I’ve been out of flying so long I don’t even know what the latest hotness is in headsets.  Last time I flew was 2015 in a Hawker and iirc we used either DC or Bose over the ear noise canceling headsets.

What are tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 options for someone thinking about getting back in to it!

This has been answered so many times it ought to be a tacked thread.

1. You absolutely want to spring for an ANR headset. Buy once, cry once.

2. The entire ANR headset market is owned by Bose, David Clark (DC), and Lightspeed. There are some other folks building ANR headsets, but very few folks buy them and only because they are trying to save pennies.

3. ANR headsets used to be exclusively battery powered. However Bose created a de facto standard for panel powered headsets and now there is something called the "Bose plug" or "Lemo connector". This will be a factor in your decision.

4. Bluetooth connectivity is now also a very common thing. Talking to clearance delivery on your headset is the most legit reason, but a lot of folks use it to transact business or listen to music. Everyone offers this now, you probably want it.

5. So your choice comes down to which one of the Big Three to buy. Let's discuss...

Bose--if they didn't invent the ANR pilot headset they were certainly the first to perfect it. As a result they are the 800lb gorilla, and there are more Bose A20's flying then probably any other ANR headset out there. You can't really go wrong with a Bose, but they are also the priciest choice, and maybe not the best choice anymore.

Lightspeed--after the A20, there are probably more Lightspeed Zulu's flying than anything else. IMHO people buy them because they work well and are less expensive than the Bose. And some people find them more comfortable than the Bose. But in my opinion they disqualify themselves for one significant reason: you MUST choose between battery power or panel power, you can't have both in the same headset. Bose and DC offer headsets that will work either way, to me that makes the Lightspeed option a non-starter, but I fly in a lot of different equipment so I want/need the flexibility.

David Clark--DC's initial ANR offerings quite frankly sucked. And they were late to the ANR party. So they got a bad reputation and nobody ever thinks of them for ANR. But this is changing. Their DC ONE X model is, IMHO, the best of the bunch. It fits the best, folds up the smallest, and is the most rugged, all while being as lightweight as the Bose. And it's $200 less than the Bose. And you've got that legendary DC service backing them up.

So get either the Bose or the DC ONE X, and get it with the Lemo cable, then buy two adapters, Lemo to GA and Lemo to helicopter. Then you can use them in anything you jump into.

If you are a jet driver consider also both the Bose and David Clark on-ear ANR headsets. They are only for quiet cockpits.

A couple of other dark horse choices are the Clarity Aloft in-ear headsets, and the Lightspeed wireless headset, if you have special requirements that might steer you in those directions.


eta: spelling and grammar

The above post is a home run!

I am on the 747, and I use a Bose QC25, which I don’t think they make anymore, with an NFlight aftermarket mic boom. You can use it for general purposes as well so, two birds with one stone.
https://nflightmic.com/products/nflightmic

I was using the UFlyMike for about 5 years until it broke. I sent it back for service, and it worked for a while but broke again.

It really depends on what you are flying and how long you wear the headset. I might have mine on for 10 plus hours so, it has to be comfortable. On ear sets bug me after a few hours therefore, I prefer over ear models.

Mostly been said above but I will throw in that the Zulu 3 is a very nice headset. I think more comfortable than the Bose with very good ANR.  I don't swap aircraft types all the time (and few of us will) so a set of GA plugs and rare battery changes and I am good to go.  I will add that Lightspeed is also known to have excellent warranty and customer service (I have not had to use it). Only downside for some in the ZULU 3 is that the mic boom can't swap sides.

Good luck!

I'm a huge Lightspeed fan.

I'm getting ready to call Lightspeed today and see if they can offer me something for my wireless Tango headset. It is a great idea that has never really worked correctly. The headset kills/eats batteries. In two years I'm on my 6th battery. They fail to hold a charge. The fuckers seem to die at the worst time. I've given up on it. Not to mention Lightspeed currently has no batteries in stock for it.

Off the wall....I purchased a couple of the cheapest ANR headsets from Aircraft Spruce. Crazed Pilot. Under 200 bucks. While they aren't high end quality, they are functional. I keep them around the hangar so passengers or students who forget their headsets have an ANR they can borrow.

FYI...I bought the Crazed Pilot headsets the LAST time my Tango shit the bed on my and I had to send it to Lightspeed for repair.

Thanks for the info on the David Clark Lemo headsets. I was thinking of putting a Lemo plug in my Model 12 when the time comes so it matches all our helicopters...

But your batteries die and you have to send it back to Lightspeed it sounds like more than once. That doesn't add up

What is a "Model 12" headset? Neither Lightspeed nor David Clark seem to sell a "Model 12" headset.

Sorry about that...I'm building a Pitts Model 12 and when I do the electrical I'll put in a Lemo plug versus dual ga.

As for the Lightspeed fan...I originally had a Zulu before the Tango and I loved it. My friends Bose don't fit/seal against my ears well and I've just never really flown with DC headsets for any amount of time.

Thanks for the replies and excellent gouge!!

The plane(s) in question I'd be getting back in to would be in the E175 or CRJ or E145 most likely.  Ultimately wanting to get back in to 737 or 757 where I was back in the day, before anyone had noise cancelling headsets because we all used to fly the 727 and that took care of whatever hearing we had had.

But yeah, not looking for small GA single or twins or probably even something in the corporate life, as I said above it'll probably be a regional to start then onwards and upwards....  hopefully maybe we will see.

Dayum, brother!

That sounds like a hell of a lot of fun! I've had a ride in a Pitts S-2, and a better ride in a Giles G-202. Both were great experiences

The best approach is the classic arfcom "Get both!" Seriously, put both GA and Lemo jacks in the panel, that way you can plug anything in. It's not really a stretch to do that money-wise or panel real estate-wise. My R44 has both Lemo and U-92A/U (helicopter plug) connectors and that is the best of both worlds.

If you are flying the Pitts you'll probably be wearing a helmet. However anyone going up for "casual" aerobatics would do very well with a headset from Clarity aloft. It is sufficiently lightweight that you don't need any special straps or headset helmet adapters to keep it on your head during aerobatics. I have a Clarity Aloft headset (with custom earmolds from these guys: https://www.pilotstuff.com/pilot_earpiece.html) and it held up to 6 positive and 6 negative G's in the Giles no problem.

Like I wrote, some people just like the way the Lightspeeds fit better than the Bose and that makes it worth any Lightspeed related trade-off's. But now people also have the DC ONE X to choose from and that is a far superior choice to the Lightspeed, and arguably better than the Bose in many ways. You should try a DC ONE X if you can borrow one from somebody. The other thing I like about the DC ONE X compared to the Bose is that if the ANR packs it in (dead battery or whatever), there is still sufficient passive protection so that it is only an annoyance, not the emergency it might be with the Bose.

Not an airline pilot (dark side, helicopters ), so not sure of cockpit noise levels in those aircraft. Hopefully some of the pro's check in here. But you might want to look at the following headsets then, as I alluded to in my first post:

David Clark DC PRO X2
Bose ProFlight Series 2

And there is TimeOnTarget's interesting suggestion as well. Although NFlight sells a TSO'd version, I have to wonder if the non-TSO'd QC35 earphone part would pass muster at all companies?

eta/P.S. You should probably check in at this forum with questions about cockpit noise levels: https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/

What is panel power?   Like you plug into the planes electrical system via wherever interface it has?

I figured it out. (The panel power question, not the one to choose lol)

Good information!!

I am on APC and have been checking there for info too, thanks for all aa777888-2

Just casually glancing at that airline pilot forum and it seems the Clarity Aloft is really popular.

I’ve always been a Bose guy, I liked how my set of X’s fit and how Bose was easy to deal with when I needed them repaired.

I bought a $500 set of used but “refurbished” Bose X’s as a CFI. They got me through 1,000 hours at a part 135 airline. Turns out they were about 15 years old by that point, I accidentally cut the cord open in the plane and it had a few other broken parts. $250 and Bose fixed and replaced anything that was broken.

Then they lasted several thousand hours in Erj-145’s and Emb-175’s and are still in perfect condition even though I no longer use them. All the RJ’s I flew had DC headsets in them, I had to use my DC spare once with gel seals. After a day in the 145 my ears were ringing. Never did it in the 175.

Bose charged me $250 flat fee to repair any and all damage to my headset. It used to be free but the X was no longer in production. The A20’s last I checked would get this service for free under warranty, or a similar fee. One thing that isn’t well known is that Bose would provide this service at big air shows like Sun ‘n fun on site for free. Drop your damaged headsets off one day and pick them up the next day fully restored.

You need ANR in the RJ, so go to an FBO and find one in your budget that fits the best. It’s an investment in protecting your hearing and you’ll be wearing them a lot.

I’m not really a fan of plugs in my ears for long periods of time.  I guess if your on an E145 that’s not really an issue, but Bose A20 is probably still the way to go for work.  I think my Lightspeed Zulu 3 is the best there is, but work doesn’t allow them.

For all of you folks who are saying that the Bose/Lightspeed "is the best there is", you should really try the DC ONE X sometime. You might just change your mind about what's the best. Don't get stuck in the past

What work place doesn't allow Lightspeed Zulu (if you don't mind saying)?  Is there a reason they don't allow it?

Lightspeed headsets are not TSO'd. Some operators require headsets that have a TSO approval.

I prefer my Lightspeed Sierra over the Bose A20 my dad uses. I find the ANR to be equal, the Lightspeed is just more comfortable for me. Lower price is a bonus.

In ear vs over ear for CRJ.  E175?  

How about in a 737 or 757 or A320?  Someone mentioned not liking in ear for long haul stuff. I used an in ear (Telex 5x5) in 737 and 757 but we weren’t doing long haul in those.

I have tried the One X, and I still like the Bose better.  More comfortable to me anyways.

I don't have a recommendation for the OP as I don't know what would work best in a regional jet.  But the A20s have always been awesome for me.  Having bluetooth is nice.  I used to jam music loud, and it would cut out when ATC wanted to bother me.

That question should probably be expanded to be "in-ear, over-ear, on-ear?"

This was a good headset thread over at APF: https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/major/131004-737-headset.html

My take-away from reading it is that in-ear or over-ear for both those types, and the 737, are required, i.e. these are noisier aircraft. On-ear is not going to cut it.

Not an airline pilot, but as someone who owns both a DC ONE X (over-ear) and Clarity Aloft (in-ear) headset, the decision is a very personal one. Comfort varies with conditions. I love the Clarity Aloft, especially since I sprung for the custom earmolds (and bent the shit out of the headset to make it fit my fat head ). But they are just not quiet enough for a long day of helicopter operations, especially with the doors off. So I only use them when I've got short flights, or when it's so hot out that the DC's would make my head sweat

You flew with a single-sided headset?

I got DC Pro X’s. Mine are the on the ear model but there are over the ear also. They work wonderfully and are half the price of Bose or Telex.

I am a newb, and I have been flying with my Bose A20 since December.  I am at about 75 hours.  It has been worth what I paid for it already.  I think I am on my second AA battery.

ETA:  I need to buy 3 non-ANR headsets for my 206 for passengers and family.  I am not going to spring for 3 more A20's.  I have been thinking of one of the DC base models.  Any recommendations?

You ultimately will for the wife/girlfriend

Any of the non-ANR H10 series headsets from DC will work fine. The cheapest is the H10-30 and the other H10's really aren't worth the $50 premium to get the fancy mic boom. They are all built like brick shithouses and will withstand rough handling by passengers who don't know what headsets cost.

There are always great deals on DC H10 series headsets on eBay. I have never bought a new one in my life, always from eBay. I'm up to 3 for my passengers plus 2 spare. Sometimes the deals have been so good on eBay I worry that they have been stolen, though

But buy them off of eBay, clean them up, get whatever spare parts you need to fix and freshen them direct from DC (except for gell ear seals, you can do a lot better on Amazon for those) and you will be GTG. Also buy a small bag of foam mic muffs off of Amazon, those things get lost and ripped at a frightening rate, especially by COVID-obsessed passengers.

DC is spectacularly good about spare parts. I once called them to replace the plastic piece that forms the bones of the headband. They don't sell that in their online parts catalog. I called them and said, "Hey, need one of these but don't see it online". A few minutes later their customer service person comes back on the line and says "We don't sell those, but give me your address and I'll send you one, no charge."

Here's a good review on the DC ONE X:  

https://executiveflyers.com/david-clark-one-x-headset-review/