David Clark X11

[db1yg]

I bought the Headsets Inc kit for my DC 13.4 about 10 years ago. Used them in my Mooney for many hours and use them in the RV9a today. I have never had a problem with them and the NC is verry effective. I do have the better gel seals on the headsets. I have not had a chance to do a "one after the other" comparison with other units but have used both the Bose and LS ANRs in friends' planes. I can say I much prefer the DC over the LS and perceive no difference in comfort or effectiveness between the Bose and the DC13.4 with the Headset Inc kit.

Cheers,

db

[grantcarruthers]

I guess I'll throw my 2 cents in real quick.

Wife surprised me with Bose headset when I would have gotten lightspeed at a 2 to 1 savings for the ANR.

Love the performance.

Have made 3+ hour XC without any comfort issue, didn't even have to shift it and honestly didn't know it was there on landing, multiple flights like this.

comfort=A, noise reduction A, wish the battery box hung a foot farther from jack plugs is ONLY gripe. Just changed the batteries 1st time in 6 mos, 20+ hours flight, maybe 30.

Tried DC X11 on 4 hours of XC recently. Just as comfortable, noise reduction STUNK. I'd be very PO'd if I layed out ~$700 on these. Frequently had a throbbing /surging/ loud/ very obvious flaw in the ANR. This was in a 172 at cruise and steady state.

Comfort A, Noise reduction C-. Probably no hearing loss or damage going on but come on, for 700 bucks!!!! My passive cheapo headset is less intrusive or distracting and therefore safer IMHO.

DC X11 NOT reccommended. I want to try lightspeed and halo before final verdict but bottom line there is a reason Bose hasn't dropped their price much since introducing the their ANR, no real competition??

[JRSLim]

I am extremely dissapointed with the X11s. After three pairs, they have all had issues- the same or similar issues - as said before by others, it seems DC is lacking in the technology and the quality control. Snaps, scratches, pops, buzzes, squeaks, throbbing are the issues I've encountered. Really, really dissapointed I spent $800 on these.

Shaun

[CASSUTT PILOT]

I fly a Cassutt and the only thing I've experienced any louder is the flight deck of a Sikorsky helio with a big round engine in its nose. The DRE model 6000, for which I paid $300 was wonderful in this environment. Unfortunately, they are no longer in business. I bought two new D/C X-11's at Sun-N-Sun this year for use in my soon to be completed Zenith 601XL ( was building an RV-6 but medical problems dictated switching to something in the LSA category). One of the X-11s malfunctioned in the first hour and had to be sent to the factory for repair. The electronic noise reduction (ENR) feature of the X-11 is not NEARLY as effective as the DRE6000. Surely D/C will make improvements and offer an upgrade in the X-11, if for no other reason than to protect their reputation. As a professional pilot friend once told me, just about everyone who makes their living in aviation uses David Clark. The 601XL powered with a 6 cylinder Jabiru with a muffler surely will be quieter than the Cassutt, and the performance of the X-11 may be tolerable. I still would not swap my $300 DRE6000 for David Clark's $800 X-11.