Upgrading my headset

[jiott]

I have heard of several people going back to the Zulu II. The new PFX has great performance, but it is not that much better than the II and its big clunky controller and short battery life are real disadvantages.

[GuppyWN]

You can't go wrong with a Bose. I use a QC15/UflyMike setup in the 737 and an A20 for GA.

[Paul Z]

I have heard of several people going back to the Zulu II. The new PFX has great performance, but it is not that much better than the II and its big clunky controller and short battery life are real disadvantages.

I have a PFX, it was shutting down as I flew my cross country. I keep getting a warning sound, I think is battery's low warning. The next time I land the plane, I'll check the batteries. The batteries only last about 8 to 10 hours. So stock up on the batteries. After I flew up to Boise the end Sept (I purchased them at Oshkosh last year) with it cutting out at least 6 to 8 different times in flight on long cross countries. Twice on the way back to Texas from Oshkosh, 2 or 3 times on the way up to Homedale, and 3 times on the way back from Homedale. In Oct, I called Lightspeed about downgrading from the PFX to the Zulu II, and I told her I was very unhappy with the performance. She insisted everyone loves the PFX, they have had no complaints. I told her, I was complaining, and told her about them cutting out as I was landing at Albuquerque, somewhat distracting on landing at a busy airport. She commented she never heard of them doing that. I told her I wanted to trade down to the Zulu II and at first she said she couldn't do that. She asked me to send them in so they could load the new software, I asked, "I thought you were suppose to be able to upgrade the software via the Web." She commented we don't have that working yet. So I sent them in. They did the software upgrade. I used them a couple more times and the battery life was still really bad. I called about a trade down, she said I had had them too long to do anything, I told her I had called earlier and that she had had asked for them to give them a chance to fix them. I told her I was one unhappy customer, and informed her I was going to make sure and give out my recommendation on the Zulu PFXs performance. I said I was planning on taking them over to the just South of the Airport, there is a gun range. I think I'll use them for target practice, and when I go to Oshkosh next year I'll wear them around my neck and as people ask what happened, I'll tell them my story. Finally she offered me an trade down, Zulu PFX for a Zulu II straight up exchange. Let's see $1100 for the PFX, $850 for the IIs. I would end up loosing $250 on the deal.

Currently I'm using the same old pieces of s**t Zulu PFXs for now. The only time the cut off is on a long cross country. I believe it is a overheating problem with the components in the controller, after extended use. I will not know about the overheating until I go on a 5 or 6 hour flight, like going to Oshkosh from Texas. If they cut off in flight again, it's off to the range.

Don't waist your hard earned money on Lightspeed Zulu PFXs.

John McBean told me to get Bose Headsets, they are next on my list!

[Az350x]

I remember treating myself to a new David Clark H10-13.4 when they came out in the early 90's, after finishing my CFI rating. A couple years later, I sent an older DC headset back to them for overhaul, expecting to pay something for the refurbishment, and they rebuilt it and EXPRESS shipped it back to me in like three weeks, no charge, no questions asked. I was in awe. So, I thought I'd never own another headset brand that wasn't David Clark. Then, I finally broke down and bought a Bose about 7-8 years ago. I used to think it was insanity to even THINK of paying 1k for a headset. But, I've had my Bose for about 3,000 hours now and have to say that I LOVE it. The only reason I finally popped for it was that they were offering 0% financing if you charged it to a credit card- they carried the note for 10 months or so at no interest if you let them charge a credit card monthly. Worked out to like 10 payments of $80 or so per month. I've never been happier with a headset, and since I fly professionally, I figure that if, at the end of my career, I have a detectable amount of extra hearing left because of a $1,000 ANR headset, then it was worth the money.

I think I'll buy an A20 in the next year or so and my honey (a CFI) will "inherit" my old Bose.

Sidenote- Over the years, I've had at least 6-7 pro pilot buddies who went cheaper and bought Lightspeed instead of Bose. EVERY one of them had problems and told me that they wished they'd have just spent the extra $$ and bought Bose. To date, the ONLY thing I've had to do with my Bose is replace the ear seals (and batteries). But even those last longer than I expected. NO regrets whatsoever.

[Paul Z]

Well my wonderful Lightspeed PFX headsets have another issue. I upgraded to the new version of Firmware, I tried using the Bluetooth with my phone, it works, but the volume control will only not increase the volume. At the initial use the volume is not loud enough to hear, you increase the volume an you can tell someone's on the other end of the phone, but you can't distinguish what they are saying. I guess it's time to by a set of Bose!

[WWhunter]

[QUOTE
Sidenote- Over the years, I've had at least 6-7 pro pilot buddies who went cheaper and bought Lightspeed instead of Bose. EVERY one of them had problems and told me that they wished they'd have just spent the extra $$ and bought Bose. To date, the ONLY thing I've had to do with my Bose is replace the ear seals (and batteries). But even those last longer than I expected. NO regrets whatsoever.[/QUOTE]

Not going to disagree with you here but I have seen almost the exact opposite. Seen several guys change from BOSe to the LightSpeed Zulu. I guess it all comes down to personal preference.
I looked at every ANR set available at Oshkosh and ended up with the LS. I have had several models over the years and never had any issues. I've had a Zulu for many years and got a Zulu II when they first came out. COuldn't be happier.
I will say that I was going to get the new PFX but after trying them out, reading the reviews on short battery life I decided to just keep the Zulu's. I have a set of DC also but use the LS 99.9% of the time and regulate the DC's for passenger use.

[Paul Z]

I HAD a set of Lightspeed PFX, they should rename the Lightspeed PFX to Lightspeed POS (Piece of S**t)! I flew from Dallas to Lubbock, I was getting some noise that was unbearable. I played around with my squelch on my intercom, turned down the volume to the point I could barely hear, because of the background noise. Finally I landed at an airport in route to Lubbock and took my PFXs (POS) off and got out my Lightspeed Zulu I. Plugged them in and magically I had absolutely no background noise, I flew back to Dallas and then on to Oklahoma City to visit the daughter with the Zulu-I.

As I said in a previous post, I had complained to Lightspeed about all of the problems with the Lightspeed PFX’s (POS). They agreed to swap me a new set of Light Speed Zulu IIs plus a pair a Lightspeed Sierra headsets to replace my PFX (POS). Every time I called they kept telling me how great the PFXs were, and everybody loves them. However, mine would keep shutting down in flight, the Blue Tooth Phone didn’t work, and then they started with the unbearable Static. The Lightspeed PFX were undoubtedly the worst set of headsets I have ever owned, the cheap $150 headsets I purchased 18 years ago worked better.

My Recommendation DO not WAIST your money on a set of Lightspeed PFX headsets, get the Zulu II or Bose if you want Noise cancelation.

[n85ae]

I have have probably 10 headsets, and the only ones I like are my no longer
manufactured Lightspeed QFR Solo's ... Best headset I've ever had, can wear
them all day with no problems, they don't have ANR, but are pretty much as
quiet as a set of ANR's.

Wish they still made them ... Cheap, and very good.

Jeff

[Flybyjim]

I am in the music field and my ears are my $$$$. After trying several brands I only use Bose, love them