Headsets...?

[HeadInTheClouds]

Hi there,

 

Thinking of buying my own headset sometime soon and was just after some opinions on different ones I'm looking at. Kind of liking the idea of having my own to avoid having to rent one at some places and the obvious hygiene reasons. Budget is around $200, give or take a bit.

 

Here is a few I'm thinking of at the moment:

 

Flightcom Classic 4DX ($160): http://www.skyshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=314

 

Flightcom 4DLX, seems a bit nicer than the above one ($220): http://www.skyshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=317

 

Pilot Avionics PA11-60, not sure if this is a very well known brand but it does come with 3 year warranty, not sure on the idea of foam ear seals not gel... ($225): http://www.skyshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=150

 

Pilot Avionics PA12.8, has the gel ear seals, comes with a headset bag too as well as the 3 year warranty ($250): http://www.skyshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=151

 

I use the David Clark ones at the moment but it seems a bit out of my price range to buy my own set of them. Any opinions would be great, also if there is anywhere cheaper to buy them links would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

 

[Guest DavidH10]

I'm using "Flightcom Classic 50X", which is a passive headset. Very good external noise exclusion. Very good wind noise exclusion. Radio reports are that all my comms are crystal clear. This all from an open cockpit. They have individual volume controls on each ear, so you can adjust if you needed.

 

Keep in mind that if taking your headset to someone else's aircraft, you may have to adjust the microphone gain on the radio between different headsets. I've heard plenty of calls that have good signal strength but bugger all modulation. Unfortunately it isn't something you can ordinarily check except by listening to your received signal on another radio.

 

 

[mnewbery]

See my commets regarding Pilot brand headsets (mine had foam seals too). I bought a set after using borrowed H10-13.4s because I wanted to look after them (a bit like dive gear). Now I have both my own H10-13.4 and Pilot headsets. Read further here: http://theaussieaviator.net/threads/fettle-your-headset.23142/

 

 

[geoffreywh]

I would make sure that I got ANR headsets. They are very quiet. I have one Sennheiser and 1 David Clark. The DC is quieter but heavier...

 

 

[bas]

For that budget, you could do a lot worse than getting the XCOM branded headset. (As anything XCOM, sold by site member Michael Coates)

 

Proper gel seals giving you very-near-DC quality for half the price...

 

http://www.xcomavionics.com/store/store.html

 

 

[bas]

As a side note: I have been flying with these ever since I got them at Oshkosh this year and love them:

 

http://www.clarityaloft.com/

 

They are every bit as quiet as any ANR headset, but for half the price, and no big ear cups mean no sweat and no headband means better canopy clearance for a big bloke like me. The in-ear foams are more comfortable than any earplug you'll have ever used. I do 3 hours flights without them being uncomfortable.

 

On those flights, I also plug in my iPhone for some music and they actually sound very good. Bass response isn't great, but mids and highs are clear and very well balanced, very enjoyable to listen to.

 

I can't recommend them highly enough.

 

 

[Guest avi8tr]

+1 for the XCOM's. They are built to a specification (versus no spec or a loose one at that) and have upgraded wiring and proper soldering that won't break off etc. Other places also import similar looking units but they are not the same quality inside wehre it counts.