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Headset coexistence

daveyator

Well Known Member
Quick question for the electrically inclined. Would there be any problems using a David Clark headset and a Bose A20 in my RV12.
Radio is a GTR200. I have an opportunity to get an A20 for a reasonable price. The DC would become the backup. Will they play happily together?
Cheers DaveH
 
AND as long as the jacks aren't wired together! Seen it, and it used to be a thing in a bygone era.
 
The 12 I assume is using the GTR200's built in intercom which normally wired as stereo, music/blue tooth is irrelevant.
 
The 12 I assume is using the GTR200's built in intercom which normally wired as stereo, music/blue tooth is irrelevant.
Does this mean my non stereo DC headset is not going to be compatible with the GTR200?
I’m getting towards the final stages of a very slow build, and trying to tie up all the loose ends. Obviously technology has marched relentlessly forward.
Trying to catch up.
Cheers DaveH
 
Does this mean my non stereo DC headset is not going to be compatible with the GTR200?
I’m getting towards the final stages of a very slow build, and trying to tie up all the loose ends. Obviously technology has marched relentlessly forward.
Trying to catch up.
Cheers DaveH
No it will work fine. I have a GTR200 radio and love it. a mono headset will work just fine, you just won't get stereo sound plus you won't be able to take advantage of being able to differentiate incoming frequencies as being from the standby freq or the main freq. If you have a stereo headset then you can tell that based on which ear you hear the transmission. With a mono headset you will just hear each one in both ears.
Keith
 
Does this mean my non stereo DC headset is not going to be compatible with the GTR200?
I’m getting towards the final stages of a very slow build, and trying to tie up all the loose ends. Obviously technology has marched relentlessly forward.
Trying to catch up.
Cheers DaveH
If you look at the diagram for a mono headset you’ll see that it can be done but it’s only connected to one side.
 
If you look at the diagram for a mono headset you’ll see that it can be done but it’s only connected to one side.
Hmm, not sure I understand. If I use a mono headset (or a stereo set with the little switch set to mono) with my GTR200 radio, I could swear I hear incoming transmissions (or music if I am using it) in both ears.
 
Hmm, not sure I understand. If I use a mono headset (or a stereo set with the little switch set to mono) with my GTR200 radio, I could swear I hear incoming transmissions (or music if I am using it) in both ears.
With the stereo you will have the main frequency in one ear and the monitor frequency in the other.

Not at same time, mind you, that would be like driving and having your wife and mother in law critiquing simultaneously.
 
Hmm, not sure I understand. If I use a mono headset (or a stereo set with the little switch set to mono) with my GTR200 radio, I could swear I hear incoming transmissions (or music if I am using it) in both ears.
Yes because one side of the "music" is wired to both sides in the mono headset. In the mono position of a jack, you disconnect one side so you don't get a squeal.
 

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With the stereo you will have the main frequency in one ear and the monitor frequency in the other.

Not at same time, mind you, that would be like driving and having your wife and mother in law critiquing simultaneously.
It’s much worse than that. If you plug your mono headset into stereo wired jacks it’s like having your mother in law on both sides.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Got a bit of information processing to do. Now to my next question, can I use a stereo headset in the pilot side, and a mono headset in the copilot side? Or will something bad happen?
Cheers DaveH
 
Thanks for all the replies. Got a bit of information processing to do. Now to my next question, can I use a stereo headset in the pilot side, and a mono headset in the copilot side? Or will something bad happen?
Cheers DaveH
Usually yes but since these are experimental and everyone builds them as they want, check to see if you have Stereo/Mono switches installed. If not then check the wiring. Even faster, plug them both in on the ground (you won't burn anything) and if you don't have a loud squeal, you're good to go. That's why I installed switches in every station. Now no matter what type I use at any seat, they'll all work fine.
 
No it will work fine. I have a GTR200 radio and love it. a mono headset will work just fine, you just won't get stereo sound plus you won't be able to take advantage of being able to differentiate incoming frequencies as being from the standby freq or the main freq. If you have a stereo headset then you can tell that based on which ear you hear the transmission. With a mono headset you will just hear each one in both ears.
Keith
Hmmm... be very careful about plugging a mono headset into an audio jack wired for stereo. The "ring" or base of the mono plug will touch one of the stereo output channels, shorting it to ground. Maybe the GTR200 is OK having one of its audio outputs shorted to ground but I know the Flightcom 403 intercom is not. If you have the manual for the Flightcom 403 and know where to look it will warn you about this. In my case I found out the hard and expensive way. More discussions about this in the thread below...

 
Usually yes but since these are experimental and everyone builds them as they want,
True for E-ABs, but here in the RV-12 subforum, most are E-LSA and S-LSA... so there's a lot less variance.

Maybe the GTR200 is OK having one of its audio outputs shorted to ground
It absolutely is. Here's what the GTR200 installation manual says on the topic:

A true mono headset will work correctly with the GTR 200/200B, but only mono audio will be heard and 3D audio will not be available. The GTR 200/200B will detect the mono headset and automatically switch to mono operation.

And the left and right seat outputs are independent. For a while, I had a stereo headset for myself but a mono headset for my passenger. I heard stereo audio, they heard mono audio.
 
True for E-ABs, but here in the RV-12 subforum, most are E-LSA and S-LSA... so there's a lot less variance.
My comment stands. E-LSA and E-AB, you still wire it anyway you want. The only ones you could count on as having "common standard wiring" would be the factory built S-LSAs only.
 
My comment stands. E-LSA and E-AB, you still wire it anyway you want. The only ones you could count on as having "common standard wiring" would be the factory built S-LSAs only.
Sorry - not exactly true. An E-LSA must be built exactly as the factory designed it until it is licensed. After you get the AWC, you can make changes, but not before.
 
Some additional (maybe different) comments.

1. It's not what you probably want, but in the long term, why not sell the mono-only and get another used stereo headset?
2. The stereo headset will have an "S" (Stereo) and an "M" (Mono) switch. Depending upon the intercom, you may need to set the stereo unit to mono and get "mono both" (same sound in both ears)
3. Radio output will typically be "mono both." To have a "split audio" (one radio in one ear and another in the other ear) requires "newer" intercoms and explicit action on your part to set it up to make that happen. In other words, it is an "option" to split.
4. Depending upon the intercom, the "stereo" music (L&R) may be mixed to "mono" music (L+R), so the thing you lose in that case is the spatial diversity (and maybe some clarity).
5. If you have a stereo headset and a mono headset and get strange noises or they do not work at all, set them both to be either stereo or mono.
 
Sorry - not exactly true. An E-LSA must be built exactly as the factory designed it until it is licensed. After you get the AWC, you can make changes, but not before.

Not talking about the OP, but if everyone followed FAA regulations all the time, then ok, but we also read it here all the time how many don't really care about doing that.

So the DARs check the radio jack wiring to make sure it's wired as stereo versus mono?
 
Not talking about the OP, but if everyone followed FAA regulations all the time, then ok, but we also read it here all the time how many don't really care about doing that.

So the DARs check the radio jack wiring to make sure it's wired as stereo versus mono?
I can't imagine they do. But they do check the paperwork that Van's only issues if you've bought all the kits from them... and the kits include pre-wired harnesses. I suppose, in theory, someone could throw those away and substitute their own, but it would be harder, slower, and more expensive to do so. Doesn't seem like a very likely scenario.
 
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