Grassstrippilot wrote:Buy a Bose QC15 on eBay for $200-250. Then buy a UFly Mike for $150. Now you have a Bose noise canceling headset that can be used for more than just flying planes. Dee and I both use this setup and love them. Light weight and can wear them for hours.

Thanks for the heads up on the Ufly Mike. I have a pair of Bose QC15 but did not know I could get an aviation mic for it. Last flight in my 170 I tried the Bose to see if I liked the noise canceling, before buying the mic. I did not want to take them off.

Thanks Grassstrippilot.

It's an older C-172, so even though it has minimal noise insulation, it's certainly not as loud as most things in the sky. The QC15 might work but don't they go dead if you let the batteries lapse?

I've always wonder why anyone worries about passive noise in case the battery goes flat. Like buying a car based on how well it steers when the power steering stops working. Carry spares, carry earplugs, pay attention to the little light that tells you the battery is on its way out.

Grassstrippilot wrote:
Buy a Bose QC15 on eBay for $200-250. Then buy a UFly Mike for $150. Now you have a Bose noise canceling headset that can be used for more than just flying planes. Dee and I both use this setup and love them. Light weight and can wear them for hours.

A few of my friends have these and use them in pretty noisy environments. They like them flying, and double duty them on the commercial rides in to work. I still use a non-ANR DC for rough duty high noise. I also have a Bose X that the passenger gets and a Bose A20 that I would have passed on as too expensive without employer subsidy, but makes me feel spoiled, or deserving because I've survived this long. In this day of 3G connectivity the cel phone and music capability is a nice luxury that I would want on whatever I use.

Karmutzen, why do you still use the passive DCs if you have bose A20s?
I agree with you 100% on the battery deal. Carry spares, they are light.

ANR's do funny things in the Pitts, and I need the high clamp force for the -6G (even with a chin strap). Plus there is nowhere to hang them and they're always getting kicked around when I climb in and out. I used the BoseX for a while but used to get "reverb" sometimes doing aerobatics. The A20's are too expensive to treat like that so they ride in the luxury of the Citabria.

Here's last weekend, with the DC's. Don't all you backcountry guys give me a hard time about the landing

+1 for the Lightspeed 30-3G. Very comfortable, good sound.

Waterboy wrote:

Grassstrippilot wrote:Buy a Bose QC15 on eBay for $200-250. Then buy a UFly Mike for $150. Now you have a Bose noise canceling headset that can be used for more than just flying planes. Dee and I both use this setup and love them. Light weight and can wear them for hours.

Thanks for the heads up on the Ufly Mike. I have a pair of Bose QC15 but did not know I could get an aviation mic for it. Last flight in my 170 I tried the Bose to see if I liked the noise canceling, before buying the mic. I did not want to take them off.

Thanks Grassstrippilot.

Glad to help! The UFlymic is very well made. I think you'll like it. I always carry spare batteries with me. While you do loose everything when it dies, it takes about 5 seconds, if that, to swap the one battery. I figure I usually get somewhere around 30-40 hours out of one battery, and when it starts to go, little things like a bump on the ear cup or prop noise with the window open will make the headsets momentarily cut out. So you get ample warning to grab a battery and swap it out.

Here's last weekend, with the DC's. Don't all you backcountry guys give me a hard time about the landing
Sorry I missed the show, got there about 16:00 and heard that you had just finished.

From a guy who's lost a lot of hearing over the years, and has the hearing aids to prove it: Spend the money on the best headsets you can buy.....they're worth every penny, believe me.

As to "Worrying about passive noise reduction". I've got a news flash for you: ANR only works on a restricted range of frequencies. For the rest of the frequency spectrum, you also need GOOD passive noise reduction.

Additionally, for those who use In-Ear headsets in GA airplanes.....don't. There's a reason for over the ear domes....they protect the bone process that lives behind your ear. And, without protection of that bone process in a noisy environment, you're going to lose some hearing via that bone transmitting noise to your inner ear.

I know you can buy a lot of gas for the price of a set of really good headsets, but you can't buy new hearing....and hearing aids suck, FYI.

MTV

My job headset/helmet has a set of CEPs that go in ear and inside the ear cup. The system has worked great for me over the years and is relatively inexpensive to upgrade a pair of DCs. Not saying it's the most comfortable, but it is a great way to supplement passive noise reduction of a non-ANR headset.

UH-60andC-180 wrote:My job headset/helmet has a set of CEPs that go in ear and inside the ear cup. The system has worked great for me over the years and is relatively inexpensive to upgrade a pair of DCs. Not saying it's the most comfortable, but it is a great way to supplement passive noise reduction of a non-ANR headset.

x2

Thank you guys. Lightspeed 30-3G it is. Time to troll ebay until a good deal comes up.

I fly with the David Clark H10-13X headset which is the same as the venerable H10-13.4 but with DC's battery powered ANR system. The noise canceling is great and it is easy to tell when the battery will need replacing because there is a warning light and the ANR begins oscillating but if it goes out, the passive reduction is the same as any other DC. I Think they're about $625 new but you could probably pick up a used set in your $300 range. And DC has amazing customer service and will refurbish any of there headsets to like-new condition.

I have a 20-3G I've been planning on trading up to Lightspeed. They give a $300 credit toward a Zulu 2. Or you can buy it. It's in excellent condition with the carry case and audio cables.

Thanks for the input guys. I have purchased a Lightspeed 30-3gs from another BCPer. $275 took it home.


It seemed $300 just wasn't enough to get something new to do the job, so used it was.

mtv wrote:From a guy who's lost a lot of hearing over the years, and has the hearing aids to prove it: Spend the money on the best headsets you can buy.....they're worth every penny, believe me.

As to "Worrying about passive noise reduction". I've got a news flash for you: ANR only works on a restricted range of frequencies. For the rest of the frequency spectrum, you also need GOOD passive noise reduction.

Additionally, for those who use In-Ear headsets in GA airplanes.....don't. There's a reason for over the ear domes....they protect the bone process that lives behind your ear. And, without protection of that bone process in a noisy environment, you're going to lose some hearing via that bone transmitting noise to your inner ear.

I know you can buy a lot of gas for the price of a set of really good headsets, but you can't buy new hearing....and hearing aids suck, FYI.

MTV

I hear you. I Wish I could get it back. Some hearing injuries resulted in tinnitus in my left ear and a pretty annoying constant ringing. It makes the background noise of a fan at night a pleasurable experience... and I'm still young. Hearing is nothing to joke around with.

I have bought 2 sets of headsets from these guys, their customer service is awesome!

http://www.thesquawkshoppe.com/collections/nimbo-pnr

Cody986 wrote:I have bought 2 sets of headsets from these guys, there customer service is awesome! Great quality headsets

http://www.thesquawkshoppe.com/collections/nimbo-pnr

Wow, I like their designs! I've got to go back and read their specs...

CapnMike wrote:

Cody986 wrote:I have bought 2 sets of headsets from these guys, there customer service is awesome! Great quality headsets

http://www.thesquawkshoppe.com/collections/nimbo-pnr

Wow, I like their designs! I've got to go back and read their specs...

I love when people send me this stuff! Y'all are awesome. Thanks for the kudos.

A vintage Cessna headset, similar to the red and white piper, would sure be cool! Nice work

If spending $300 for a used headset is your plan, then Craigslist.org can be your friend

Old Bose X seem to be a good deal used.



http://worldwide.bose.com/productsupport/en_us/web/ahx/page.html

I think the Ebay prices run a tad high compared to Craigslist.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/bose-aviation-headset

These are older units, and not as fancy as the newer Bose and Lightspeeds, but they are good enough for me. I see them come up fairly often these days, so if an older gen Bose is not too much of an afront to one's dignity and ego, they are worth considering.