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Halo Headsets, opinions?

apkp777

apkp777

Well Known Member
Hey all,

I am thinking of getting a Halo headset. There has been lot's of postings about them, but nothing recent. Has anyone got any input from recent experience? Also, anyone have one for sale?
 
Great Halo

You want be sorry. What a great headset. Unlike the Dave-Clark skull vice grips I used for several decades ? the halo interface is simply wonderful. Key to having the greatest degree of sound protection and comfort is proper fitting of the ear piece. Good luck finding a used one ? once you fly with them you probably want let them go.
 
Hi
I have a set of Halos and a set of Clarity Aloft. The Halo is a great headset and you will like it. But having both I will tell you IMHO the clarity aloft is a better headset. It is more expensive but worth it.
Chad
 
We've got four sets of Halos now - two for each two-place airplane, so we don't have to swap them around. Love 'em! (Can't compare them to CA's, since I haven't used the Clarity's - but I know folks like those as well)
 
Good Company

I bought a Halo and couldnt get used to it so I asked if I could return it. No problem, full refund. Lots of folks seem to like them.
 
I am going over 2.5 years, and love them. Folks who fly with Sue's set in the back will not wear the headsets again. We just have a few sets of plugs to swap around. It did take me a number of flights to get used to them.
 
LOVE mine you will not be sorry. Once you get the nack of getting them set in your ears you will never fly with any thing else. I have a ZULU also but never use it.
 
I bought the Clarity about 3 yrs ago at Osh, on our trip home my wife used them for about half the time (5 hr trip).

When we got home I ordered her a pair too. Best "headset" I ever had :D
 
SUPERB!

I bought two sets of Halo's for a couple of years ago, and the wife and me LOVE them!

Crystal clear reception and transmission, no battery hassle and three different earplug-types to choose from.

Light weight, adjusts easily, no "brain-clamping" and I can wear whatever headgear I want.

NEVER will I go back to Boose or any other "brain-clamp"!

And one last thing: GREAT customer care!
I damaged a wire one year ago and they fixed it at no charge, even though the fault was clearly mine!
They included 10 new sets of earplugs, and they even sent it over here to Norway at NO CHARGE when the repair was done!

I higly recommend both the product and the company!
 
I might be the odd man out here. I bought a set of Halo's a couple of years ago but never use them anymore. I find that the earplugs can become uncomfortable and it is much easier, quicker and less hassle to put on a traditional headset. I consider that both my headsets (old style Bose and a Zulu) have better noise canceling qualities than the Halo's. I have tinnitus and find that the ringing is aggravated after flying with the Halo's but not with the headsets.
Suggest you try and borrow a set of Halo's and decide for yourself before spending money.

Fin
9A
 
Same a Telex

Isn't it the same as the Telex 5X5 which can be purchased for less money. But without the tubes, ear plugs, and metal wire?;)
 
Love mine

Been riding motorcylces for more years than I care to remember, all my riding is with earplugs in and a helmet on so having earplugs in is very natural to me.
Tried the Halo's and felt right at home from the very first flight, it would be a sad day if I had to go back to a traditional headset. The added bonus is the freedom the Halo's give you for wearing glasses and caps.
 
I bought a pair a couple of years ago. Tried them in a DA40 I was flying at the time. On the first flight, they worked fine talking to ground and tower, then when switching to departure, every time I keyed the mike there was loud oscillating feedback, making comm impossible. Not what you want to have happen on an IFR flight plan. I grabbed my old Peltor headset and plugged it in and finished the flight, instead of having to dial up 7600 on the transponder :(.

Talked to QT about it and they asked, were you using a Garmin radio? Yes, a 430W. OK, we have a known problem with some of those, send it back, we've tried everything and when that happens there's nothing you can do.

I don't know if they have resolved that problem, or if it would even be a problem with your avionics. The good news is, you can try a pair and see, and they will be happy to refund your purchase price if you do have the problem.

--Paul
 
Denase said:
Isn't it the same as the Telex 5X5 which can be purchased for less money. But without the tubes, ear plugs, and metal wire?;)
Click to expand...

The Telex 5x5 are for a quiet cockpit like a commercial jet. They would work in an RV (IMO)
 
Garage Guy said:
Talked to QT about it and they asked, were you using a Garmin radio? Yes, a 430W. OK, we have a known problem with some of those, send it back, we've tried everything and when that happens there's nothing you can do.

I don't know if they have resolved that problem, or if it would even be a problem with your avionics. The good news is, you can try a pair and see, and they will be happy to refund your purchase price if you do have the problem.

--Paul
Click to expand...

We use ours with Garmin radios and haven't had this problem - just FYI
 
Here's the thing, I am about 6'3" and my head just about touches the canopy without my interior installed. I am pretty sure a normal headset is going to make it tight. Sounds like the Halo is goo headset and if it works well I wont have to slouch in the plane.
 
apkp777 said:
Hey all,

I am thinking of getting a Halo headset. There has been lot's of postings about them, but nothing recent. Has anyone got any input from recent experience? Also, anyone have one for sale?
Click to expand...

Dirt simple and effective so I realize it's like too good to be true. I was a typical skeptic but got to try a pair of Clarity Alofts riding passenger in a buddys RV and I've never looked back. This is the best type of headset I've ever used and I'll never use any other type of headset again if I can help it. I've used most of the popular brand ANRs (own 2 myself) out there and these do as good a job overall for me and the plus is you can wear any type of hat or sunglasses with them and they are so light you won't even realize you are wearing them even afer hours of flight. No batterys to fuss with, no scratches on the inside of the canopy from hitting it and no headset hair once you land. I prefer the halos to the CA brand if only because the ear plugs are more practical and cheap/easier to replace and you get 3 different types to experiment with. I ended up using the super easy to replace yellow foam inserts that can be found anywhere.
 
I really liked the Halo, but have the same feedback problem. If I turned the volume down I could get them to work, but not all the time. I sent one set back......have not received my refund yet!!!...but kept the other since my wife does not talk on the radio, but really liked the headset.
 
No trouble for me

Ref my earlier post in this tread:
I have the Garmin SL-40 in my plane and I've never had any trouble.
 
I'm 6'4" and like the low profile and light weight. Also seems to be quieter than my "noise canceling" Sennheisers. I love mine. One problem a couple years after I bought mine, and it was fixed at no cost, so the company is as good as the product.

Bob Kelly
 
we own two and plan to get another one at OSH for my girlfriend.
we love them. lightweight, clear audio and a freedom of movement/feeling like wearing sunglasses. quite a step up from my previous heavy but solid david clark...

enjoy.

bernie
 
OSH Specials for Halo?

I have been on the fence for getting a pair of Halo. I can wait until OSH or get a pair now. Does anybody know if Quiet Technologies typically has a Halo headset special at Oshkosh?
 
Halo's

Absolutely love them, and I cannot ever see myself going back to an over the head style headset. I have 2 sets. I keep a pair of DC passives for passengers and young eagles. Takes a little practice to get the earpieces in correctly, so I just snap my DC headset over the occasional passenger.
Squawks? Just one.
I wish the mic boom was a little more rigid and maybe a half an inch longer. Sometimes I have a bit of trouble keeping the mike in place. I have a beard, and it will displace the mike when I talk if I don't get it positioned just right.
As for performance, They beat the 1000.00 headsets every time. Anyone that says they don't aren't getting the foam plugs in correctly!!
Music sounds awesome too!

Can't go wrong!!!

Regards,
Chris
 
Okay, I have been using my Halo headset for about 10 hours now. Probably not long enough to make a comprehensive review, but long enough to have an opinion.

I was pleased with the kit that it came with. Several ear bud options and a handy carrying case. My first impression was that it looked a bit flimsy. However, they appear to be well made and are just a very simple design. Nothing fashionable.

Finally, they work great. Also, I find them very comfortable and they weigh absolutely nothing. There is not the "head squeeze" that traditional heads give you and wearing a hat is not a problem. Sound quality is excellent. I experience no feedback, buzzing or other problems with my Garmin SL30 or FlightCom 403 intercom.

The negatives are, they are really single user as the ear buds are definitely gross after a flight or two. The microphone is VERY flexible and it's easy to spin it around and your transmissions are affected. They take a few seconds to put on as you have to position them correctly then squeeze the ear bud (if you use the foam type).

Overall, I would definitely recommend them. I will have my wife try them once I get into Phase II flying, I am sure she will like them otherwise I will have to spend twice as much to get a comparable pair of ANR's.
 
apkp777 said:
Okay, I have been using my Halo headset for about 10 hours now. Probably not long enough to make a comprehensive review, but long enough to have an opinion.
Click to expand...

I just got mine in the mail yesterday. I will give a review after this weekend as I plan on several flights. Can not wait to try so may get out of work early to fly today (pending midwestern t-storms).
 
Good, not the best IMHO

I have a Halo, Bose X and LightSpeed Zulu. In my 210, they all appear to perform about the same, the Lightspeed just beating out the others by a bit.

In my noisy 200HP RV7, no comparison. The Halo works well, but not nearly as quiet as the Lightspeed.

And yes, I get the buds "all the way in". :) Trust me, if you don't, you'll KNOW.

The Lightspeed is a lot more money, but I just made 10 hours of flying in two days with it, and my ears held up. Not sore, not tired. Can't say the same with my Bose or the Halo (prior experience).
Also, the bluetooth is nice. Plays high quality stereo music from my Droid phone.

Just MHO, YMMV
 
Today I flew with music for the first time ever. It was awesome. The Halo sounds great in stereo. Really made the cockpit noise disappear totally.
 
3 Cheers for Q/T

Had a mic problem with my Halo headset and returned it to Phil.....he said he'd take care of it. After a little while, I called to check up on the progress.
He has not only replaced the mic with the latest and greatest but had
checked the audio speakers and found one to be of the wrong type even though it was working fine. So he replace both speakers with the latest and greatest AGAIN.

Phil went well above and beyond the call of customer service and still refused to accept payment on the upgrades......whataguy!

I will upgrade my passenger headset to a QT Halo when I get my -7 flying if not before.

Keep up the great work.......I can't see myself buying anthing but a QT Halo


Glenn Wilkinson:D
RV-4
N654RV @ MLJ
 
plehrke said:
I just got mine in the mail yesterday. I will give a review after this weekend as I plan on several flights. Can not wait to try so may get out of work early to fly today (pending midwestern t-storms).
Click to expand...

Flew last night for the first time with them. Excellent. More noise reduction then my DC ANR headsets. Love the light feel and the sound was excellent. Only issue I had was that I had problem getting them to stay on my head at first. I finally just adjusted the mic to be against my lips and that held them better in place. I was using the headset around the back of my head. Anybody have advise on the best position to keep the headset attached to your head (over head, around head, or around neck)?
 
plehrke said:
.... I finally just adjusted the mic to be against my lips and that held them better in place. I was using the headset around the back of my head. Anybody have advise on the best position to keep the headset attached to your head (over head, around head, or around neck)?
Click to expand...

Like you, I generally use my lips to stabilize the mic - and you put out better audio that way as well. I have found that if my Halo isn't sitting "just right", it is because the band isn't tight up against my head in the back. If I push it up against the back of my head, it gets much more stable. Works with my head at least!

I have also found that it takes several flights/hours to really get used to the Halo. Many folks try it once or twice and put it away - it is different enough that you and the headset need a little time to get acquainted - and then (for most people) you'll never want to use an old-fashioned headset again!

Paul
 
Worn twice

Well, I got a Halo for Xmas and I've flown with it twice now. I left the hangar today with one of my DC's in hand with the intent to put it on ebay. The Halo is awesome, I have been wearing conventional headsets and flight helmets for 25 years. I have to wear a helmet for work, but otherwise, I will probably not wear a conventional headset ever again!:)
 
I have 2 sets of Clarity Alofts and 2 sets of Lightspeed Zulus. My wife and I both prefer the Clarity Alofts, although the Lightspeeds are great headsets. The noise attenuation with the in-ear Clarity's is every bit as good as the Lightspeeds in my opinion, and the simplicity, form factor and non-existent weight makes them a clear choice for us.
 
Has anyone used a Halo with the Pilot Blulink product, to add Bluetooth to your headset? I've got a Zulu now, that I like a lot, but have been wondering if the Halo's would be worth a try for my wife (she found the Zulu uncomfortable, as many women seem to for some reason).

Having bluetooth for iPhone integration is a must, however... And $2000 for a PMA8000BT is just not going to happen. :p
 
Great customer service

The microphone of my ~3 year old Halo's had been gradually failing, so I called Phil to ask about getting them repaired. He said "send them back", and replaced the microphone with a newer free of charge (despite being past warranty). He also supplied a new foam microphone cover and paid the return postage.

Support just doesn't get any better.
 
Snowflake said:
Has anyone used a Halo with the Pilot Blulink product, to add Bluetooth to your headset? I've got a Zulu now, that I like a lot, but have been wondering if the Halo's would be worth a try for my wife (she found the Zulu uncomfortable, as many women seem to for some reason).

Having bluetooth for iPhone integration is a must, however... And $2000 for a PMA8000BT is just not going to happen. :p
Click to expand...

I ordered and tried the blue link with my halo's. Returned the blulink later that week and ordered the pma8000bt. I found I would miss about a second of a radio transmission before the blulink would cut out and also had some strange back ground noises as well when it was being used. I am adding a second radio and needed to add a audio panel, so the jump to the 8000bt was not a big deal. All the ps engineering intercoms I have had over the years have been awesome, and I expect the pma8000bt to follow that trend.
 
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