Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Great headset for my noisy PA32
by FM from Monterrey, MX
Pros: ANR, comfort, folding
Cons: Bulky, Expensive
Review: I used a Clarity Aloft headset during my private pilot training, mostly because of it's size and the scorching summer in Texas (No A/C on the C152!).
Now that I got my License and decided to invest on a high quality headset, I decided to compare my Clarity Aloft with the Zulu2 and the Bose A20.
Comparing the three it was easy to cast aside my Clarity Alofts, simply because of the ANR feature on both Zulu2 and A20s.
So, comparing both I decided on the A20 mainly because of their comfort, and folding ability when storing. The price didn't come into play much, because I plan on having the headsets for a really long time. After 6 months of heavy use, I'm glad I bought the A20s, no complaints so far...
Friday, January 20, 2012
NOTE TO ALL REGARDING SQUEEKY LEFT EARCUP!
by Jim from United Kingdom
Pros: Comfortable, ANR is flawless, customer service
Cons: ANR/Ear cup faulty after little use - now resolved
Review: The A20 cannot be compared to any other headset i've used in the past, including the X. The noise cancelling is great UNTIL it develops that awful squeaky sound in the left ear cup! After about 2 months use, the left ear cup would squeak when I moved it away from my ear, or even when I just turned my head. Fortunately Bose have a great warranty repair centre over here in the UK and I sent it to them and it was done with a few days. Great customer service! As you would expect for the amount this thing set me back. Great headset, but be weary of this fault as I hear it's quite common.
Monday, January 09, 2012
I have purchased two an am going to buy another shortly.
by Ron from Cypress TX USA
Pros: Bose quality and comfort through and through.
Cons: Absolutely none
Review: What can you say about the leader in sound. From fantastic stereo sound systems to entertainment systems Bose in my book is the only way to go. I absolutely appreciate the quality of my head set. It is Bose through and through. The blue tooth feature works perfectly with very little effort in pairing the phone to it. It works great in the plane for making calls, and most people don't know your calling from the plane. The noise cancelling is incredible. All I can say is "If you dont have a Bose head set",get one.
Monday, January 09, 2012
by A Customer from Gold River CA USA
Pros: Comfort, ability to focus on communication
Cons: Expensive
Review: Great headphones. I first tried out the Zulu.2 and was impressed, yet, for that amount of money, I wanted to be sure so I tried the Bose A20 and am glad that I did. I know that most will say that the two headphones are comparable but, for my ears and a noisy 172, I found the Bose to be much better. The noise cancelling is so good that it may be a safety issue as I cannot hear the engine at 1000 rpm but enugh at cruise to give me reasnoable feedback, but I would be hard pressed to detect some potentially important changes in pitch. I pay closer attendtion to the guages as a result...not a bad thing, in all. However, the ability to focus on effective communication is greatly enhanced.
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Good value for money
by Dirk from Otjiwarongo Namibia
Pros: Very comfortable and excellent noise reduction, the bluetooth fuction works excellent as well
Cons: Some clamping pressure remains, although it is negligible. Music can only be listened to via an AUX cable.
Review: Switching over to the A20 from the classic David Clark headset was like entering a different world! The noise reduction on the A20 is really good and even works well when flying a two-bladed helicopter doors off. The A20 sits comfortably on the head and even with sunglasses does not cause any discomfort. The bluetooth call function works well and makes conversations a pleasure while flying. All in all I am very happy with this purchase!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Squeaky noise in the left ear cup
by Russ from Florida
Pros: The best ANR in the industry.
Cons: Squeak in the left ear cup
Review: Bought this product to replace my aging Bose X. Bose X needed an upgrade because, after 2 years of use (at 2-4 flight hours per day, commercial flying) it started to develop a warbling noise in the left ear cup followed by the ANR turning off few seconds later. The new A20 worked A-OK until I noticed a strange squeaky sound in the left cup every time I remove the headset of move the left ear cup away from my ear. Although, in general, A20 is much quiter then Bose X and Zulu 2.0, this squeak seems like an annoying under-engineering, especially for such price. 4 out of 5, overall.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Quiet Quite Suprised
by PC12 Guy from AZ
Pros: Size, fit and ANR quality
Cons: Price
Review: All I can say is wow and I can say it very quietly. First off, let me start by saying that these things are fantastic. I have used other headsets and most were big and bulky often too big and heavy for my tastes. These new A20 headsets are comfortable and work extremely well. I had a set of Zulu 2s that failed so I ordered these while I waited for my Zulus to be repaired. Worst case, I figured I would send them back and take advantage of the free trial. Needless to say, I kept these and I gave the Zulus to my brother. I like the look, the feel, the size and the quality of the ANR. I wish the Bluetooth allowed for music playback but the cable works just fine so no big deal. I suspect that I will get better battery life using the cable vs. Bluetooth in the Zulus so I welcome that trade off. Most ANR headsets are all pretty good now a days. It all comes down to personal preference. What fits your head, your plane, sounds the best, looks good and most importantly, your budget. These are not cheap, but in my opinion, this tool is worth every penny. Oh, and by the way, how much is your hearing worth?
Friday, December 16, 2011
Great noise cancelling
by Kalvin from Chad, Africa
Pros: Great noise cancelling with comfortable earseals.
Cons: Padding on top could be better. Get some pain on the top of my head during longer flights.
Review: I am very satisfied with my Bose A20! The noise cancelling puts my former ANR headset to shame. I love the comfortable earseals. The quality of sound is impressive so the bluetooth is great for listening to music during flight.
Thursday, December 01, 2011
by Roland from Austin TX USA
Review: This is a great headset.
Monday, November 07, 2011
Awesome!
by Ryan from Vista CA USA
Pros: The best of the best. Compact design, Superior Noise Canceling
Cons: Price is high but its the best!
Review: I ran this against the Sennheiser S1's and the A20's are the clear winner! They are much more compact which is important when looking over my shoulder. The S1's were constantly catching on my seat belt. The A20s seldom have this problem. The A20's were also noticeably better on sound quality and noise canceling.
Bottom line, I returned the S1's because of a failure and went with the A20's and am very happy with them. I will be purchasing another 4 in the near future for the rest of my family.
Pay the extra money, they are worth it!!!
Thursday, November 03, 2011
Excellent tool for professionals and amateurs
by A Customer from Pont-la-Ville Switzerland
Pros: ANC just perfect
Cons: Weight, wearing glasses
Review: I am an airliner pilot. I flew big jet aircraft. Went professionally back to a turboprop. All "light" portable headsets available on the market were providing some coverage but never a total quietness. You'll find this with this Bose A20. Untired from constant noise of the engines you may even get out of your duty "fresh as a rose", as really no outside disturbing high and low freq. noise is perceptive. Strongly recommend you use rechargeable batteries of course. The headset is sold with a small bag, protecting your expensive tool from all external damages. One or two negative thing though. If you wear glasses or sunglasses the noise reduction is only effective when totally sealed around your ears. Wearing glasses or sunglasses allows a tiny "gap" and you'll hear just a bit (do not exaggerate either!) of the external noises, but no excessive pressure is felt on your ears!! Second thing for professionals the headset is quite "heavy" on long duties but I personally think that toward the comfort it provides compared to all my previous headsets you'll forget about it very easily. Headset is efficient and reliable. Not a doubt I would buy it again.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
Phone and music in the cockpit - great!
by A Customer from Zurich, Switzerland
Pros: Activ noise reduction
Cons: none
Review: Met expectations - makes your flight veeeery quite, lets you listen to your favorite music (mp3 player / iphone plug) and have phone calls. :) Absolutely worth the money.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Expensive, but worth every penny
by Jimmy from Thibodaux LA USA
Pros: No "headset-head" nor discomfort after multi-hour trips.
Cons: Cost
Review: Bought the Bose after careful consideration, really was leaning toward the German competitor (Sennheiser S1), but after reading a few not-totally-satisfied reviews of the other headset, decided to go big and get the Bose A20 Bluetooth model. Picking up a clearance at an uncontrolled airport through the headset sounds like a really good reason to spend the extra hundred dollars. Bose is simply the best! Have flown single-engine Cessnas for 2+ hours without any discomfort, and in a King Air, it is truly whisper-quiet.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The Real Thing!
by Anthony from East London South Africa
Pros: ANR works really well!!
Cons: Feel like they need to handled with kid gloves.
Review: This is my first headset. Until I bought this I used the clubs headsets which were okay but not the best. Once I started using the Bose I found infinitely easier to hear and understand the ATC and other traffic. This I found especially useful as I am a new pilot and am still getting used to the general aviation language, etc. Not having to try and figure it out over a noising headset improved my enjoyment of flying and took a lot of pressure/stress out of the flying equation.
My first set of batteries lasted about 25 hours. I did not play any music during this time and probably only made about 10 minutes of phone calls.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Would buy again
by A Customer from Reykjavik Iceland
Pros: Excellent comfort, noise cancelling and sound quality.
Cons: None to speak of
Review: I bought this headset to replace my 9 year old (about 5000 flight hours) Bose Aviation X headset. The A20 is a very good headset, it's comfortable noise canceling is excellent as is the sound quality. Its great to be able to listen to music. Although I have to use the aux. cord because you cant listen to music through Bluetooth.
However I would like to be able to set volume on the headset lower. The main cord is also a little to cumbersome and stiff in my opinion and because of that you are a little bit aware of it during flight and if it drags or bounces against the interior of the cockpit that sound carries to the ear-cup. I also believe the carrying case should be configured so the headset sits up side down so it doesn't rest on cord where it attaches at the bottom of the ear-cup.
Thursday, September 08, 2011
by Coleman from Portland ME USA
Pros: Foremost:: AMERICAN built! Very quiet and comfortable, great phone interface.
Cons: Still getting interference noise from cell phone during send and recieve of email & text just like on my Bose X's
Review:
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Fantastic!!
by William from San Rafael CA USA
Review: Best Headset EVER.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Excellence
by Stephen from Dallas/Ft. Worth. Texas
Review: I find radio communications to be one of the most challenging aspects of flying. I only have 120 hours, but wanted an edge for radio communications.
This Bose headset delivered as promised! Expensive, yes, but I plan to keep these into the forseeable future. Its easy to recommend these headphones if they are in your budget.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Simply Excellent - Highly Recommended
by David from Erie CO USA
Pros: Stunningly Good Noise Cancellation / Very Comfortable
Cons: Ouch price. But it's worth it.
Review: As a user of the previous generation headsets, I did not think that much would change. I really got this for the bluetooth capability, which allows me to call center on cell for IFR clearance while on the ground when departing an untowered airport (where I am based). To my delight, they are even more comfortable than the previous ones, and offer more noise suppression, and do not suffer the ear cup deformation that the older ones.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
GREAT!!!
by Roman from Cologne Germany
Pros: Sound, handling, comfort...
Cons: none
Review: Perfect and VERY comfortable. You almost forget you are wearing it!!!
Monday, August 01, 2011
You won't regret it!
by A Customer from BELGIUM
Review: Very good purchase, on all aspect, a bit disappointed by the fact it uses more battery than expected but still really reasonable. Maybe the shape of my head I don't know but the little cushion lets some connection cables pushing through it and in some position it can become uncomfortable, I'm sure there is a solution to that though like refitting the cushion differently, or something like, but note that I'm using it on line flights and for long succeeding periods as well.
Overall very good product and will certainly reduce stress and fatigue level significantly, thats for sure!
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Fantastic headset best buy
by 007 from Johannesburg South Africa
Review: Love the product. Protect your ears, get the best
Monday, June 13, 2011
Great except, have to power on each time? Really?
by A Customer from Daytona Beach, FL
Pros: Sound
Cons: Manual power on for each flight for each headset.
Review: Have used every series of Bose since the first, love them but they always seem to miss just one thing. On the A-20 it is the fact that even though my units are ship powered (no batteries) I have to after engine start (twin turbine) press and hold the on button for each headset.
This may sound like a minor squawk, but it is completely unnecessary if they had just left the slide power switch form the X's. Since I usually have a non-pilot in the front right seat I have to dig out that one to turn on as well as it takes longer to explain than do myself.
If it seems like a minor complaint, remember, twin turbine, plenty of switches to flip to get underway, do not appreciate Bose thinking I needed 4 more (Passenger headsets too).
Monday, June 13, 2011
The best headphones. Really comfortable and noise erasing.
by Marco from ITALY
Pros: The best noise reduction headphone ever
Cons: Price very hight. Too much reduction on engine noise
Review: The product it's really fantastic. It met all the expectations.
Really good noise canceling, perhaps too much!!!
What I don't like the noise canceling is too much!! You have no idea of what the engine is doing!
Others Week points: Bluetooth is useless unless you do not want to listen to music. I found difficult using the phone on flight.
Although I recognize this are the best headphone ever, coming back I would have bought a David Clarke basic model. Since they are cheaper and you can still hear a bit of the engine noise.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Awesome headset
by Tobias from Hillsboro OR USA
Review: Great headset, I use it every day. The noise reduction is perfect, it cancels the annoying sounds but you can still hear rpm differences of the helicopter engine.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Excellent product! I would buy it again
by Tony from Placerville CA USA
Pros: Good fit, great audio quality, good looks.
Cons: Very pricey like all Bose products
Review: I own a number of Bose products and this headset lives up to the Bose quality standards. It is easy to set up and use and the sound quality is great. Very comfortable to wear.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Amazing product, Worth the Price
by A Customer from Annapolis MD USA
Pros: Awesome Noise Cancellation, Comfortable
Cons: Price
Review: This headset may be a bit pricey, but the noise cancellation makes up for it. It's really nice to be able to fly without so much wind and engine noise and not have to turn the radio volume all the way up. It's really comfortable to wear and the Bluetooth feature is very convenient. Definitely pleased with this purchase!
Monday, April 18, 2011
I would buy this product again
by Eric from Gridley CA USA
Pros: Sound and fit are the best on the market
Cons: Cord from volume control box to headset a little short
Review: Excellent fit and sound. I also own a pair of Lightspeed Zula's and the Bose A20 are definitely more comfortable than the Zula's.
Thursday, April 07, 2011
by Leon from Oak Harbor WA USA
Pros: Same as above
Cons: None at this time
Review: Lite weight, easy on the ears
Monday, March 28, 2011
Excellent
by A Customer from Jacksonville FL USA
Pros: Ideal
Cons: None
Review: As good as advertised. No issues whatsoever. Still a little pricey but if you're looking for noise canceling and comfort with Bluetooth included, this is it.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Worth the money
by Diane from Tulsa OK USA
Review: Makes a major difference I have tinnitus and couldn't afford any additional hearing loss. My tinnitus has gotten better I even take them on commercial flights looks a little goofy but don't have 2-3 days of worse tinnitus if I use it.
I have a smaller head and it adjusts well. Zulu was too large
Good purchase
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Almost perfect
by Craig from Melbourne VIC Australia
Pros: ANR is great. Comfort is great. Batteries last for the advertised time.
Cons: Very intermittent static through right side speaker
Review: Everything is great except for some occasional static type noise on the right side. Only happens 1 flight out of about 40, but it's still very annoying when it happens.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
AWESOME!
by Jacob from Sacramento CA USA
Pros: Well made in USA, ANR, Comfy
Review: Right now I'm a student pilot, so my perspective is still narrow.
I chose the Bose A20's because I knew I had a long road of school ahead of me, and don't really like to buy things twice. It was between the Zulu and the A20's. My instructor said Zulu, but the fact that Bose are made in the USA trumped.
Since I have got them, I have no regrets. Very comfy, ANR is great. Sunglasses fit under the ear muffs quite well also.
The way I look at - Buy once, cry once.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
AWESOME
by Greg from Meridian MS USA
Pros: Noise cancelling and clarity
Cons: none so far
Review: Wow. It was the first time for me to even try the bose noise cancelling. The bluetooth feature is a must for the person who is a cell phone talker.
Monday, February 14, 2011
top headsets but...
by Danielone from italy
Pros: top quality
Cons: price
Review: I've bought 2 pairs, but one pairs after only 2 hours of operation go crazy...now are on the belgium centre for repairing since firsts days of january...i hope bose assistance are good like the headsets.. however are very delicate...
Monday, February 14, 2011
by David from Carson City NV USA
Pros: Excellent noise canelling. Can not hear my cell phone ring while it is on in the aircraft.
Cons: Expensive. Shorter battery life than expected
Review:
Friday, February 04, 2011
by Neal from Cypress TX USA
Review: Another great BOSE product, highly recommended!
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Excellent Headset
by Sandra from Kingwood TX USA
Review: Terrific headset. Noise-cancelling at its best and great fidelity. It just can't get any better than this!
Monday, January 31, 2011
by bernard from Plymouth MA USA
Review: I really like it. It has really helped me a lot in my 206 cockpit as far as understanding ATC.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Bose A20 vs Bose X
by Dcomp from South Carolina
Pros: Blue tooth
Cons: sound and mic quality not as good as Bose X
Review: Been using Bose X for over 7 years and bought Bose A20 for upgrade. Found the A20 disappointing compared to my Bose X with regard to sound quality and mic quality. In addition, the ANR quality was much better on my older Bose X. Bose had a recall when I ordered my A20 back in Nov 2010 and did not receive until late December 2010. I have been a pilot for over 21 years and fly for business in my Cardinal RG and have found my Bose A20 unsatisfactory. I have since shipped back the A20 to Aircraft Spruce for a full refund.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Worth Every Cent
by Adam from Columbus OH USA
Pros: Noise cancelation, Bluetooth.
Cons: Control Box can be a little bulky.
Review: Works great. There is a very noticeable difference when you turn on the noise reduction which makes for quite flight and allows even the most faint radio calls to be heard. I find the blue tooth function very helpful when phoning flight service to open flight plans at uncontrolled airports. This headset is also very comfortable during extended flights. The ear cushions are very soft and the clamp force is far less then most headsets I have tried.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wonderful Headset!
by Patrick from Daytona Beach, FL
Pros: Comfort, noise cancellation, and features.
Cons: Price
Review: I am a flight instructor and had been using the Lightspeed 3G for the past few years. Its noise cancellation was fine and it served the purpose. The A20's is truly amazing. I had borrowed a friend's Bose X for a cross-country and found it more comfortable than the Lightspped 3G, but the noise cancellation was only marginally better. The A20 is no contest. It is the best headset I have ever used, by far. I know it's expensive, but if you're going to spend any extended period of time in a plane, it's a must.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
The quality I expected from Bose
by Paul from Sarasota FL USA
Review: Like all Bose products they are expensive. I would not give up my home theatre system which I have had for five years. I would not give up the headset either.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Big price tag, top quality product
by Craig from Hallstead PA USA
Pros: comfort, noise cancelling
Cons: price tag
Review: Great unit, a bit pricey compared to others but you cant even tell you are wearing this headset, it is very light. The noise cancelling is hard to explain without hearing it for yourself.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Moving ahead with leaps and bounds
by Robert from reno NV USA
Pros: Lighter, more noise attenuation, Blue toooth calls are excellent.
Cons: none in my opinion.
Review: I have owned three generations of this product now and used them in all types of aircraft and all types of environments. Simply put, it's almost a perfect product. I don't know how they could improve on this headset. I am so happy with the upgrade. Nice work Bose !!! Good luck on improving on this, but if you do, I will be placing an order. Long time, very happy customer.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
by Bill from Simi Valley, CA
Review: Huge improvement from the X. However there is one problem. When I am doing a soft field landing I was used to hearing the increase in rpm. First approach... We'll just call it a go around. I couldn't hear the engine until it hit almost 1500 rpm. Best headset ever. Will be buying more in the future.
Monday, November 08, 2010
Great noise reduction . . . too bad about the comm failure!
by A Customer from
Pros: Absolutely Great Noise Reduction
Cons: Reliability, Price, Service
Review: Paid the bucks. Got the best noise reduction I have heard yet. Light, Comfortable and great sound. That was the first six weeks. Then . . . Mic wire connection in headset went from working perfectly to complete comm failure in a one hour flight. Now . . . Back-Ordered. Thank goodness I still have my old, reliable David Clarks with their less than perfect noise reduction.
Friday, October 29, 2010
With price comes excellence
by A Customer from NJ USA
Pros: Great sound, comfortable
Cons: Cost
Review: The A20 is great. I purchased the A20 about one month ago and to this day have not had one complaint with them. The sound quality is amazing. I have not have a problem hearing or being heard. The A20 is great for long flights as well because they are pain free. One of the most comfortable headset I have ever worn. Bluetooth is a cool feature however, still have yet to use it. I have played around with it, but still have not used it for its full purpose yet. I would recommend purchasing this product if you have an extra 1000 dollars lying around. However, that is the only flaw I see with the A20 and my only reason for giving it a 4 star rating instead of 5.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Now I'm willing to gush over a headset
by rjb mx7-180cNow from Los Altos Hills CA USA
Pros: comfortable, quiet,
Cons: expensive
Review: I had previously invested in 2 David Clark ANR X11s and had upgraded one. I never felt like gushing over how quiet or comfortable they were and sometimes cycled power just to reassure myself I had turned them on. The Bose are fabulous: sufficient when turned off, and wonderfully effective when turned on.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Very pricey, but worth it.
by Richard from Albuquerque NM USA
Pros: ANR, Bluetooth and comfort
Cons: Price
Review: I had a Flightcom Denali ANR that worked great in my 172R, but when I bought my DA40 the vent noise was so high I had the volume on the radio at 55% (G1000) and still had a hard time hearing the radio. Even though I feel that Bose is way over priced and a real stinker for making all the authorized dealers sell at retail, I decided to give the A20 a try. I figured if I didnt like the headset I could return it within 30 days. I ordered the Bluetooth model. I figured that I could use that feature to get ATIS and ASOS before fight and whats another $100 after spending over a $1,000. When I received the headset I was actually hoping that it wasnt any better and I could get my money back, but I was also hoping that it did the job on the vent noise because that was very annoying. When I first tried the headset I couldnt believe the difference. I had to turn the volume down to 27% because the radio was too loud. The Bluetooth worked like a champ. Of course, the real test was going to be flying and the vent noise. After takeoff, I opened the vents all the way and although I could still hear them I did not have to increase the volume and all the radio calls are clear as a bell. I'm thinking the outside microphones on the headset that adapt to different noises make the difference. The headset is also very comfortable. I've now put about twenty hours on the headset and needless to say I wont be sending the headset back. I'm so happy that the vent noise is now controlled. The overall noise level in the plane is much quieter than with my other ANR headset.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Quiet & Comfortable
by Joe - CFI, CFII from Rhode Island
Pros: Quiet, light and comfortable. Bluetooth makes closing flight plans at airports without an RCO much easier.
Cons: Expensive... very expensive.
Review: Shortly after starting my PPL training six years ago, I picked up a used David Clark H10-13X ANR headset from eBay. It was far better than the ASA HS-1 loaners my flight school had, and I swore by them for years. Once I began instructing however, they would feel heavy by the end of the day, so I decided to upgrade. The DC's passive attenuation is far better than the Bose, so I'm sure to carry extra batteries. That's rarely an issue though, because the A20's module warns you well before they die. Once they're dead, that's it... no pops and clicks like with the DCs; it just shuts off. I got 51 hours from the set that it shipped with, and I've got almost 70 hours on the Duracells I have in there now and the amber light just started coming on at the end of flights. Time will tell what overall quality is for the mic windscreen, ear seals, and the headset itself.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Yellow Light....
by GAP from Santa Barbara CA USA
Pros: Excellent Noise Reduction, good fit, replaceable head pad
Cons: Bluetooth failed in one week. BT volume knob fell off. Replacement is taking weeks due to OS
Review: I own a Bose X, and a Lightspeed Zulu. This Bose A20 was my third Headset.
The Bose X has proven to be rock solid, comfortable and works great. The Lightspeed Zulu is also well made, comfortable, has better NR, the Bluetooth works well, (although there are perhaps too many cables involved if you want to also hook up your iPod for music). The Control module design and controls do not inspire great confidence in their longevity, but so far have worked well. The Bose A20 has better NR than the X, and I would say that it is roughly on a par with the LSZulu, so I would say they are even there.
The A20 control module, however, is even more "plasticy" and fragile than the LSZulu, and indeed the Bluetooth volume adjustment knob, just fell off or broke off during normal use after about 4 flights. The Bluetooth electronics also just quit working at all, at the same point.
I called Bose and they agreed to replace the unit, but by the time the RMA arrived, they had none left to ship me, and it is now going to be weeks and perhaps over a month before they can replace the unit. First let me say that I am a good, and frequent purchaser of Bose audio products, and this is the first time I have had one fail in 10 years of Bose purchases. This experienced reliability is why I purchased their new headset instead of another LSZulu. Features and NR performance, being equal, I chose Bose. Now, I am very disappointed, and given the nature and timing of the failure, I have to say this issue should not have happened with their new $1000+ headset, and feels like a too early release of a new product, due perhaps to arrogance and greed on the part of Bose, in releasing a less than perfect new product in order to get it to market quickly. This almost immediate failure and the questionable product design, make me believe they rushed the A20 to market before it was fully tested in order to compete with the LSZulu, which offered better NR performance, desirable, up to date additional features the Bose X did not, and was clearly taking market share away from Bose in the professional market. I suspect they did not adequately test the sub components, materials and product design of their unit to make sure it was rock solid like the X is.
My conclusion is that it is potentially a good unit, and can undoubtedly be reconfigured to provide good service, but they may have to adjust some materials and 'chips' to make it right if there prove to be reliability, strength or product design issues with the product, as I suspect based on my experience. Bose is a strong company, and can, and I believe will, fix any flaws in their new design, and make it right for their trusting customers, but it is annoying and expensive to be caught in what looks to me like a "beta test" situation with a new product, and a rush to meet sales quotas instead of retaining an adequate supply of units for field failure replacements. When I spend over a thousand dollars for an aviation headset, I expect "perfect" and "well tested" and excellent Quality Control. Clearly, this did not happen this time.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Definitely worth the price
by Jaker from Dalllas, TX
Pros: Audio quality, bluetooth functionality, comfort, weight
Cons: Price
Review: This has to be the most comfortable, ergonomic, quietest headset I have ever used. You can put this puppy on and completely forget it's even there. Audio quality of communications is superb, as well as the line-in for MP3 sound. The bluetooth functionality works flawlessly (with my iPhone) and I can honestly say that when I'm able to afford a plane, every headset in that plane will be one of these. For now, I guess only I get to enjoy these. I've tried the Sennheiser HMEC-460 in the past, as well as a Lightspeed Zulu. I recommend this Bose A20 over both of them, hands down (if you're willing to shell out the cash). Go big or go home. =)
Monday, September 20, 2010
Great product, but needs auto power-on
by Michael from Agoura Hills CA USA
Pros: Quiet, Bluetooth works well
Cons: Needs to be turned-on manually each time you use the headset
Review: This is a nice upgrade, quieter than the Bose Aviation X headsets and the Bluetooth works great. One problem with this set is that, unlike the Aviation X, this new A20 panel-powered headset doesn't turn-on automatically, like the Aviation X units did. So if you forget to turn it on, you may have a hard time communicating until you can locate the power module and turn on the unit. I liked how the previous Aviation X units did this automatically. I haven't seen any settings that let me make this unit come on automatically when panel power is available.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Excellent
by BIFF from LAS VEGAS NV USA
Pros: Comfort, quiet, bluetooth technology
Cons: None
Review: More comfortable than prior Bose headsets, battery lasts longer, quieter and excellent noise canceling. Bluetooth technology works well with cell phone.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
As good as advertised
by Tom from San Luis Obispo CA USA
Pros: Comfort, Noise cancelling, Mic pick-up
Cons: None
Review: I have used this headset and the previous Bose model headset on many helicopter and small fixed wing flights. I have had no trouble with either and I don't know how it could work any better.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Expensive, but what is your hearing worth?
by David from Alpharetta GA USA
Pros: Light, very quiet, Bluetooth very nice.
Cons: Can be tricky getting a good seal when wearing glasses. $$$
Review: I got to compare the A20s against the Lightspeed Zulus and an older Bose X headset. From least to most quiet with ANR off: X, Zulus, A20s. From least to most quiet with ANR on: X, Zulus, A20s. Most comfortable and easiest to get right on my head with sun glasses on (least to most): X, A20, Zulus. Better Bluetooth performance: A20s. I'm keeping the A20s.
|
Click for a larger/zoom image
