In-ear headsets...
 

How many of you are actually using in-ear headsets? Are they as good as the clamp-in ANR headsets? Anyone have any experience with the Clarity Aloft, Lightspeed Mach1 or the Quiet Technologies headsets?

You either Love 'em or you hate 'em...I am of the latter group!

Hey Rusty,

I use the Lightspeed Mach 1 on the E-170. I love them and one of the captains I know uses them also. I think it all depends on the type of equipment you get. I talked to a few former E-145 guys and they said it might be a little to noisy for this type of headset.

PoK
:cool:

I use the quiet technologies headset, and I love it way more than my david clark, a friend has the clarity aloft and he really likes his. You can't beat the light weight, clarity, and noise dampening.

Pailaka
On your LightSpeed, do you have the custom ear plugs, or do you use the white silicon or blue foam?

I use the Mach 1 and I love it. I haven't thrown down for the custom molded plugs yet, seems to me the blue foam works fine. I used to use a Bose X, I got tired of sending it back for repairs 4 times in 2 years.

Mach Ones were terrible. I have the custom ear molds and can't stand them, anyone want to buy'em?

I've got the mach 1s and I think they're fantastic. I used them on Seminoles and Archers and they worked just as well as anything else I've used in terms of sound quality. They were the only thing I used in the 1900 and for a short time that was great though obviously not good in a turboprop in the long run as you don't want to go deaf when you're 48. Since I never used anything else in the 1900 I have nothing to compare it to. I'll find out in a little bit here how they work in the E-145. I'll be disappointed if they're too noisy.

And I always use either the blue foam or the white rubber things. Someday I'll get around to the custom molds. Most people say it takes some getting used to to feel comfortable in them.

screw the custom molds. use a standard telex 5x5 ($230 or so) or plantronics MS50 ($140) in ear headset with boom mic, buy a "Y adapter" ($20) to add a second ear piece so you can have sound in both ears like the Mach 1, poke a large hole into yellow foam ear plugs (FREE) and slip those over each ear piece (Comes with headset). you will have the quietest most comfortable in ear headset youve ever owned, and just change out the ear plugs every trip or whenever. very cheap comfortable TSO'ed alternative to the Mach 1

My old man gave me his plantronics in ear headset but it only has one plug (made for the 737).

Do these work in the E170? About to start flying them, and want to ditch the clamp sets.

Is there any way to transform a one plug to a two?

http://www.pilotstuff.com/headsets.html

looks like Pilotstuff.com sells that adapter for $45, not sure if thats the best price around, and i have no idea if that will or wont work in the E170. check it out

heres a picture of my home-made in-ear headset. quiet for even the loudest ERJ, comfortable, cheap ($160 for the whole setup), and takes up zero space in your flight case.

http://www.geocities.com/heshamaly/img_1860.jpg

That looks great, and if it works as well as you say, its a darn good bargain. My only question is where did you get the "Y adapter" for the earpiece?

Check the first post on this page.

I have the white silicone and the blue foam, but I use the white silicone. It is so much more comfortable. I am going to get the customized molded ear plugs soon.

PoK

Lots of wires and such...do they tangle at all?

The Y adapter is $16 and is made by avery, and is on the link above as someone mentioned.

you get the same noise reduction as having earplugs in, so if you need more than that then youd have to go over-the-ear. sound is great. the only thing that requires work is cutting a hole in the ear plugs and fitting it on. you can cut the length of the tube that goes to your other ear to whatever length you need as well. I kept mine at the original length. nice thing is whenever you dont need or want the second earpiece, you can throw it off and let it hang around your shirt collar.

when you have the headset on, the wires dont actually tangle. but yes theres some untangling involved when i take it out of the bag cuz i just shove it all in there when im done flying

Clarity Aloft, Best headset i've ever had on, it works great with captains that use the interphone and those that don't. When i was an instructor it was great for those hot as hell 8 hour days.

anyone know the difference between the clarity aloft and the clarity aloft PRO headset?

the Pro headset is TSO'd, costs an extra $200, and has a few extras listed on the website

see

I think mine was only about $100-150 extra.... the Pro / TSO'd version mounts the mike behind the ear, and the cheaper "differently".

I found (by trying both on at Marv Golden supply in San Diego KMYF) that the Pro was better balanced, and lighter.

Thanks for the help. BTW, for everyone else that might have been confused about the Y adapter. The Y adapter that is linked to at the top of the second page is to change a single plug to a dual plug (aka GA system). For the earpiece Y adapter use this link.

http://www.pilotstuff.com/dual_earpiece_kit.html

hmmm ill have to test one of these clarity aloft headsets against mine to see if its really worth the added cost. I really like mine because the boom mic doesnt hang around your ear which can get kind of aggravating at times. Instead you can either clip it to glasses or use the standard over the head piece that comes with the headset, and that feels like nothing at all on your head.

If you choose to go with the custom ear molds, one of the biggest complaints ive heard is that "tugging" feeling of the boom mic on your ear, could feel a bit akward.

You fix that problem by sliding the mic assembly back toward your ear as far as it will go. I have used the Telex 5x5 Pro with custom ear molds for the last 12 years. No maintenance issues. No discomfort.

I have used a plantronics MS-something for 3 years and love it. Dont even know its in my ear and i hear every comm.

Avaitormar...Ill buy them PM me and we'll talk