[NDB_hold]

Should I be worried about this?

From comments made by friends, for example, the Lightspeed Zulu has poor performance if the batteries run down. It seems to me something like the SEHT 40-80, which is a more conventional headset plus ANR, would provide better performance under those circumstances.

Am I wrong to be worried?

[Gas Guzzler]

No need to be worried, just carry spare batteries in your flight bag. Even my Bose A20 are a bit poor when the battery fails but changing them in flight for new ones is not a real problem.

[riverrock]

I'd say light speed Zulus are still pretty comparable to DCs when the batteries run out. Still very much flyable. They are much better than Bose A20s with no batteries.

[Genghis the Engineer]

My SEHT 40-80 are okay- basically nearly as good as a DC or HM40 with the batteries failed, but tend to resonate a bit with engine noise.

The fact is that no conventional ANR headsets are brilliant without battery power. Do carry spare batteries.

G

[B1engineer]

I use DC Pro x in a C42.
Passively still usable if batteries fail. In fact once forgot to turn them on.
Which is pretty good considering they don't fully cover the ear.
Always carry a couple of AA's with me.

B1

[johnm]

I have been known to change batteries in the air and always have spares in my headset bag

[Dave W]

Bose A20 with dead batteries is as good as a DC 13.4.

[PeteSpencer]

My ANRman DC13.4s are the same as DC13.4s when the battery runs out .

[Sir Morley Steven]

Bose A20 with dead batteries is as good as a DC 13.4.

It’s the sudden difference that gets me. You get used to passive but when your A20 suddenly becomes H 10.13.4. Gaaaaaah!

[UncleT]

I have SEHT SH30-75 headsets. Have forgotten to switch on the ANR in the past: noticeably noisier passive (the ANR certainly makes a difference) but still enough noise reduction to be able to hear communications easily enough.

[Dave W]

@Sir Morley, yeah - but C21 Problems aside, it's hardly something to be worried about.

[marioair]

Use a Clarity Aloft or Halo. Having batteries made no difference

[AndyR]

Bose A20 with dead batteries is as good as a DC 13.4.

Not in my experience. Give me DCs over a flat battery Bose any day. Especially in a twin (which are naturally noisier, at least most of the ones I fly!).

My Lightspeed Zulu are better than my Bose when the battery runs out. But still not as good as DCs.....until new batteries go in of course

[Dave W]

Still not worthy of "worry", though.

[Charliesixtysix]

With Zulu headsets you can check the battery state via the power led when turning them on.

If the led ( even briefly) displays red, the batteries are getting tired and are due a change soon - unless on a long flight, there should be plenty of notice before the ANR shuts down.