Letters: 09/07

I read with interest your report in Junes issue comparing various ANR headsets. Your conclusions about the new David Clark ANR X11 were spot on. I have been a supporter of David Clark and their products, having been the owner of a pair of H10-13.4s for a number of years.

Recently, a buddy and I bought a Nanchang CJ-6A-not the quietest of warbirds to say the least. After a few hours of flying, we found that a passive headset wasnt going to work. Hearing one another over the push-to-talk intercom and calls from the tower were difficult and potentially dangerous due to missed communication. In order to wring out the maximum enjoyment from our ride while staying safe, we knew we had to invest in a good pair of ANR headsets.

In March, given our previous experience with our regular David Clark headsets, we opted to buy the new X11s. Before plunking down $1000, we asked about the return policy of the shop. We were told they had a no-questions-asked, 30-day return policy. So we ordered them.

Having had previous experience with a LightSPEED ANR headset, I was expecting to duplicate the wow factor with the X11s that I had experienced with the LightSPEEDs-that almost instantaneous blanket of quiet that kicks in after a few seconds.

That didnt happen with the X11s. Instead, what I got was a muted rumbling that ebbed and flowed depending on which way my head was turned. Any combination of adjustment to the intercom or headset volume didnt change things. To make matters worse, we experienced an annoying squeal whenever we pushed the intercom button to communicate. Thinking it was our intercom system, we pulled out the manual and made several adjustments with no appreciable improvement.

After a few more flights in the CJ with disappointing results, we were concerned that we were destined to have to put up with a noisy cockpit that no ANR headset could reduce to acceptable levels. Then, a local flying school instructor friend offered us the use of her Bose X ANR headset. Problem solved. Even at idle, with the ANR feature turned on, the noise reduction was remarkable.

But would it work at cruise power when the noise level is at its peak? Yes, yes and yes. Clear intercom and tower communication at close to a level that you would get in a non-radial-powered general aviation airplane. I know-we did the comparison in a Cherokee. The next day, we returned the X11s and ordered two Bose Xs. Twenty-five or so hours later, the smile is hard to wipe off my face.

I have a lot of respect for the way David Clark has contributed to the advancement of safe and reliable communication in the cockpit. However, a sure sign of a company in decline is to ignore what customers are telling you. Compound that by punishing your loyal distributors when they confront you with the reality that this particular product doesnt measure up is disappointing to hear. I hope for David Clark that they wake up and realize that getting it right may take more than one try.

Brian Nosko
Vancouver, British Columbia