headset time...advice?

[flx757]

Sennheiser HMEC 45-KA

In 25 years of flying, I've used many different headsets, from David Clarks, to Telex, to Plantronics. By far, the Sennheiser 45s are the finest I've come across.

 

[jumppilot03]

Get the at Oshkosh

If you dont need a new headset immediatly, I would wait unitl the EAA airshow in Oshkosh, WI. They have the best deals there, I picked up a pair of DC 10-13.4's for a friend there for $240. The poster above said the lowest that he has seen was $260-$270. Dont settle for the first price you get, many times you can offer the less and they will give them to you at your named price( withn reason). Its worth the wait and a great show

 

[jetdriven]

lol...ok, perhaps y'all didnt see the part where im balking at the thought of spending 500 clams. where in the world would i come up with twice that amount...have y'all not seen the "payscale" for a freight dog lately

i bought mine at the bose store for 1 year no payments no interest and just recently rolled the debt over to my other credit card for 1 year at 0.9%. It is possible.

I didnt make much more than you did last year but I can hear the relay click under the dash that turns on my AC compressor while driving home after 7 hours in the 1900.

good hearing is priceless.

 

[jetdriven]

Re: DCs

I've tried a lot of different pair of headsets. The most comfortable option I've found is the David Clark 13.4s. Get the gel ear seals and then cover them with the ear cover material. Those will be the most comfortable, reliable headsets you can think of. Granted putting something over the gel earseals takes away some of the noise reduction, but not enough to be noticable in my opinion. They will set you back about 260-270, but quite worth it. I've had mine now for three years and they've only gotten more comfortable with time - and no batteries to change out.

Flyer7sa

thee is no way the 13.4's compare to an ANR headset. Whole different ball game. DC's have about 18 dB at the MOST reduction and the Bose, Telex ANR, and Lightspeeds double that, to around 40-50 dB. Seeing as how decibles are squared as the value is doubled a 40dB reduction is only ONE QUARTER AS MUCH NOISE as 18dB.

I can hear someone talking in row 9 in the 1900 with ANR.

 

[jaybird]

I use Flightcom Denali's (sp?), as advertised from a post a while ago on this board. They do work great, but they seem delicate. I've had them over a year and no problems. Except I did crush the cord in the seat back, the avionics guy at my work fixed them. The week I had to use my David Clark non ANR one's I thought I was gonna go deaf.

Once you go ANR you dont go back.

 

[Wang Chung]

Sennheiser!

I have a pair of light passive Sennheiser HMEC 300's and I love them. They're cheap ($230 I think, and I got a $50 factory rebate on top of that). They won't let you plug in a cd player or anything.

A must-have are Oregon Aero earseals. I'll NEVER buy another headset without adding these things - love 'em.

I've used the Sennheisers on 7-hour flight days (including one trip that was 7 hours straight nonstop) and they've kept me confortable and headache-free.

I could never deal with Clarks. They've always seemed too heavy and uncomfortable for my sensitive little skull for some reason.

Wang.

 

[wxman13]

I'm a big fan of my LightSpeed Twenty 3G's. I got them for around $470 from Marv Golden, and I've been really happy with them. Yeah, they are pretty big and goofy-looking like LightSpeeds tend to be, but they are super comfortable AND they have an audio input on the battery box for cell phone or music. The whole thought of using a cell phone while actually flying a plane is a little scary sounding to me (just look at all those drivers out there...), but music is a plus. The LightSpeeds have built-in circuitry to mute the music when you receive a radio transmission. LightSpeeds are definitely worth the price. I know some people have had problems with them breaking, but mine have been fine so far, and from what I hear their customer service is also excellent.

Peter

 

[Skaz]

over in darkest africa our range is a little more limited than what you guys canget in the states...Avcom is a cheapie, and your ears and head feels it after an hour or so...not good noise reduction and the thing feels like a benchvise

Ive had my DC13.4 since I started flying in 97, not one problem, slammed the cord in a BN2's door, luckily it has a type of wirewound armour and the cord dint get damaged, after 4 years of bushflying they were still going strong, untill they got stolen.
Now got DC13X...very very comfortable, new deep earcups, good passive NR, and when you sitch the ENR on.....for a moment I panicked and couldnt understand what happened with the engine noise....BUT, if they get a little knock, like taping it against the window while turning your head or somebody taps you on the ear, they make an annoying 'whining electronic thud', and that gets a little irritating. but all in all, very comfortable, very good enr

one thing I found out, the enr in a C208 only works while transmitting, so if you leave it on, the enr kicks in every time you press the ptt (with the electronic noise accompanyment)

in c402 with hotmike it works fine

 

[Mickey]

I miss the ole twin Beech. I had a pair of AvComms I added ANR modules to and that solved my problem. The AvComm has over 4000hrs on it and still works great. The ANR modules are from Headsets Inc. and cost about $170 to add to your headset. You get new cords and new speakers with it. The other option is they offer a complete ANR headset for $399 and it is very nice. It has the Oregon Aero soft top and a flex boom Mic. I've tried them and was very impressed. A friend has them and loves them. I can't justify buying a set because mine are still working fine. Where are you based? You could try mine if you'ld like.
As I've said many times on this board, stay away from the BOSE. I've had too many friends have problems with them and they just aren't worth $1000. Most people who paid $1000 for them are reluctant to admit it, even after they send them in for repairs the second or third time. Take care.

PS It's a lot easier to enjoy this career if you keep your financial debt to a minimum or better yet, zero.

 

[gubernator]

Denali

Don't confuse light with cheap on the Denalis. I have a blue ANR set. They felt cheap to me too at first, especially compared to my DC 13.4s, but after owning them for a couple of years I can say that they are well made. The Denalis aren't actually mine. I bought them for my wife to wear, but when she's not flying with me I usually take the Denalis and leave the DCs at home.

I've only had one problem with the Denali. If I remember right, the headset is directional, which means it can only be worn with the mic boom on the left side of your face. I tried to wear it the other way around, and stripped the piece that holds the mic boom in the process. I sent it back to the factory and it was repaired, no cost or questions asked.