Cheap ANR headset suggestions?

Hey all. I've been looking to upgrade my headset to an ANR and
figured I'd ask for advice. Let me give you a few tidbits that I've found
so far as a background:

- My intercom is a DC Isocom (Mono, single squelch, simple, adequate
quality, doesn't mix/match well brands of headsets)
- Tried a DRE-6000, and can best describe it as complete crap. The
passive performance isn't very good with the weakly clamped (read: not too
uncomfortable) earpieces. The ANR helps slightly with the low-freq engine
noise, but boosts the audio frequencies to an uncomfortable level. Also,
the mic is much more sensitive than the rest of the headsets, and lets
through a lot of background noise.
- Tried Lightspeed 15/20/25 K/XL. Much better than DRE-6k, but
still amplfies voice too much, and doesn't attenuate high-frequency
cockpit rattle of 500Hz-2kHz or so (present in my plane). I find it
difficult to get a volume that makes controllers clear, but not too loud
otherwise
- Currently using FlightLine HS-60B passive purchased about 1.5
years ago. Fairly comfortable, good passive attenuation, great radio and
mic sound quality and low noise, but the mic isn't very sensitive. Have
to shout to break the squelch, especially when the DRE-6k is in the mix.

Questions:
- Are the Lightspeed XC solid with descent passive and mild active?
Seem like a good choice, but look a bit flimsily constructed.
- Anyone know about the FlightLine Sky Hawk? I've been pleased with
my passives, but don't know much about these new actives.
- Can mic volumes typically be adjusted on headsets?

Thanks in advance,
-Cory


--
************************************************** ***********************
* The prime directive of Linux: *
* - learn what you don't know, *
* - teach what you do. *
* (Just my 20 USm$) *
************************************************** ***********************

wrote in message ...
Hey all. I've been looking to upgrade my headset to an ANR and

- Can mic volumes typically be adjusted on headsets?

Yes. Almost all of them use an electret microphone with an integral amplifier.
There's frequently a small trimmer somewhere to tweak the gain.

The QFR XC2 sounds like something you might want to try. However, as
Jim said, something might be odd about your intercom or your headset
mix.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

I have been using SoftComm's for years. The C-100 and the C-90 are both excellent.


wrote in message ...
Hey all. I've been looking to upgrade my headset to an ANR and
figured I'd ask for advice. Let me give you a few tidbits that I've found
so far as a background:

- My intercom is a DC Isocom (Mono, single squelch, simple, adequate
quality, doesn't mix/match well brands of headsets)
- Tried a DRE-6000, and can best describe it as complete crap. The
passive performance isn't very good with the weakly clamped (read: not too
uncomfortable) earpieces. The ANR helps slightly with the low-freq engine
noise, but boosts the audio frequencies to an uncomfortable level. Also,
the mic is much more sensitive than the rest of the headsets, and lets
through a lot of background noise.
- Tried Lightspeed 15/20/25 K/XL. Much better than DRE-6k, but
still amplfies voice too much, and doesn't attenuate high-frequency
cockpit rattle of 500Hz-2kHz or so (present in my plane). I find it
difficult to get a volume that makes controllers clear, but not too loud
otherwise
- Currently using FlightLine HS-60B passive purchased about 1.5
years ago. Fairly comfortable, good passive attenuation, great radio and
mic sound quality and low noise, but the mic isn't very sensitive. Have
to shout to break the squelch, especially when the DRE-6k is in the mix.

Questions:
- Are the Lightspeed XC solid with descent passive and mild active?
Seem like a good choice, but look a bit flimsily constructed.
- Anyone know about the FlightLine Sky Hawk? I've been pleased with
my passives, but don't know much about these new actives.
- Can mic volumes typically be adjusted on headsets?

Thanks in advance,
-Cory

writes:

My environment:

sometimes Stock '74 Skyhawk intercom
sometimes PS-Eng portable plugged in to above
once stock '79 Warrior II intercom

- Tried a DRE-6000, and can best describe it as complete crap.

Had similar experience. My DRE-6000s were good on active, sucked on
passive and the mic sucked at all times. I returned 'em.

- Are the Lightspeed XC solid with descent passive and mild active?
Seem like a good choice, but look a bit flimsily constructed.

This is what I've been using for the past 50 hours or so (including a
few 6+ hour days in the airplane). Very nice.

Quieter and more comfortable than the DCs normally in the airplane.
Not flimsily constructed (but you can't use 'em to drive in your tie
down spikes as you can with the DCs). Reversible boom if you care.
Very impressive battery life. Fairly light weight.

The ANR is not extreme but makes a noticeable difference in the low
frequency. Couple that with very nice passive attenuation and I find
the results very nice. Unlike other ANRs I've tried (e.g. DCs) it
does not have a high frequency whine.

It may not be the absolute best out there but I'm pretty sure it's
the best price/performance point.

- Can mic volumes typically be adjusted on headsets?

Mic adjustment screw on the boom (I've had to use it to cut down
levels for the Skyhawk intercom -- the PS-Eng portable has always been
just fine with it on whatever setting).

--
Dewey M. Sasser

The lowest cost ANR that I have found is the Headsets inc ANR mod kit
for existing headsets. Easy to install and works well. I have two.

NONE of the ANR headsets have active high freq attenuation. The high
freq attenuation is all passive. However the most noise is low freq
and comes from the low freq exhaust and prop wash.
If your intercom does not have separate mic bias resistors it will NOT
work well with different brands of headsets. Easy to find out this.
Get two mic plugs and with power off measure with an ohmmeter between
the two mic connections, (not the PTT). If it reads less than 100
ohms then you do NOT have separate mic bias resistors.

All noise canceling mics must be within 1/4 inch of your mouth to work
well or it will think your voice is noise and cancel it also.

john

On Tue, 15 Jul 2003 15:48:13 +0000 (UTC),
wrote:

Hey all. I've been looking to upgrade my headset to an ANR and
figured I'd ask for advice. Let me give you a few tidbits that I've found
so far as a background:

- My intercom is a DC Isocom (Mono, single squelch, simple, adequate
quality, doesn't mix/match well brands of headsets)
- Tried a DRE-6000, and can best describe it as complete crap. The
passive performance isn't very good with the weakly clamped (read: not too
uncomfortable) earpieces. The ANR helps slightly with the low-freq engine
noise, but boosts the audio frequencies to an uncomfortable level. Also,
the mic is much more sensitive than the rest of the headsets, and lets
through a lot of background noise.
- Tried Lightspeed 15/20/25 K/XL. Much better than DRE-6k, but
still amplfies voice too much, and doesn't attenuate high-frequency
cockpit rattle of 500Hz-2kHz or so (present in my plane). I find it
difficult to get a volume that makes controllers clear, but not too loud
otherwise
- Currently using FlightLine HS-60B passive purchased about 1.5
years ago. Fairly comfortable, good passive attenuation, great radio and
mic sound quality and low noise, but the mic isn't very sensitive. Have
to shout to break the squelch, especially when the DRE-6k is in the mix.

Questions:
- Are the Lightspeed XC solid with descent passive and mild active?
Seem like a good choice, but look a bit flimsily constructed.
- Anyone know about the FlightLine Sky Hawk? I've been pleased with
my passives, but don't know much about these new actives.
- Can mic volumes typically be adjusted on headsets?

Thanks in advance,
-Cory