I am looking at buying the Bose A-20's, but haven't heard much about them. Does anyone have any experience with them at all... and I've noticed that the Bose website says that they meet or exceed the TSO requirements by the FAA, but are they actually TSO'd?

 

I dunno if they are TSO'D or not...but THEY ROCK. Way better noise cancelling than my Lightspeed, it feels like I am wearing nothing at all, and the best part is the aux input music sounds INCREDIBLE. I have heard the A20's noise reduction is better than the Bose X, but i have no real experience with the X. I highly suggest them, even though the price tag is rather steep. I am doing the financing plan which costs about 90 bucks a month for 12 months, 0% interest.

Since I already have noted hearing loss after only a few years of flying high performance singles, I considered them in investment for my career....and my ears.

 

Santa,

Heres my list:

A pair of a20's
Starbucks gift cards
iTunes cards
A new chart case
Travel alarm clock
A pay raise

Thanks,
Fsupilot

Merry Christmas early!

Just kidding. I have a pair of Bose x and they are phenomenal. Customer service is great too. If they aren't tso'd now they should be soon I imagine. Cant go wrong id say.

 

The Bose A-20 is the same NR technology 'leap' from the Bose X as the Bose QC-2 is to the Bose QC-15. Both the QC-15 and the Bose A-20 added an external mic on each ear cup that allows the NR 'anti-noise' to more accurately model and therefore cancel the noise that is likely being heard by the wearer, as well as new ear molds that are 'improved'.

I'm 99% sure the A-20 is TSO'd (Bose's selling point of buying an 'aviation headset' vs. the same technology in a 'non-aviation headset' @ 1/3 the price), but, once you find out the real meaning of what it takes to make a headset TSO'd (virtually nothing) and what it takes to maintain a headset's TSO certification (not much, but NOBODY does it), and how many pilots are not flying with TSO'd headsets (anyone with custom ear molds, for starters) what you might want to really be asking is not "is the headset TSO'd", but rather "will the FAA or my chief pilot think I'm using a TSO'd headset if I use the A-20"?

 

Thanks!

FSUpilot... you're gifts are currently being made - don't screw it up by being bad!

Santa

 

We've used them in a few TBM's already, and for the people that use blue-tooth it works well. I haven't had time to really play with them yet, but they are slightly more comfortable than the X's. I still prefer my clarity aloft.