According to the Lightspeed spec page it is also weighs 18 ounces vs. 14 ounces for the PFX.
Think i’ll narrow down to trying the A20 and the PFX.
Is there any limit to how many Bluetooth devices can one have bouncing music, telephone and data around the cockpit before expecting problems? I already have iPad-FS210-GTN650 constantly exchanging GPS data, and Smartphone-ZuluHeadset paired separately for music to drown out the voices in my head, and/or a smartphone-camera pair… Is that getting crowded, or is there no bandwidth limit?
I have ordered one on the basis that if you sell the stuff you should have personal experience of it but I am not convinced it will be a good idea. There is another cordless headset due for launch soon so Lightspeed will not have the market to themselves. I like the idea but the weight on the head must be increased by the prescence of a battery, I am not sure how the cockpit will cope with multiple crew running multiple wifi/BT connections.
Is there any limit to how many Bluetooth devices can one have bouncing music, telephone and data around the cockpit before expecting problems?
There is no way to tell.
What makes it even harder is that susceptibility to RF interference will be confined to very specific frequencies, and these will depend on
So just using the headset for real while watching the GPS signal levels, the LOC/GS flags, etc, is nowhere near enough.
I have spent many days doing EMC testing in test labs and while this was on equipment on which susceptibility was never an issue (I was not making RF receiving gear) the emissions from it could be all over the place, or not, and the emission spectrum could vary a lot, according to how stuff was connected up. Accordingly, everybody did the “VW method” i.e. use very high quality heavily shielded cables, heavily shielded connectors, etc (which no actual user would ever use in practice) to give themselves the best chance.
In practice, people say “I don’t have a problem” and they are happy with that, but you never know how close you are to the margin. For example my Ipad2 GPS is really marginal in my TB20 but has been OK in others.
I would definitely want all radiating gadgets to be turned OFF for an instrument approach, but if you have RF-connected headsets you can’t do that. And using them just for the passengers is going to really spook them if you do that.
Just my opinion 
I am not sure how the cockpit will cope with multiple crew running multiple wifi/BT connections.
Bluetooth (which this headset does not use) copes with loads of connections, according to which devices are paired, etc.
Thank Peter and Peter M.
It’s many years since I worked in automotive electronics, but I remember when we installed the first distibutorless ignition module on a test car and could no longer hear the local FM radio station.
Put the car and module into the EMC lab and there was a perfect spike at 96.3 MHz! Needed a total board re-design – I think it was ceramic based if I remember correctly.
Well I have now flown with the Tango.
First impression is that it is significantly heavier than the Zulu or the Bose A20. The Tango headset weighs in at 0.5kg, the Zulu at 0.42kg and the A20 at 0.36kg. Total weights ( including controller and cables ) are 0.76kg for the Tango, 0.56kg for the Zulu and 0.54kg for the A20.
The Bluetooth worked without problem on all three. The Tango may just have the edge on music – bass was very good. I did not test telephone connectivity.
Clamping force I found to be heaviest on the Tango with little to choose between the Zulu and A20. Comfort is of course a personal judgement – so many head shapes and sizes, so many different ears. The Tango reminded me of a David Clark H10-13.4 – nothing wrong with it but I am used to a lighter touch. I did adjust quite quickly though to the heavier headset
Passive damping seemed better on the Tango
We experienced occasional “echo” on the Tango on incoming r/t and the sound was sometimes not quite right – a bit tinny at times ( cockpit was 1 Tango, 1 A20, 1 Bose X, aircraft P28U ).
The freedom from cables was great. Claimed battery life is 12 hours, charging via USB.
Would I change my existing headset to enjoy the freedom of a cable free cockpit – no, not at present. Having said that, if I was in the market for a new headset then the Tango would be a very serious contender and the freedom from cables coupled with the unbeatable after sales service from Lightspeed might just tip the balance.
Peter M.
Thank you for the update.
I’ll take a look at the PFX, Tango and A20 in January.
Happy 2016.
Ive had my Zulu for about 6 yrs. The ear foam is falling apart on the one I use the most and on both headsets the wire leading to it from the panel the protective insulation had deteriorated to the point of exposing the wires. Altogether I have about 600 hrs of use on the pilots (my) headset and maybe 350 on the copilots side.
Has anyone else experienced this type of problem? With David Clarks I would send the headsets away and they in most cases refurbish them for free can I expect the same from Lightspeed? The David Clarks Ive had for 30 yrs and Ive only had to send back 2 out of 6 for repairs.
I guess I should have started a new Thread but Peter Mundy touched on after sales service.
Now getting back on topic. What is the likelihood that atmospheric electrical interference would degrade the use of this equipment? For example being near Thunderstorms?
I used the A20, and before the Bose X, total maybe 1000 hrs.
The foam seals on both are perishables, they seem to last about 5 years or so, it seems to be more about time in service than hours worn. They are easily user-replacable, so when I bought my A20 i bought two spare set of seals at the same time. That was 3 years ago now, still using the original set.
Cables are fine, never a problem.
So other than he cable, your Zulu appeart to be as expected.
My headsets live in their case and don’t stay in the aircraft except on occasion, so exposure to high temperatures or sunlight isn’t a factor – coukd this be a factor?
C210_Flyer wrote:
The ear foam is falling apart on the one I use the most and on both headsets the wire leading to it from the panel the protective insulation had deteriorated to the point of exposing the wires
I do not know what the ear seals on the Zulu is made of, but the ear seals on my 20K and XL had to be changes very regularly because the external coating would start smoldering.
Wrt the wires, that’s how my 20K died. Actually it may still work. I have not tested it since my attempted repair. I happened to get two offers on A20s I could not pass.
