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CQ1 Headset review !

Mark Burns

Well Known Member
I saw a post a few days ago about the new headset from CMW.
Reading it I was blown away because they are made by Card Machine Works!

That's Scott and Tanya Card, long time VAF folks.

Disclaimer :
I have known Scott and Tanya for probably about 8 years.
We first met at a formation clinic or was it Petit Jean? ....anyway I've flown in many formation flights with them both.
Some formations had a LOT of RV's :D

So I go to their website https://cqheadset.com/ and send them a message from there. We chat back and forth and I order a headset!

I've been using a "Clarity Aloft" headset for many years. I liked them better than the Bose X I used before. I have friends that use the Halo's which are similar to the CA's. I've never tried the Halo's. My CA's cord was coming apart (already repaired once before) and I was going to be buying a new headset soon anyway.

The CQ1 headsets arrive and I go to the airport to try them out!
I turn the volume control on the CQ1's all the way up. That's how I always set the CA's so why not?

I get the engine fired up, avionics master on and I say " Test 1,2"
Wow! That was loud! :) I had to turn the CQ1's down almost halfway to get to where the CA's where when wide open. All this without adjusting the intercom volume.

I used the yellow earbuds that came with the CQ1's. They block the ambient noise out just as well as the grey earbuds I use with the CA's. For some reason that surprised me. Maybe it's because the yellow ones are a tad bit shorter.

And I found the yellow earbuds much easier to get out of my ear since they have the attached tube that seems fairly substantial! The CA's will often come off the speaker and stay in my ear when removing them. I actually have a pair of tweezers in my flight bag for that reason. ugh.

Ok, so I take off and decide to make a short flight (10 min) over to Monroe, Louisiana.
Monroe has a tower and approach control. That gave me a chance to talk and listen to check out the CQ1's.

I was very impressed with the CQ1's!
I really like that the mic boom is longer than the one on the CA's.
It's easy to get it where you want it and it stays put.

I can't report on the longevity on the CQ1's but I'm anxious to go flying with them again. Hopefully I'll remember to report back in 6 mos. or a year.

I short, two thumbs up for the CQ1's!

And congratulations to my two friends for taking this project on and creating a great headset!

Almost forgot, I took a photo of inside the volume control box.
I was impressed with the circuit board having "cqheadset.com" on it.
It's not just an off the shelf circuit.

I also took a photo of me wearing the headset but just go to the CMW website. There's a photo of Tanya wearing it and it's a much better photo :)

Mark

53ttes.jpg
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Headset

Drone,

Good to knows, thanks. I got a QT Halo last month but had to send it back cause the mic was intermittent, the mic boom wouldn’t stay where I put (and too short) and the cord was already beginning to wear.

I have the AKG AV 100 headsets and absolutely love them but they do give you “headset hair” and smash down the top of your baseball cap. And if you try any heavy maneuvering or BFM the headset wants to come off. Don’t think the CQ-1 will do this.

Will prob get a CQ-1 as soon as the refund from the QT comes through.
 
Last edited:
Almost forgot, I took a photo of inside the volume control box. I was impressed with the circuit board having "cqheadset.com" on it. It's not just an off the shelf circuit.

53ttes.jpg
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Note to self...When developing product for homebuilders, assume they will dismantle it. ;)
 
Note to self...When developing product for homebuilders, assume they will dismantle it. ;)

No kidding :). All good.
I guess it never occurred to me that someone would think we weren't making our own boards :). Obviously I intend for you to be able to get in there without having to fish around through some obscure hole. I call this the "customer side" of the board...
 
RV8

No I see why the 8 is not getting done.

The shop is a Headset production factory. :D

Seriously though good job on this product.
 
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