Headset Microphone Quality

[Marco Leon]

So a question out to the group: which headsets have the best microphones?
And the worst?

Although I can't pinpoint the issue, I feel like my Lightspeed Twenty 3G
catches too much background noise and I don't remember my other ones
sounding the same.

Marco

[J. Severyn]

"Marco Leon" > wrote in message
...
> So a question out to the group: which headsets have the best microphones?
> And the worst?
>
> Although I can't pinpoint the issue, I feel like my Lightspeed Twenty 3G
> catches too much background noise and I don't remember my other ones
> sounding the same.
>
> Marco
>
>

If you have one of those foam covers over the microphone, remove it and
check the microphone for proper orientation. On my last BFR the CFI was
nearly impossible to hear over the engine/wind noise coming from his mike.
After landing I mentioned that his mike was not cutting it. We
looked....and the mike was turned 180 degrees from the proper position. The
mike's noise cancelling port was aimed at his face. The input port was
aimed at the engine...... No wonder!

Regards,
John Severyn
Livermore, Ca LVK

[Thomas Borchert]

Marco,

What John says. Also, it has to be so close to your mouth that your
pursed lips would touch it.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Maxwell]

"Thomas Borchert" > wrote in message
...
> Marco,
>
> What John says. Also, it has to be so close to your mouth that your
> pursed lips would touch it.
>

Pursed??? Is that anything like pouting?

[Erik]

Marco Leon wrote:
> So a question out to the group: which headsets have the best microphones?
> And the worst?
>
> Although I can't pinpoint the issue, I feel like my Lightspeed Twenty 3G
> catches too much background noise and I don't remember my other ones
> sounding the same.
>
> Marco
>
>
>

I have a set of David Clarks that I got on ebay for $238 and
they absolutely rock.

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN[_2_]]

Erik wrote:
>> So a question out to the group: which headsets have the best microphones?
>> And the worst?
>
> I have a set of David Clarks that I got on ebay for $238 and
> they absolutely rock.


I've got a set of David Clark 10-80s, which they don't make anymore. At the
time, it was a top of the line product complete with electret mike on the
"pliable" boom (not the articulating type like the ubiquitous 10-40s had). I've
gotten a lot of complaints about incoherent speech, and I don't drink and fly.
I've got to absolutely make sure the mike is just brushing my lip, and I keep
one of those foam windbreaker thingees on it as well.

What gets me is that I never get a complaint with the el-cheapo Marv Golden
10-40 clones I also carry. Twenty years later and one quarter the price...



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

[Erik]

Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:

> Erik wrote:
>
>>>So a question out to the group: which headsets have the best microphones?
>>>And the worst?
>>
>>I have a set of David Clarks that I got on ebay for $238 and
>>they absolutely rock.
>
>
>
> I've got a set of David Clark 10-80s, which they don't make anymore. At the
> time, it was a top of the line product complete with electret mike on the
> "pliable" boom (not the articulating type like the ubiquitous 10-40s had). I've
> gotten a lot of complaints about incoherent speech, and I don't drink and fly.
> I've got to absolutely make sure the mike is just brushing my lip, and I keep
> one of those foam windbreaker thingees on it as well.
>
> What gets me is that I never get a complaint with the el-cheapo Marv Golden
> 10-40 clones I also carry. Twenty years later and one quarter the price...

I don't know what model mine is, it's in the car. It does
have one of those articulating, jointed booms, and it does
have to be up close and personal with your lips. Don't share
the headset. But I love the crap out of them.

[DR]

J. Severyn wrote:
> "Marco Leon" > wrote in message
>
> On my last BFR the CFI was
> nearly impossible to hear over the engine/wind noise coming from his mike.
> After landing I mentioned that his mike was not cutting it. We
> looked....and the mike was turned 180 degrees from the proper position. The
> mike's noise cancelling port was aimed at his face. The input port was
> aimed at the engine...... No wonder!
>
I guess he never read the POH for his 'complex' headset! LOL!

Cheers MarkC

[Dan Luke]

"Marco Leon" wrote:

> So a question out to the group: which headsets have the best microphones?
> And the worst?

Of the four headsets I own, the Lightspeed has the worst mic, the Bose the
best.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

[Marco Leon]

"J. Severyn" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> If you have one of those foam covers over the microphone, remove it and
> check the microphone for proper orientation. On my last BFR the CFI was
> nearly impossible to hear over the engine/wind noise coming from his mike.
> After landing I mentioned that his mike was not cutting it. We
> looked....and the mike was turned 180 degrees from the proper position.
> The mike's noise cancelling port was aimed at his face. The input port
> was aimed at the engine...... No wonder!

Hehe. No, I checked that already. Lightspeed puts a nice "talk" sign on the
side that needs to face your mouth (no doubt to cut down on their support
calls!).

[Marco Leon]

"Thomas Borchert" > wrote in message
...
> Marco,
>
> What John says. Also, it has to be so close to your mouth that your
> pursed lips would touch it.

Yes, it's real close. I do that almost instinctively. I also have the same
orientation with the other headsets and I still notice a difference in the
sound quality.

Marco

[Marco Leon]

"Dan Luke" > wrote in message
...
>
> Of the four headsets I own, the Lightspeed has the worst mic, the Bose the
> best.

I feel my DC 20-10 microphones are better than the Lightspeeds as well.
Thanks for confirming my suspicion.

I wonder if they have aftemarket replacements for the Lightspeeds. I doubt
anything else will fit though.

Marco

[Brian[_1_]]

After spending hundreds of hours instructing in 7AC Champs there are
only a few brands of headset microphones that have impressed me.

David Clarks are always good, with the exception of the Carbon mic
headset (I forget the number).

FlightCom Headsets are consistantly good and are reasonably priced.

Bose, of course is always good but expensive.

I have flown with many other brands that have good microphones but no
other brands have consistantly seemed to work well in loud aircraft
like the Champ. With the other brands I have experienced the only way
to tell if they have a good microphone was to go fly with it.

Most of my students that bought a headset that doesn't cancel noise
very well ended up returning them and buying a David Clark.

Brian
CFIIG/ASEL

[Marco Leon]

"Brian" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> After spending hundreds of hours instructing in 7AC Champs there are
> only a few brands of headset microphones that have impressed me.
>
> David Clarks are always good, with the exception of the Carbon mic
> headset (I forget the number).
>
> FlightCom Headsets are consistantly good and are reasonably priced.
>
> Bose, of course is always good but expensive.
>
> I have flown with many other brands that have good microphones but no
> other brands have consistantly seemed to work well in loud aircraft
> like the Champ. With the other brands I have experienced the only way
> to tell if they have a good microphone was to go fly with it.
>
> Most of my students that bought a headset that doesn't cancel noise
> very well ended up returning them and buying a David Clark.

I'm actually thinking about getting the HEadsets Inc. noise cancelling
upgrade to my David Clark 20-10's.

Marco

[john]

On May 14, 11:04 am, "Marco Leon" > wrote:
> So a question out to the group: which headsets have the best microphones?
> And the worst?
>
> Although I can't pinpoint the issue, I feel like my Lightspeed Twenty 3G
> catches too much background noise and I don't remember my other ones
> sounding the same.
>
> Marco

I had to replace a microphone on a flightcom a while back. During my
research in finding the proper replacement with the best price I found
out that the same microphone is used by a variety of manufacturers. I
can't remember who exactly, but I seem to remember that the the model
I had uses the same mike as some of the David Clarks and one or two
other manufacturers.