Monday, May 20, 2013
Nice but not wonderful
by john from Downers Grove IL USA 
Pros: Cheaper than the Bose but with Bluetooth music
Cons: $200 less design and ruggedness than the Bose. Less satisfying
Review: The Zulu headset promised a lot of features, and it delivered them. If I did not already own a Bose A20, I probably would have been completely satisfied. After weeks of using it as my primary headset, I keep finding myself going back to the Bose.
The Bose has a better feel to it. It
The Zulu noise reduction sounds tinny and not as solid.
The Zulu feels floppy and less rugged than the Bose
When settling the ear cups on my ears, I can produce a high pitch squeal when manipulating them
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Monday, May 20, 2013
Highly recommend them
by Gerald from Fredericksburg VA USA 
Pros: I would buy a future product from lightspeed
Review: They work great.  Bluetooth is excellent
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Sunday, May 19, 2013
Well, my wife likes them
by Mark from Yatala Queensland Australia 
Pros: Bluetooth, ANR, battery life
Cons: PNR could be better, price
Review: Bought them for my wife. She likes the comfort and features.
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Tuesday, May 07, 2013
pricey.....but suits my needs
by sal from hillsboro MO USA 
Pros: light....comfortable
Cons: pricey
Review: I fly fairly long distance EMS flights ....tried the Bose A20 first.....the straight cord sucked for helicopter application....sold it, & got the Lightspeed with coiled cord. Very comfortable, & works well on long flights...
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Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Best set I have ever used
by Jim from La Quinta CA USA 
Review: Student pilot and I have used all brands and styles it seems, these are incredibly comfortable, the noise canceling is excellent. Haven't tried the blue tooth but will soon enough.
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Tuesday, April 09, 2013
very good!!! 100% happy with the product.
by Bruno from Honolulu HI USA 
Pros: great bluetooth, superb noise cancelling
Cons: size (could fit smaller heads)
Review: I am very happy with the zulu.2, it works great!!!
I have a small to average head and the only thing is that it could get smaller to fit better anyone with small head. I use mine in the smallest possible setting and it is just fine, could be just a little smaller.
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Monday, February 25, 2013
Love It
by Pete from Brisbane QLD Australia 
Pros: Easy to use, cheaper, comfortable
Cons: Only con is wearing sunglasses with this headset. If there is a gap in the seal, some sound does get in. Keep this in mind when buying sunglasses and get arms the sit flush aginst your head.
Review: I love this headset and would thoroughly recommend it! Lightweight, comfortable and easy to use. I was considering the Bose A20 headset but I don't see much, if any, difference.
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Tuesday, February 05, 2013
quiet fabulous
by david from israel 
Pros: excellent sound and comfort
Cons: none
Review: Beyond my expectations!
Excellent sound.
Very comfortable.
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Friday, February 01, 2013
Great headset!
by Antonio from Singapore 
Cons: A little bigger and chunkier than the Bose.
Review: This is a great headset. Very good noise cancelling ability and voice comms are very clear... I have used the Bose as well and I think the Zulu is a better deal, value for money.
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Thursday, January 31, 2013
Great for old ears
by Richard Attea from North Boston NY USA 
Review: Excellant for clarity

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Saturday, January 26, 2013
All it's said to be!
by Thomas from walnut CA USA 
Pros: Great price and performance
Cons: None so far
Review: This headset has exceeded my expectations. The ANR is great and it's very comfortable to wear over long periods.
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Friday, January 18, 2013
Defective out of the box, Factory repair. Okay for now.
by James from Rancho Cucamonga CA USA 
Cons: Defect on arrival
Review: First let me say it is working well and I am happy but not sure I'd go this way again. Ordered on line (11/12/13), arrived 7 days later, tried them that day without an airplane and observed noisy buzz in one ear. I thought it might be due to the fact that they were not plugged in. Wasn't the case; at next opportunity to fly same issue issue, defective right out of the box. Was told that I had to send back to Lightspeed for repair. Was sent RMA and mailing label (paid return is not usual policy). Took 5 days there, 1 day to fix and 5 days return on 1/16/13.
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Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Nice Headset
by bigredpilot from Lake Arrowhead CA USA 
Pros: Nice fit, comfortable.
Cons: A bit heavy
Review: Met my expectations. Very comfortable, excellent noise canceling. I'm sure I'll get many years of good use out of this headset.
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Monday, December 03, 2012
Great Headset,Good PNR, Great ANR (Helicopter usage,B407)
by B407 Pilot from Mexico 
Pros: Comfortable, clear crisp sound, bluetooth ANR and PNR
Cons: Haven't found any, pricey ??? (hearing aids cost more)
Review: I am very pleased with the Zulu.2, ATC and intercom communications are as clear as they can be. Bluetooth works perfect, Sound quality is excellent. And the best part is that you have no problem hearing and distinguishing those important sounds ( Turbine,Rotor,Alarms..etc.) You fly way more comfortable, and your workload seems lower without all the noise. Your hearing feels protected.
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Friday, November 30, 2012
Awesome GA Headset!
by Jeremy from Manheim PA USA 
Pros: Everything
Cons: None
Review: This is my second Lightspeed Zulu.2. Love it just as good as my first set. Great noice cancelling and clear mic pickup.
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Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Silent and comfortable; Bose matched at less money
by Matthias from Ueken AG Switzerland 
Review: Just a perfect ANR headset. I am an aviation professional an I got what i expected.
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Wednesday, November 07, 2012
I would recommend this headset to any1
by Reymond from Fort Pierce FL USA 
Review: Best headset ever! I had the David Clark but this is the best. I would choose this over the Bose A20 anytime. ANR works perfect, ATC is loud and clear and the feeling with it on is amazing
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Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Awesome headset!
by Doc Mike P from SOUTH PASADENA CA USA 
Pros: Noise attenuation & Bluetooth
Cons: None so far. :)
Review: Excellent headset. I fly in noisy single piston aircraft (Diamond DA40) & the active noise attenuation was amazing. Matched that of the Bose A20's but simply fit me better (also fit better than the new Sennheiser S1). All great headsets but the Zulu 2's fit better. The Bluetooth works seamlessly & the FlightLink app for the iPad & iPhone is really cool for writing ATC clearances & verifying communications from ATC.

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Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Why I waited
by Jim from Sarasota FL USA 
Pros: Unbelievably quiet, comfortable and easy to use, crisp, clear communications
Cons: the regular price is a tad high
Review: I waited because I simply didn't know any better would be one excuse. The simple fact is that I had a DC ENC headset and I thought it was really OK. I even tried headsets at some of the trade shows and thought, I don't really hear enough to justify the expense although some of the whistles and bells would be nice to have. I was not impressed with the Bose A20 due to the fact that several of the folks that I have flown with wanted to land when their batteries gave out. I also was not a fan of the clam-shell. The right time to make a decision finally came when my DC started having intermittent send and receive issues and the Zulu 2 went on sale. I bit the bullet, made my purchase from Mypilotstore to take advantage of the sale and free shipping. I was shocked at the difference in headset performance and now kick myself for not having made the switch sooner. The Z2 is quiet beyond belief, is crisp and clear and very comfortable to wear. I wear baseball hats to fly when not flying where a helmet is needed and the Z2 has a gap in the head piece cushions so that metal button on the hats don't indent your head. The whistles and bells? unbelievable- the bluetooth is awesome, the controls are simple, set em and forget em. Why I waited? I can say it was because I really did not know what I was missing! If there was anything I would like to have seen Lightspeed do differently, it would have been to use one of the dip switch settings to change the auto shutoff from time after no noise to just a timed shutoff for those of us parked on a ramp with open doors for awhile.
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Friday, October 12, 2012
Best Headest EVER!
by Caleb from Atlanta, Georgia 
Pros: Very comfortable, very light, extremely quiet, FlightLink app, Still quiet and comfortable with glasses
Cons: You'll now hate wearing any other headset
Review: If your questioning about a headset, look no further than the Zulu.2! I bought mine a few months ago, and I have loved it since day one. I no longer find my head "burning" after an hour of flight like my old headset- even after 7 hours of constant use! It is also the quietest I've ever heard- I no longer have to blast the volume to hear, and the noise doesn't even bother me, even in the loudest planes.

The FlightLink app is a MUST for any all pilots that are receiving flight instruction- especially for the instrument rating. It has a handy scratchpad for quick use, and you can quickly switch between apps (Foreflight, Garmin, etc) with the red banner at the top that alerts that you are recording and the timer. The app is very stable, and has all the features, but simplicity needed. Very good app to listen to what your instructor had to say, or what you need to fix with ATC calls. I really enjoy FlightLink.

I was stuck between Bose A20, Sennheiser S1, and Zulu.2. The Zulu.2 out beats them all in my opinion. The Bose just fits on your ears and squeezes, while the Zulu actually covers them, and provides AMAZING noise canceling- best I have heard. Out of the many top-notch headsets I've had, the Zulu.2 is by far my favorite in many areas. I wore the Bose and Zulu for many hours before I purchased, along with many other headsets. I wouldn't even consider another headset- I'm attached now!
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Lightspeed Zulu.2 Headset-Fixed Wing
by Gregory from Edmond OK USA 
Pros: More comfortable, less expensive, blue tooth enabled, more durable case
Cons: none
Review: I am thrilled with the headset. My first headset I purchased was a Bose A20 non blue tooth because I heard they were the best. I have since bought 3 Lightspeed zulu.2 blue tooth headsets. They are more comfortable on your ears for long flights, easy to work blue tooth and less expensive. I flew from Oklahoma City to Espanola, New Mexico to elk hunt and returned home yesterday. I used the Bose A20 on the way out and the Zulu.2 on the way back just to make sure the more expensive Bose A20 wasn't better and its not.
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Tuesday, October 09, 2012
by A Customer from mayerthorpe AB Canada 
Review: Mic boom could be longer.
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Tuesday, October 02, 2012
Very happy with the headset, does all they claim it will.
by Waz. from Coffs Harbour NSW Australia 
Pros: Very comfortable
Cons: Slightly heavy.
Review: Very comfortable and the noise cancelling is excellent.
They are a little bulky maybe but then my head is not large.

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Monday, September 24, 2012
Excellent Product
by Murray from Providence RI USA 
Pros: everything
Cons: kit should come with a backup mike foam cover
Review: Can wear all day and night; truly a first class headset
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Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Exellent Product
by Will from Carefree AZ USA 
Pros: Its active noise supression is excellent. Voice clerity excellent. I plug my cell phone and XM from a Garmin 496 in at times, with good results. It's comfortable or long flights.
Cons: It's expensive.
Review: I've been a satisfied Zulu user for several years and recently upgraded to the Zulu 2 based on reviews in the leterature. The Zulu 2 lives up to its excellent reputation ad my expectations completely.
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Monday, September 03, 2012
I recommend the Zulu2
by A Customer from Fort Lauderdale, FL 
Pros: Fit and noise cancelling.
Cons: None noted thus far.
Review: I tried the Bose A20's, but I liked the fit and feel of the Zulu's better. Comfort and fit are important, and for me the Zulu's were the one. The noise cancelling is good, but not so much that you can't hear the engine if it starts running rough and you can still hear the stall warning and even the lost of slipstream when nearing a stall. I am a new pilot and I found that the noise cancelling helps me hear the ATC more clearly.
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Thursday, August 23, 2012
Very very good
by Tyler from Grand Forks ND USA 
Pros: Anr, feel, looks
Cons: Mike seems to go only on the left side. You can't bend it to the other side.
Review: I love these things. Had a old pair of dc and these just blow them out of the water. I've tried the Bose A20s and I still like the Zulu 2 better. It looks better. The feeling on the head is different than the a20. The a 20s have more stiff ear muff things. Meaning it sits more than sucks to the ear. The Zulu mush more and provide better grip and noise canceling. It comes down to pref and price. The Zulu 2 is cheaper and has bluetooth rather than the a20 without Bluetooth that costs 50 bucks more and you get less.
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Wednesday, August 15, 2012
I would recommend this headset to anyone
by Andreas from Adelaide SA Australia 
Pros: Everything about it, comfort, lightweight and no pressure around the head
Review: I have tried both the Bose A20 and the ZULU 2 and would go the Zulu 2 over the Bose any day of the week. Fits well around the head, lightweight comfortable, easy to use and hard carry case provides great protection
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Monday, August 13, 2012
Wanted the best and think I have them.
by Alan from Kent WA USA 
Pros: Cuts all of the low noise sounds out, very comfortable. Great controls
Cons: Case could be larger. Allows the 'on' button to be pressed when sotring the headset.
Review: Comfort and noise cancelling are excellent. In addition the auto shutoff has save me a lot of batteries in that I inadvertently turn it on at times when putting it away in its case.

Used the Blue Tooth with my phone and it works well but haven't used it while flying.
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Tuesday, August 07, 2012
Very clean audio and comfort. I recommend Lightspeed
by Jason from Las Vegas NV USA 
Review: The Zulu lightspeed wears comfortably. The case is professional in appearance and when my buddy and I swapped his Bose for my Lightspeed, there was no notable difference - and for nearly $200. less.
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Wednesday, August 01, 2012
Highly Recommended!
by TJLP from Saint Anthony ID USA 
Pros: Great Noise Cancellation, Comfortable, lots of Great Features
Cons: None really, they are a bit on the heavy side...but not very noticeable
Review: Great Headset, used to replace older David Clark. Very comfortable, and noise reduction system works wonderfully. I haven't owned them for very long, but I have not noticed any problems with battery life etc. The Bluetooth feature works great as well!
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Sunday, July 29, 2012
comfortable , stylish , effective
by Harry Greaves from Bulawayo Zimbabwe  
Pros: light , comfortable , easy to use
Cons: The blue tooth fixture does not seem to work very well for phone calls , for music it is fine
Review: These are light, comfortable, and sound quality is excellent . The bluetooth linked to my BlackBerry does not seem to work when trying to make phone calls . Only other small thing is foam cushion over the microphone comes off easily .
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Monday, July 09, 2012
I buy one for me and 6 month later one for my wife
by A Customer from Fort de france Martinique Martinique 
Pros: very comfortable and efficient
Cons: price
Review: For ears it is perfect. Only the bluetooth need to be reinitialised each time. This can be inconvenient.
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Monday, July 09, 2012
Great
by Chris from Bakersfield CA USA 
Pros: Comfortable ,cool look
Cons: None
Review: It looks great , very comfortable, in fact I put my Bose headsets on the co-pilot side and wear these
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Monday, July 09, 2012
by Stephen from Cambridge WI USA 
Pros: Comfort Quality of communications if busy airspace is excellent.
Cons: None
Review: The Zula 2 in the cockpit environment is a pleasure to wear. The real test is how they perform, re sound quality, in busy airspace, and I have no excuses should I miss a call from ATC or other pilots. My green DC headphones will now be enjoyed by passengers.
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Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Amazing product....pay for the quality.
by Corky from San Diego CA USA 
Pros: Everything
Cons: price...but suck it up buttercup, this is avaition
Review: The headset was so amazing that that my flight instructor had to have a pair as well...
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Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Performance not conclusive
by David from Marshall Ct Airport IL USA 
Pros: HIgh quality fit and finish and packaging
Cons: Wind guard comes off - noise canceling not obvious
Review: Replacement for Bose in prior aircraft. Noise canceling is not obvious when turned on and some wind nose from vents is not cancelled. It was obvious with my Bose. The common complaint wind boot on the mike comes off happened in second week, used a small rubber band to secure it. Blue Tooth pairing and ground test with cell phone was easy and successful. My ACA Explorer is reasonably quiet and I have not seen that much improvement over a set of David Clark passive headsets but have to experiment more to prove to myself headset is working correctly. I have verified all the dip switches were properly set as delivered.
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Monday, June 18, 2012
Dramatic improvement
by David from Whanganui Manawatu New Zealand 
Pros: Large reduction in perceived noise and clear communication.
Cons: Battery container
Review: More than met my expectations.
Very comfortable.
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Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Great Upgrade
by Mark from international 
Pros: ANR response
Cons: coiled cord
Review: [Helicopter Model]  I have been using a Dave Clark ANR from about 10 years ago, so it was time for an upgrade. The ANR in the Z-2 is quite an improvement. Whether it's because of improvements in ANR technology or the Lightspeed's specific algorithms for the ANR process, it's wonderful.

The Bluetooth range is excellent also, it stays paired up to about 10 meters.

The sound quality for music is also very good.

My only complaint (and this applies to most Helicopter headsets) is there is no option for a straight cord. For some reason manufacturers think all helicopter headsets need coiled cords, while most airplane ones are straight. I prefer the straight one because it doesn't bunch up under the seat belt when getting in and out of the aircraft.
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Friday, April 06, 2012
Excellent headset!
by Richard from Beaumont TX USA 
Pros: Lightweight, comfortable, doesn't pinch, excellent ANR
Cons: none
Review: This headset is very lightweight and comfortable. I have been using the David Clark passive headsets for years and didn't think it was worth the money to upgrade to ANR headset. I tried a friend's Bose A20 and X11. They were both very good ANR but not quite as comfortable as the Lightspeed Zulu2.

Although I liked the ANR of Bose, I found that the Lightspeed sounded better at reducing the lower frequency noises of the engine, as well as some of the higher pitches.

Now that I have used the Lightspeed ANR, it is difficult to go back to passive headsets. I can definitely hear ATC and other traffic much better.
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Wednesday, April 04, 2012
by Terry from Dickinson ND USA 
Review: No complaints at all, works and fits like it should, I am very happy with the zulu 2's
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Wednesday, March 28, 2012
What a difference!
by Erik from Woodland Hills CA USA 
Pros: Lightweight, Great Sound Attenuation, Very comfortable
Cons: Price (but hey, I've only got one set of ears)
Review: Very well constructed, even opening the packaging was a delight.

My wife and I are both going through PPT together and often have one of us flying while the other is in the back seat. We bought one Zulu.2 and one cheaper Softcomm passive headset thinking that whoever was flying would use the Zulu and the one in the back would use the passive set.

While we're perfectly happy with the Softcomm's given the money we paid for them, they simply can't compare to the Zulu's ANR. We both notice a huge difference in cabin ambient noise between the two. After 1.5 hours with the passive set, I come out of the plane with a dull headache & physically tired. The Zulu's are a dream. The engine drone and air noise are all but unnoticeable while sound changes, like pitch changes from throttling up or back or the stall horn sounding, are clearly audible.

We were going to wait to buy the second set of Zulu's, but we love them so much we're buying now.
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Thursday, March 15, 2012
Bit pricey, but perform awesome
by A Customer from Oklahoma 
Pros: Super quiet, crystal clear radio work
Cons: Work poor with dead battery, no warning on low battery
Review: I bought this headset because of the 60 day guarantee and the fact that I don't want to lose any more hearing. I am very impressed by the noise cancellation. I have only used about 4 different headsets, but these are noticeably quieter, even compared to other high-quality, noise-cancelling sets. First time I flew with them I was pretty amazed. They are very light and comfortable even after hours of flying. Seems like my batteries lasted for about 10 hours of flying. But they went dead during my check ride! They don't perform well with dead batteries, but they still work. You will have no aural warning the batteries are going dead, until they're dead.
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Saturday, March 03, 2012
Great!
by A Customer from THE WOODLANDS TX USA 
Pros: Comfortable. Clear. Quiet.
Cons: None so far.
Review: No complaints about the headset. Perfect so far.
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Thursday, March 01, 2012
I would buy this product again
by Peter from Moree NSW Australia 
Review: Works great,I dissmantled it and installed it into my Alpha Helmet.
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Monday, February 20, 2012
by Ron from Delta CO USA 
Pros: Quiet
Cons: Mic cover falls off all the time
Review: Alot of $ for nothing but an headset.
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Wednesday, February 08, 2012
by William from Seattle WA USA 
Review: Works as advertised
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Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Very nice, easy to use.
by Kathy from Rockville IN USA 
Pros: very quite and the blue tooth and music options are great
Review: My new Lightspeed headset is eveything that I had hoped for the sound is perfect and they are very comfortable.
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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
very good
by henry from marietta GA USA 
Pros: sound
Cons: mic boom does not swivel
Review: Great headset , OK in comfort, a little to sensitive with on the mic sometimes, the mic boom does not swivel.  L seat OK, R seat has to deal with the cable across the chest and under arm.
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Simply the BEST
by Christian from Basel BS Switzerland 
Review: I have been using a Bose for year and I must say that the ZULU is indeed the best all around Headset.
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Saturday, January 07, 2012
by Doug from Fort Smith AR USA 
Review:
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Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Does the job it says it will very erll
by A Customer from PARAMOUNT CA USA 
Pros: Quality, price, comfort
Cons: Supplied case could be improved to take up less room in flight case
Review: Overall excellent headset and compared very well to its rivals. Very good comfort, good quality. Bluetooth works very well however I find the noise reduction facility for when a radio transmission is received rather fiddly and do far not managed to get it going properly(albeit I've only tried it once so far!) control box can get in the way a little at times in the cockpit but a minor issue. Although headset folds into a small unit it can only fit in the case one way do that facility it rather pointless without designing a smaller case which would be very usefull indeed.

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Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Great product...
by John A. from Trinidad CO USA 
Cons: The microphone cover falls off.... Need to work on that!
Review: Outstanding noise reduction with super audio input.
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Monday, November 07, 2011
Best headset ever
by Mark from Temecula CA USA 
Pros: Comfort, noise reduction
Cons: none yet
Review: I have owned a number of headsets. This is the best one ever. My last headset was a Lightspeed 3G. I have found the the comfort of this headset is truly a major step forward. The ear cups rotate as you move your head to keep their alignment. I have used the bluetooth feature and have found it useful. It quotes every time you get communication through the radio.

The noise reduction is outstanding. Battery usage is very similar provided Bluetooth is not being used.
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Monday, October 03, 2011
best performance ever
by Doron from Givat Shmuel Israel 
Pros: light, quit, convenient
Review: Light and convenient yet does the job perfectly alright - true silencer.
I have the ZULU 1 for quite some time. Just purchased a 2nd headset - ZULU 2. Can't say I feel any difference but both do gr8 job.
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Tuesday, August 09, 2011
if you dont like to suck, buy these
by devin from windsor CA USA 
Pros: the best your money can buy
Cons: they dont taste like apples
Review: OK, so I typically live by a few simple rules. One of those rules is when buying electronics or tools, buy the absolute best thing you can afford. If that means saving up for a couple months to get the best, it ALWAYS works to your benefit.

In my case, I did my research, tried the first generation Zulus and then decided that my money was going to the best I could afford... the NEW Zulu's. Easily the smartest purchase I have made this decade.

Many of the other reviews discuss in depth the differences between the Bose A20 and the Lightspeed's. The only thing I would add is... just like an Apple person should own an iPhone, not an Android, a Bose person should get the Bose.

That being said, the Zulu's are the most comfortable, clear, accurate, reliable, comfortable, comfortable headset I have ever worn. The warranty is great, the quality is unmatched (even in the Bose), and they look sharp.

Some people don't like that you cannot rotate the mic for right/left positioning. I say, I don't like that oranges dont taste like apples, or that I can't use a Ferrari as a boat, or fly a plane to the sun, or... you get my point. If not, I will be more clear. Some things are just not that important in life. Give me quality before you give me gadgety.
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Monday, August 01, 2011
Absolutely the Best ANR Headset I've Ever Seen
by Tonytoga from Houston, Texas 
Pros: Absolutely the Quietest Headset I've Ever Worn
Cons: Cabling is a bit light weight
Review:

Note: This is the first five star rating I've given any product in a very long time.

Since becoming a private pilot 12 years ago, I've been pretty sensitive to cockpit noise. I didn't damage my hearing with loud music or machines through the years and I wasn't about to do it in a single engine airplane. So I bought the best, the Bose X ANR headphones. But, while clearly better at noise reduction than the rest (I tried several other brands) at the time, I was never completely satisfied with them. They felt awkward on my head, heavier then they should have. The clam shell design didn't fit quite right and while they were the best at the time, as far as I was concerned, they weren't the final state of the art. I always felt someone could do better, (maybe even Bose, but they never did). It was sort of like waiting for the Ford Excursion to come along while driving a GMC Suburban. Suburban was good.....Excursion is a lot better.

I was delighted when also ran maker Lightspeed upped its game and introduced the Zulu's in 2009. It was with high hope that I bought a pair and tried them out. BINGO! The Zulu's were so comfortable I forgot I had them on. Audio quality was demonstrably better than Bose (in my opinion)....and the features (including bluetooth technology) were well ahead of the never improved upon Bose X series. And, the Zulu's were a couple of hundred dollars less expensive to boot. In every comparison but one (see below), the Zulu headset was between a bit better and blow 'em away better than the Bose. The result was that one of my two pair of Bose units went to the co-pilot's seat and the other replaced an old David Clark pair for pax in the back of the plane. I happily made Zulu my personal headset.

Flash forward to 2011 and the new Zulu.2. My co-pilot Bose had lost the right side earpiece audio and I had just sent it to Bose for a $185.00 (an outrageous price) re-manufacture when the cabling on my Zulu developed an intermittent short in the mic cable at the control unit. Off it went to Lightspeed to be fixed so now I'm down to one pair of Bose. I was concerned the Zulu repair would take a couple of weeks and, spoiled to the Zulu, I looked for options. I discovered the Zulu.2's where shipping so I decided to add a new Zulu.2 to my flight deck. It was sold as having studio quality mic sound and even better noise canceling so how could I go wrong?

Having had the new Zulu.2's for a couple of weeks, now, here are my personal opinions:

Compared to the original Zulu (which beat Bose handily), the mic quality of the Z.2 is not noticeably better, at least not inside my hearing. But look out for the noise canceling! That's where everything changed.....again. These phones are spooky quiet(!) to the point of dramatically changing the engine audio signature from inside the pilot's seat. I actually had to reacquaint myself with the sound signature of the engine with these headphones on. If I can't hear the engine running, is it running? It is truly amazing how quiet these phones are in the ANR mode. And with the wraparound sound feature....ATC (or anything else you're hearing with them) is literally inside your head. The sound doesn't seem to be coming from the phones, it seems to just occur inside your head, not an external sound. Comparing the three: the Bose X, the original Zulu and the new Zulu.2, the Zulu.2 is easily the clear cut winner. I couldn't ask for better.

A decade ago, Bose reinvented the game when they built a wonderful headset with the Series X. But then they sat on an unchallenged lead for years. Their customer service is rude and demanding (getting them to accept my bad pair for repair required me doing a series of tests to prove to them my diagnosis of the problem was correct before they would accept them for a retrofit that cost nearly 20% of the retail price of a new set) and by comparison to the Zulu's, the X's are overpriced by about 25% from the jump. Sorry, even at this level, game over in my opinion.

I love to see smug leaders knocked off their perches and that's exactly what Lightspeed has done to Bose with the Zulu/Zulu.2. When you Google "best selling ANR headset" now, the response is: "Lightspeed Zulu." It's just a better product.

The ONLY complaint I have with the Zulu is that the cabling is lighter weight compared to that of the Bose. As a result, it often wraps around itself (which doesn't happen with the Bose) and obviously does not hold up as well under daily use. The mic short in my two year old pair was a direct result of the light weight cabling becoming tangled with itself through daily use (I commute 50 miles daily to my office in my Saratoga, so they get used just about every day).

The good news here is that Lightspeed was very friendly and easily arranged an RA for a fix of the problem. They turned the unit around in less than three days and paid for overnight shipping back to me. They even threw in a new pair of ear pads at no extra cost. Couldn't have been happier with their customer service. The Bose guys where jerks by comparison (Lightspeed: laid back dudes versus smug "it's your problem yankees" at Bose)....just my experience in having the opportunity to compare Bose customer service with Lightspeed at the same time.

Incidentally, even with the audio improvements, the original Zulu is a superb choice, especially in light of the fact that with the new Zulu.2 on the market, I see that the original Zulu's are now selling in lots of places for $740.00, a $160.00 (27%) discount from its original price. If price is a very important consideration, spring for the original Zulu (the Zulu.2 has assumed the $900 price point of the originals). The original Zulu is a wonderful headset....and a real bargain at the price.

In fact, with a pair of out-of-the-factory re-manufactured BOSE headsets, I thought I might throw them on e-Bay and get enough for them to make buying another set of original Zulu's a super bargain. No dice. Bids on the Bose units on e-Bay were all around $450 bucks for even re-manufactured units (thus, the market works). Oh well...I just threw the "new" BOSE unit in the back with the other pair. So now my passengers have BOSE quality at their disposal. The repaired original Zulu's are now reserved for the co-pilot side up front. The Z.2's (you saw use of that term here first) are mine.

And for those who might think it....no, I don't work for Lightspeed.

I wouldn't give up my Garmin 496 for just any old pretender and now I feel the same way about my Zulu.2's.

Monday, July 18, 2011
maybe not so good for a smaller head
by Douglas from Virginia Beach VA USA 
Pros: the noise cancellation is excellent
Cons: the cups let in noise even if I turn my head just a little bit
Review: Meets expectations.

Strange as it sounds it might be better if it actually squeezed the head a little bit more to keep the cups from breaking the seal with even slight head turns.
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Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Excelent Sound quality and noise suppresion
by Ted from Norwalk IA USA 
Pros: Sound quality and noise suppresion excellent
Cons: A bit heavy.
Review: I really enjoy the clear sound and noise suppression.
I found the headset sliding around when it was hot while sweating.
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Tuesday, July 05, 2011
Love It
by Joel from Marietta GA USA 
Review: It's expensive, but I love it. This is the first headset that I've bought in almost 20 years. It's far more comfortable than what I had been using. I no longer get headaches on long flights. The noise reduction and sound quality are excellent.
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Monday, June 13, 2011
Lightspeed Zulu
by Dennis from San Angelo TX USA 
Review: Great comfort and quiet headset. Bluetooth works great. Overall I'm very impressed!
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Friday, June 03, 2011
Nice, but I liked A20 better
by A Customer from CA 
Pros: Comfortable, cheaper than Bose
Cons: If your head is kinda small, this might be not work well.
Review: Good headset, nothing to complain about really. The ear cups seem to run a bit warm.

The noise cancelling is just a tad short of Bose A20. A20 is very very quiet.

However, audio quality, stereo in particular, seemed better than the Bose A20.  More importantly, it didn't fit me well -- too big for my head I suppose. Bose fit me better and doesn't wobble around.
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If you follow this link, you will be able to view a video on how to do just that (go to the bottom of the page). You can also order the replacement ear seals from that page.

They are the same price.  The difference is the type of connector to the aircraft.  The portable helicopter model uses a single U-174/U connector typically found in helicopters.   The panel powered model connects via a Redel / LEMO connector and gets power directly from the electrical system.   You can view the different types of plugs in our Guide to Aviation Headset Connectors.  For most people, the portable model is the way to go unless you own the aircraft and know that you will always have a Redel connection available.