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Bose vs Lightspeed headset product support

dabney

Well Known Member
Friend
Bose supports their aviation headsets with the finest "no questions asked" type product support of any headset I have ever owned which includes David Clark and Lightspeed.

I tried the Lightspeed Zulu when it first came out but their product support was subpar for anything that went wrong. At EAA I met the president of the company years ago and told him that his headset was comfortable but his support was terrible. He said he would look into but nothing changed. I have a hold drawer full of the leather(?) earcup covers that don't last. I was told they
are a "wear" item that has no warranty whether worn 10 times or not. The Lightspeed cords tend to break wires near where the plug is under normal use.

On the other hand if you call Bose with a headset problem they will find a way to try make it under warranty, send you a shipping label for free shipping, and return it from their east coast service center in a week to ten days.

I work for an aviation company that owns 30 plus airplane and helicopter headsets so we have tried them all. Bose A20's with Bluetooth I believe are worth the price. Plus if you are a flight instructor they offer a pretty good discount at times.

They also offer refurbishment of your older headset with all new parts for about $150 last time I did that.

I don't work for Bose, I don't own Bose stock. Just a PIREP for what it is worth
 
I?ll never buy another Lightspeed product for the exact reasons the OP mentioned... and I?ve owned 5 different Lightspeed headsets starting almost 20 years ago.

The ONLY reason I don?t own the latest and greatest Bose instead of the Lightspeed PFX is that the Bose design with the top-mounted hinge doesn?t fit the shape (very square) of my head.
 
Lightspeed

I have had a great experience with Lightspeed. I originally had their 30-3G headset, and it developed a crack in the headband after several years, sent it in, and it came back looking brand new. Even new earseals installed. Couple more years go by, I send it in for the trade up program, and now have the Zulu. A couple of years into that headset, the wires started to dry rot, they said either send it in, or we can send out a new cord assembly. I LOVE my lightspeed, and only have great things to say about their company!
 
I had a lightspeed headset a few years ago that I left the batteries in one winter, the batteries corroded and ate up the terminals. I asked them if they could repair it which they did for free. I like the quality of the Kevlar(?) cables and features, and am happy with the function and feel of the Zulu and Sierra. Used their trade up program recently to get one more.
 
Always owned Lightspeeds, always had great support

I have had every model, and the rare times I have needed any service, Lightspeed responded.

Ron
 
I'm done with Lightspeed, after buying three over the years. Poor materials quality, inconsistent support.
 
I've been using lightspeed headsets for 15years and had to contact support a few times. They have always responded with excellent support. I don't have any experience with Bose.
 
I'll post a different perspective...

Why not just buy the David Clark product and not have to worry about product support? DC's just work, year after year after year. And you can get parts from them for headsets that are decades old, unlike the very expensive Bose X that's been dead-ended for support.

My experience with Bose has been poor, to say the least. I won't be buying any Bose products in the future. I haven't been able to convince myself to buy a Lightspeed product as everybody that I've spoken to around the airport talks about how theirs broke and had to be fixed by Lightspeed. I'd rather not have to have my headset fixed at all.

My next headset purchase will be a David Clark One-X to replace my dead-ended Bose X that's being held together by safety wire and J-B Weld. Both Bose and Lightspeed use plastic in places where metal is required.
 
...and

...and I have had nothing but great experiences with Bose. Have been flying Bose headsets since one of the very first models. Have tried softcomm, lightspeed, sigtronics, sennheiser, and the dreaded head vise David Clark?s over the years. I keep coming back to the Bose product...

The trick is to watch the sales...I bought my A20s for 1095 then got a $450 trade in on the discontinued model AND a 125 rebate from Bose for being an instructor...
 
I spent all my money building an airplane :rolleyes:...my 31 year old DC still work fine, if and maybe when they break I'll upgrade?
 
Somehow I damaged the cord on my 8 year old Lightspeeds. I sent the headsets and $100 to Lightspeed and they replaced the cable and battery box/control pack. I thought that was fair.

Saturday, I unboxed them because I was going flying on Sunday morning. They looked brand new. They even had new batteries in the battery box.

Sunday morning, I caught the cord in the seat rail on an RV-10 and cut the cord. I didn't even get an engine start on the new cord. Rrrr.

So I sent Lightspeed a note asking if they have a discount repair program for stupid customers. Their response was "Just send 'em back, we'll take care of it no charge."
 
My experience with Lightspeed is stellar. They warrantied a 14 year old set of Zulus that had batteries leak and destroy the box. Repaired at no charge! I'm a fan.
 
Content with Lightspeed...

Pleased with Lightspeed. No experience with Bose. Most people I work with either have Bose or Clarity Aloft sets. Mostly a preference on what fits best and what experience one has with the manufacturer. I don’t hear much complaining with any brand. We all fly 700+ hours/year.

Seven years ago I bought used Lightspeed Zulus with 20 hours on them. Quickly, one speaker went out. Lightspeed transferred the warranty to me over a phone call. I paid shipping to them. They fixed and sent them back without a charge. The mic foam and ear cups were replaced even though I didn’t ask for it. I put 750+ hours / year on the sets and don’t treat them well. After five years, Lightspeed had an upgrade program. (So 3,750+ hours and no problems) For a small fee, they upgraded to new ZULU specs and replaced ear cups, headband, cord, etc. They even gave full credit on some POS / broken Sennheiser ANR sets which I traded for a second set of Zulus. I was upfront with what I was trading.

So, maybe I’ve just been lucky?

Tim
 
Bose vs Lightspeed

I?ve been back and forth over the last few weeks trying to decide between the A20 or the Zulu 3. No real clear winner in my mind, so pretty much a coin toss. I ordered the A20 today. Hopefully I won?t need to experience Bose customer service anytime in the near future, but when the time comes I?ll get back to this post with an opinion.
 
I recently purchased a Lightspeed Tango headset. The wireless technology was appealing, no wires to deal with, after using them for a short time, I am back to my Bose and wires. The Tangos do perform adequately, however, FWIW the size and weight of them is excessive, like having a brick on your head.
Dick J.
 
I recently purchased a Lightspeed Tango headset. The wireless technology was appealing, no wires to deal with, after using them for a short time, I am back to my Bose and wires. The Tangos do perform adequately, however, FWIW the size and weight of them is excessive, like having a brick on your head.
Dick J.


I have the Tango headset. I really do like it, I don't notice the weight. I also have 2 sets of Zulu 3's and 1 Zulu 2. I think Lightspeed is a pretty good bang for the buck.
 
I take my Bose A20 to OSH every year, they go over it and refurbish the ear seals, etc. for free.

They no longer do the X, just the A20.

I have not had occasion to use their cust service otherwise.
 
I'm done with Lightspeed, after buying three over the years. Poor materials quality, inconsistent support.

Have had every top of the line Lightspeed in my aircraft since it started flying almost 22-years ago. If I Remember Correctly, Lightspeed use to give full value on a trade up. They stopped several years ago. All the Lightspeed headsets I have owned were sent back to factory for repairs at least once and the latest PFX three times in less than a year. Support was good to fair but support was needed on every headset.

Tried the Bose A20. Like it so much that I now have two of them and gave my last Zulu away to a student pilot. Been using the A20 for something like four years now.

Several things people overlooked on the Bose A20, the LEMO headset can use an adapter and batteries to work with the standard GA two plug aircraft, and the cord / mic can be used on either left or right side of the headset. This is something that the Lightspeed headsets cannot do.

Headsets are like underwear. The same pair does not work well with everyone.
 
Had my original Zulu's for 10 years. They have been repaired twice, under warranty both times, for the usual cord and earpiece issues.

I was undecided between the Bose A20 and the new Zulu 3. Went with the Bose, even though it was more expensive. After one flight I took it back to ACS and exchanged it for the Zulu 3. While the Bose was very comfortable it did not have the same level of noise cancellation that my old Zulu's did. The Z3 did and were still comfortable for me.

After about 3 trouble free years (300+ hrs) so far so good with the Zulu 3s.

I had read a number of reviews on line stating that people had found the Bose noise cancellation did not fare as well in noisier environments, which is why I had reservations about them initially. This proved to be the case for me in the 4 I was flying at the time. The Zulu's have been very quiet in both my 4 and my 7. The original Zulu's are still working fine as my second set.
 
Decisions, decisions

I?m going through the decision-making process right now. Sounds like both headsets are excellent and both have great reviews. My question is, are the Bose priced at $1095 really worth 46% more than the Lightspeed priced at $750 (after pro pilot discount)?
 
I’m going through the decision-making process right now. Sounds like both headsets are excellent and both have great reviews. My question is, are the Bose priced at $1095 really worth 46% more than the Lightspeed priced at $750 (after pro pilot discount)?

Go to Oshkosh and try them both on to see how they feel to you. Everyone’s head is different. :rolleyes: I tried them both minutes apart and bought the Bose, because of clamping pressure - or lack thereof. YMMV
 
I?m going through the decision-making process right now. Sounds like both headsets are excellent and both have great reviews. My question is, are the Bose priced at $1095 really worth 46% more than the Lightspeed priced at $750 (after pro pilot discount)?

I flew them side by side same flight in my RV6A, and to my ears, the Bose was noticeably quieter. I?d set up a flight condition, and test one right after the other and than reverse order. Did this for climb power at 100 kts and cruise condition 75% power.

I also flew 1 hr with each, and the Bose seemed more comfortable fit to me.
 
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