a few years ago i added an ''active headsets inc'' anr wiring set up to a pair of passive headsets and i an satisfied with them and they are still going strong. i just bought their own anr headset and today i tried it out. way more than good enough for who it is for. i think 3 yr warranty. tax and shipping $413.
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anr headsets
- Thread starter bobnoffs
- Start date
For those that are looking for a headset. I have tried a few ANR headsets. I have the lightspeed Zulu for me, so that is my baseline. Zulu is an awesome headset.
I wanted something good for my passengers. For the price the AvComm AC1000 is hard to beat. It is almost as good as my Zulu. $319.
AvComm AC1000. If I found this one before my Zulu, I would have used it as my personal headset. Very close to the Zulu for ANR. Maybe 2dB difference. I bought two for passengers (when I had a different plane). Interestingly one came with a USB type-c port where the other did not. After trying to return the one without USB, as it seemed to eat batteries a little more than I wanted, they said there was nothing wrong with it and returned it to me, but it now had a USB port. So, if you get one without a USB, send it back for one with. The ones with USB work good and battery time is much better. Also, you can use USB to power it while in the air.
CRACEDpilot CP-1 ANR. It only blocks out low frequency noise. Wasn't much better than a PNR.
UFQ. I bought a microphone headset to use with an ANR headset like Bose QC25. It did not work with my audio panel.
I have a couple of Rugged PNR RA200. They are good PNR. I have seen good reviews for the RA980 ANR. Almost pulled the trigger and tried that one out. It looks very similar to the AC1000. I still wonder if they are using the same components.
I wanted something good for my passengers. For the price the AvComm AC1000 is hard to beat. It is almost as good as my Zulu. $319.
AvComm AC1000. If I found this one before my Zulu, I would have used it as my personal headset. Very close to the Zulu for ANR. Maybe 2dB difference. I bought two for passengers (when I had a different plane). Interestingly one came with a USB type-c port where the other did not. After trying to return the one without USB, as it seemed to eat batteries a little more than I wanted, they said there was nothing wrong with it and returned it to me, but it now had a USB port. So, if you get one without a USB, send it back for one with. The ones with USB work good and battery time is much better. Also, you can use USB to power it while in the air.
CRACEDpilot CP-1 ANR. It only blocks out low frequency noise. Wasn't much better than a PNR.
UFQ. I bought a microphone headset to use with an ANR headset like Bose QC25. It did not work with my audio panel.
I have a couple of Rugged PNR RA200. They are good PNR. I have seen good reviews for the RA980 ANR. Almost pulled the trigger and tried that one out. It looks very similar to the AC1000. I still wonder if they are using the same components.
With all this talk of ANR, I’ll propose that it isn’t the panacea that many think it is. The non-anr in-the-ear CQ Headset has been flying with thousands of pilots working long hours in challenging environments for many years. Many in airframes much louder than an RV.
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Dugaru
Well Known Member
I honestly don’t get the widespread preference for ANR. Obviously it’s subjective, but for me passive in-ear is just a better mousetrap—and it isn’t even a close question. And you can wear ridiculous hats!
Stuart Grant
Active Member
About the turn of the century I converted the pair of David Clark H10-40's that my brother used learning to fly in the 1980's and that I used learning in the1990's to Active Headsets Inc. ANR. I liked that the H10-40's still had great passive noise reduction if the 9-volt battery died. Other than an occasional feedback whine with certain head positions, they served me well for about 15 years before succumbing to sweaty ears, heat and humidity in Florida. I ordered a new set of modules in 2018 and but my self-install was flawed so I put them aside and just used a pair of H10-13.4's for a few years. The self-install is not particularly difficult but I had messed something up and trouble-shooting all the short tiny wires with soldered and heat-shrinked connections was bound to be tough.
Flying with an instructor for a recent BFR in busy D airspace I realized that he was hearing radio calls much easier than I was with his Bose. I sent the bad H10-40 set in to Active Headsets in Amarillo and they fixed my flawed install for a very modest charge and included a couple of nice upgrades. I then sent another (non-sentimental) pair of H10-40's for the full install and they converted those at a price a little under the cost of one of their new ANR headsets, as mine needed a new D. Clark microphone element ($60). If you factor in shipping I would have been better off buying one of their new headsets but I like that my three passive H10-13.4's and the two H10-40's with ANR all have matching green domes.
For my old ears I find that the ANR helps radio and intercom communication but makes hearing the noises the airplane makes like the Cessna stall horn and squeaky brakes difficult. I love going headset-free, hearing all the sounds the aircraft and wind make and being able to converse with a passenger in a glider. Not a good option in powered aircraft. I haven't tried flying bare behind a Rotax yet. Overall, ANR makes long flights a lot more comfortable than passive for me.
I was very happy with the service I got from Active Headsets Inc. If you are doing particularly hazardous flying, they also convert helmets to ANR.
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Pilot135pd
Well Known Member
There's a person asking about in ear headsets and he didn't know you made them here. Go sell him one, I'll stall as much as possible !
Attachments
Tailwind/RVGuy
Active Member
+1 on the CQ Headset. I fly in a Tailwind W10 that is at least as noisy as any RV that I have flown and I really like them.. I take a lot of long trips and they are immensely more comfortable plus I think the clarity of communications both ways is excellent. The only thing that I would do different now is to get the Bluetooth version so I can get IFR clearances on the ground easily in those cases where I need to do that.
Keith
Keith, Thank you so much for flying a CQ Headset. We regularly do Bluetooth upgrades!
The CQ's are good, I have a set in the 172 but I am running panel-power A20's in my RV at the moment.
MacCool
Well Known Member
I flew for decades with my trusty old David Clarke H1040 headset and they were fine. As my ears got older and my hearing got worse, I found that ANR was a very nice evolution. Since going that route, I really haven't found very much difference between the various brands and models as far as ANR goes, but I find that I do like the Bluetooth connectivity that most ANR headsets have, which allows me to make and receive telephone calls, at least up to a certain altitude.
Headsets either ANR, Passive, or in the ear are just like underwear. Everyone will find something that they like best.
I wish my ear canals would allow me to use "in the ear" headsets. I like them but my tiny ear canals do not allow them to be comfortable or get good noise reduction with any comfort over time. For use with firearms, I have a custom set of in the ear hearing protection that work well but typically I never have them in for more than one hour so long term comfort is not an issue.
I wish my ear canals would allow me to use "in the ear" headsets. I like them but my tiny ear canals do not allow them to be comfortable or get good noise reduction with any comfort over time. For use with firearms, I have a custom set of in the ear hearing protection that work well but typically I never have them in for more than one hour so long term comfort is not an issue.
MacCool
Well Known Member
Most audiologists or hearing aid stores will make silicone molds for whatever audio device you need, including aviation headsets.
Tailwind/RVGuy
Active Member
Gary,
My ear canals are also small. I can not use the typical yellow size inserts BUT I CAN use the beige colored pediatric ones just fine. Scott sells them on their website. As I mentioned, The key is to get them inserted properly. I could not get the yellow ones inside my ear canal. I take very long "bucket list" trips (1000 -2000 miles) and I can't imagine going back to the over the head type anymore. I have never used the molded type so don't know how well they work.
Keith
