Subjective Headset Comp: Bose-DC-Clarity A
08-05-2019, 05:00 PM
#31
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 584
Originally Posted by okawner
Any Telex fans? Pros/cons of various models? Currently using non-ANR Airman on the gup but thinking of switching to an ANR model. I prefer the on-the-ear design.
When I first put them on I thought they were broken, because when I switched the intercom on and off there was no difference in ANR. Turns out in the Airbus at least, the 'mic bias' is always there (maybe all fleets are like that).
There is no wow factor to the ANR level like with my Bose X, but it's there and in the Bus it's enough to hear transmissions clearly and prevent hearing loss.
11-15-2019, 05:19 AM
#32
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2006
Position: B767 FO
Posts: 421
Originally Posted by Han Solo
Too long DNR:
David Clark Pro-X ANR/ENC (Winner! Convenient and comfortable)
Bose ProFlight (Best features, excellent sound quality)
Clarity Aloft Flex (Not much nice to say about it)
I'll start with the disclaimers. Zero scientific measurements taken, and as you will read further the comparison really boiled down to comfort and ease of use with features taking a back seat. All 3 sounded great and offered plenty of sound suppression in a fairly quiet cockpit (717). My goals were (in order) comfort, sound quality, hearing protection, ease of use, and extra features. None of the test legs were over 2 hours and other than owning and loving other Bose products and disliking the color green, I had no agendas (or sponsors) going in. I paid for all 3 headsets with the intent of returning the losers minus shipping costs. It was my intent to purchase all 3 from the manufacturer since Bose and DC have airline pilot discounts but availability was an issue so I had to get the Bose on Amazon and the DC from Marv Golden Pilot Supplies. I won't spend too much time on physical descriptions since each company's web site will do a better job; however, I will talk about the implications of those design decisions. I'll list the headsets in order that I received them.
Clarity Aloft Flex $710 ($725 + $15 shipping - $30 SUNnFUN discount)
Very light headset with a small carrying case which easily fit into my bag. I wore yellow foamies in the USAF for 20 years so the earplug design didn't bother me; however, when compared with the other 2 it was less comfortable. Sound quality was great and noise attenuation was probably the best of the 3. Completely passive system which doesn't require batteries another plus. After this, I run out of nice things to say about this headset.
Of the 3, it's the most cumbersome to put on -- there is very little "form" to the headset with wires dangling everywhere. It easily gets tangled on itself and I often found myself fumbling around trying to locate the speakers in order to insert them into my ear. If you're long haul maybe less of an issue, but on a NB where you might need to change planes once or twice per day plus multiple opportunities to speak with ground personnel, MX, or the company it's a significant issue. They include several foam covers for each speaker and I needed them, in only 2 legs of use I had a foam cover fall off 3 times and lost one of them. Perhaps I put them on incorrectly but even if I did I still blame the manufacturer: it's either a poor design that doesn't stay adequately secure or it's a poor design that leads the user to think they've properly installed the foam cover but haven't. Cockpit conversations were difficult with the earplug fully inserted so you have to loosen it a little bit to talk to the other pilot but unlike the other 2, once you want to go back to full noise attenuation you have to fully remove the ear piece, squish it up, and reinsert. This in and out gives the troublesome foam covers additional opportunities to work themselves loose. The speakers are held in place with an over the ear bracket similar to what several manufacturers use with running headsets. This design copies what you find in the ultra-cheap running headset category and after 30 minutes it developed pressure points on my ear cartilage making this a VERY uncomfortable headset for me. This was also the only headset that interfered with my movement -- the cable or ear bracket kept getting caught on my left shoulder harness whenever I turned my head left. While the sound quality was excellent, outgoing transmissions were terrible. The boom mic (which fell out of its housing several times) is not long enough and I had to constantly readjust the mic for ATC to be able to hear me. Not a big deal for me but if you care there is no Bluetooth, only a 3.5mm receptacle. Finally, it's a 3D puzzle trying to get the headset back into its case without putting any pressure on the wire connections. Due to its size and weight I really wanted to love this headset but after testing there was no way I would ever consider owning this. Others on this board swear by this headset so as usual YMMV.
Bose ProFlight $1069 ($996 + $69 tax)
I love Bose products; I own a pair of QC25s, QC35s, and 2 pairs of Soundsport running headphones so I'm intimately familiar with their earpiece design and sound quality. The first thing you notice when you get these (aside from big $$$) is the gigantic hard case, if you are commuting this will be a major negative and even though I live in base I didn't like giving up such a huge portion of my flight bag to the ginormous case (I'd estimate about double the volume of a QC35 case). Of the 3, I felt like the sound quality was the best and the active noise cancellation is adjustable making it a run away winner in this category. The Bluetooth was simple to pair and the headset has a function which will mute your connected device for any incoming radio transmission. I tested this feature at the gate and it worked perfectly. The battery case has a clever rubber loop around it giving you a great way to hang the weighty control module. I also like that Bose considered you might want to speak with the other pilot. You can remove the earpiece entirely and there is a built-in hook to hang the speaker which works very well. They also have a tap function which will turn off noise cancelling in just one ear piece. I found that feature to be clunky and unusable. It hurt my hearing to tap on the speaker in my ear and it usually took several taps to get it to work. Once noise cancelling was turned off I found the sensation of cancelling in one ear and none in the other to be "odd" at best. Good idea in theory but in practice I'd never use it.
In regards to comfort, I found it to be OK. I couldn't find the sweet spot where it didn't apply too much pressure to my noggin but wouldn't slip when I turned my head. It wasn't so uncomfortable as to cause pain, but I definitely noticed the pressure above my ears from the mounting system. If I got it where there was minimal pressure above the ears, then due to the heavy weight of the cord and battery compartment, when I'd turn my head the headset would slide back and forth on my head. Not a deal breaker but not ideal. The ear pieces are very similar to my running headset and just like the running headset, they occasionally move around. They never fell out of my ears but I had to readjust them several times in-flight as I felt them working their way out. Storing them or putting them on quickly between flights wasn't anywhere near as bad as the Clarity Aloft, but it also wasn't anywhere near as convenient as the DC Pro-X. I could see owning a pair of these, but in the end they weren't my favorite of the 3.
David Clark DC Pro-X ANR/ENC: $695
These are the personal headsets I see the most often on the 717 and now I see why. This is the only headset that ships with a soft container which I prefer. Donning the headset and taking it off as well as storage was extremely simple which is great for a NB pilot. I feel like sound quality and noise attenuation wasn't quite as good as the other 2 headsets, but all 3 are so much better than what I was used to the small difference between the 3 was (literally and figuratively) in the noise. Maybe if you're on a 737 the noise cancelling might be borderline and you'd want something over the ear but on anything else it should be more than enough. If you care about the Bluetooth, it took a while for my iPhone to find the DC but once it did I had no issues. I also tested this pair at the gate and while there is no mute feature, you have separate volume controls for incoming transmissions and Bluetooth. You also have independent volume control for each ear which would be great if you had more hearing loss in one of your ears, or you want one side lower to speak with the other pilot. Since this is the only pair that goes on top of the ear, in a quiet cockpit you really don't even need to turn on the noise cancellation for adequate levels of protection; however, I had it on for my test. Talking with the other pilot could be done with active noise cancellation or you can go old-school and just slip one side halfway off. The biggest selling point of these headset was the comfort -- the headset had no pressure points and stay in place when I turned my head side to side. Combine the best comfort, the most convenience, comparable sound quality, adequate noise cancellation, and over $350 less than the Bose and this was a run away winner.
David Clark Pro-X ANR/ENC (Winner! Convenient and comfortable)
Bose ProFlight (Best features, excellent sound quality)
Clarity Aloft Flex (Not much nice to say about it)
I'll start with the disclaimers. Zero scientific measurements taken, and as you will read further the comparison really boiled down to comfort and ease of use with features taking a back seat. All 3 sounded great and offered plenty of sound suppression in a fairly quiet cockpit (717). My goals were (in order) comfort, sound quality, hearing protection, ease of use, and extra features. None of the test legs were over 2 hours and other than owning and loving other Bose products and disliking the color green, I had no agendas (or sponsors) going in. I paid for all 3 headsets with the intent of returning the losers minus shipping costs. It was my intent to purchase all 3 from the manufacturer since Bose and DC have airline pilot discounts but availability was an issue so I had to get the Bose on Amazon and the DC from Marv Golden Pilot Supplies. I won't spend too much time on physical descriptions since each company's web site will do a better job; however, I will talk about the implications of those design decisions. I'll list the headsets in order that I received them.
Clarity Aloft Flex $710 ($725 + $15 shipping - $30 SUNnFUN discount)
Very light headset with a small carrying case which easily fit into my bag. I wore yellow foamies in the USAF for 20 years so the earplug design didn't bother me; however, when compared with the other 2 it was less comfortable. Sound quality was great and noise attenuation was probably the best of the 3. Completely passive system which doesn't require batteries another plus. After this, I run out of nice things to say about this headset.
Of the 3, it's the most cumbersome to put on -- there is very little "form" to the headset with wires dangling everywhere. It easily gets tangled on itself and I often found myself fumbling around trying to locate the speakers in order to insert them into my ear. If you're long haul maybe less of an issue, but on a NB where you might need to change planes once or twice per day plus multiple opportunities to speak with ground personnel, MX, or the company it's a significant issue. They include several foam covers for each speaker and I needed them, in only 2 legs of use I had a foam cover fall off 3 times and lost one of them. Perhaps I put them on incorrectly but even if I did I still blame the manufacturer: it's either a poor design that doesn't stay adequately secure or it's a poor design that leads the user to think they've properly installed the foam cover but haven't. Cockpit conversations were difficult with the earplug fully inserted so you have to loosen it a little bit to talk to the other pilot but unlike the other 2, once you want to go back to full noise attenuation you have to fully remove the ear piece, squish it up, and reinsert. This in and out gives the troublesome foam covers additional opportunities to work themselves loose. The speakers are held in place with an over the ear bracket similar to what several manufacturers use with running headsets. This design copies what you find in the ultra-cheap running headset category and after 30 minutes it developed pressure points on my ear cartilage making this a VERY uncomfortable headset for me. This was also the only headset that interfered with my movement -- the cable or ear bracket kept getting caught on my left shoulder harness whenever I turned my head left. While the sound quality was excellent, outgoing transmissions were terrible. The boom mic (which fell out of its housing several times) is not long enough and I had to constantly readjust the mic for ATC to be able to hear me. Not a big deal for me but if you care there is no Bluetooth, only a 3.5mm receptacle. Finally, it's a 3D puzzle trying to get the headset back into its case without putting any pressure on the wire connections. Due to its size and weight I really wanted to love this headset but after testing there was no way I would ever consider owning this. Others on this board swear by this headset so as usual YMMV.
Bose ProFlight $1069 ($996 + $69 tax)
I love Bose products; I own a pair of QC25s, QC35s, and 2 pairs of Soundsport running headphones so I'm intimately familiar with their earpiece design and sound quality. The first thing you notice when you get these (aside from big $$$) is the gigantic hard case, if you are commuting this will be a major negative and even though I live in base I didn't like giving up such a huge portion of my flight bag to the ginormous case (I'd estimate about double the volume of a QC35 case). Of the 3, I felt like the sound quality was the best and the active noise cancellation is adjustable making it a run away winner in this category. The Bluetooth was simple to pair and the headset has a function which will mute your connected device for any incoming radio transmission. I tested this feature at the gate and it worked perfectly. The battery case has a clever rubber loop around it giving you a great way to hang the weighty control module. I also like that Bose considered you might want to speak with the other pilot. You can remove the earpiece entirely and there is a built-in hook to hang the speaker which works very well. They also have a tap function which will turn off noise cancelling in just one ear piece. I found that feature to be clunky and unusable. It hurt my hearing to tap on the speaker in my ear and it usually took several taps to get it to work. Once noise cancelling was turned off I found the sensation of cancelling in one ear and none in the other to be "odd" at best. Good idea in theory but in practice I'd never use it.
In regards to comfort, I found it to be OK. I couldn't find the sweet spot where it didn't apply too much pressure to my noggin but wouldn't slip when I turned my head. It wasn't so uncomfortable as to cause pain, but I definitely noticed the pressure above my ears from the mounting system. If I got it where there was minimal pressure above the ears, then due to the heavy weight of the cord and battery compartment, when I'd turn my head the headset would slide back and forth on my head. Not a deal breaker but not ideal. The ear pieces are very similar to my running headset and just like the running headset, they occasionally move around. They never fell out of my ears but I had to readjust them several times in-flight as I felt them working their way out. Storing them or putting them on quickly between flights wasn't anywhere near as bad as the Clarity Aloft, but it also wasn't anywhere near as convenient as the DC Pro-X. I could see owning a pair of these, but in the end they weren't my favorite of the 3.
David Clark DC Pro-X ANR/ENC: $695
These are the personal headsets I see the most often on the 717 and now I see why. This is the only headset that ships with a soft container which I prefer. Donning the headset and taking it off as well as storage was extremely simple which is great for a NB pilot. I feel like sound quality and noise attenuation wasn't quite as good as the other 2 headsets, but all 3 are so much better than what I was used to the small difference between the 3 was (literally and figuratively) in the noise. Maybe if you're on a 737 the noise cancelling might be borderline and you'd want something over the ear but on anything else it should be more than enough. If you care about the Bluetooth, it took a while for my iPhone to find the DC but once it did I had no issues. I also tested this pair at the gate and while there is no mute feature, you have separate volume controls for incoming transmissions and Bluetooth. You also have independent volume control for each ear which would be great if you had more hearing loss in one of your ears, or you want one side lower to speak with the other pilot. Since this is the only pair that goes on top of the ear, in a quiet cockpit you really don't even need to turn on the noise cancellation for adequate levels of protection; however, I had it on for my test. Talking with the other pilot could be done with active noise cancellation or you can go old-school and just slip one side halfway off. The biggest selling point of these headset was the comfort -- the headset had no pressure points and stay in place when I turned my head side to side. Combine the best comfort, the most convenience, comparable sound quality, adequate noise cancellation, and over $350 less than the Bose and this was a run away winner.
Originally Posted by EMBFlyer
Great review!
I fly the 737, so it's noisy and we do some longer legs with it (DFW out to the West Coast, some transcons, the midwest to PHX, etc). I started off with the DC Pro-X. Had no issues with them. Thought they were great!
Then I decided to try out the Bose ProFlight. Like you, I could not find that sweet spot and after one leg, I had a headache. Never could get comfortable. I returned those for Bose A20s. They were great in the 737. They cut out a lot of noise and were somewhat comfortable. However, they did get bulky on longer legs. After an 8-hour day, they felt a little vice-like.
On a whim, I decided to try my DCs again for a leg. I haven't looked back. The Bose is on the shelf and the DCs are in my bag. It really is the perfect headset for 737. It doesn't cancel as much noise as the Bose, but it gets the job done and they're way more comfortable!
I fly the 737, so it's noisy and we do some longer legs with it (DFW out to the West Coast, some transcons, the midwest to PHX, etc). I started off with the DC Pro-X. Had no issues with them. Thought they were great!
Then I decided to try out the Bose ProFlight. Like you, I could not find that sweet spot and after one leg, I had a headache. Never could get comfortable. I returned those for Bose A20s. They were great in the 737. They cut out a lot of noise and were somewhat comfortable. However, they did get bulky on longer legs. After an 8-hour day, they felt a little vice-like.
On a whim, I decided to try my DCs again for a leg. I haven't looked back. The Bose is on the shelf and the DCs are in my bag. It really is the perfect headset for 737. It doesn't cancel as much noise as the Bose, but it gets the job done and they're way more comfortable!
Thinking of trying out the Series 2. Appears that Series 2 has cleaned up some of the issues mentioned.
Thanks in advance.
11-20-2019, 05:32 AM
#33
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Nov 2013
Position: Fastest Hunk of Junk in the Galaxy
Posts: 1,657
Originally Posted by OKLATEX
Quick question regarding the Bose Pro Flight. I am assuming you both had Series One of the Bose?
Thinking of trying out the Series 2. Appears that Series 2 has cleaned up some of the issues mentioned.
Thanks in advance.
Thinking of trying out the Series 2. Appears that Series 2 has cleaned up some of the issues mentioned.
Thanks in advance.
11-30-2019, 03:04 PM
#34
SDQ Base Chief
Joined APC: Mar 2006
Position: 320 CA
Posts: 5,588
Buy the Bose A20 or Proflight 2 and get free QC20 earphones. Seems like a decent promo
https://boseaviation.com/promo/subscribe/
https://boseaviation.com/promo/subscribe/
12-16-2019, 05:12 PM
#37
Line Holder
Joined APC: Sep 2008
Position: 320A
Posts: 60
73 guy here. I use DC Pro (passive) and they work well. I do, however, not like to fly the 800 because they are a bit louder than the 900’s. They were most excellent on the 320 and 757/767 but I’m thinking I might be ready to make the jump to the new Pro X 2. My only hesitation is that I’ve tried (borrowed) the Pro X from my FO’s (twice) and they didn’t seem to be an improvement in noise cancellation. Only selling point was Blue Tooth which I likely won’t use. Anyone else notice the passive DC Pro’s cancel noise just as good as the Pro X? I don’t understand why. I’m pretty sure they were turned on (that’s what she said). Really hoping the Pro X 2’s are noticeably better.
For this reasons I’m also looking at the new DC Pro 2. Although, I’m having trouble finding what’s different about them (couldn’t find comparisons with DC Pro).
Anyways, please keep giving your $.02 on the subject. Every little bit helps with the decision.
For this reasons I’m also looking at the new DC Pro 2. Although, I’m having trouble finding what’s different about them (couldn’t find comparisons with DC Pro).
Anyways, please keep giving your $.02 on the subject. Every little bit helps with the decision.
12-16-2019, 05:41 PM
#38
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2012
Posts: 290
Originally Posted by DELTA DOG
73 guy here. I use DC Pro (passive) and they work well. I do, however, not like to fly the 800 because they are a bit louder than the 900’s. They were most excellent on the 320 and 757/767 but I’m thinking I might be ready to make the jump to the new Pro X 2. My only hesitation is that I’ve tried (borrowed) the Pro X from my FO’s (twice) and they didn’t seem to be an improvement in noise cancellation. Only selling point was Blue Tooth which I likely won’t use. Anyone else notice the passive DC Pro’s cancel noise just as good as the Pro X? I don’t understand why. I’m pretty sure they were turned on (that’s what she said). Really hoping the Pro X 2’s are noticeably better.
For this reasons I’m also looking at the new DC Pro 2. Although, I’m having trouble finding what’s different about them (couldn’t find comparisons with DC Pro).
Anyways, please keep giving your $.02 on the subject. Every little bit helps with the decision.
For this reasons I’m also looking at the new DC Pro 2. Although, I’m having trouble finding what’s different about them (couldn’t find comparisons with DC Pro).
Anyways, please keep giving your $.02 on the subject. Every little bit helps with the decision.
12-17-2019, 01:53 AM
#39
Line Holder
Joined APC: Sep 2008
Position: 320A
Posts: 60
Originally Posted by sigler
Have you looked at the DC One X? I've been pretty happy with it, the ANR works pretty well and it packs very compactly
I have tried it on and it did feel fairly comfortable. But I only had it on for a couple of minutes in the store. My buddy at SWA has one and he said it starts to feel like a clamp after a long day. I know we don’t have the same head size but his comment still scared me away. I’ll have to take another serious look at it. How is it for you in long days?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
12-18-2019, 08:46 AM
#40
Line Holder
Joined APC: Sep 2008
Position: 320A
Posts: 60
I just tried buying the Bose A20's with the Delta Perks discount of 15% and the representative said that our discount does not apply to the Aviation headsets. He said it was removed about 5 months ago. Major bummer.
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