what headset to buy

What do you recommend?

Get ANR, if you can at all afford it.

What are the main features I should be looking for?

ANR and comfort. The latter can only be tried on your head. Make use of
money-back policies or a well-equipped pilot shop in your area.

Which manufacturers have the best reputations?

Bose is top and top dollar. Lightspeed offers excellent value. David
Clark tends to be overpriced when comparing the features you get. IMHO.

Any specific model
recommendations?

Lightspeed's 20XLc is a good "middle groudn" headset.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

I started with the DC H20-10, enjoyed them muchly, but DCs prices for ANR
were over the top at the time I wanted to upgrade (and DC had no upgrade
path). I bought the LS 25XL and upgraded to the 30-3G and like them a lot,
but not cheap.

For a US made, DCH13.4 look alike, ANR - try the DRE-6000 available from
Avionics West for $279. I have no personal experience with these (they
might have been a contender if I knew they existed when I bought the first
LS). I've read a number of good reports, but that's nothing like wearing a
pair. I do not know what the Avionics West return policy is, they may let
you try etc etc

Cheers,
Kevin

"Thomas Borchert" wrote in message
...
What do you recommend?

Get ANR, if you can at all afford it.

What are the main features I should be looking for?

ANR and comfort. The latter can only be tried on your head. Make use of
money-back policies or a well-equipped pilot shop in your area.

Which manufacturers have the best reputations?

Bose is top and top dollar. Lightspeed offers excellent value. David
Clark tends to be overpriced when comparing the features you get. IMHO.

Any specific model
recommendations?

Lightspeed's 20XLc is a good "middle groudn" headset.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

"Thomas Borchert" wrote in message
...
What do you recommend?

Get ANR, if you can at all afford it.

I have to believe that is the best advise.

Some things, once you screw them up, never recover. Hearing is a big one.

I now have a rather profound hearing loss, and might have to get hearing
aids, just to pass the commercial driver's license "whisper test." Tat test
is a joke, if you don't know that.

I also hear a multi-pitched high frequency ringing in my head, at all times.
It drowns out everything that is soft. I hear it so loud that it is
difficult to go to sleep, sometimes.

Protect your hearing. You don't get a second chance. A couple hundred
bucks more for headsets is a very good bargain, for that.
--
Jim in NC

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 07:56:48 -0400, "Morgans"
wrote:
I also hear a multi-pitched high frequency ringing in my head, at all times.
It drowns out everything that is soft. I hear it so loud that it is
difficult to go to sleep, sometimes.

It's called marriage...

I also hear a multi-pitched high frequency ringing in my head, at all
times.
It drowns out everything that is soft. I hear it so loud that it is
difficult to go to sleep, sometimes.

It's called marriage...

I _WISH_ that it were that easy to get rid of! g
--
Jim in NC

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 12:10:25 -0400, "Morgans"
wrote:
I _WISH_ that it were that easy to get rid of! g

The most expensive hobby is collecting ex-wives...

"Thomas Borchert" wrote in message
...

Lightspeed's 20XLc is a good "middle groudn" headset.

It is a very personal thing and there is a range of right answers, but I
sure do like my Lightspeed 20XL. It is amazing how much more I understand
compared to my old cheapie set. The ANR works so good that I don't turn it on
until after runup, because I want to hear everything the engine is doing. The
acustic works so good, I forget to turn on the ANR half the time.

Vaughn

List the properties of a headset:

weight
comfort
durability
guarantee (will company stand behind them and repair them?)
style
headroom
clarity
noise reduction
cost
etc.

Then compare features that are most important to you.
For me, clarity and nose reduction was most important, so I chose ANR
Lightspeed.