Headset
 

I’m an Airbus guy, and have just used the ship’s headset for years. But, given recent, um, events, I’m considering just springing for my own.

Recommendations?

UFlyMike is closed UFN, so while that’s been recommended by someone I flew with, not a near-term option. Plus, they’re not TSOd.

The other three I see recommended the most are DC Pro-X, Bose A20, and in a distant third there are some Clarity Aloft fans.

Telex 8. Get the Ga plugs and the Abus adapter.

you don’t need batteries for the anc

Really?

I thought I read somewhere that all ANR headsets used on Delta's Airbii needed batteries...something about cheaping out with unpowered ship connections?

the telex 850 uses mic bias to power ANR. It’s okay, but not as robust as a real ANR headset. Probably good for the bus cockpit. Insufficient for a 737 or 7ER, in my opinion

Some ANR headsets will not need batteries. The common Telex 850 / Airman 8 series gets it's power from the microphone bias, so even the dual 1/4 inch plug going through a XLR dongle should still power the ANR.

Other headsets that require a powered plug will not be powered on Delta's 320's. I don't know how the 330's and 350's are set up. The Bose A20 will use ships power if it can find it in the XLR plug, and revert to the battery when it can't find power elsewhere. This is managed by a miniature Elf who has a sign with "protect essential" over his tiny little desk.

I'd give the Airman 8 the nod if buying today. My head clamp David Clarks and Bose A20's cause male pattern baldness. This is proven by the fact my hair was thick and brown when I bought them and is now thin and gray. Correlation = causation.

This might be the best headset recommendation ever written!

If the Telex 8 isn’t so great on non-airbus equipment, is there any point in getting the two prong plus adapter? Should I just get the bus compatible one?

my opinion is, that even if it doesn’t work great in other non Airbus, I have a headset until I figure it out.

I bought the Telex 850 when I was on the 73. Huge difference. I couldn’t even hear the capt trying to talk over the cabin noise not using the hot mic. Moved to the 320 and bought the adapter. Makes a huge difference compared to the ship set Telex.

Even before all this started going down, I couldn't understand how anyone used those ship headsets. I'm far from germaphobic, but I was disgusted just wrapping up the cord on those things to put them away, let alone putting one on my head.

I currently use a Clarity Aloft, but I used a Zulu Lightspeed for years before I got that with zero issues. Both are great. Any Telex, Bose, or even the newer DC's should work great too.