David Clark H10-13.4 or Bose Aviation X - suggestions?

Hi Everyone,

I am getting back to to flying after a few years off and intend to go on and complete my PPL and CPL.

I have the choice of purchasing a David Clark H10-13.4 headset for around $350, or an 'as new' Bose Aviation X for about $670.

I would be interested to hear your thoughts on whether the Bose would be worth the extra $300 odd dollars over the David Clark? I am guessing that in something like a Jabiru which isn't all that loud there may not be a lot of difference between the two in noise cancellation but given that I'll likely be flying larger aircraft moving forward this is probably not worth considering too much.

Cheers,

Chris

Headsets tend to be a personal thing so it is always best to try on and listen to the differences between models to see what works best for you and what is best suited for the type of aircraft you fly. Having said that, there are a few of things to consider when deciding between these two headsets.

If you can afford it, the Bose will give you much better sound quality and it is in stereo so music will sound better too (if you have that ability in your aircraft). The Bose also have automatic noise reduction (ANR) which is one of the best around and are very light and comfortable over extended periods of time. Of course the downside is that, if the batteries go flat (although there is a panel power option) things get very noisy very quickly. This is because the passive attenuation is not very high due to the design of the ear cups (they are basically meant to be used with the ANR on all the time!) Also, the lining on the ear seals tends to wear off over time and there are no generic retrofits (that I know of) - gota get Bose originals $$$! You also have to look after the Bose, don't just throw them over the back of the seat at the end of the flight, as they are not very robust.

The DC's don't have the same sound quality, but don't need batteries as they don't have ANR. As a result they have a significiently better passive attenuation. Overall, they aren't as quiet as the Bose with ANR active, but they do a reasonable job in most circumstances. They are a more traditional style headset and tend to be much more robust, a consideration if you are going to be moving them around between different aircraft. They are heavier though, almost 200gm's heavier, which is quite a bit and can make a difference during those long navs!

At the end of the day it comes down to this - what can you afford and how much will you use them. I love the Bose and, while the batteries are good, you can't beat the quietness and quality of sound. However, I don't do enough flying to justify the expense at the moment. I'd look at the DC's now, and think about the Bose later.

Something else to consider, would be retro-fitting an ANR kit (available through the Clearprop Shop at: Headsets :: Headset Accessories :: Headset ANR Kit - Aviation Pilot Supplies Shop | Flight Gear | Aircraft Instruments) into the DC's which will give you very good ANR and passive reduction as well. Sort of like the best of both worlds!

I have 2 DCs 13.4 oz which I have owned for 15 years and they are still in good condition despite students and hirers and swapping planes. They came with foam seals as standard but I changed to gel seals which were a lot better especially with glasses - you can really notice the difference in noise. The gel seals are not as robust as foam and I noticed the guys with rough stubble punctured or tore the membrane exposing the gel. The gel doesn't leak out but it does get sticky, the membrane does get a little sweaty in summer. Overall they do their job well and have certainly given me value for money. Never tried the Bose, so I can't compare.

Sue

Like Sue I have never tried Bose, to expensive for my wallet but have used DC's for the past 25 years firsty a pair of H10-30s and a pair of H10-13.4's for the past 5 years. Both have and still do give me sterling service, I have only replaced the old seals with gel seals and spongy bits on the older set so far, bought the new set with gel seals. Looking at the Bose I also have to agree that if you are going to be moving from plane to plane and have them in and out of your flight bag I would go with the DC's with Gel Seals. To protect the gel seals DC have a cloth cover which also helps with the sweat.

Hi Chris,

You raised a good point. I have a New set of Bose X. To complicate things I also have pair of Sennhiser HM95.

I have tested the Bose against the Zulu's and found the difference so small as to be unnoticable. This test was done with a ZULU convert and he too said the there is no perceptibale difference between the two - exept cost -.

Now here it becomes confusing. I do not think that these ANR sets are worth their money....

The sennheiser are OK but the transmission is not as good as the rest of them. They are very comfortable though!

So to sum it up - the Bose stay in the box until my Wife goes for a fly

fly safe

Walter

Zulu is the Go, flew from SA to Tyabb wearing a Bose, and then a few days later flew back wearing a Zulu. They al belonged to the aircraft I was flying at the time and I was not the owner!

Now I own a Zulu and have just purchased another to put in my helmet.

The sound quality is fantastic with the added advantage of blue tooth conectivity, also my phone just happens to plug in via the provided cord and works a treat.

ps Me and me helmet will be flying in a noisy enviroment, a AT502, have also spoken to rescue services who are doing the same!

Still have my original DC H1030 with dynamic mic, bought in the early eighties, still goes a treat!

My finding's, hope this help's!