New DC X11 vs. Bose

[ERfly]

the only shockwave i know of in the ERJ is the one in your chest from the paycheck!! wa wa wa. jk

I know you were joking, but it is a known fact that there is a transsonic shockwave that is produced just above the windshield in the cockpit.

 

[mmase7]

The UflyMike is an INCREDIBLE idea. I have flown with quite a few guys that love them. There are a couple of downsides that I feel need to be addressed.

- if the batteries go dead, you can't hear ATC
- the cords are non-reversable so if you're an FO, the cord will have to cross from your left ear to the a/c jacks.
- and a really silly one. The "flexible" boom mike needs a swivel.

The huge upside is the $$ and it's great for your ipod. (while commuting)

Gup

The UflyMike works like a champ. The Quiet Comfort 2 headset case has a little pouch on the inside that stores 4 extra batteries as well! I highly recommend this product!

 

[fartknocker]

Since we don't have an intercom you kinda have to uncup an ear and therefore I don't know if I want to spend the $$$ and deal with the larger size of the Bose options or DC 11's or whatever since I will lose some ANR benefit when I uncup an ear.

I am worried about this too. I was wondering how the 727 intercom works? Anyone know? I haven't flown it, but I have heard it gets pretty noisy in the cockpit. I think an ANR headset will help overall.

 

[Hvy]

Check this out too. Works with off-the-shelf Bose quiet comfort 2. Has aux input.

www.uflymike.com

I also recommend the Bose QC2 w/ mike's mic. It works great in the cockpit (you can still hear the other guy talk) and you change cords (takes 2 seconds) so the you can watch movies in back while deadheading. I AAA batt lasts about 25-30 hours.

I have used this combo for 8 months w/ no negative issues.

 

[Huck]

was wondering how the 727 intercom works? Anyone know?

It works great.

And that don't matter, because nobody will use it.

We're big jet pilots. We'd rather buy $800 headsets, hang them off of one ear and shout at each other.

I've flown several turboprops and the CRJ, all of them quieter than the 727, and it was headsets plus intercom below 18k. I've heard similar from military guys.

Don't start asking why. It's just one of those mysteries.....

 

[tzflyer]

Sennhieser

I use a Sennheiser ANR headset. Airline discount if you buy direct. I do not uncup and actually hear better with it on than without it. That may just be me being hard of hearing. Now though, my wife doesn't have to leave the room because of the volume of the music or TV at home so I can hear.
I didn't know about the Bose/mike combo, but the sennheiser is TSO'd and failsafe in that I can still hear ATC when the batteries die. I use rechargables and in true airline pilot fashion get "free" recharges from the hotels

 

[Goose17]

Bose at FedEx

I bought the Bose when I upgraded from the panel to the right seat of the 727. I wish I could have afforded it for the 3 years I was stuck on the panel - what a HUGE improvement. It actually made the 727 (which is obnoxiously loud) quite tolerable. I could fly to the west coast and still feel rested and I could hear when I got there. I did all the ground ops with one ear cup pulled back, but when we broke ground, I had both ear cups on with the ANR turned on and I had no problem hearing anyone. The ballance control is nice - it allows you to turn down ATC on the ear facing the other guy. It doesn't allow you to turn it off in that ear, but none-the-less you can turn it down. I switched to the Airbus early this year and considered selling it since everyone raves at how quiet it is. While true - it is a lot quieter, it is still not "quiet". I wear the Bose on the bus and still love it.

On a side note, about 1.5 years after I bought the Bose, I had trouble with one of my ear cups producing strange noises. I thought I would have to pay for the fix since it was over a year old. I was pleased to find out that there was a 5 year cup-to-cup warranty on it and Bose fixed it for free.

Now, if it only didn't cost $1,000!

I am a big fan of the headset - it is outstanding.

Goose17

while I was typing a post showed up about the Senhieser (sp?)... I flew with a guy that had one and we tried swapping to see any difference. I wasn't going to say anything to make the guy feel bad, but after he pulled my headseat off, he said "Holy Crap! If I knew there was that much difference I would have bought the Bose." There was a SIGNIFICANT difference between the two headsets on the noise that it canceled. It may have partially been due to the on the ear vs. the over the ear of the Bose.

Goose17

 

[01mm]

I tried to use the bose but gave up.

Like Huck said, no one uses the interphone. A key thing to remember is that the 727 (at least the ones I have been in) don't have a hot interphone, so with both ears covered, you have to use the push to talk switch when using the interphone. This is can make a headset like the Bose difficult to use (as a side note, it means that when you are on the oxygen masks trying to work a problem out, communicating with your fellow crewmembers is a pain).

I started with the Bose, but gave up after I always had to have one ear uncovered to hear what the other crewmemebers were saying. I use a telex 850 now, but that does have downsides too. It's noise cancelling depends on the electical power of the audio system and only a few of the 727's I have been in had enough power or were wired in such a way that they could power the 850. So when the airplane won't power the 850, I have to select the noise cancelling function off to avoid a clicking noise I get every time I key the mike (keying the mike suddenly provides enough power for noise cancelling, but power disappears when letting go of the push to talk switch).

 

[fartknocker]

Sounds like mixed opinions. Does anyone else think like Goose17? Is it not difficult to hear the other pilots while your ears are covered? I am wondering if the ANR is worth it if you have to uncup an ear half of the time?

I think I might have to try them out, as I need to protect my hearing.

Any more thoughts?

 

[rightrudder]

I also recommend the Bose QC2 w/ mike's mic. It works great in the cockpit (you can still hear the other guy talk) and you change cords (takes 2 seconds) so the you can watch movies in back while deadheading. I AAA batt lasts about 25-30 hours.

I have used this combo for 8 months w/ no negative issues.

Have you compared this with the Bose X, and if so, how did it do?