flickroll
Well Known Member
Picked up an A20 at Osh, and tried it out on the way home today. To me it is noticeably more comfortable than the X (less clamping pressure), and does a remarkable job with reducing noise in my RV-8, much better than the X. Intercom audio quality is excellent as well, going through a Garmin 240 audio panel.
However, the first time I used it to transmit was over Lake Michigan when I called Muskegon Approach to pick up my IFR clearance for the ride back to KCHO. I noticed the sidetone sounded slightly garbled. So I asked the controller how I sounded, and she replied 'a little garbled, but readable'. I then swapped the A20 with the X my buddy was wearing in the back seat of the -8. I asked the controller how I sounded now, and she replied, 'oh that radio is much better, loud and clear' (I hadn't switched radios). I was transmitting on a G430W which normally provides excellent transmit and receive audio.
When I got home I called Bose, and they are sending me another one to try out. Either I have a bad unit or I need to adjust mic gain somewhere. The Bose tech did say though that the mic on the A20 is identical to the mic on the X...
Has anyone else used the A20 yet, and what was your experience?
One thing I did not like...on the installed version, you still have to press the power button on the control module to turn the unit on. With the X, it powered up as soon as you applied aircraft power to the unit.
However, the first time I used it to transmit was over Lake Michigan when I called Muskegon Approach to pick up my IFR clearance for the ride back to KCHO. I noticed the sidetone sounded slightly garbled. So I asked the controller how I sounded, and she replied 'a little garbled, but readable'. I then swapped the A20 with the X my buddy was wearing in the back seat of the -8. I asked the controller how I sounded now, and she replied, 'oh that radio is much better, loud and clear' (I hadn't switched radios). I was transmitting on a G430W which normally provides excellent transmit and receive audio.
When I got home I called Bose, and they are sending me another one to try out. Either I have a bad unit or I need to adjust mic gain somewhere. The Bose tech did say though that the mic on the A20 is identical to the mic on the X...
Has anyone else used the A20 yet, and what was your experience?
One thing I did not like...on the installed version, you still have to press the power button on the control module to turn the unit on. With the X, it powered up as soon as you applied aircraft power to the unit.
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