ANR headset feels like PNR one

Posted by CyrodiilUnicorn@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 34 comments

I recently bought an ANR headset since everyone recommends it. Before that I was using a $100 headset from Amazon which works just fine and it got me through my PPL training, but I decided that it’s time to step up my game. I went on a flight with a passenger and gave the passenger my old headset. Mid flight I switched headsets to see the difference preparing myself to be flabbergasted only to find out that $1300 headset sounds slightly better. I ended up returning my new headset and now I’m just sitting here and wondering if my headset was defective or is all that ANR supremacy just a huge exaggeration? I don’t want pointing a finger so I intentionally didn’t specify on the brand of the headset I had bought and returned. Has anyone been in a situation like that or maybe you can admit that you really forced yourself to believe that that difference is worth it?

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34 Comments

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therobbstory@reddit

If you were wearing a hat, sunglasses, or hair around/over your ears, ANR is significantly reduced. You need a good seal around the ear for it to work well.

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CyrodiilUnicorn@reddit (OP)

That day was the only day I didn’t wear my hat and I got short hair, but I wear prescription glasses. If that’s what ruined my first impression on ANR it’s really sad

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aftcg@reddit

Time for glasses that don't suck. Flyingeyes frames with px lenses for the win. Been wearing them for years now.

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always_gone@reddit

My $35 Knockarounds have been killing it for like 4 years 😂

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v1_rt8@reddit

I wear prescription glasses, but I put them on after putting on the headset. I wear the temples on top of the ear cups with the glasses tilted down. I only fit the temples under the headset for take off and landing

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Gold-Mikeboy@reddit

wearing glasses canchange how a headset fits and performs If it felt off right from the start, that could be a big factor in your experience with the ANR.

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Wedge_Donovan@reddit

It's noticeably different with glasses/sunglasses under the ear seals. Take your glasses off, and then put them back on and rest the arms on top of the ear cups. You'll notice a massive noise reduction. I only wear straight arm/bayonet temple glasses for this reason. The kind that hook behind your ears, unless they are a very thin wire, greatly reduce the effectiveness of the ANR.

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always_gone@reddit

You need a good seal. I wear wire frame aviators while flying for that reason and push my hat up above the headset. Thicker framed glasses will make a noticeable difference in the performance because you’re breaking the seal. This is the difference between going deaf and only sustaining mild hearing damage in a BE99.

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therobbstory@reddit

sucks bro.

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Nooner827@reddit

This is an excellent point. When the seal on mine gets broken, it totally messes up the ANR. It comes back eventually, but so slowly that I usually turn it off and back on again to make it start immediately.

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StrangePersimmon5695@reddit

Flying eyes sunglasses are expensive but really saved my sanity when I was having the same issue. I switched to contacts so I didn’t have to pay for prescription ones but they do have both options

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McCheesing@reddit

There are two ANR I can think of that work well with glasses, Bose proflight 2 and DC pro X2

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adnwilson@reddit

I use some in ear ANC I got for $350 from Amazon and the $350 U-fly mike + $150 Bose QC45s. love them, I've tried some Bose A20s and mine keep things just as quiet and more/same comfortable (for me). The $3-500 price point have given me great headsets that have lasted. No need to get the $1300 ones.

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Perfect_Big_5907@reddit

Yep something is wrong. Been using ANR since they came out many years ago. The newest ones are crazy quiet.

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Mach_v_manchild@reddit

Ok. Dumb question... did you put in batteries and turn it on? Because some people don't know thats one of the steps. Not me. I definitely knew and didn't think they sucked. But some people. The difference is pretty astonishing IMO.

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CyrodiilUnicorn@reddit (OP)

Nah you’re good. I made sure they were on but as everyone says it was probably the conflict with my glasses that caused the issue

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mtconnol@reddit

As everyone else has said, it should be a huge difference. Did you buy the headset new?

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CyrodiilUnicorn@reddit (OP)

I did but I kinda suspect it’s been used

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JJ-_-@reddit

was the ANR turned on? at least for me I can tell a big difference between my old PNR DCs and Bose A20s

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CyrodiilUnicorn@reddit (OP)

It was on for sure

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No-Brilliant9659@reddit

When you turn it on you should hear a “click-click” as the ANR blocks noise on each earpiece. If you didn’t hear that, it could have been defective. It is a very noticeable difference. Also they have much less clamping force

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PilotC150@reddit

I don't clear any clicks when I turn on ANR on my Zulu 3s. The frequencies that I hear drastically change, though.

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OkEfficiency3747@reddit

I've got the DC One-X and the difference between them and my H10-13.4 is very noticeable. They don't like it when I wear a certain hat though, it's just enough to break the seal and I get a bit of a hissing feedback

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ElPayador@reddit

Get the engine running Get the headset still OFF… listen to engine noise Turn the headset ON: should be a pretty clear reducción on engine noise IF not happy return it

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ShaemusOdonnelly@reddit

My recommendation: Get a Bose QC and a strap-on AvMike. You'll get rechargeable battery powered ANC Bluetooth headphones and an ANC aviation headset all in one, and it only costs 1/3rd of the "real" headset.

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Tman3355@reddit

Not gonna tell is what kind? Have you tried turning them on without your glasses to see if thats what's causing your issues?

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CyrodiilUnicorn@reddit (OP)

Never thought the glasses could be the problem, so I didn’t even think about taking them off

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Rainebowraine123@reddit

You don't need to take them off, just have them at an angle over the top of the ear cups. Then adjust the headset around a little until you find the spot its quietest

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jawshoeaw@reddit

I just switched to ANR and it’s amazing. Quiet , no pressure crushing my ears . Something must be wrong

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CyrodiilUnicorn@reddit (OP)

I guess my glasses were breaking the seal between the headset and my ears, based on the other replies

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AlexJamesFitz@reddit

Better sound is only part of the benefit of a nice pair of ANCs. For me, the real selling point is the comfort over long periods of wear-time.

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CyrodiilUnicorn@reddit (OP)

For me comfort is not only about how I feel wearing something but also the simplicity of just plugging my headset without worrying about if it’s charged or not all the time

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AlexJamesFitz@reddit

I mean, you do you, but I just keep a few extra AAs in my flight bag.

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rFlyingTower@reddit

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity: --- I recently bought an ANR headset since everyone recommends it. Before that I was using a $100 headset from Amazon which works just fine and it got me through my PPL training, but I decided that it’s time to step up my game. I went on a flight with a passenger and gave the passenger my old headset. Mid flight I switched headsets to see the difference preparing myself to be flabbergasted only to find out that $1300 headset sounds slightly better. I ended up returning my new headset and now I’m just sitting here and wondering if my headset was defective or is all that ANR supremacy just a huge exaggeration? I don’t want pointing a finger so I intentionally didn’t specify on the brand of the headset I had bought and returned. Has anyone been in a situation like that or maybe you can admit that you really forced yourself to believe that that difference is worth it? --- Please downvote this comment until it collapses. Questions about this comment? [Please see this wiki post before contacting the mods](https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/wiki/index/rflyingtower/). --- I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. If you have any questions, please [contact the mods of this subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/flying).