scooter2525
Very well Member
I mustache you a question....
Bose customer service sucks - am I being unreasonable
- Thread starter KDoersom
- Start date
z987k
Well-Known Member
I didn't know about their early stuff. Thing is those little functions are things I've used a ton. I broke my lightspeed (stepped on it) and borrowed a a15 from a friend for a couple of weeks. Not having bluetooth or an ability to play music drove me nuts. The music part a lot, but not being able to call FSS over the phone through my headset with the engines running in my loud ass airplane is a PITA.Looks like something Optimus Prime would wear, doesn't it? This is the first Bose ANR set that came out in 1995... I don't think they've ever been "behind" the curve, in fact, I believe they were actually "ahead" of the curve at that point. If you didn't know, Bose actually entered the headphone market, via their aviation headsets. The first "Quiet Comfort" headphone model came out over 11 years after their first aviation headset. Lightspeed came along to fill a price point below what the Bose product line hoping to steal market shane, which worked for them with their offshore produced products. There is also Telex, which has always been making decent headsets, definitely functional, but not attractive or necessarily practical in the around-the-ear market (look up the Stratus D50... talk about smashing your head on the windows), but their 750/850 line are worn by thousands and thousands of crews around the world.
I know I sound like I'm parading Bose around like I'm some sort of Apple-warrior type fanboy, but it's a shame that people bash companies/products over the stigma of their name, rather than coming to their own conclusions. Your obvious hatred of Bose, for whatever reason, but you can't deny that they make a great headset, as evidenced by the numerous positive reviews in this thread, the other "Zulu vs. A20" thread and the countless reviews on the various pilot supply retail websites. While Bose may have been slow to adapt to the cool little functions that LightSpeed was able to quickly incorporate, that is no reason to discount it is a inferior product without testing or owning one yourself.
Ralgha
Well-Known Member
I would venture to guess that the reason Bose did not include media Bluetooth in the A20 was because it's TSO'd. It certainly has nothing to do with them being technologically inferior, they're on the leading edge of ANR technology, and the A20 is by far the most comfortable over-the-ear headset I've ever worn.
Lightspeed also makes great headsets, and has great customer service, they're just not quite at the comfort level as Bose. Whether the jump in benefits from Lightspeed to Bose is worth the extra money is a personal question, nobody here can answer that for anyone but themselves.
Lumping the Bose aviation headset in with their audio equipment (which is a joke) screams ignorance. People who do this either have never tried a Bose, or are somehow threatened or offended by the price point. For most people, the A20 is the best combination of comfort and noise reduction there is in over-the-ear headset design.
You want a premium product, you pay a premium price. That's usually the way it works. If you're satisfied with a headset that feels like a vice grip, attenuates sounds like a bag of hammers (and weighs as much too), but never breaks, then get a DC. The tendency of pilots to sacrifice comfort and health for a cheap price still amazes me, you'd think I'd be used to it by now.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus that ate your iPhone.
Lightspeed also makes great headsets, and has great customer service, they're just not quite at the comfort level as Bose. Whether the jump in benefits from Lightspeed to Bose is worth the extra money is a personal question, nobody here can answer that for anyone but themselves.
Lumping the Bose aviation headset in with their audio equipment (which is a joke) screams ignorance. People who do this either have never tried a Bose, or are somehow threatened or offended by the price point. For most people, the A20 is the best combination of comfort and noise reduction there is in over-the-ear headset design.
You want a premium product, you pay a premium price. That's usually the way it works. If you're satisfied with a headset that feels like a vice grip, attenuates sounds like a bag of hammers (and weighs as much too), but never breaks, then get a DC. The tendency of pilots to sacrifice comfort and health for a cheap price still amazes me, you'd think I'd be used to it by now.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus that ate your iPhone.
z987k
Well-Known Member
I guess my biggest problem with bose, is it fits like crap on my head. I don't have massive ears, but it doesn't really fit OVER my ears, mostly on top of them, and that's how I've seen about every pilot wear them. This means you're getting about none of the passive protection.
Screaming_Emu
Joe Conventional
I do think expecting a company to continue to fix their product that you bought 10 years ago is pretty unreasonable.
Yes, they are expensive and should work as designed. But 10 years of use and abuse can't really attributed to manufacturer defect.
Yes, they are expensive and should work as designed. But 10 years of use and abuse can't really attributed to manufacturer defect.
NickH
Uber Driver
Now massive is a strong word.... I'd go with something softer, gentler... Elephantine perhaps...
Ralgha
Well-Known Member
It seems you do have larger ears. I've used both the X and the A20, as well as flown with a fair number of people who used one or the other, and in every case, they fit over the ears and not on top.
Unless you're talking about one of the QC models that's designed to sit on your ear.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus that ate your iPhone.
fholbert
Mod's - Please don't edit my posts!
Noooo! If one had really big ears the A20 design should have resolved that.
rd757
Well-Known Member
You mentioned the "A15" earlier, did you mean the QC15 w/ uFly Mic? As above, the QC models do tend to sit more "on-the-ear" rather than over or around. The X sat "on" my ears and I hated it, however the A20 fits perfectly over my ears and leaves plenty of room inside of the cups. Blindly bashing Bose "because it's Bose" isn't the right way to make a point, I don't think.
Also, thank you Ralgha, I agree 100%!
Not true. These aren't a tank and they're way more comfortable than the Telex:
http://www.sennheiser-aviation.com/commercial-corporate-aviation_active-noise-reduction_502180
Mike H
Well-Known Member
If the ear cushions get compressed in storage, you just need to open them up a little bit as you put them on and they'll usually fit over the ears without much of a problem
Hacker15e
Who am I? Where are my pants?
I've flown nearly my entire flying career with a helmet and mask (both with ancient-tech electronics, and requiring double ear protection. When I had the chance to trade for a Bose X when flying the King Air, it was a completely new experience. It was like cotton candy for my ears....it was like an eargasm.
As an aside, the Bose customer service folks that I had experience with were FANTASTIC. I will definitely buy their products again.
As an aside, the Bose customer service folks that I had experience with were FANTASTIC. I will definitely buy their products again.
🦈💜
All dragon~
On a complete and entirely unrelated tangent, I sure wish someone would incorporate some of that ancient tech into motorcycle helmets. I haven't yet figured out why motorcycle helmet manufacturers add so much kitsch, but nobody's thought to put ANY work into PNR/ANR or helmet audio.
Ahwell. Hearing is for the young, I guess.
~Fox
z987k
Well-Known Member
I would kill for this.
🦈💜
All dragon~
What if it was made by Bose? ;>
Seriously, though ... what's up with that? We should have HUDs, PNR, ANR, bluetooth, etc.. all stock. The pinnacle of motorcycle helmet technology shouldn't just be stupid flipdown sun shades and little spoilers on the back of the helmet. (Safety advancements aside)
~Fox
killbilly
Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
It's a good point. The most advanced Schuberths right now are pretty darn quiet for modulars and offer a lot of BT and intercom options. I've a Nolan N-105 which has similar options, but it's noisy as hell.
I think the problem would probably be weight. Helmets are heavy enough these days (especially modulars) and wearing something carrying ANR and a power supply would - potentially - be heavy and expensive. Remember that the electronics would have to be housed in a way that the crash protection from the shell wouldn't be compromised...which would mean unsightly bulges, cost and weight.
But I sure would like to see someone try.
trafficinsight
Well-Known Member
The real issue with Lightspeed headsets is they cost most aircraft a knot or 2 and over time that really adds up.
Only the older ones, I had a thirty three g before my Zulu, it wasn't that bad. Nice and comfy.
Sent from 1865 by telegraph....
