I sent in a DC 10-20 to Headsets Inc last month for them to install one of their ANR kits.
http://www.headsetsinc.com/ANR_kits.html

Got it back Monday, and (except for the 4 week turnaround time) I'm pretty pleased.
The ANR kit was $169, the 3-in-1 cord $22, installation $50, return shipping $15- for a total of $256.
When I opened up the box, I discovered that they replaced my old gel seals with a $20 new set, but didn't charge me for them. Everything they removed was bagged & in the box.

I've never had an ANR headset before, although I've tried a few that belonged to others.
The ANR works as well as any of those I've tried. In fact, sometimes the ANR is almost a little too effective-- I might be leaving it turned off at takeoff time, so I can more easily hear if something's not right.

Unlike some other ANR headsets, this one cuts down on the noise pretty well even with the ANR turned off. I also discovered that the radio volume is higher than before, and that my crappy sidetone is now loud and clear. KInd of a win/win.

For anyone else who like me wants to try ANR but doesn't want to plunk down several hundred dollars for a new headset, this is a pretty good way to go. Headsets Inc also sells their own brand of ANR headsets for about $400, available from Spruce or direct from them . And looking through my Pacific Coast Avionics catalog, I see that they also offer their own ANR headset for even less, $349.
https://www.pacificcoastavionics.com/pr ... anrbt.aspx

Thank you for the link and pilot report, I am also one of those people who wants to go ANR but doesn't want to spend top dollar. A friend loaned me an ANR headset to try for a flight a month ago and the experience was fantastic.

+1 for Headsets Inc on their products, installation and customer service. A few years back I bought a helmet from GBflyer, and had Headsets Inc install their ANR on it. Great experience.
-DP

I've done the Headsets Inc. kit to a cheap headset with good results but my best results are with my HGU-55 helmet. Great attenuation. Easy to install also.

RT

Their kit is good. I converted two david clarks. If you are decent with a soldering gun you can install a kit yourself in about an hour. Not a really difficult task. They work great, phenomenally better than when they were just passive. I now have a bluetooth a20 Bose. To go back to the anr david clarks now is definatley a good step down. The anr kit spoils you and you kick yourself that you never did this years earlier, but you keep wanting better......

Thanks for the Pirep hotrod. Do they still clamp hard like all David Clarks? I have a couple 10-60s for the rear passengers and have been debating installing these in them.

A1Skinner wrote:Thanks for the Pirep hotrod. Do they still clamp hard like all David Clarks? I have a couple 10-60s for the rear passengers and have been debating installing these in them.

Yes, they're still David Clamps!

Kit just replaces the original speakers for a slightly smaller set and some circuitry in the ear-cups, plus a battery box on the cord. Really is a great little kit for the money, was the only way a lot of us got anr before the Zulus came along.

I've found that anr helps greatly in hearing noises that are intermittent, like misfires and loose doors, etc.

Also invaluable in busy airspace where actually understanding other traffic's radios is paramount to safety.



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Halestorm wrote:

A1Skinner wrote:Thanks for the Pirep hotrod. Do they still clamp hard like all David Clarks? I have a couple 10-60s for the rear passengers and have been debating installing these in them.

Yes, they're still David Clamps!

Kit just replaces the original speakers for a slightly smaller set and some circuitry in the ear-cups, plus a battery box on the cord. Really is a great little kit for the money, was the only way a lot of us got anr before the Zulus came along.

I've found that anr helps greatly in hearing noises that are intermittent, like misfires and loose doors, etc.

Also invaluable in busy airspace where actually understanding other traffic's radios is paramount to safety.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks.
I agree that ANR is great for hearing little sounds. I have a Zulu and Zulu2 for up front. Just dot want to spend big $$ for the rear as they don't get used that much. Have been thinking about getting a Tango and retiring my zulu to the back, but I'm going to school this fall so that plan will have to wait a couple years.

I use the Bose A20 as my primary headset. Still have a Bose X that I use in small cockpits - and also because I have the low impedance mike for it that I need in some aircraft intercom systems. My back seat gets a vanilla David Clark, and I'm not (too) concerned with how they are handled or whether they are comfortable or not.

Some friends have the converted UFlyMike non-aviation Bose QC-15 that they use in noisy helicopters and are happy with them. Even fly them in Europe where EASA gets anal about headsets (they are on the MEL).

Karmutzen wrote:I use the Bose A20 as my primary headset. Still have a Bose X that I use in small cockpits

I've got a Bose X. I've been debating on upgrading to an A20 - is it worth the price?

A1Skinner wrote:..... Do they still clamp hard like all David Clarks? .......

I guess I'm in the minority here-- I've had my 10-13.4's for about 18 years and don't find them uncomfortable.
Maybe I have a harder / thicker head than everyone else?

I do find headset earcups hot & sweaty in the summertime, even here in the relatively cool PNW.
I've thought about trying a set of the earplug-type headsets. The Clarity Alofts are pretty spendy, but the Quiet Technologies Halo's look similar and cost a lot less -- about $350 or so.
Per MT, these may not prevent hearing damage however.

I've got a Bose X. I've been debating on upgrading to an A20 - is it worth the price?

The A20 are nice, some extra features like cel phone connectivity and music, better ANR. I like the svelte smaller form factor of the X though, never understood the whole "but if the ANR quits it will be loud" argument. Hell, carry some batteries, or wire them to aircraft power.

To your question: "is it worth the price": It wouldn't be to me. Flying something noisy for 1000 hrs per year would be a more "practical" deciding factor and going from an X to an A20 is starting to split hairs. Even work wise, if I'm travelling for days international to fly a few hours I don't bother to bring the A20 and just use whatever DC I can find under the seat.

Difficult question for recreational flying because the whole damn thing is just one big luxury so what's an extra $1000 thrown at it.

Karmutzen wrote:Difficult question for recreational flying because the whole damn thing is just one big luxury so what's an extra $1000 thrown at it.

I say that too much already as it is.

Karmutzen wrote:

I've got a Bose X. I've been debating on upgrading to an A20 - is it worth the price?

The A20 are nice, some extra features like cel phone connectivity and music, better ANR. I like the svelte smaller form factor of the X though, never understood the whole "but if the ANR quits it will be loud" argument. Hell, carry some batteries, or wire them to aircraft power.

To your question: "is it worth the price": It wouldn't be to me. Flying something noisy for 1000 hrs per year would be a more "practical" deciding factor and going from an X to an A20 is starting to split hairs. Even work wise, if I'm travelling for days international to fly a few hours I don't bother to bring the A20 and just use whatever DC I can find under the seat.

Difficult question for recreational flying because the whole damn thing is just one big luxury so what's an extra $1000 thrown at it.

Agreed, I carry 4 extra batteries in the plane.

Good points. Its more of a wish than a true want at this point. I think I'll keep making these Xs do.

Thanks!

I've had the HI kit in one of my 13.4 headsets for several years, and it's a huge improvement, for sure. I installed it myself--not difficult at all. I strongly recommend the auto-shut off box--definitely saves batteries.

But I just sprung for a new DC One-X here at OSH--after trying one on, it's a whole lot different from previous DCs. I have 30 days to decide if it's all that much better--the trip home should make a good test.

For those who aren't aware, Oregon Aero's comfort and hush kits are a good improvement for any passive headset. I have those on my 2 13.4s and my old 10-30. Also, they have some fabric covers which help a lot in the sweaty summer--$20 and worth more. I'm going to try the new headset without that to give DC's claims a test, but if I find myself sweating, I'll pull the covers off my other headset and try it out.

Cary

Thanks for the PIREP!

ANR is really one of the best ROIs in aviation, even at $1k for a headset it's far less than what non reversible hearing damage will cost, I got my ANR Zulus right when I graduated from my flight school loaners when my my PPL.

Backup set is a DC 46, got all the comfort goodies on it, but I really should ANR it, going from my Zulus to the DCs on rare occasion, it is a giant downgrade, even in a plush turboprop, in my 185, yeah forget that noise.


For $169, zero reason to become that dude that says "WHAT?" all the time

hotrod180 wrote:.....And looking through my Pacific Coast Avionics catalog, I see that they also offer their own ANR headset for even less, $349.
https://www.pacificcoastavionics.com/pr ... anrbt.aspx

I was looking through a Trade-a-Plane today & noticed that Pac Coast Avionics offers an even less expensive ANR headset for $249.

https://www.pacificcoastavionics.com/pr ... undle.aspx

PIREP on my new DC One-X: truly outstanding! With a total of just under 9 hours, I can say that it is as much of an improvement over my DC 13.4 converted with the HI ANR kit, as that one is over a passive 13.4. It is very light, very quiet, very comfortable, and the Bluetooth is nice connected to my iPad, so that the verbal warnings which pop up are easily heard as well as seen. Like all DC headsets, it appears to be extraordinarily well made.

After a few hours, I decided to pull off the fabric covers from my old headset and put them onto the new one. It was warm enough that my head was sweating, and the new earseals had started to feel a little sticky. I could not tell that the covers interfered at all with the ANR (never thought that they did with the converted 13.4, either). They come in 3 sizes for various thickness of headset ear seals, but they're stretchy enough that sizing isn't critical. I'm a fan of OA stuff anyway (I had them rebuild my pilot seat several years ago, so it's much, MUCH more comfortable than stock). Oregon Aero calls these "Softskin Ear Seal Covers", and at $11, they're an incredible bargain (when I said that they were $20 earlier, I forgot that I'd bought 2 pairs at OSH at the time).

I need a few more hours with the new headset before I can be sure, but right now, I'm disinclined to return it.

Cary

Speaking of headsets, a couple days ago I bought a QT Halo in-the-ear type headset from a guy on this site. It's scheduled to be delivered today, so I'm hoping to fly with it tomorrow.
I've very pleased with my ANR-converted DC's, but they're still hot & sweaty in warm weather. We'll have to see it stacks up against the ANR as far as noise, but this Halo should be a breath of fresh air, at least until wintertime.

Flew with the QT Halo headset for the first time yesterday.
Didn't seem to be as quiet as my ANR-cnverted DC's, but was every bit as quiet as my standard DC's.
Comfortable, cool on a warm day, good sound quality, mike worked fine.
I like them!
Tough call between these and the ANR's.
They do take a bit longer to put on is the only drawback.