Having the right pair of headsets is a must for any pilot – especially for professional pilots who can easily spend several hours a day in an aircraft cockpit. Hence, Paul of Ask A CFI.com has written an extremely detailed review comparing his favorite headset, the Bose X, with the new Lightspeed Zulu headset. Since the late 1980s, Bose has had a patent on active noise canceling (ANC) headsets and hence, they have largely held a lock on the market. However according to Paul, the new Lightspeed Zulu gives Bose a run for its money. He tested the pair in a Beechcraft Premier and his post includes a detailed summary of his evaluation.
Paul’s Verdict? He would choose the Lightspeed Zulus if he had to sit for less than 3 hours in a piston engine airplane while in a jet aircraft he prefers his old Bose X. However, neither pair comes cheap. Paul purchased his Lightspeed Zulu for US$850 from MyPilotStore.com while the Bose X headset is available for US$995 from Amazon.com.
Nevertheless, having the right headset that is comfortable to use with the plane that you will be flying is well worth the price of avoiding a pounding headache after every flight.
Lightspeed Zulu Headset and the Bose X Aviation Headset