Guy Prevost
Well Known Member
About a year ago, I wrote a rave review about the CQ1 Headset by Card Machine Works. http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=167636 I?m likely biased in my opinion, but such bias is hard won and isn?t always a bad thing. I?ve known Scott and Tanya for years. I think very highly of them. I?ve met few individuals with their combination of integrity, drive, intelligence, and capability. To find a pair of them marching forward together in life is a true gift. Enough of the disclaimer, on to the review.
Guy?s basic headset requirements:
We still use our custom ear tips made from Howard Leight Max Lite ear plugs, but that?s because they work for us and we have 1000s of hours wearing them in the shop, on motorcycles and in airplanes. The primary difference I?ve noticed between the CQ1 and the in-ear headset it replaced (QT Halo) is QUALITY. Quality in communication, Quality in fabrication, Quality in the consistency of fit and placement. I?ve not had to fiddle with the CQ1, and that?s utterly remarkable. I think Scott?s annoyed I haven?t sent it in for a checkup. Why would I? There?s nothing wrong. I formed the headset to my noggin once. It?s still in that shape and sits exactly where it should on my head. The mike stays exactly where I place it, instead of the constant creep experienced with my previous headset. Sound quality is excellent. I hear ATC crystal clear. Once my wife switched over the CQ1 microphone quality was immediately obvious over the intercom. It?s really striking to do a back to back comparison with the Halo. All in-ear headsets look similar, but they don?t wear and sound the same.
Other notes: With my previous headset I had to take the control box apart periodically to clean the volume potentiometer or at lease one ear would lose all volume. I?ve had no issues with the CQ1. The Kevlar lined cables are likely durable (I?ve had no failures), but they also don?t twist and tangle like other lightweight cables. The cable clips are excellent. Pilot distraction from annoying details is a real issue and no headset I?ve worn comes with fewer distractions and annoyances.
Comparisons:
BLUF: If you want the best overall headset comfort and sound quality, buy the CQ1.
If you can?t stand something in your ears or you're purchasing for children, buy the BOSE. With the latter you?ll give up the ability to wear a wide-brimmed hat, the ability to wear glasses without impact to comfort and sound quality and you?ll spend twice as much.
Intro:
This is a comparison between two in-ear passive headsets and two traditional over-the-ear active noise cancelling headsets. The in-ear models are the Card Machine Works CQ1 and the Quiet Technologies Halo. The over-the-ear models are the Bose A-20 and the Lightspeed Zulu II.
Communication Rankings in Order:
Comfort Rankings in order:
CQ1, Halo, Bose, Lightspeed.
CQ1 disappears and doesn?t require fiddling. Halo is good as well but requires frequent fiddling with the mike and cables. The Bose is comfortable for a while then gives me a headache. Same for the Zulu II?s, but with a slight nod to the Bose. Again, for me, in-ear is dramatically more comfortable than over-the-ear.
Glasses / Hat compatibility:
CQ1, QT Halo, Bose, Zulu II.
Over the ear headsets don?t work well with glasses and hats. Any layer that the seal must try and conform to admits unwanted noise. Even with ANR the noise is not all compensated for. The CQ1 only wins over the Halo because it stays where I put it and doesn?t require adjustment if I bump the brim of my hat.
Value: CQ1, QT Halo, Zulu, Bose.
CQ1 dominates in everything metric that matters. It?s the second least expensive and nearly half the price of the overall runner-up Bose. Bose wins in long term value if you have kids. See below.
Other considerations and comments:
Bose A20 are the best choice for children. The central hinge allows them to fit heads from nearly infant to adult. They?re expensive, but you only have to buy them once instead of cycling through an assortment of poor-quality uncomfortable youth headsets with questionable attenuation as your kids grow. If your kids aren?t comfortable, they?ll let you know at the worst possible time. I have two A-20s. My kids (currently 4 and 6) haven?t been able to hurt them.
FWIW, I don?t like active noise cancelling. I can hear (maybe sense is a better word) the white noise from the negative sound waves. It gives me a headache in time. Active cancellation doesn?t provide much more noise attenuation in an aircraft than good earplugs. I?ve compared them in the same flight in the same aircraft many times. Active Noise cancelling was a tremendous improvement over passive over-the-ear headsets that required tight clamps and tight seals to do their jobs. Modern ear plugs are amazing and do the job without putting your head in a vice or requiring a battery pack and thousand dollars? worth of electronics.
Some people think that in-ear headsets are a less capable, but less expensive alternative to active noise cancellation headsets. I firmly believe in-ear is better. In my day job, we?ve learned that most people can?t insert foam ear-plugs properly without training. Read the instructions and practice. Google it. Proper insertion and finding ear-plugs that work for you makes a huge difference.
Guy?s basic headset requirements:
- Must allow excellent communication in both directions. Great noise attenuation is a must. Music quality is important to me too.
- Must be comfortable, without undue pressure on my head.
- Must allow wearing of glasses without increased sound levels or pressure points from the earpieces. I won?t tilt my glasses at some daft angle. In two seat RVs, must allow me to wear my wide-brimmed hat. (I recommend Tilley)
We still use our custom ear tips made from Howard Leight Max Lite ear plugs, but that?s because they work for us and we have 1000s of hours wearing them in the shop, on motorcycles and in airplanes. The primary difference I?ve noticed between the CQ1 and the in-ear headset it replaced (QT Halo) is QUALITY. Quality in communication, Quality in fabrication, Quality in the consistency of fit and placement. I?ve not had to fiddle with the CQ1, and that?s utterly remarkable. I think Scott?s annoyed I haven?t sent it in for a checkup. Why would I? There?s nothing wrong. I formed the headset to my noggin once. It?s still in that shape and sits exactly where it should on my head. The mike stays exactly where I place it, instead of the constant creep experienced with my previous headset. Sound quality is excellent. I hear ATC crystal clear. Once my wife switched over the CQ1 microphone quality was immediately obvious over the intercom. It?s really striking to do a back to back comparison with the Halo. All in-ear headsets look similar, but they don?t wear and sound the same.
Other notes: With my previous headset I had to take the control box apart periodically to clean the volume potentiometer or at lease one ear would lose all volume. I?ve had no issues with the CQ1. The Kevlar lined cables are likely durable (I?ve had no failures), but they also don?t twist and tangle like other lightweight cables. The cable clips are excellent. Pilot distraction from annoying details is a real issue and no headset I?ve worn comes with fewer distractions and annoyances.
Comparisons:
BLUF: If you want the best overall headset comfort and sound quality, buy the CQ1.
If you can?t stand something in your ears or you're purchasing for children, buy the BOSE. With the latter you?ll give up the ability to wear a wide-brimmed hat, the ability to wear glasses without impact to comfort and sound quality and you?ll spend twice as much.
Intro:
This is a comparison between two in-ear passive headsets and two traditional over-the-ear active noise cancelling headsets. The in-ear models are the Card Machine Works CQ1 and the Quiet Technologies Halo. The over-the-ear models are the Bose A-20 and the Lightspeed Zulu II.
Communication Rankings in Order:
- Tie, CQ1 and Bose A20; excellent incoming sound, microphone is excellent, noise attenuation is excellent. The CQ1 being passive has a less tiresome noise attenuation method. Bose has slightly higher music sound quality.
- Lightspeed Zulu II; Still pretty good, just not as rich sounding in, or out, as the previous contenders.
- QT Halo: Sometimes it?s good, even better than the lightspeed. Then the mike moves, or the volume knob gets bumped and the control?s poor quality makes the sound disappear in one ear, or, (choose your own adventure)?
Comfort Rankings in order:
CQ1, Halo, Bose, Lightspeed.
CQ1 disappears and doesn?t require fiddling. Halo is good as well but requires frequent fiddling with the mike and cables. The Bose is comfortable for a while then gives me a headache. Same for the Zulu II?s, but with a slight nod to the Bose. Again, for me, in-ear is dramatically more comfortable than over-the-ear.
Glasses / Hat compatibility:
CQ1, QT Halo, Bose, Zulu II.
Over the ear headsets don?t work well with glasses and hats. Any layer that the seal must try and conform to admits unwanted noise. Even with ANR the noise is not all compensated for. The CQ1 only wins over the Halo because it stays where I put it and doesn?t require adjustment if I bump the brim of my hat.
Value: CQ1, QT Halo, Zulu, Bose.
CQ1 dominates in everything metric that matters. It?s the second least expensive and nearly half the price of the overall runner-up Bose. Bose wins in long term value if you have kids. See below.
Other considerations and comments:
Bose A20 are the best choice for children. The central hinge allows them to fit heads from nearly infant to adult. They?re expensive, but you only have to buy them once instead of cycling through an assortment of poor-quality uncomfortable youth headsets with questionable attenuation as your kids grow. If your kids aren?t comfortable, they?ll let you know at the worst possible time. I have two A-20s. My kids (currently 4 and 6) haven?t been able to hurt them.
FWIW, I don?t like active noise cancelling. I can hear (maybe sense is a better word) the white noise from the negative sound waves. It gives me a headache in time. Active cancellation doesn?t provide much more noise attenuation in an aircraft than good earplugs. I?ve compared them in the same flight in the same aircraft many times. Active Noise cancelling was a tremendous improvement over passive over-the-ear headsets that required tight clamps and tight seals to do their jobs. Modern ear plugs are amazing and do the job without putting your head in a vice or requiring a battery pack and thousand dollars? worth of electronics.
Some people think that in-ear headsets are a less capable, but less expensive alternative to active noise cancellation headsets. I firmly believe in-ear is better. In my day job, we?ve learned that most people can?t insert foam ear-plugs properly without training. Read the instructions and practice. Google it. Proper insertion and finding ear-plugs that work for you makes a huge difference.