Pilot headset comparison - Lightspeed Zulu vs. Bose X

I have the Zulu and the Bose. I like my Bose but Zulu wins hands down.
Whereas, both have good noise reduction, Zulu is noticeably better in
blocking out the noise. The Zulu has the bluetooth that syncs with the
cel phone. Bose doesn't. Very handy when making a call from the ground
or low altitudes, as you don't have to cram the cel phone between the
headset and your ear. Sound quality when listening to iPhone music is
much better, too. The music mute button is handy and can be pressed
before transmitting.

Bluetooth is handy because you can hear your cel phone in your headset
and talk on your cel phone into the headset's microphone. Your cel
phone is nearby but there aren't any wires connect the two. If you
don't like bluetooth, it also has cables inside to simply plug the cel
phone into a side jack on the cable controller, which Bose also does
not have.

I think these "how to" instructions are clearer than the manual - To
set up your cel phone for bluetooth pairing mode, be sure bluetooth is
off on the headset (blue light not flashing). Set up your cel phone
for bluetooth pairing mode (if you don't know how, ask a teenager),
hold down the bluetooth button on the headset for a long time until it
flashes red and blue. Then enter in the bluetooth sync code 0000 in
your cel phone when you are prompted. You have to turn on the headset
AND the bluetooth each time you use the headset in order for bluetooth
to work. To answer the cel phone you simply push the same button on
the cel phone that you would push to answer it regularly, but you'll
be able to hear and communicate through your headset. By the way, I
have nothing to do with either company, just attempting to give a
helpful opinion.

Kevin Wessell wrote:
I have the Zulu and the Bose. I like my Bose but Zulu wins hands down.

My partner just bought a Zulu, so I will soon post a similar comparison.
He bought the Zulu because Litespeed have us a $300 credit for a dead
headset.

It'll be interesting, as I don't care about the cell phone connection,
and 95% of your "plusses" involved the phone and/or bluetooth. I file
by Duats, rarely (once a year?) call FSS, and really don't care if
anyone is calling me while I fly.

I have a device that I bought years ago that allows me to use phone or
IPod with any headset. It keeps my wife calm on longer flights, as she
listens to "Zencast" on her IPod. Since she never shuts it off and
usually kills the batteries, it would be nice if the IPod would plug in
without the extra device.

My main thing is that I have a Melon Head. Most headsets squeeze me
like a vise, my Bose doesn't.

More to follow....

"B A R R Y" wrote in message
...
Kevin Wessell wrote:
I have the Zulu and the Bose. I like my Bose but Zulu wins hands down.

My partner just bought a Zulu, so I will soon post a similar comparison.
He bought the Zulu because Litespeed have us a $300 credit for a dead
headset.

It'll be interesting, as I don't care about the cell phone connection, and
95% of your "plusses" involved the phone and/or bluetooth. I file by
Duats, rarely (once a year?) call FSS, and really don't care if anyone is
calling me while I fly.

I have a device that I bought years ago that allows me to use phone or
IPod with any headset. It keeps my wife calm on longer flights, as she
listens to "Zencast" on her IPod. Since she never shuts it off and
usually kills the batteries, it would be nice if the IPod would plug in
without the extra device.

Having the bluetooth headset connection is a definite plus. For those that
frequently fly IFR out of airfields with no clearance delivery frequency or
tower, a cell phone adapter of some sort is quite handy. Wired adapters
cost north of $100 and add more wires to string around. I'm not big on the
Bose or the Zulu, but I do rather like the fact that Lightspeed has set the
standard of the bluetooth interface. I've considered buying the Zulu for
that feature alone.

Mike wrote:

Having the bluetooth headset connection is a definite plus. For those
that frequently fly IFR out of airfields with no clearance delivery
frequency or tower, a cell phone adapter of some sort is quite handy.

Poor you guys. G

Our clearance delivery RCO was broken in July. I had to CALL FSS to
get clearance. _35_ minutes later I was on my way! A few days later, I
was able to depart VFR and get my IFR clearance once airborne. Much better!

I really feel for those of you who have to use the phone on a regular basis.

On 09/07/08 04:25, B A R R Y wrote:
Mike wrote:

Having the bluetooth headset connection is a definite plus. For those
that frequently fly IFR out of airfields with no clearance delivery
frequency or tower, a cell phone adapter of some sort is quite handy.

Poor you guys. G

Our clearance delivery RCO was broken in July. I had to CALL FSS to
get clearance. _35_ minutes later I was on my way! A few days later, I
was able to depart VFR and get my IFR clearance once airborne. Much better!

I really feel for those of you who have to use the phone on a regular basis.

I fly out of a small, non-towered air field in the Sacramento area,
and when I have to call to get a clearance, I call directly to the
approach controller for the area and get my clearance right then.

Of course, it's not a very busy area.

I did my IR training at a tower-controlled airport, so flying IFR out
of a non-towered airport took some getting used to :-)


--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Airplane, USUA Ultralight Pilot
Cal Aggie Flying Farmers
Sacramento, CA

"B A R R Y" wrote in message
...
Mike wrote:
Having the bluetooth headset connection is a definite plus. For those
that frequently fly IFR out of airfields with no clearance delivery
frequency or tower, a cell phone adapter of some sort is quite handy.

Poor you guys. G

Our clearance delivery RCO was broken in July. I had to CALL FSS to get
clearance. _35_ minutes later I was on my way! A few days later, I
was able to depart VFR and get my IFR clearance once airborne. Much
better!

Usually that works, but the only problem is if you depart under a busy
approach control, they may tell you to go fly a kite if you ask for a
pop-up.

I really feel for those of you who have to use the phone on a regular
basis.

Fortunately DFW TRACON has a direct line for clearances. There's no need to
call FS21 unless you need a briefing. I've never had to wait more than 30
seconds.

Mike wrote:


Fortunately DFW TRACON has a direct line for clearances. There's no
need to call FS21 unless you need a briefing. I've never had to wait
more than 30 seconds.

Nice!

I'm kind of surprised there's no RCO.

"B A R R Y" wrote in message
...
Mike wrote:


Fortunately DFW TRACON has a direct line for clearances. There's no need
to call FS21 unless you need a briefing. I've never had to wait more
than 30 seconds.

Nice!

I'm kind of surprised there's no RCO.

There are those too.

On Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:11:49 GMT, Mike wrote:

I'm not big on the
Bose or the Zulu,

Don't like the companies or the headsets?