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Best headsets for RV?s

Paul K

Well Known Member
Recently, I took a trip from Michigan to Philadelphia and back in my RV 7a. I have the Veterman 4 pipe exhaust system, relatively loud! A friend allowed us to use their Light Speed Zulu 3?s in place of my 20 year old DC H10-13.4 ANR sets. Just wanted me to try them to get my opinion of how much better they might be. To put it mildly, they are very good! My David Clark?s are good but older technology, there is a difference in this noisy environment. Doing some research, I found a pair of DC One-X to try and they are equally better.

The question is, are there any ?good deals? on any of these now or in the future? I know Light Speed had a trade in program last year and am wondering if there is anything on the horizon as far as deals?

Any one want to buy a set of 2 DC H10-13.4 ANR headsets, used?
 
I recently upgraded to a Zulu 3, but still have the original Zulu as well. While there is a difference, the original model still sounds great. I do like the new, tougher kevlar cable design of the 3.

You may be able to find some good deals on a Zulu or Zulu 2 if you look around. I found mine at an avionics shop. Lightspeed has great support and still supports the older models.

Chris
 
headsets

I dont have a dog in the race, but..since you asked.

Scott and Tanya Card on here make a very high quality headset. My wife and i had Halos, also very popular with RVers and enjoyed for 10 years. Last year we bought Scott and Tanya version (very similar to halo's) but better build quality, materials and more magic voodoo in the box. You will not be disappointed. They take about 2 hours to get used to over old head clamps but you will never go back. Honest... you will be 100% happy, and good people to deal with.

Cheers
 
I thought about going that route but have never used anything like what Scott and Tonya offer. I?ll go back a take another look.

Thanks,
 
I thought about going that route but have never used anything like what Scott and Tonya offer. I?ll go back a take another look.

Thanks,

I have the Halo as well and considered getting a CQ model. The in ear models are definitely comfortable on shorter flights but I have found they irritate the top of my ears after a few hours, especially with sunglasses on. Anybody compared the CQ to the Halo in this respect? Also, I found music quality to be 10 times better with the Zulu than the Halo. I can?t imagine an in ear model sounding as good as the Traditional ANR headsets when it comes to music, but again I haven?t tried the CQ yet.

Chris
 
Clarity Aloft

I fly an RV-7 w/IO-360-A1B6, CS Hartzell BA 7497-2.

After arriving at Oshkosh in 2009, I had the usual post flight monster headache. While at the show, I ran across Clarity Aloft and bought a set (show special).

They've been exceptionally quiet, comfortable, and NO HEADACHE. 11 Years and 500+ hours with them, and still going strong.
 
Card/Halo

Can?t say enough good about both of these. Upgraded my DC 13.4s to the Halos and won?t be going back. Light and comfortable. Great experience, especially in the Florida heat. Upgraded to the Card model, better audio for sure. My wife still likes her Halo.
 
Obviously I think the CQ1 is the best option for me, hence it's existence, but the topic is so personal that there isn't a single right answer for everyone. I do know from shipping CQ1s around the world to every kind of pilot imaginable for the past few years, many are simply amazed that they don't have to have their head in a vice anymore. After that, the finer details are noticed by those upgrading from the competition.

Not the cheapest or most expensive, but what we wanted.

Tip-up / Slider / primer / headsets...
 
Thanks Scott, I don?t ever use foam ear plugs as I?ve never been able to keep them in my ears! I watched the video and was doing it basically correct but will pick up some and try it again. I like the concept and would love to give them a try.

I was so looking forward to OshKosh this year and looking for new headsets was high on my list.
 
Thanks Scott, I don’t ever use foam ear plugs as I’ve never been able to keep them in my ears!

Paul, please check your PMs. We'd love to talk ear tips with you.


I have the Halo as well and considered getting a CQ model. The in ear models are definitely comfortable on shorter flights but I have found they irritate the top of my ears after a few hours, especially with sunglasses on.

Chris, Scott often wears the headset with the frame over his hat band instead of over his ears. It avoids the conflict of sunglasses and the frame, which may be contributing to the irritation you are experiencing. The CQ1 mic is longer, which makes this possible for him. The frame is slightly stiffer so it sits on the hat band a bit better. That might make a difference for you.

overhat2.jpg
 
I've been tempted to try the CQ for a while. Need to find someone nearby who has a set...
 
The question is, are there any ?good deals? on any of these now or in the future?
If "good deal" is what you want you cannot beat the CQ1 headsets. They are half the price of any of the high end ANR headsets and the noise attenuation is on par with the Bose and Lightspeeds. I can not tell the difference between my CQ1 and my son's Bose A20. Yes, they are in the ear, they do take longer to put on and you need to change the tips every so often. But once you find the right ear plug they are extremely comfortable, more comfortable than over the ear headsets on long trips. The "Premium" (comply) tips are the best for me.
 
A Different Opinion...

If one reads my past posts you'll realize I've had some considerable experience in maintaining headsets for commercial helicopters, likely the most challenging environment for a headset. High noise is one of the challenges. Plain old brute force abuse by flight crew and uncaring passengers is likely the greatest challenge to the survival of a headset.

With that little back-story behind me, I'll opine that active noise reduction (ANR) is definitely NOT necessary in our light aircraft, IF and ONLY IF you can get enough passive noise reduction (PNR).

The in-ear headsets excel at PNR - they provide several dB more attenuation than the good old passive green David Clark mickey mouse ears. Plus, as mentioned by others, those mickey mouse ears require clamping force to produce a noise-tight seal between the headset seal and ones noggin. After a while, that hurts. Plus they are heavy, causing pressure on the top of the noggin. Again, that hurts. The in-ear headsets don't have these comfort drawbacks.

I own two pairs of Halos. The one in my Glasair Sportsman runs custom-moulded earplugs. The comfort is outstanding. The other Halo is in my other airplane, a very noisy Davis DA2A. That Halo runs the standard yellow Etymotic foamies. The custom earmoulds used to live in the Davis until the Sportsman started to fly. These custom plugs win the noise attenuation and comfort races hands down.

I've never been impressed with the durability of the Halos. They appear fragile. As a guy who made his living repairing literally a half dozen headsets a day, I take care of my headsets. So far I've never broken the Halos, nor the 38 year old David Clarks they replaced. Still, I'd like to try Scott and Tanya's CQ1. This summer that was high on my Oshkosh "to do" list. Oh well, maybe next year!

Now for the other parts of my opining... I own a Bose X headset. It has been disappointing because of its poor reliability, both electronically and mechanically. Simply put, Bose puts plastic in structural areas that should never be plastic. Bose also dead-ended support for the Bose X headset when mine were only four years old. I'm NOT impressed. Still, if anybody has a set with working dual-GA plug electronics, I'd welcome the opportunity to take two busted Bose X headsets to make one serviceable one.

Last summer at Oshkosh I picked up a David Clark One-X. I thought I'd have me a lovely shiny new headset. Nope... My wife got to them before I did and claimed them. She is kind and sometimes lets me borrow them. For her they are the hands-down winner in comfort and audio performance. She has industrial hearing loss so her needs are somewhat specific.

I've worn the One-X for extended periods and have to say it is far more comfortable than the Bose X it replaced. Noise attenuation is better, both passive and active. I would rate the noise attenuation of the DC One-X as being at least on par with the custom ear moulds on my Halo - that is, very good. The headset looks like it is built to last, with no plastic in key structural areas. It also folds up to a relatively compact size. Battery life is a bit of a problem though. DC claims something like 40 hours of duration on the AA cells. We're well past that and those batteries show no signs of slowing down. I have no clue how long they will last, but at 60+ hours I'm definitely impressed with how they're working so far.

With respect to service, I've had one instance in which I contacted DC for warranty service on the One-X. I had lost the belt clip for the electronics module. Don't know how or where - it's just gone. My call to DC was placed at the outset of the hard COVID-19 lockdown. I expected zero response. I left a voice message and received a callback the next morning. Two days later a replacement belt clip was delivered to my door - no questions asked. DC's service was excellent (as usual) even during the most difficult times for a business to function. That means something to me.

If one is looking for an ANR headset, the David Clark One-X deserves consideration.

I don't listen to music in flight and I use my PS Engineering audio panel to handle Bluetooth for phone calls so can't provide any feedback on headset performance in these areas.
 
The in-ear headsets excel at PNR - they provide several dB more attenuation than the good old passive green David Clark mickey mouse ears. Plus, as mentioned by others, those mickey mouse ears require clamping force to produce a noise-tight seal between the headset seal and ones noggin. After a while, that hurts. Plus they are heavy, causing pressure on the top of the noggin. Again, that hurts. The in-ear headsets don't have these comfort drawbacks.

Agree. In-ear headsets have another advantage over the noise canceling over-ear for those that wear glasses. I found my glasses was the sound “leak” that limited the effectiveness of my David Clark. I got best results with flexible titanium frame glasses that would flex to limit gap (and clamping force required) but final made jump to in ear 5-6 years ago. I will never go back to over-ear for flying my RV. I have Halo but can’t recommend one brand over the other, just saying go with in-ear and you will be happy.

I am actually completely opposite for music listening in public places. I can’t stand standard type in-ear ear buds for listening from iPhone. I bought some high end Sony over ear that are very comfortable for music listening and have great features for music listening in noise attenuation and sound quality.
 
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If one reads my past posts you'll realize I've had some considerable experience in maintaining headsets for commercial helicopters, ...

Mark,
It sounds like you might appreciate the robustness of our fully molded driver and mic attach assemblies, connectorized board, "pro-audio" volume control, improved rigidity of the frame and "medical grade" Kevlar cored cables; just to name a few things often overlooked.

I'm aware of a number of very hard working pilots flying our headsets all day, every day in some hot, dirty, low conditions. Robustness vs weight and bulk is a delicate dance. You've seen the amazing things pilots can do to headsets. If I wanted to wear a pound of stuff on my head, it would be easy to make an assembly nearly bullet proof. Instead, we've committed a lot of effort toward internal construction and process. It isn't as perfect as I would wish, so those efforts are continuous. I'm proud that we aren't beholden to a team of investors or multi-hundred thousand dollar molds. So, change IS an option.

You might be one of the rare (sport) pilots that are happy with custom ear molds.
 
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I just cant get used to ear plugs or I would use them. I have 4 sets of Bose A20's and they work great for me. I did try Zulu 3's in my Husky and I sent them back as they were so bad I could barely hear the tower calls.
 
Mark,
It sounds like you might appreciate the robustness of our fully molded driver and mic attach assemblies, connectorized board, "pro-audio" volume control, improved rigidity of the frame and "medical grade" Kevlar cored cables; just to name a few things often overlooked.

I'm aware of a number of very hard working pilots flying our headsets all day, every day in some hot, dirty, low conditions. Robustness vs weight and bulk is a delicate dance. You've seen the amazing things pilots can do to headsets. If I wanted to wear a pound of stuff on my head, it would be easy to make an assembly nearly bullet proof. Instead, we've committed a lot of effort toward internal construction and process. It isn't as perfect as I would wish, so those efforts are continuous. I'm proud that we aren't beholden to a team of investors or multi-hundred thousand dollar molds. So, change IS an option.

You might be one of the rare (sport) pilots that are happy with custom ear molds.

Scott - having read some of your previous comments about the CQ and its construction, I expected it would present a series of well-considered design trade-offs. Your comments above further confirm this to be the case. One of these fine days the borders will open and I might be able to get a CQ in my hot little hands to do that touchy-feeling thing!

As for the custom ear moulds, there's a bit of a trick to them. The first secret is to not go to an audiologist to have them made. Instead, go to a shop that specializes in the shooting sports, where hearing protection is a much more serious game. Mine were poured by a member of our national pistol team - it's something he does as a side hustle. I'm sure he doesn't make much money doing them as he puts a fair bit of time and effort into the process. His ear plugs work substantially better than any I previously had moulded.
 
Just quit worrying about it and buy some A20's. Absolutely the best headset out there.

I have the A20 with LEMO plugs and for me I agree they are the best for me in my RV. I have owned several other ANR headsets before the A20. The A20 was the best for me.

Having tried at least a 1/2 dozen different ANR headsets in my RV, I have to say that the reason there are so many different brands including "In The Ear" has to do with the fact that there are no two heads alike. Just like underwear, you as an individual will like one brand and model better than another.
 
Scott - having read some of your previous comments about the CQ and its construction, I expected it would present a series of well-considered design trade-offs. Your comments above further confirm this to be the case. One of these fine days the borders will open and I might be able to get a CQ in my hot little hands to do that touchy-feeling thing!

As for the custom ear moulds, there's a bit of a trick to them. The first secret is to not go to an audiologist to have them made. Instead, go to a shop that specializes in the shooting sports, where hearing protection is a much more serious game. Mine were poured by a member of our national pistol team - it's something he does as a side hustle. I'm sure he doesn't make much money doing them as he puts a fair bit of time and effort into the process. His ear plugs work substantially better than any I previously had moulded.

I would love to wear a set of in the ear headsets. I love the lightness and freedom they provide the user. I agree that someone in the shooting sports will make a great custom mold ear plug. I have a set of custom made shooting ear plugs molded from my ear canal. They work great but I never leave them in my ear canal more than an hour at a time. I am just one of those individuals that gets irritated with something in their ear canal for any length of time.
 
I thought about going that route but have never used anything like what Scott and Tonya offer. I’ll go back a take another look.

Thanks,

A thumbs up for both LightSpeed and the in-ear headsets. I have a LightSpeed Mach-1 (one of the first in-ear headsets) and still use it. The day it craps out I'll be checking out Scott and Tanya's CQ1.
 
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If one reads my past posts you'll realize I've had some considerable experience in maintaining headsets for commercial helicopters, likely the most challenging environment for a headset. High noise is one of the challenges. Plain old brute force abuse by flight crew and uncaring passengers is likely the greatest challenge to the survival of a headset.

With that little back-story behind me, I'll opine that active noise reduction (ANR) is definitely NOT necessary in our light aircraft, IF and ONLY IF you can get enough passive noise reduction (PNR).

The in-ear headsets excel at PNR - they provide several dB more attenuation than the good old passive green David Clark mickey mouse ears. Plus, as mentioned by others, those mickey mouse ears require clamping force to produce a noise-tight seal between the headset seal and ones noggin. After a while, that hurts. Plus they are heavy, causing pressure on the top of the noggin. Again, that hurts. The in-ear headsets don't have these comfort drawbacks.

I own two pairs of Halos. The one in my Glasair Sportsman runs custom-moulded earplugs. The comfort is outstanding. The other Halo is in my other airplane, a very noisy Davis DA2A. That Halo runs the standard yellow Etymotic foamies. The custom earmoulds used to live in the Davis until the Sportsman started to fly. These custom plugs win the noise attenuation and comfort races hands down.

I've never been impressed with the durability of the Halos. They appear fragile. As a guy who made his living repairing literally a half dozen headsets a day, I take care of my headsets. So far I've never broken the Halos, nor the 38 year old David Clarks they replaced. Still, I'd like to try Scott and Tanya's CQ1. This summer that was high on my Oshkosh "to do" list. Oh well, maybe next year!

Now for the other parts of my opining... I own a Bose X headset. It has been disappointing because of its poor reliability, both electronically and mechanically. Simply put, Bose puts plastic in structural areas that should never be plastic. Bose also dead-ended support for the Bose X headset when mine were only four years old. I'm NOT impressed. Still, if anybody has a set with working dual-GA plug electronics, I'd welcome the opportunity to take two busted Bose X headsets to make one serviceable one.

Last summer at Oshkosh I picked up a David Clark One-X. I thought I'd have me a lovely shiny new headset. Nope... My wife got to them before I did and claimed them. She is kind and sometimes lets me borrow them. For her they are the hands-down winner in comfort and audio performance. She has industrial hearing loss so her needs are somewhat specific.

I've worn the One-X for extended periods and have to say it is far more comfortable than the Bose X it replaced. Noise attenuation is better, both passive and active. I would rate the noise attenuation of the DC One-X as being at least on par with the custom ear moulds on my Halo - that is, very good. The headset looks like it is built to last, with no plastic in key structural areas. It also folds up to a relatively compact size. Battery life is a bit of a problem though. DC claims something like 40 hours of duration on the AA cells. We're well past that and those batteries show no signs of slowing down. I have no clue how long they will last, but at 60+ hours I'm definitely impressed with how they're working so far.

With respect to service, I've had one instance in which I contacted DC for warranty service on the One-X. I had lost the belt clip for the electronics module. Don't know how or where - it's just gone. My call to DC was placed at the outset of the hard COVID-19 lockdown. I expected zero response. I left a voice message and received a callback the next morning. Two days later a replacement belt clip was delivered to my door - no questions asked. DC's service was excellent (as usual) even during the most difficult times for a business to function. That means something to me.

If one is looking for an ANR headset, the David Clark One-X deserves consideration.

I don't listen to music in flight and I use my PS Engineering audio panel to handle Bluetooth for phone calls so can't provide any feedback on headset performance in these areas.

Mark, if your yokes are broken on your Bose X's, you might try these.
https://centralsound.co/products/bo...FN_i-TRuTKATmaZgunEVsX6cW4fOYyphoCCFUQAvD_BwE
 
DC One X vs Bose A20 ?

I've used many different headsets over the years (Zulu 2 & 3, Bose X, Clarity Aloft). My current headset is a Bose A20 which I like a lot, it's also the one that I have kept the longest without switching to something else.

I have a set of CA's for my wife but I would like another ANR headset as backup for my A20's and for passengers.

I had never given much thought to the DC One X until I read the comments on this thread. If you've flown with both A20's and DC One X, I love to hear your comments / comparison. Thanks.
 
I find it hard to believe in the ear has the sound reduction of a full cup headset, but they look cool..... but I flew piston airplanes for a long time without Noise Cancelling headsets.... passive only...
 
Love my Halo's

My wife and I both have Halos, and I will never go back to a headclamp even if the best most expensive type is given to me. There is just no better comfort than an "in ear" type. I can take my glasses or hat on and off as much as I want, never smack an ear cup on the canopy, zero heat or sweat issue, stows in any spot you want, the chord is the size of a piece of spaghetti and the noise blocking is as good as I need it to be. I'm not an ear Dr., I'm already half deaf from working around jets for 40 years, and I may not be the best test person, but it has been explained before to me the cup type has to keep sound from getting into your ear, and the in ear type does just that, but somewhat internally. I use the yellow foam "buds" and have at times started getting out of my plane forgetting they are in. Try them, you'll love them!
 
I find it hard to believe in the ear has the sound reduction of a full cup headset, but they look cool..... but I flew piston airplanes for a long time without Noise Cancelling headsets.... passive only...

George, no belief is necessary, we all create our own truths. I can tell you that a CQ1 with the right eartips inserted correctly into an average ear canal absolutely does do as good, or better, than any full cup clamped on your head, ANR included. The precedent in industrial applications is well established as it is a simple matter of mechanics. OSHA has entire training programs on the topic. It is too bad that not everybody can spend a month in a noise chamber with every common headset on the market.

However, I'll be the first to acknowledge that not every pilot feels like learning how to properly insert an ear tip. That is ok, and sometimes "good enough" is good enough. I've also seen exceptionally rare cases where an ear canal is such a crazy shape that an in-the-ear headset such as a CQ1 isn't really a good option. For all of the rest, 5 minutes of talking about proper noise attenuation through ear tip insertion usually makes a big difference for those pilots that are really in search of something better.
 
I find it hard to believe in the ear has the sound reduction of a full cup headset, but they look cool..... but I flew piston airplanes for a long time without Noise Cancelling headsets.... passive only...

George,
I also was reluctant to believe an in the ear set would work as well as my $1000 Lightspeeds. I came close a few times and just could not bring myself to do it. Then one day I decided to experiment. I went for a flight high and out of controlled airspace. I pulled off my headset and inserted standard foam ear plugs. Amazing, no better but no worse.
After years of flying with the Halo's I now wear the CQ1's. No more hated head clamp.
 
CQ1 - Clarity Aloft Differences

I planned to buy a Clarity Aloft in-ear headset, when I learned about the CQ1. I would be very much interested to hear of the differences and experience from someone that used both types...
 
I planned to buy a Clarity Aloft in-ear headset, when I learned about the CQ1. I would be very much interested to hear of the differences and experience from someone that used both types...

Andreas,

Keep in mind that I am biased since we are manufacturing the CQ1...but part of the reason the CQ1 exists is because I flew a Clarity Aloft for years and knew there were things that could be improved.

One difference is the frame of the Clarity Aloft is not adjustable. If the frame fits your head out of their mold, then you are good. If your noggin is larger or smaller than their design, it'll be either a bit tight or loose. Mine was so loose that I used a hair clip to hold it steady, or else I was always chasing the microphone because it was just a mini-teeter totter on my ears. I needed a third point of contact for the stability I wanted.

Another major difference is the sound delivery method. The CQ1 uses sound tubes, so the speakers themselves are firmly attached to the frame. The Clarity speakers are at the ear and attached to the frame with very small wires. While there are many happy Clarity Aloft users that have never had a problem, I had to send mine back to Cliarty Aloft every 300 hours or so as one of the wires would eventually fail at the speaker. The sound tubes on the CQ1 do need to be replaced every so often as moisture can build up, but they are field replaceable, and you can simply purchase a new set that can be mailed to you with no down time.

The ear tips on the Clarity Aloft have a helix core that screws onto the speakers. There are many folks out there that have had to dig an ear tip out of their ear because it came unscrewed. Plus, you only have the choice of those one type of ear tips, although they are very good quality. With the CQ1, we have several difference choices (including those that are used with the Clarity Aloft), and you can always build your own ear tips from your favorite pair of ear plugs. (We are homebuilders after all.)

The microphone on the CQ1 is also longer than the Clarity Aloft. The picture below is with the headsets aligned where they would sit on top of the ear, although it may not appear so with the angle.

i-grv9Xsr-M.jpg
 
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When I started flying the RV, it was time to replace my old DRE ANRs. The cables had turned to dust. I went back and forth quite a bit between the Card's in-ear and the Zulu. I ended up with a 2nd hand refurbished Zulu2. It works great and is comfortable for about 2-3 hours.

I still wonder if the in-ear units would have been better. I have chronic headaches and after my last 6-hour flight the headache was debilitating.

to the Card's: How about a loaner program? Users pays for two-way shipping and a set of speaker tubes and ear plugs. Gets to try it for 30 days and then sends it back. The replacement tubes and plugs should keep it sanitary. It is a big change for people, so it is easy to get cold feet and just go with what they know, that is what happened to me.
 
If your on the fence about in ear..

If on the fence ,buy a set of "in ears", brand X,Y or Z, let your passenger use them, see the joy, and then try them yourself. Then buy a second pair as I did.
 
to the Card's: How about a loaner program? Users pays for two-way shipping and a set of speaker tubes and ear plugs. Gets to try it for 30 days and then sends it back. The replacement tubes and plugs should keep it sanitary. It is a big change for people, so it is easy to get cold feet and just go with what they know, that is what happened to me.

not exactly what you're asking for but they have a very liberal return policy that is almost what you said, from their website:

RETURN POLICY ? We offer a 30 day money back guarantee on our headsets so that you can try them out in your own aircraft. A full refund less shipping charges will be issued on any CQ1 headset returned in as-new condition within 30 days of the invoice date. Your refund will be issued after we receive the merchandise and verify its condition.
 
not exactly what you're asking for but they have a very liberal return policy that is almost what you said, from their website:

RETURN POLICY ? We offer a 30 day money back guarantee on our headsets so that you can try them out in your own aircraft. A full refund less shipping charges will be issued on any CQ1 headset returned in as-new condition within 30 days of the invoice date. Your refund will be issued after we receive the merchandise and verify its condition.

That's actually better than what he requested because they don't charge you for the throw away foam ear plugs !
 
in ear

I sooooo want to use in-ear headsets, but I can't stand anything in my ear. Is this something I can get used to? Even wearing my iphone headsets drive me crazy after about an hour. Am I doomed forever for over the ear headsets? Anyone else had sensitive ears and finally got used to having something inside your ear? How could I "train" this - using earplugs?
 
I sooooo want to use in-ear headsets, but I can't stand anything in my ear. Is this something I can get used to? Even wearing my iphone headsets drive me crazy after about an hour. Am I doomed forever for over the ear headsets? Anyone else had sensitive ears and finally got used to having something inside your ear? How could I "train" this - using earplugs?

Go to an FBO or a construction site or anywhere that gives away free foam earplugs and try them. If not just buy a set at Walmart.
 
earplugs

Go to an FBO or a construction site or anywhere that gives away free foam earplugs and try them. If not just buy a set at Walmart.
I've got and have used earplugs, but I hate them. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this and been able to get used to having something in their ears.
 
I've got and have used earplugs, but I hate them. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this and been able to get used to having something in their ears.

Mickey,
Our general guidance is something like: If you know that you hate ear-plugs, and have tried more than just the biggest piece of foam that you can stuff in your ear (totally wrong approach), you may very well not be a candidate. Don't mess with throwing an airplane into the mix. Also, don't assume that both of your ear canals are happy with the same size ear tip. Mine aren't, and have actually changed shape a little over the years.

Most people gravitate toward an ear-plug that is way too big, and is therefor very uncomfortable. Just so I don't leave you hanging, here is a pretty low pressure ear-plug that would be a decent indicator if you were happy for a few hours sitting in front of a computer with them in your ear.
 
I've got and have used earplugs, but I hate them. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this and been able to get used to having something in their ears.

Highly doubt they will work for you then. Thats exactly my first question when people ask about my clarity Aloft. If you don't like ear plugs then they aren't for you.
 
Card CQ1

Andreas,

Keep in mind that I am biased since we are manufacturing the CQ1...but part of the reason the CQ1 exists is because I flew a Clarity Aloft for years and knew there were things that could be improved.

One difference is the frame of the Clarity Aloft is not adjustable. If the frame fits your head out of their mold, then you are good. If your noggin is larger or smaller than their design, it'll be either a bit tight or loose. Mine was so loose that I used a hair clip to hold it steady, or else I was always chasing the microphone because it was just a mini-teeter totter on my ears. I needed a third point of contact for the stability I wanted.

Another major difference is the sound delivery method. The CQ1 uses sound tubes, so the speakers themselves are firmly attached to the frame. The Clarity speakers are at the ear and attached to the frame with very small wires. While there are many happy Clarity Aloft users that have never had a problem, I had to send mine back to Cliarty Aloft every 300 hours or so as one of the wires would eventually fail at the speaker. The sound tubes on the CQ1 do need to be replaced every so often as moisture can build up, but they are field replaceable, and you can simply purchase a new set that can be mailed to you with no down time.

The ear tips on the Clarity Aloft have a helix core that screws onto the speakers. There are many folks out there that have had to dig an ear tip out of their ear because it came unscrewed. Plus, you only have the choice of those one type of ear tips, although they are very good quality. With the CQ1, we have several difference choices (including those that are used with the Clarity Aloft), and you can always build your own ear tips from your favorite pair of ear plugs. (We are homebuilders after all.)

The microphone on the CQ1 is also longer than the Clarity Aloft. The picture below is with the headsets aligned where they would sit on top of the ear, although it may not appear so with the angle.

i-grv9Xsr-M.jpg

Thank you Tanya for the comprehensive explanations. That sounds all very promising :) Just a question to the sound tubes and the tubes that go into the ear plugs: can they be custom trimmed to a wished length or need they to stay at the given length? I will send you an email.
 
Thank you Tanya for the comprehensive explanations. That sounds all very promising :) Just a question to the sound tubes and the tubes that go into the ear plugs: can they be custom trimmed to a wished length or need they to stay at the given length? I will send you an email.

Andreas, the length of the sound tubes is part of the overall system as they are tuned to the balanced armatures (speakers) we use. However, you can trim the tubes down some without significantly affecting the sound quality. Regarding the black tubing attached to the ear tips themselves, you can trim that to any length you desire.
 
Can anybody with the CQ1 comment on music quality? I slightly prefer my Halo's for comfort, but the audio quality on my Zulu's is so much better I usually prefer them for long trips where I like to have music on. The in-ears just seem to sound so tinny...

Chris
 
Hey Chris,
I honestly have not paid attention to music quality. I need to listen to the difference someday while still in the hanger and without the background noise.
I will let you know.

I know when discussing with Scott, he was excited about the quality difference in components with his set but compared to the Zulu I will let you know.
 
I've certainly spent many an hour listening to music with a CQ1, but we're focused on making a communication device. "Music quality" is very much a moving target of opinion as we all hear things differently. Extremely high quality pro audio design choices are sometimes in conflict with the best voice communication in a high noise environment. We actively make choices toward the latter. Partly driven by the daily conversations we have with aging pilots (myself included) looking for just a little better voice clarity.
 
To the original question:
I have nothing but good things to say about my Halos (https://www.quiettechnologies.com/) they have a very similar design to the Chard's, including any ear plug you want and a adjustable head band, at a lower price too. They work well in the RV.
When I had to replace a part, I was not charged a penny. Good customer service - check.
 
I've been following this tread. Bought a slight used Halo headset off ebay for $200 and am looking forward to trying it out.
 
Im not flying my RV yet. But, I did get a ride in the back of an RV-8 recently (Thanks to John Henrichs).

I do fly a little Sonerai II. People frequently say its like a smaller RV-4.

I've had a QT Halo, and a Clarity Aloft headset. Over the years, I've also owned several of the old Mickey Mouse style head clamps.

However, after trying a pair of Bose A20s recently, I have become a convert.

I am amazed at the difference in noise level, and the improvement in radio 'readability'.

I've worn them now in a rented 172, a friend's 170, and the back seat of John's beautiful RV-8, as well as in my little Sonerai with the handheld Yaesu FT 550 for a radio.

I guess I've gone soft in my old age. But, yes I really like the fancy, uber-expensive ones now.
 
To the original question:
I have nothing but good things to say about my Halos (https://www.quiettechnologies.com/) they have a very similar design to the Chard's, including any ear plug you want and a adjustable head band, at a lower price too. They work well in the RV.
When I had to replace a part, I was not charged a penny. Good customer service - check.

Both the QC Headset from Card and Halo from QT look nearly identical. Has anyone compared them side by side?
 
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