Fettle your headset

[mnewbery]

I recently bought a David Clarke H10-13.4 Mono headset for not very much money from someone at work. I was going to use it to replace my Pilot Brand "training bra" headset. At first glance they appear to be part for part identical. The DC H10-13.4 delivers significantly better passive noise reduction (PNR) and I think this is due to the better foam padding in the cups.

 

The Pilot Brand headset is stereo and when I'm not listening to music with them, hearing VHF on one ear and pilot intercom on the other just does my head in.

 

Yesterday I went one step further and installed the Headsets Inc ANR kit from DM Electronics here in Australia. I installed the kit in a but under two hours and I am really impressed. I've been wearing them around the house just to try them out before getting into a cockpit. So for change out of $600 and 2 hours of assembly I have a near new comfortable ANR headset that provides good classic PNR plus ANR that rivals or betters (if you read the reviews) something twice the price.

 

Plus I can repair it myself.

 

Now I have a few spares for my other headset and I can either experiment with the discarded PNR foam by putting it in the cheap headset or put an ANR kit in that too. Either way I am going to have two relatively good headsets.

 

For those going down the Headsets Inc path here are a few observations:

 

1. Everything is in the kit, except the tools and this is a good kit

 

2. Instructions are provided for mono and stereo installation, the kit does both

 

2a. Wiring is in colour. Further there are You Tube Videos of the kit installation

 

3. Spend the extra $ and get the power cable + auto off battery box so you can use it at home (e.g. for studying). Rechargeable batteries anyone?

 

4. The ANR speakers have the tiniest hiss in them when they are on but it is nothing compared to what it blocks out. I have a fan blower room heater about 3m behind me and with the ANR turned off it sounds like a big clothes dryer

 

5. You hear all sorts of things differently when going from ANR to "bare ear" and back so be prepared to suddenly hate certain noises you never heard before, like the ATC slurping coffee in the background during a standard transmission

 

6. There was an annoying click coming from the headset when I used the Headsets Inc battery pack provided, everytime the light on the battery pack flashed. I tracked it down to MYSELF not removing ALL the original DC foam from the right ear cup as per the instructions. These units have the size of the cup programmed into them in the factory (which is why there is more than one ANR kit available) and the volumes are different from left to right cup. I took the foam out on a hunch and the click went away. Also the right ear wasn't quite in phase with the left during Mono transmissions and that feels too weird. Removing the foam fixed that too.

 

7. Based on 6, follow the instructions. The reasons might not be explained but they are very specific and deliver the desired results

 

8. Your mobile will still interfere with the headset when it polls. This hasn't changed

 

 

 

[Guest 3rd dimension]

Mnewbery

 

I have been looking at these sets for a long time now but have been scared with the possibility of wrecking a good headset.

 

Do you totally agree that this was the best way to go to acheived ANR?

 

 

[mnewbery]

You have to define "best".

 

Is it the cheapest way to go?

 

Is it the least risk?

 

Can I turn it back the way it was?

 

Do I have the time to get it right?

 

Do I like the fit & finish of the kit?

 

Can I afford to throw away nearly $300 if it doesn't work?

 

Can I do without the BlueTooth/other features offered on the hi-end units?

 

Is the PNR irrelevant or adequate for when the ANR power is off?

 

For me,all of the answers were yes. You need to come up with your own answers.

 

The Australian vendors I chose also offer a build service where for a fee, I can send them my cans and have someone else do the work. I believe any Australian agent for Headsets Inc will offer a build service.

 

Further I use the modified DC H10-13.4 units to "tune out" annoying workmates.

 

I have a set of DC H10-13.4 "clones" too. They will get the same treatment when/if I need a 2nd or stereo ANR heaset. I'm not sure how they will go because the PNR on the clone was woeful which is why I got the DC H10-13.4. Hopefully it was just the clone had cheap sound deadening material (the ANR kit has new material).

 

The alternative explanation is that the clone plastic shell has a rigidity that makes it vibrate at 2700 RPM/45Hz. This may explain why my fillings were rattling at the end of a climb out, using the unmodified clones.

 

If that is the case then the ANR kit will have its work cut out dealing with that scenario, but deal with it, it will. That's what it was designed to do but with crappy cans, the battery may get a big work out. Of course plugging into the aircraft power makes that moot.

 

I'm willing to do the experiment again.

 

 

[Guest 3rd dimension]

mneybery

 

Thank You for the reply on the headset, more stuff to ponder.

 

I see you are based in YSCB / YMRY.

 

What do you fly, who with and who do you know in these areas.

 

We can chat in private if you like

 

 

[wazjones]

Hi Guys,

 

I bought this kit last week & installed it into my DC H10-13.4 on Friday evening, I got the optional AMP Cable & Auto Shut-Off Battery box as well.

 

Took them for a test flight yesterday afternoon for 30mins & they performed flawlessly, I can't believe the difference & am rapt with the kit.

 

If you are like most weekend pilots & simply cannot justify spending up to $1600.00 on a set of Bose or Lightspeed headsets then they are just as good.

 

Cheers, Waz.

 

 

[Guest 3rd dimension]

Hey Waz

 

Where did you but the kit from? Are there any special tools required to fit it?

 

I see you are from Forbes, I am from Narromine originally [ Don't hold it against me, my parents didn't ask me if it was ok. Just kidding - Love the little town ]

 

 

[wazjones]

Hi 3rd dimension,

 

I got the kit from here http://secure.dm-electronics.com.au/store/catalog/2

 

Contact Darin in regards to the upgrade to the Auto Shut-Off Battery Box & the Amp Cable.

 

Great guy to deal with & very,very quick postage as well.

 

Where do you reside at at the present?

 

 

[Guest 3rd dimension]

I am living just south of Yass.

 

Working in Canberra. Do most of my flying out of YSCB.

 

Thanks for the info about the headset, will get into it I think

 

 

[mnewbery]

Any ANR is going to be better than none. Alternatively, you can fit hearing protection ear plugs in your ears, under the cans. When I ride a motorcycle or do festival camping I use these - $2 each at the local chemist. I have used these with standard cans too and they work pretty well until the speakers give out after a few years *laugh*. The passive noise reduction of two sorts of hearing protection can't be understated.

 

Which headset model will you be modifying?

 

 

[Guest 3rd dimension]

David Clark H10 - 13.4

 

 

[mnewbery]

In my earlier post I noted that I was going to do another conversion using a Pilot brand stereo headset. I did that a couple of weeks ago and have since sampled the result.

 

The ANC is as good as the previous attempt plus it was more familiar work. Without ANC, its just a crappy set of headphones, albeit with more clear speakers. Battery life is noticeably shorter because of the lower passive noise cancellation. This is as predicted.

 

The headset orginally cost $190 including postage. The exchange rate has moved in favour of $AUS so this is now better value for money than the DC H10-13.4 conversion.

 

This headset has a media socket in it which I think was originally wired for Mono plus microphone. It never worked terribly well because the isolation capacitors were tiny and the plug didn't line up with my mobile phone.

 

New mods for this headset:

 

1. Add an extra cable to allow the battery pack to be mounted on the headband. You can order this when you buy the kit. I got the (AMP) integrated cable which works fine when the intercom sockets are below your eyes. This mod is for the CA25N Gazelle and some Cessnas where the sockets are above your head and the battery pack just gets in the way.

 

2. Get a proper four contact media socket then figure out the circuitry to allow a phone call to proceed. Alternatively, integrate bluetooth to achieve the same result.