Headset Wars !!!!

I just got a pair of AKG AV100's and used them on my 3 hour cross country. They are super comfortable but have a very pronounced white noise hiss. I could hear the controllers and other aircraft great, but I'm considering turning them back in to Sporty's for something else. Do all these ANR headsets have some kind of white noise or is AKG alone in that respect? If they all have the white noise hiss I will be going for an in ear replacement.

The Bose A20s I have are just about dead quiet -- no noticeable hiss or white noise. I tried some older Lightspeeds and they were the same. You may have just gotten a bad pair.

I have a couple pairs of Bose Xs and recently picked up a pair of Clarity Alofts. I'd been on the fence until recently as to which I actually liked better. The Bose Xs are quieter, but the Xs get pretty uncomfortable after a few hours, especially when wearing sun glasses. To be fair, the Claritys get uncomfortable a bit after 3 or 4 hours but in a different, pinchy over the ears kind of way and the routing of the cord is often annoying as it catches on things when I turn my head. I don't have experience with Bose A20s for long flight legs; maybe they are more comfortable than the Xs.

Anyway, I was leaning toward the Claritys as my go to headset because I really like the lightness of them. The other day, I decided I'd dig out my Tilley hat to wear in the cockpit as it would serve me better than the ball caps I've usually used. Well that settles that! The Tilley bush style hat is excellent in the airplane and I simply can't use anything other than an in-the-ear type headset. The Clarity/Tilley combination together with my Scheyden flip up bi-focals are the perfect combination! Consider my 2 cents tossed in!



Please ignore the melon shaped head.....

Custom Ear Pieces

Went to an audiologist last week for custom ear molds for my Halo's

Will let you all know what their like when I get them.

Looking forward to hearing about them.

Did they tell you whether the molded ones will be hard plastic (like most hearing aids), or still be somewhat pliable? I may have the only ears that do this, but depending on temps, sinus issues, and who knows; phase of the moon, my ear canals seem to change shape a bit. When using loud power tools, sometimes it's easier than others to insert squeezable foam earplugs. I've never invested in molded plugs because I fear that I couldn't get a consistent seal with molded rigid plastic. No seal, no real protection.

Charlie

Veetail88 said:

I have a couple pairs of Bose Xs and recently picked up a pair of Clarity Alofts. I'd been on the fence until recently as to which I actually liked better. The Bose Xs are quieter, but the Xs get pretty uncomfortable after a few hours, especially when wearing sun glasses. To be fair, the Claritys get uncomfortable a bit after 3 or 4 hours but in a different, pinchy over the ears kind of way and the routing of the cord is often annoying as it catches on things when I turn my head. I don't have experience with Bose A20s for long flight legs; maybe they are more comfortable than the Xs.

Anyway, I was leaning toward the Claritys as my go to headset because I really like the lightness of them. The other day, I decided I'd dig out my Tilley hat to wear in the cockpit as it would serve me better than the ball caps I've usually used. Well that settles that! The Tilley bush style hat is excellent in the airplane and I simply can't use anything other than an in-the-ear type headset. The Clarity/Tilley combination together with my Scheyden flip up bi-focals are the perfect combination! Consider my 2 cents tossed in!

Please ignore the melon shaped head.....

Click to expand...

Interesting. I just transitioned from Lightspeed Zulu to Clarity Aloft Link as well as a new Tilley AirFlo last week myself. I like the combination! But I'm noticing a lot more background wind noise on the intercom from the cockpit using the Clarity Aloft. What's your experience with the microphone/background noise, Jesse?

This was my beef as well

rv7charlie said:

Looking forward to hearing about them.

Did they tell you whether the molded ones will be hard plastic (like most hearing aids), or still be somewhat pliable? I may have the only ears that do this, but depending on temps, sinus issues, and who knows; phase of the moon, my ear canals seem to change shape a bit. When using loud power tools, sometimes it's easier than others to insert squeezable foam earplugs. I've never invested in molded plugs because I fear that I couldn't get a consistent seal with molded rigid plastic. No seal, no real protection.

Charlie

Click to expand...

I tried the in-ear offering from Lightspeed a long time ago with custom molded ear pieces from the local audiologist. Sold the haedset after never getting a comfortable and low-noise fit. Noticed the changing ear canal shape depending on the way I held my jaw. You can feel this for yourself by sticking your pinkie in your ear canal and chewing up and down. The mandibular condyle moves quite a bit and changes the shape of the lower/anterior part of the ear canal. With a semi-rigid ear insert, the difference in seal quality is quite audible with different resting positions of the jaw. Best to have your jaw in a slightly open, relaxed position during the mold fitting process. Otherwise you will have to clench your teeth the entire flight to keep the ear canal tight against the plug, and even then it may not work right. Get the softest silicone plug you can from the audiologist.

Low Pass said:

Interesting. I just transitioned from Lightspeed Zulu to Clarity Aloft Link as well as a new Tilley AirFlo last week myself. I like the combination! But I'm noticing a lot more background wind noise on the intercom from the cockpit using the Clarity Aloft. What's your experience with the microphone/background noise, Jesse?

Click to expand...

Actually, now that you mention it, yes, there is a LOT more background noise with the Clarity. That actually is annoying and I wish the quality of the mike and electronics was equal to the Bose. The other advantages will keep me using the Clarity, but I suppose, on cloudy days or shorter evening flights I'll use the Bose.

Thanks to all who have contributed.

My Buddy has his eyes on the Bose now.

Does anyone know if there will be deals at OSH ?

If anyone goes, would you post a PIREP please and we can get some ordered for delivery to FL where my drop ship address is.

M

mike newall said:

Thanks to all who have contributed.

My Buddy has his eyes on the Bose now.

Does anyone know if there will be deals at OSH ?

If anyone goes, would you post a PIREP please and we can get some ordered for delivery to FL where my drop ship address is.

M

Click to expand...

In the past, the deals were not a price reduction but some other "Gift" included with the purchase. Typically many of the "Online" vendors will MATCH what ever the promotion is.

I plan to buy an A20 before AirVenture 2016 with a vendor that will "match" what ever deal is offered at AirVenture 2016.

Pliable

I was told they they would be not the hard molds but something softer and pliable. Now what that might be is unknown...till I get them.

rv7charlie said:

Looking forward to hearing about them.

Did they tell you whether the molded ones will be hard plastic (like most hearing aids), or still be somewhat pliable? I may have the only ears that do this, but depending on temps, sinus issues, and who knows; phase of the moon, my ear canals seem to change shape a bit. When using loud power tools, sometimes it's easier than others to insert squeezable foam earplugs. I've never invested in molded plugs because I fear that I couldn't get a consistent seal with molded rigid plastic. No seal, no real protection.

Charlie

Click to expand...

Owned all three types of Bose and have never sent a set in for repair. Tried the Lighspeeds and they were junk in my Husky

While We're talking headsets....

After a long stretch of being airplaneless (is that a word?), I recently became the proud owner of an RV-7A. I have a 20 year old DC headset that still works well, but seems everybody is going noise cancelling these days. My question is, is there no concern that the noise cancelling feature might cancel noises that you WANT to hear? The early beginnings of engine problems, wind noise changes indicating inadvertent pitch changes, etc.. Visual and touch are of course the most important senses when flying, but not sure I want to give up the sense of hearing. Any thoughts?

kstone said:

After a long stretch of being airplaneless (is that a word?), I recently became the proud owner of an RV-7A. I have a 20 year old DC headset that still works well, but seems everybody is going noise cancelling these days. My question is, is there no concern that the noise cancelling feature might cancel noises that you WANT to hear? The early beginnings of engine problems, wind noise changes indicating inadvertent pitch changes, etc.. Visual and touch are of course the most important senses when flying, but not sure I want to give up the sense of hearing. Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

I've never sensed or had concern with not being able to hear what needs to be heard. ANR seems to only lower the intensity of ambient sound, not mask it entirely. Like power steering. You can still feel the road, just doesn't wear you out like it did without.

Also be aware that the ANR feature will give you odd sounds when the batteries are about to go. Almost every time the batteries die in my Lightspeed, I think I'm having an engine issue. Then I realize - batteries.

Re-ignite

The David Clark One-X headset is the best headset that I have used. I had the. Bose X, and the Clarks' blow them away. The price of the One-X is $300 less than the Bose. The Clarks have a 5 year warranty, are made in the USA, are built tough, and the customer service is twenty times better than Bose.

QT Halo problem ?

My headset could not hear after about 100 hours of use. Sent it back and they replaced a part and said moisture in the tube can cause issues and remove the little beads from the tubes. The headset worked good for one flight after repair then could barely hear my voice or ATIS with full radio volume plus full headset volume adjustment. The mic works because the radio modulation indicator is normal when using Tx. Any advice from all you halo users is appreciated.

easy things 1st

Be sure that the headset is the problem.

Try a different (known-good) headset in the same location.

Try your headset in a different (known-good) location, in a different plane.

Radio Check

Thanks Charlie, yes a different ( DC ) headset works fine so my radio and wiring / jacks are assumed good.