Bose vs. Lightspeed

[jls]

I finally got to try out Bose headsets. They were a phenomenon.
Utterly clear, crisp and unimpeded hearing on a cross-country from WNC
to Charleston, SC in a 182. Very positive impression of these $1000
miracles.

I have a poor set of Lightspeeds. When at their best they are great
too, but they are coming apart. The plastic is cracking although I
never keep them in the plane, and they go crazy when the noise is
loud, as when you firewall the throttle. They will blast your ears
with something really loud and cacophonic, as if what they are doing
is not reducing but amplifying noise.

Another Lightspeed user said, "Change batteries." Well, I did but
the blast is still there in a 172 and in the noisy Taylorcraft.

When you listen to Beethoven's Violin Concerto and don't hear the high
notes, you know what you got left should be pampered.

Any suggestions? I guess I ought to send them back to the company.
Thanks.

[stol]

On Jan 30, 7:28 am, " jls" > wrote:
> I finally got to try out Bose headsets. They were a phenomenon.
> Utterly clear, crisp and unimpeded hearing on a cross-country from WNC
> to Charleston, SC in a 182. Very positive impression of these $1000
> miracles.
>
> I have a poor set of Lightspeeds. When at their best they are great
> too, but they are coming apart. The plastic is cracking although I
> never keep them in the plane, and they go crazy when the noise is
> loud, as when you firewall the throttle. They will blast your ears
> with something really loud and cacophonic, as if what they are doing
> is not reducing but amplifying noise.
>
> Another Lightspeed user said, "Change batteries." Well, I did but
> the blast is still there in a 172 and in the noisy Taylorcraft.
>
> When you listen to Beethoven's Violin Concerto and don't hear the high
> notes, you know what you got left should be pampered.
>
> Any suggestions? I guess I ought to send them back to the company.
> Thanks.

I LOVE my Lightspeed 20 3 G's .................. and less then half
the cost of the Bose things.

[WestCDA]

I've had a pair of Lightspeed's for 5 years or so now, and the audio
performance/ANR has been excellent. I have had the plastic stirrups (that
attach the earcups to the headband) crack on them, and they promptly sent me
another set on request (when well out of warranty). I get the feeling that
is not uncommon, as a couple years back at S&F they had a box of various
stirrups under the table at their booth they were handing out on request.

From my experience and from what I've read online, their customer service
has been excellent - I would sure contact them about your issues before
writing them off. My feeling is you would get them repaired (electronics
and plastics) to like new at no cost.

" jls" > wrote in message
.. .
>I finally got to try out Bose headsets. They were a phenomenon.
> Utterly clear, crisp and unimpeded hearing on a cross-country from WNC
> to Charleston, SC in a 182. Very positive impression of these $1000
> miracles.
>
> I have a poor set of Lightspeeds. When at their best they are great
> too, but they are coming apart. The plastic is cracking although I
> never keep them in the plane, and they go crazy when the noise is
> loud, as when you firewall the throttle. They will blast your ears
> with something really loud and cacophonic, as if what they are doing
> is not reducing but amplifying noise.
>
> Another Lightspeed user said, "Change batteries." Well, I did but
> the blast is still there in a 172 and in the noisy Taylorcraft.
>
> When you listen to Beethoven's Violin Concerto and don't hear the high
> notes, you know what you got left should be pampered.
>
> Any suggestions? I guess I ought to send them back to the company.
> Thanks.
>
>

[Ron Wanttaja]

On Tue, 30 Jan 2007 09:28:33 -0500, " jls" > wrote:

>Any suggestions? I guess I ought to send them back to the company.
>Thanks.

I use a Flightcom Denali ANR headset in the Fly Baby. My first try at an ANR
headset was a borrowed Lightspeed. The headset would "warble" in one ear or the
other as I turned my head while flying. My guess it was reacting to the change
of air pressure in the open cockpit.

The Flightcom doesn't have this problem. Seems to work pretty good at the noise
canceling, too, although it runs through batteries pretty quickly. I'm guessing
that's because of the high noise levels (~109 dB, chest high). When the battery
gets low enough, I start getting a "chirping" in the earphones and the light
flashes red. The battery is pretty low at that point, though. I've got the old
version without the compatibility with panel power. The Denali is pretty low
profile, which might explain its lower sensitivity to wind-driven effects.

The only drawback to the Denali was the color choices...yellow or blue. Neither
goes well with my airplane. Life is Hell. :-)


Ron Wanttaja

[Morgans]

"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote

> The only drawback to the Denali was the color choices...yellow or blue.
> Neither
> goes well with my airplane. Life is Hell. :-)

Perhaps a good polyurethane paint, with plasticisers in it?
--
Jim in NC

[Ron Wanttaja]

On Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:54:35 -0500, "Morgans" > wrote:

>
>"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote
>
>> The only drawback to the Denali was the color choices...yellow or blue.
>> Neither
>> goes well with my airplane. Life is Hell. :-)
>
>Perhaps a good polyurethane paint, with plasticisers in it?

But will it stick to the fabric and cowling? :-)

Ron Wanttaja

[Morgans]

"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote

> But will it stick to the fabric and cowling? :-)

OR

You could go the easy route,

and paint the

DENALI ! ! ! <bfg>
--
Jim in NC

[Jay Honeck]

> Any suggestions? I guess I ought to send them back to the company.
> Thanks.

You don't say which model of LightSpeeds you own. I've owned them
all, going back to the early 15s, and can tell you that the models
that preceded the current Twenty and Thirty 3Gs were NOT built for
daily use. They worked great when new, but were simply not durable,
and would literally break over time without anyone touching them.

I lost faith with the company after sending my early models back
multiple times for repair. (Their customer service has always been
outstanding.) Were it not for the president of LightSpeed
interceding, and GIVING me a pair of Twenty 3Gs, I would have never
purchased another pair of LightSpeeds.

His actions turned out to be a wise investment. The 3G series has
been outstanding in every way. They are now durable as well as
comfortable and effective, and offer features that Bose does not, at
less than half the price. I have since purchased three more pair,
and am VERY happy with them.

If you have an older pair, check out their "trade-up" offers, which
are quite good.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

[Ron Wanttaja]

On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:01:49 -0500, "Morgans" > wrote:

>
>"Ron Wanttaja" > wrote
>
>> But will it stick to the fabric and cowling? :-)
>
>OR
>
>You could go the easy route,
>
>and paint the
>
>DENALI ! ! ! <bfg>

Yeah, but I like the headset color better. :-)

Ron Wanttaja

[n2uck@verizon period. net]

I've been flying with the Bose Aviation X's for the last 3 years and I swear
by them. Never had a problem (except when my brain malfunctioned and I
forgot to have a spare battery). They are worth every penny.

[Barnyard BOb]

>When the battery
>gets low enough, I start getting a "chirping" in the earphones and the light
>flashes red. The battery is pretty low at that point, though. I've got the old
>version without the compatibility with panel power. The Denali is pretty low
>profile, which might explain its lower sensitivity to wind-driven effects.
>
>The only drawback to the Denali was the color choices...yellow or blue. Neither
>goes well with my airplane. Life is Hell. :-)
>
>
>Ron Wanttaja
-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

My Flightcom 6ANX headset is the 'daddy' to the Denali....
and a respectable gray/black. The outrageous yellow and
blue colors were a small factor in me NOT upgrading.

Being a penny pincher, my solution many years ago was to invest
in 9 volt Ratshack Nickel-Metal Hydride RECHARGEABLES.
Although hardly cheap, I've not had to buy more batteries
in close to a decade.They paid for themselves in a month.
Perhaps you are doing likewise.

P.S.
If there is any way to leave the headset switch on, I will.
After 36 hours or so, it's definitely time for a fre$h battery.
Auto $hutoff $ure would be nice.

- Barnyard BOb -
More than a half century of flight.

[Ron Wanttaja]

On Thu, 01 Feb 2007 09:11:34 -0600, Barnyard BOb > wrote:

>Being a penny pincher, my solution many years ago was to invest
>in 9 volt Ratshack Nickel-Metal Hydride RECHARGEABLES.
>Although hardly cheap, I've not had to buy more batteries
>in close to a decade.They paid for themselves in a month.
>Perhaps you are doing likewise.

I tried, but it wouldn't power up the headset. The voltage when fully-charged
is a bit low, but when you consider an alkaline will power the headset until it
gets so low it'll hardly tickle the tongue, I don't know what's happening. It
might be that the impedance of the rechargeable is different than an alkaline
and the circuitry is thrown off by it.

I just buy a big pack of 9V batteries from Costco. Lasts me a couple of years.
Tuck a spare into the flying jacket pocket.

Ron Wanttaja

[jls]

On Jan 31, 10:04 am, "Jay Honeck" > wrote:
[...]
> If you have an older pair, check out their "trade-up" offers, which
> are quite good.
> --
> Jay Honeck
> Iowa City, IA
> Pathfinder N56993www.AlexisParkInn.com
> "Your Aviation Destination"

Thanks, folks, again for the priceless help.

I'll see about trading up with the people at Lightspeed.
***********

Let me live in my house by the side of the road,
Where the race of men go by-
They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,
Wise, foolish - so am I.
Then why should I sit in the scorner's seat,
Or hurl the cynic's ban?
Let me live in my house by the side of the road
And be a friend to man. -- Kipling

[Barnyard BOb]

>Barnyard BOb wrote:
>
>>Being a penny pincher, my solution many years ago was to invest
>>in 9 volt Ratshack Nickel-Metal Hydride RECHARGEABLES.
>>Although hardly cheap, I've not had to buy more batteries
>>in close to a decade.They paid for themselves in a month.
>>Perhaps you are doing likewise.
>
>I tried, but it wouldn't power up the headset. The voltage when fully-charged
>is a bit low, but when you consider an alkaline will power the headset until it
>gets so low it'll hardly tickle the tongue, I don't know what's happening. It
>might be that the impedance of the rechargeable is different than an alkaline
>and the circuitry is thrown off by it.
>
>Ron Wanttaja
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

My Flightcoms do fine, voltage wise, down to the last NiMH drop...
Another reason for me to be happy I didn't spring for the Denali??

FWIW...
Like you, I ran into a situation with a smoke alarm where a 9v lithium
would not work... and it's voltage could be higher than an alkaline.
My hopes were to go keep from changing batteries annually.
A 10 year lithium application seemed like a grrreat idea.

- Barnyard BOb -

[Ernest Christley]

Ron Wanttaja wrote:
> On Thu, 01 Feb 2007 09:11:34 -0600, Barnyard BOb > wrote:
>
>> Being a penny pincher, my solution many years ago was to invest
>> in 9 volt Ratshack Nickel-Metal Hydride RECHARGEABLES.
>> Although hardly cheap, I've not had to buy more batteries
>> in close to a decade.They paid for themselves in a month.
>> Perhaps you are doing likewise.
>
> I tried, but it wouldn't power up the headset. The voltage when fully-charged
> is a bit low, but when you consider an alkaline will power the headset until it
> gets so low it'll hardly tickle the tongue, I don't know what's happening. It
> might be that the impedance of the rechargeable is different than an alkaline
> and the circuitry is thrown off by it.
>
> I just buy a big pack of 9V batteries from Costco. Lasts me a couple of years.
> Tuck a spare into the flying jacket pocket.
>
> Ron Wanttaja

I have a pair of Telex Echelons. The ANR battery box connects with a
miniature stereo plug. I built little plates to mount the plug jacks,
and added an extra jack for the ANR power. Ran a couple extra wires a
little regulator circuit I built.