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Quiet Technology Halo Headset

No joy...

vlittle said:
Jase, the microphone boom extends! It telescopes in/out of the main headset.

Have a look.

Vern
Click to expand...

Do you mean the wire hook over the ear opposite the mike boom? Yes, that extends, but the mike boom itself doesn't extend (on mine, anyway). I thought maybe I could extend the opposite side, and re-bend the "ear-hook" points to get some more boom length, but the wire ear hook on the mike boom side doesn't appear to be adjustable (think it's plastic in that area).
 
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I took a look at my Halo last night and I couldn't figure it out, so I emailed Phil at QT and here is what he had to say...

"Pull on the wire extending from the headset REALLY HARD! This shifts the boom around to the other side of the head.

It will extend as needed. Bend the headband again to re-shape the head."

I don't know if I am going to try it, as I am not sure I completely understand what he says to do and I'm afraid I'll end up breaking it. Do so at your own risk. If someone does try this, please report your experiences here.

EDIT: Warning, do not try to pull the boom out of the headband, it will not extend. Instead, adjust the earpiece and rebend the headband to adjust the position of the mic boom.
 
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I've done this several times (whenever I get the big head) and it isn't all that difficult. There is simply a wire inside the main tube that goes behind your head. It is the ear piece on the side opposite the microphone. It shouldn't take that hard of a pull; mine takes maybe 2-3 pounds of force. If it is more difficult, see if you have a kink in the tube and straighten it a bit.

Bob Kelly
 
I adjusted mine when I got it and then rebent the mike side. It was easy and works fine. The more I use them the more I like them. :)
 
videobobk said:
I've done this several times (whenever I get the big head) and it isn't all that difficult. There is simply a wire inside the main tube that goes behind your head. It is the ear piece on the side opposite the microphone. It shouldn't take that hard of a pull; mine takes maybe 2-3 pounds of force. If it is more difficult, see if you have a kink in the tube and straighten it a bit.
Click to expand...
I think there is some confusion here... most of us know the earpiece side slides in and out, but I was commenting on Vern's earlier post where he said the mic boom slides in and out. It was the extension/retraction of the mic boom that I was questioning and why I sent an email to QT.

However, now that I reread Phil's email, perhaps he is in not saying the the mic boom extends, but that you can make the headband larger by pulling out the earpiece and reshaping the headband, effectively increasing the length of the boom. I was specific in my earlier email, but I asked him to clarify his response.
 
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java said:
Do you mean the wire hook over the ear opposite the mike boom? Yes, that extends, but the mike boom itself doesn't extend (on mine, anyway). I thought maybe I could extend the opposite side, and re-bend the "ear-hook" points to get some more boom length, but the wire ear hook on the mike boom side doesn't appear to be adjustable (think it's plastic in that area).
Click to expand...

That's probably what I mean. I don't have my Halo's with me (back at the factory for service). I know they are adjustable.

V
 
OK, Phil clarified his earlier response somewhat (he still didn't answer my pointed question). Don't try to pull your boom out of the headset, it will not extend. Instead, as has been stated, pull the earpiece wire out to make the headband larger and reshape the headband as needed to adjust the location of the headband.
 
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Review from use on May 3, 2008

I bought one of these for my wife for $350 because we travel in our RV and on long trips she finds her old David Clark green dome quite uncomfortable. So last weekend we flew to Abilene for the Big Country Air Fest and especially the air race.

Use Comments:

- She likes the light weight she said it is almost as though there is nothing there

- The aircraft sound is the same as when she used to but the little foam plus in her ears

- The aircraft sound is not blocked out as well as it is with the David Clark

- As we flew along I heard a sound that made me think I had an air leak in the cockpit. I ckecked the canopy latch and the vents and everything else I could think of then I put my hand infront of her mic and the sound went away. The mic picks up the sound and sends it through the intercom. Perhaps this can be squelched.

Bob Axsom
 
Bob, I'm battling this with my Halos... no solution yet.. Phil talked about getting some new mics (supposedly he hasn't gotten 'em yet)... and giving that a try.. It got better after I put a resistor in the C1 position.. but not fixed for sure..

It's not air (vents etc..)...


Technically, you can squelch it.. but it'll probably be so high that you won't be able to talk on the intercom either..


Bob Axsom said:
- As we flew along I heard a sound that made me think I had an air leak in the cockpit. I ckecked the canopy latch and the vents and everything else I could think of then I put my hand infront of her mic and the sound went away. The mic picks up the sound and sends it through the intercom. Perhaps this can be squelched.

Bob Axsom
Click to expand...
 
Bob and Radomir, what are you using for intercoms? I just set the squelch on my Garmin 340 and the Halo's are absolutely quiet. If the mic is oriented properly, I can break squelch with normal conversation (and at that point, i do pick up some cockpit noise, as with all my previous headsets <Lightspeed,Bose, DC>). I'm just wondering you think this noise is due to an intercom issue or if its really caused by a faulty mic or poor mic design, or a QC issue. We have two Halo's, I've flown with both, but neither has any noise at all when the squelch is set. After a couple hundred hours of flight time, I do think these are at least as quiet as my Bose X sets, which are sitting on the shelf.
 
I've got a Flightcom 403.. but that's not the problem.. since another pair of Halos do not do this in my plane :)
 
Put another satisfied Halo customer

I recently bought a set and for me they are as quiet or quieter than any ANR headset I've tried which ranges from high end Bose to low end Lightspeeds.

I'm using the yellow tips. My wife flew with them once and said she wants to use them when she's in the plane from now on.

So, the previous postive posts which may have sounded a little too good to be true actually turn out to be our experience. I haven't noticed any undesirable pickup from the microphone as some have suggested yet. If I do I will update this post but so far all is great after about an hour of use so far and that includes in 2 different planes with different mix of headsets and intercom equipment. Really, these are all around better than traditional headsets that rely on a good seal around your ears. I looked over the clarity alofts but the goofy replacement plugs weren't as convenient and cheap to get replacements for (they are screw ons) and otherwise didn't seem worth the price difference but probably work just as well in practice.

Lucky
 
Our results were from direct comparison

The negative results were achieved after using David Clarks for over 400 hours in the exact same RV-6A with the exact same avionics Terra intercom and Apollo com radios. The Halo headset usage involes several installations and removals with no change in the observations and several hundreds of miles of flying this month.

1 - The foam ear plugs were fine but they did not block the airplane noise as well as the David Clark headset she used for years previously. Her comment was they performed similar to the foam plugs she for a while in our Archer - they are fine but not as effective to her as the David Clark headset. She does not intend to do back to the David Clarks strictly because of the comfort improvement.

2 - The mic noise is disappointing to me but I am not going to cut off low level signals to get rid of it. For her comfort I will accommodate it but it is not as good for me as when she is using her old David Clark with the directional mic.

Bob Axsom
 
I just tried my new QT Halos, and they aren't even close to being as quiet as my Peltor ANR headsets even with the ANR fuction off! I was using the yellow tip foam plugs, so perhaps I need to try the tapered rubber tip plugs instead? I don't see how all the rest of you think these things are as quiet as an ANR headset, because they aren't!! (lightweight on your head...yes, but as quiet...no).
 
Depends on how well the plugs fit

I've found the effectiveness depends entirely on how well you can get the tips to fit into your ears. You have to get the tips in deep or they don't work as well. For me one side fits in easily, but the other side is more challenging (I use the yellow tips). A good trick is to reach over the top of your head and pull up on the opposite ear while inserting. Looks odd but it works.

With the tips properly inserted I find the high frequency noise is reduced a little better than with my Bose X, and audio quality is definitely better. Lower frequency noise seems about the same or slightly worse than with the Bose.
 
QT Halos

Well, I've been flying with my QT halo for a couple of weeks now. They're very comfortable and sound great! I love that my headset doesn't hit the canopy any more. However, I've found that I have to return them for a refund. :(

As much as I really like this headset, it isn't compatible with my airplane/radio combination. Apparently, there are a few (2%) combinations that cause some RF shielding conflicts. The Skylarks that I fly all have the SL-40 radio. Add this combo with the QTs and I get a bad squeal whenever I transmit. This has happened in 3 different Skylarks. The QTs work great in the Breezer, though, which has the same SL-40 radio. I've also used them in a 210, a Warrior and a Seneca with no problems. Unfortunately, I fly the Skylarks more than anything else, so I'm out of luck.:confused:

Phil (at QT) sent me a replacement set just in case the set was bad, but unfortunately it's my airplane/radio combination. Great customer service, though!

Bottom Line: If you're thinking of in-ear type headsets, definitely try out the QTs! I found them very, very comfortable and they sound great. Try them, if you don't like them, they'll refund your money with a smile!
 
QT Halos

Hi Vince,
Since you have worn the QT's in several different airplanes with the same SL-40 radio, I am wondering if all the airplanes which had the squealing noise had the same brand of audio panel (or intercom). Any possibility the problem was due to the audio panel (or intercom)?

More info please. [Update: I just visited a web site and learned the SL-40 has an internal intercom, so Vince, I assume you were using the SL-40's built-in intercom in all the airplanes you mentioned. Perhaps you've already covered this with Phil, but I'd like to know if there is a problem with the SL-40 being incompatible with the QT Halo...? Did you use the QT Halo with an SL-40 intercom and experience no problems?]

I really like my QT Halo (I have two sets) but I've only used them in my 172 and in a friend's RV-9A. There was one instance of incompatibility when in my 172 I had the QT halo and my friend had his Bose. However, I've used the QT Halo in combination with other headsets including the UFlyMike(Bose QC2) with no problems.

Thanks,
Don
 
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Actually, all 3 Skylarks had the SL-40, but different intercoms. We don't utilize the built-in intercom feature, although I couldn't tell you why, and these planes don't have audio panels.
 
Microphone Placement

I've flown with the Halo now for 4 flights. I am completely in love with the in-the-ear aspect of this headphone. However, I am having some problems with the microphone placement. I can't seem to keep it in front of my mouth. It wanders around as I move my head around looking for traffic and I have to re-position it often to get good transmissions.

So, Anyone have any "tips and hints" on keeping the microphone where you put it?

--
Michael
 
sonex293 said:
I've flown with the Halo now for 4 flights. I am completely in love with the in-the-ear aspect of this headphone. However, I am having some problems with the microphone placement. I can't seem to keep it in front of my mouth. It wanders around as I move my head around looking for traffic and I have to re-position it often to get good transmissions.

So, Anyone have any "tips and hints" on keeping the microphone where you put it?

--
Michael
Click to expand...

My tips:

1) Make sure that the "band" is firmly up against the back of your skull - if it is floating behind, out in the air, then the mike will move.

2) Use the cord clip to your collar, and have plenty of slack between the clip and your ear. How much is plenty? Move your head full range in all directions, and the cord should never come tight (between the clip and your ear).

Paul
 
craigvince said:
As much as I really like this headset, it isn't compatible with my airplane/radio combination. Apparently, there are a few (2%) combinations that cause some RF shielding conflicts. The Skylarks that I fly all have the SL-40 radio. Add this combo with the QTs and I get a bad squeal whenever I transmit.
Click to expand...

I had the same issue with squealing with my SL-30 and FlightCom intercom.
By turning down the volume on the control box the squeal went away.
I seem to always have the headset volumes set at max. Not any more.
 
QT Halo PIREP... Bought one at S & F...

and tested them all the way back to Oregon in the RV-10. They worked fine, although comments from the other aircraft in the flight was that the mic transmission sounded a bit 'scratchy'. The passive noise attenuation in the headphone was somewhat comparable to my Bose X. They were nice, light, and comfortable to wear for the 18+ hour flight back.

However, when I plugged them into my own RV-6 at home, I got the feedback squeal from H*LL. Volume and squelch changes made no difference. I'm not sure there is an internal mic gain adjustment on my KY97 like on the SL-30. The probably cause may have been from my windscreen mounted antenna overwhelming the headset, but I'm not sure why it only happens with the Halo's. Had to return them and go back to the Bose.:(
 
I bought my Halo headset a little over a month ago and now have about 15 hours on it. I love the comfort and additional head clearance to the canopy. I was using a Lightspeed Twenty 3g which got passed to the wife, replacing old DC10/30 with aftermarker ANR. I have not had any radio problems or squeals, using a PS Engineering intercomm and Garmin 430W. No report of mic problems. I agree with the others that you must get the foam plugs deep into your ear to get an effective seal. Based on my short time usage, I think that they are keepers.
 
Me too

Joe Blank said:
...... However, when I plugged them into my own RV-6 at home, I got the feedback squeal from H*LL. Volume and squelch changes made no difference. I'm not sure there is an internal mic gain adjustment on my KY97 like on the SL-30. The probably cause may have been from my windscreen mounted antenna overwhelming the headset, but I'm not sure why it only happens with the Halo's. Had to return them and go back to the Bose.:(
Click to expand...

I had the same problem last year in the Skylarks we manufacture. It had something to do with the combination of the SL-40 and the intercom we use. It worked fine in other airplanes with different comms, but not the SL-40s.
 
Jumping in late

Just want to say I got my Halo and Love it.
I have only used it once but much better noise reduction and clarity then my Dave Clark 20-10's.
 
cutting tubes

Has anybody cut the tubes down on their Halo? Ive heard that they are at a precise lenght and shouldnt be cut, but Ive heard about some who cut them to length and reported less noise/vibration getting picked up by the tubes. They are plenty long so it would be nice to cut them, as long as there isnt a negative outcome.
 
Trimmed mine too.

I asked about trimming the tubes during the demo at OSH last summer, and was told any change in sound quality would likely be imperceptable. It was pointed out to be sure to trim the correct end (the one opposite the metal baffle...someone must've warned him about me ;)).

I trimmed mine as well, about the same 1" or so to get rid of the excess, and couldn't tell any difference. Great headset!

Cheers,
Bob
 
Just curious how much life guys are getting out of the plastic tips for the QT's?

I need a new headset for work and I'm tired of pulling a clamp on headset in and out of my bag. I've been through three of them in the last calender year, luck I think as I've never been this hard on them but none the less, I'm in the market..

The set will see 5 hour days at least 12 days out of the month, so I need something that will last. I'm also trying to get a pair that I can use on my off days in GA aircraft.. :)
 
My WAG

is that you'd need a pair of ear plugs per month. Not at all scientific, but in my experience, they work great when new, and I finally notice the degradation after 6 mo or 50 hours or so...

Still, I love the feeling of freedom compared to conventional headsets...
 
Is there anything on the market that can be substituted for the QT products? If say, I buy a $400 headset tomorrow and they go belly up on Tuesday, did my headset just become useless?

I guess I could buy a handful of ear pieces..
 
Jeff,

How long the soft plugs last depends on how dirty, sweaty, waxy, etc. your ears get during use. I guess longevity of the plugs also depends on your tolerance for dirty plugs. The sound attenuation does degrade as the soft plugs get a bit dirty, and stiffer.

I have one Halo for the RV and one for work. Work sked is similar, perhaps longer than yours. I think I use two sets of plugs a month. They last longer in the RV, depending of course, on how much I fly it.

You get a little bag of them with purchase, and can buy extras from Phil too. I haven't run out of my original supply yet (one headset is 1 year old, one is just a few months old).

Some guys have also rolled their own with regular ear plugs, a punch or drill, a bit of shrink tube, and a dot of super glue.

Good headset all the way, and Phil is an awesome guy to work with!

Cheers,
Bob
 
Maybe I'm too fastidious?

I change my buds about every 10 hours. Fastidious or waxy ears, I guess. But, Paul made us lots of RYOs.
 
rvmills said:
Some guys have also rolled their own with regular ear plugs, a punch or drill, a bit of shrink tube, and a dot of super glue.
Click to expand...

I bought a box of 250 pairs of ear plugs about four years ago, punched holes in a bunch of them, glued in tubes until I got tired of it, and had a gallon-sized zip-loc bag full. I figure a pair a month at our usual flying rate, and we will have ear buds for the next four years on this batch....

Paul
 
Ironflight said:
I bought a box of 250 pairs of ear plugs about four years ago, punched holes in a bunch of them, glued in tubes until I got tired of it, and had a gallon-sized zip-loc bag full. I figure a pair a month at our usual flying rate, and we will have ear buds for the next four years on this batch....

Paul
Click to expand...

Just came across your post with the bag of ear plugs.. That's exactly what I need. Just ordered a QT Halo and took some of the "freebie" office ear plugs and threw them in the freezer to see how they'll drill tomorrow. I have tons of heat shrink and having a free supply of ear plugs will make the deal sweeter.. :)
 
Tram said:
Just ordered a QT Halo and took some of the "freebie" office ear plugs and threw them in the freezer to see how they'll drill tomorrow.
Click to expand...

I eventually found that the freeze/drill method was inferior to the punch method of fabrication - you can get a leaethr punch tool pretty cheap!
 
John Collier said:
Where are you guys purchasing the black tube material?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

It's just heat shrink tubing...black and the right diameter to fit over the plastic tips. Maybe 1/8 or 3/32? you can get it from SteinAir or any electronics store.
 
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Ironflight said:
I eventually found that the freeze/drill method was inferior to the punch method of fabrication - you can get a leaethr punch tool pretty cheap!
Click to expand...

Hey Paul-

Have you tried using the punch on any other plugs other than the standard yellow foam plugs?

I get the tapered Zee Medical ear plugs at work and they are a different texture foam than the standard yellow ear plugs, just wondering how it would work with them as well.
 
Tram said:
Hey Paul-

Have you tried using the punch on any other plugs other than the standard yellow foam plugs?

I get the tapered Zee Medical ear plugs at work and they are a different texture foam than the standard yellow ear plugs, just wondering how it would work with them as well.
Click to expand...

The last time I got a box, they were slightly softer than the standard yellow ones, and a little more orange and they worked fine.

I thought about buying the pre-made audiology plugs, and that is obviously where Dr. Phil gets them...but gee, I can make my own for less than a dime, and when you fly as much as we do, and your parents went through the depression, well....yeah, I'm I'm cheap! :p
 
Volume Knob Maintenance

we use the heck out of our Halos (we have four of them), and our oldest began developing a "cut-out" in the right plug a month or two ago. It was intermittent, and seemed to change condition if you futzed with the volume knob.

I mentioned this to Phil (the founder of QT) at Oshkosh, and he said he had an easy fix - a teaspoonful of alcohol, poured in to the volume knob, followed by exercising the volume knob, would clean it up. OK....contact cleaner! I got out my can, gave it a squirt, diddled the knob - and all is well!

So if you are having a problem that seems to be related to the knob - cleaning is an easy fix!

(The headset is close to five years old, and is used almost every day, in the sea-coast environment, so it doesn't bother me too much that a contact gets corroded!)
 
I LOVE my QT Halo set. Last week I wore my Zulu's so I could use the BlueTooth and make a call on the ramp. After 10 minutes in the air I couldn't stand the pressure and heat any longer swapped back to the cool, quiet, and comfortable Halo.
 
9GT said:
I LOVE my QT Halo set. Last week I wore my Zulu's so I could use the BlueTooth and make a call on the ramp. After 10 minutes in the air I couldn't stand the pressure and heat any longer swapped back to the cool, quiet, and comfortable Halo.
Click to expand...

I am amazed these things work so well, may have to try it one of these days. I like the Zulu and have wondered how anything could be better.
 
David-aviator said:
I am amazed these things work so well, may have to try it one of these days. I like the Zulu and have wondered how anything could be better.
Click to expand...

I find that the Halo's are as quiet, if not quieter than the Zulu's,,,,and I am a fan of Zulu! YMMV though. If you can borrow a set of Halo's from someone to try out for a couple hours flying, I think you would be pleasantly surprised.
 
Better earplugs

I found the following earplugs and they are (noticeably IMHO) quieter than the yellow ones. These definitely rival the quiet of an ANR.
http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/holemaxuffop.html

I re-use the tubes by just stripping off the original foam. Rub off as much foam as possible, but any residual stuff sticking to the tube is not an issue.

Instead of freezing and/or drilling (been there done that), I found heating a coathanger wire or pop rivet stem to glowing red with my propane torch and poking the hole works even better. Slide the tube in right away. No glue needed. I make up a dozen or so at a time and carry them in my flight bag. When the set I'm using are in need of replacement, I put on a new set and pull the tubes out of the old ones for recycling.
 
Halo's

Having now flown over 20 hours of cross country in the last month with the Halo's.... I am 110% sold. My wife loves them too. Light, work great keeping it quiet and seem to really reduce the fatigue I used to get after shaking rattling and rolling for hours in the plane with the clarks or sens on. One of the best products I have used. Give them a try, pretty sure most will concur.
 
Pirep on Halo

I only have a little over an hour on my new Halo headset but so far I'm loving it. It is definitely quieter and more comfortable than my David Clark 13.4. I am used to wearing ear plugs at work so I don't think that part will be an issue on long trips. The only problem I had at first was getting the mic pointed in the right direction. At first I had it backwards. The solution is to make a long ahhhhhhhhh sound while rotating the mic and listening for a volume change. It's easy to tell when you go past center. At first I tried to wear it on my shoulders but found I had to chase the mic to transmit. Next I tried it behind my head like wearing glasses backwards and the mic moves with your head and solved the mic chasing problem. I doesn't interfere with my sunglasses and I can wear any hat I want. It sure makes it more peaceful and calm up there.
 
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