Originally Posted by
rightrudder
Unless I am talking with the other pilot, I leave my intercom hotmike off. I'm sure the other person doesn't want to hear me breathe, sneeze, etc. It's just common courtesy. That takes care of the issue of mic noise.
RJs have hot mikes - Boeings do not (...or some do but even then it's not a procedure to use them, not sure why?)
So a Bose X headset filters out "too much" noise - in this case it filters out the other guy/gal talking. That's why QC2 + Uflymike is so popular with SWA pilots and other Boeing drivers - it lets you protect your hearing AND you can still hear the other person.