Hey all,
I am getting ready to buy a headset and i just wanted to get some opinions on which brand is the best quality. I am in the middle of my ppl but i want to buy one that will last, as i am trying to get all my ratings to fly for airline or corporate. Its seems that the most common brand is david clark. Any advice on which models or brands are the best would help out a lot. Thanks

 

I have the David Clark 13S and I have no complaints.

 

I use a Lightspeed 20XL. Had it for 5 years before I had to take it to Lightspeed HQ to get it fix. The only cost was the shipping and handling.

 

It seems that among the pilot community, especially the turboprop (read: loud) guys that I fly with, the Bose X is regarded as the best there is. I'd say that 80% of our pilot group flies with it, and I've never heard a single complaint about it. I bought mine off of Ebay when I was instructing, and it was not fun to pay for, but the best thing about it is that if I really feel that it's not necessary, I could easily sell it back on Ebay for $800. If you buy yours new, their warranty and service matches, and maybe surpasses, that of David Clark. They pick it up at your door and do not charge you for shipping or repair within 5 years, and in some cases, even longer. It takes up very little room (unlike the lightspeeds), and is ultra-comfortable, even on 7-8 leg days. Noise reduction is incredible...it'l make whatever aircraft you're training in now sound like a mini weed-eater. Just my two cents. If you have a chance to try before you buy (or better yet, compare), I would suggest doing so. Good luck!

 

I own a David Clark 13.4 with an aftermarket ANR conversion and a Bose X. For flying the King Airs nothing beats the Bose. It is lighter, quieter, and clearer than the David Clark. It is well worth the $1000. Remember that if this is going to be your career you have to wear that headset many hours every day. In pistons with mid to low noise the Bose is un-beatable also. The only place that I dont use the Bose is in my Pitts. That plane is so incredibly loud that the Bose simply shuts down because it cant handle that much noise. The David Clark has such great passive noise reduction that the active reduction is able to keep up and do its job. Both companies have great product support and are willing to back up their products with great service.

 

I use david clark products as well. Sure the bose is a great product, but I cant justify spending $1000 on a headset, yet.

 

I thought the same thing when I was flying singles and even in the Bandit (twin turbo prop), but when I moved into the 310 and 402 my mind was changed. Those things are so un-godly loud you need ANR, and if I was going to spend some $$$ might as well do it right and get the best. I bought a set of Bose X's last year and I love them! They have good noise reduction, but on top of that they are the most comfortable headset out there. I often fly between 8-12hrs a day and the Bose never bother me abit, it's almost like your not wearing headsets. They are expensive, but they're worth it, plus they offer financing. I got 2 years 0% intrest when I bought mine through a Bose store, Plus I got a free Bose CD player and headphones.


This isn't true though, it says right in the warranty information they don't pay shipping. I just recently had to send mine out for repair and I had to pay for the shipping to Bose. I had a problem with the ANR intermittently cutting out, I sent it in and they fixed it and I got it back within a week. But on top of fixing that problem they also replaced both yokes due to cosmetic defect's, replaced the head pad, and both ear seals! That was nice! My only other problem is at very low noise levels, like during taxi, there's a very faint electronic whelping I can hear. You have to be paying attention to hear it, but it's there.

 

I'd go with the Bose if you can afford it. If not, the lightspeed is cheaper and also very comfortable but they are bulky.

 

I have Sennheiser HME-100 passive, pretty good price for what you get.

 

I have the same thing, but it is only at certain airports (for me, CYS and ICT). I am thinking that the common denominator here is that both airports have major weather radar stations on/very near the field. A captain that I flew with the other day with David Clark ANR's said that he was hearing the exact same thing when we were in Cheyenne. What airport do you get the whelping?