Headsets for the RJ

[rjacobs]

I use the Flight Com denali ANR's. They block out almost all of the noise in the ERJ and are pretty comfortable. I am looking at getting the telex 500(I think thats the one im thinking about anyway). If anybody has that let me know what you think about it in the ERJ.

 

[Gorilla]

I fly the 737-800, one of the louder aircraft out there. I used a Telex 750 for a year until I left them in the CP and they weren't returned. Grrr... But my hearing is suffering.

Anyway, good thread, I like the inputs. I'd like a lightweight set that is good for 5 hours+. My big question is the suitability of these sets with GA aircraft. If I'm going to drop big coin, I'd like to have a headset that will work with transport jets AND some GA use. Lightness and reasonable NR more important than extreme NR. It sounds like lots of votes for Sennheiser - usable for GA? Thanks guys.

 

[BoilerUP]

I don't think I'd use my Sennheiser 25 for banging around in a 172 (not enough passive NR in my opinion) unless I had no other options.

 

[F16fixer]

I use the light speed 20g in a B200, chieftain, saratoga and a lot of other props and it works great. i'm moving on to the crj now and I'm considering something else. How long do the batteries last in this sennhieser 25 people keep mentioning. My light speed holds out for a good 50 hrs or so.

The light speeds are very light, comfortable and adapt to cell phones and music players perfectly, but something about them screams newbie. Maybe it's because they are kind of big.

 

[BoilerUP]

I sold my pair of Lightspeed 20XLs when I transitioned to turbine aircraft. I liked them and they work okay with wind noise, but are too damn bulky for the brainbag. I used a Telex 750 with earplugs for about 3 months, then bought the Sennheiser off ebay for less than $300 because I couldn't afford to part with $400+ for a Telex 850. It was stereo, brand new, and works like a champ. With rechargables, I can probably get 20 hours (WAG) out of it, with standard alkalines, probably 30-40ish hours. Basically, one 4 day with rechargeables and two or close to two with regular batteries.

I'm quite happy with it!

 

[epic!]

anyone tried that new DC-X11?

 

[Gorilla]

In doing a bit of research, it appears that the Telex 850, which uses no batteries, taps voltage off the microphone line. From what I gather, you must be flying hot mike to get ANR with the 850. Is this true? If so, it won't work for me.

 

[paulsalem]

I'm a little confused on the Telex 850s. The website says

Total Noise Reduction: 12dBs
Volume Control: Yes
Stereo: Yes
Mic: Noise Canceling Electret Microphone

Does that mean just the Mic is ANR, or also the ears?

 

[Gorilla]

I'm a little confused on the Telex 850s. The website says
Does that mean just the Mic is ANR, or also the ears?

No, the mikes on these things "cancel" noise just like they've been doing for decades. They're engineered to reject ambient noise beyond the voice when they are keyed on.

ANR headsets need power to do their magic. Usually it's a battery, but the T-850 supposedly taps microphone voltage. I'm 99% sure that voltage is not present unless the mike is ON, as it hot mike, all the time. Not all guys fly with hot mikes, so I've rejected the 850 from my list.

I just bought a Bose QC-2 and a mike adapter from uflymike.com who is I've heard a Southwest guy making these on the side. I've seen two of them owned by other guys at my company. They're VERY well made and the entire setup looks sweet. Best thing is that the QC-2 can be used for iPods, stereos, deadheading, etc, so it's use goes beyond aviation. Total setup cost is ~ $500; $300 for the headset, and $200 for the mike. I'll do a review when it arrives.

 

[Gorilla]

OK, I flew a trip with my QC2 + UFMike combo. B737-800, two day trip, 2 legs of 3+ hours and some shorter legs.

The UFM unit is very high quality. I have a machining background, and I was impressed with the care that went into the engineering and design. The housing is machined and anodized aluminum, not some injection molded crap. The UFM secures nicely to the QC2 cavity via the 4-wire mini-jack, and does not wobble or move at all. The sound quality of both the headset and the mike is superb.

Things I really like about it:
- A single AAA battery in the headset itself powers everything. No dangling battery cases, or slider volume controls. Use your AC audio panel like you always do.
- On/Off switch convenient on the right ear cup.
- The boom mike has good stiffness and will not flop around or move unless you want it to.
- Can be used as a normal Bose QC2... meaning stereo, deadheading, etc
- Has a stereo input jack on the UFM housing. I haven't tested that yet. looks perfect for an iPod.
- Good balance of weight and performance.
- The UFM can be stored with the QC2's in the Bose-supplied case.

Things I didn't care for so much:
- The boom mike is on the left, and there's no way to change that. As an FO, I had a lapful of cable. I tried routing it in different ways. Across the back of the neck worked best for me. Today, I'm going to try routing the cable over the headband and out the right side with some cable ties or velcro straps.
- I got a modest hot spot on the top of my head after about three hours, but I tend to be sensitive to those. That's a QC2 function, not a UFM issue.

Overall it's an excellent setup, and you don't have big bux wrapped up in a dedicated aviation headset. The ability to detach the mike is great, because now you have a high end noise cancelling headset for whatever you want to do with it. Thumbs up!