Headsets

[timcbr]

Hi everyone, I am looking for some opinions on headsets please. I know there are already some on the forum but they date back a couple of years and I know things change.

Basically I don't live anywhere near a pilot shop, so I don't have the opportunity to try headsets on, so my purchase is something I have to live with!

I have trained using some fairly basic APcom headsets which seemed ok, but I have nothing to gauge them against.

I am considering purchasing a new set and have a budget up to £300. The three most obvious contenders are David Clark H10-13.4, Sennheiser S1 and Beyerdynamic HS400.
I have a small head size (size 53 in motorcycle helmet terms) and have short cropped hair, so I imagine a soft comfortable head band is important.

I look forward to any pointers you may care to give me and thank you in advance.

[weirdfish]

For what it's worth, I would rather buy a second hand ANR headset over a new PNR one. I currently use a David Clarke 13.4 that has been converted to ANR and it leaps and bounds better than the stock 13.4's I used for the first few lessons. I'll probably buy another headset once, or if , I pass my skills test, but keep the DC's as a second set, however, whatever I buy, will be ANR.

I can see Paul Sengupta has some Bose X with new ear seals up for sale which might be worth stretching your budget to

[riverrock]

I've used Dave Clark (club hire so various diff models but don't know the numbers), Seinheiser HME100 (borrowed from instructor), Peltor 8006 (again borrowed).
I found the sound quality better in the Dave Clarks, with the two others tinney. Using DCs, the gel ear seals worked considerably better for me (with glasses) than the foam ones (the club has both). There was also an impedance issue with the Seinheiser ones - so we struggled to get them to work when my instructor was on DCs. This may just be this model and could be adjustable (didn't check). The Sennheiser ones felt more plasticy and lighter than the DCs, the Peltor bigger (but I didn't have them side by side). Both lighter than the DCs.

Dave Clark has a very good customer services reputation and spares for all the bits are readily available. Some of the ones in our club look like they've been used and abused for decades (they probably have) yet they are still going strong.

If all things are level - at this lower price bracket which you're looking at, go DCs.
There are conversion kits available to add ANR to them later as well.

[Flyingfemme]

If you have a small head you will find Bose X very comfortable......I love mine and I'm an Arai XS

[Paul_Sengupta]

For what it's worth, I would rather buy a second hand ANR headset over a new PNR one. I currently use a David Clarke 13.4 that has been converted to ANR and it leaps and bounds better than the stock 13.4's I used for the first few lessons. I'll probably buy another headset once, or if , I pass my skills test, but keep the DC's as a second set, however, whatever I buy, will be ANR.

I second that, once you've gone ANR you never want to go back.

But if you get DCs or DC style ones, I will also say that you should go for the gel earseals, they're much better. I have some DCs which I made up out of the ANR conversion kits which I use in my aeroplane. They're pretty good.

I can see Paul Sengupta has some Bose X with new ear seals up for sale which might be worth stretching your budget to

And brand new leads and microphones, but I'm asking £400 for them. As mentioned, they are comfortable though, especially if you're going to wear them for long periods. They don't have the clamping force of the DCs or DC style ones. And everyone will comment that you have a Bose headset if you want to show off! I believe Big Cat is selling some too, and cheaper than mine! But without the new bits.

[GrahamB]

Items for sale?