?

Does a headset come with the RV12 kit or are we required to purchase separately?
If sold separately, will I be just as happy with a $300 set as I would be with a $1000 set. Would YOU recommend spending the extra money?

No, it's not going to be in the kit. You'll have to furnish that yourself.

Also, no, you won't be as happy with the $300 headset as you would be with a more expensive one. However, people's heads vary and you might prefer one model over another, so I'd suggest trying several different kinds before committing.

That said, I really like my Lightspeed Zulu. And a friend liked it enough to buy one of her own just after getting her private pilot's license. We both thought they were worth the money. I have a last-generation Pilot ANR for my other front-seat headset and I can definitely tell the difference.

All in all, I'd recommend waiting until you're getting close to flying before buying one, just to pick up any technology improvements that might come out. And at that time, when you're getting current again, try different types before buying.

Dave

The RV12 is noisy. Get a good noise canceling headset. Also consider the Halo and the Clarity Aloft which because of the way they work do not have to be active noise canceling.

If you are on a budget, get a good used Dave Clark and add the Headset's Inc. noise canceling module to it. (And some gel ear cups.) That works GREAT. You can look up all these choices.

Buy the best headset you can afford. The same goes for eye wear.

We can't rebuild ears and eyes(well not so much).

Last year at OSH I tried all the major ANR brands. I settled on the BOSE, but I noticed that each booth had a slightly different noise spectrum where their headset worked best. I have been very happy with my choice FWIW.

Glad to hear that

I just tried several different headsets at Oshkosh last week and picked the Bose in the end. All the ANRs sounded great, but the Bose just felt better on my head than the others. Yes its pricey, its kind of like buying another Apple product, all of which I have never regretted even though I know I am not getting a bargain. The new Zulu PFX was impressive technology, but its the first generation of software update headsets and I was reluctant to be one of the first wave of beta users. Might turn out to be a great product but its certainly appears to need a lot of batteries.

I have both a Zulu and a Bose. It's hard to spend that kind of money on a headset but you don't have to spend money or weight on interior insulation. Our planes are expensive but if you buy a top notch headset you won't regret it. They last a long time.

Eddy