Bose Aviation Headset X Review
Posted by Jeffrey on July 31st, 2009
Recently I had the chance to try out a pair of Bose Aviation X Headsets for a month. I had never tried a Bose Headset simply because I was very satisfied with my Sennheiser headset. But when the chance came up to try a pair, I thought, well, why not?
So I called Bose and they shipped me a pair. They were professional and very helpful, they asked me a few questions and then sent me a pair of Bose Aviation Headset X for my use.
Here are a few things that I learned along the way:
+ Bose has been involved in aviation for over 20 years.
+ Bose continues to sell the most aviation headsets than ANY other producer.
+ Bose headsets really provide great noise reduction, clearer audio, and a comfortable fit.
+ Bose headsets are fully certified to FAA TSO standards.
Now I fly the CRJ-200 and have been using a Sennheiser HMEC-KA-25 headset for over six years and I still stand by that headset. It has been very reliable and comfortable for all these years. But the Bose X was SWEET! The noise reduction feature was great. The CRJ-200 flight deck is a little bit noisy because of all the fans and ambient noise, but the Bose X really eliminated a lot of that.
And communication was crystal clear between me and my first officer and me and ATC. Because the background noise was virtually eliminated, it was really easy to hear everyone. I found that after a long day of flying, my noise stress-level was very low. Probably a bit lower than normal using my Sennheiser.
The “Acoustic Noise Cancelling” feature of the Bose Aviation X headset actively monitors unwanted noise and reduces it before it reaches your ears. Technology is amazing!
As for physical comfort, it was just as light, about 12 ounces, as my Sennheiser. The over-the-top headband cushion is made of sheepskin so it stays cool and which was virtually unnoticeable. The earpads and earcups were soft and comfortable. Those kind of features really help you keep your mind clear during a long flight. I really don’t know how some of these pilots can not go crazy when they are wearing their David-Clark headsets on these long flights. You always know a good headset when you don’t even notice that you have them on!
So, am I ready to give up on my Sennheiser headsets? Nope! Not yet! They are still great headsets and I hope to wear them for a long, long time; however, when it is time to get a new pair of aviation headsets, then I’m am going to really re-evaluate my choices: Sennheiser or Bose!
If you are wondering if these headsets are for you—that depends! If you are new to aviation, a pair of David-Clark headsets is what I recommended, but if you are flying commercial jets or turbo-prop airplanes, then these are probably the headset for you.
Remember, you need to protect your hearing, because once it is gone, you won’t get it back and since you have to wear a headset, you should wear one that is comfortable and will last you for many years to come.
To Your Flying Success…
Jeffrey
P.S. To learn more about each of these headsets, click on one of the links below:
Your Engine Just Died and You’ve Got 3 Choices:
Water? Road? Tree?
Click here for an expert’s answer and free 20-minute audio…
September 26th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
[...] Bose Aviation Headset X Review – Almost the Speed of Sound [...]
January 7th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Being both a CRJ-200 driver and long time Bose user let me add the long term review. The headset itself is great in terms of performance/comfort, and ease of use. The problem is durability and repair. The headset yoke holding the earpiece has broken for yet the third time in 5 years. This headset has been babied the entire time, I even go as far as hand carrying the headset in it’s case when I’m deadheading!The plastic that the yoke is made of is cheap and doesn’t hold up to constant(80+ hrs per month) use. It really needs to be made of nylon or something more durable. Many pilots at my airline using the Bose bring up the same issue. The cost of repairing this damage is not cheap,the Bose quoted price of $175.00 plus shipping/tax (out of warranty), and 5-10 days to get it back. While I liked the headset I am disappointed at it’s cheap construction given it’s price. Rather than pay for a repair of a part that WILL only break again (no upgrade of this part in the future, I just checked with Bose)) I’m now looking for a replacement headset that won’t have Bose on the ear piece!
January 11th, 2010 at 10:08 am
Johnny,
Sorry to hear about your experience. It is a shame when good companies don’t stand up with their customer service.
And yeah, headsets are expensive too. You expect them to last considering what we are paying for them.
Hopefully, you will have a better experience next time. Visit this page
http://www.flycrj.com/2010/01/06/best-aviation-headsets-for-the-crj200/
if you need some ideas.
Regards,
Jeff
November 22nd, 2010 at 6:19 pm
I contacted BOSE to purchase a small plastic swivel (non electronic) for my $1,000 dollar aviation X headset. The part looks like it would cost $2.00 to produce but it wouldn’t have surprised me if they wanted $20 for it (which I was willing to pay). To my astonishment they would neither sell the part or repair it. Apparently the only option is a full priced “refurbishment” of the headset. Some over officious suit started telling me it was a not as easy as it looked and that I couldn’t repair it myself. He then went on to claim that because the product is TSO’d it cannot be repaired by anyone but the manufacturer. Amazingly that isn’t true in the rest of the aviation community. Even if that was true I wasn’t prepared for their solution. They demanded a one time “flat fee” of $175.00 to “refurbish” the headset. Their canned description includes a litany of sugar coated (unnecessary) services apparently hoping to baffle the listener with mindless drivel. The whole story was predictably transparent and completely offensive. After spending $1,000 on a headset I think it is a reckless act of greed to gouge customers another $175 for a $20 part. As a gesture of cooperation they should have either sent me a new one or at least offered to replace it at reasonable cost. I didn’t need or want a bunch of vapor-services, I just needed the plastic swivel replaced. Hey BOSE, let’s call it what it is… a complete gouge and rip-off. Needless to say I will not buy Bose products again.
November 23rd, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Dave,
Sorry to hear that. Very frustrating, I know. I’ve heard the same complaint from others. Bose is great at marketing and it does have terrific products, but their customer service is lacking. It is frustrating when you put so much money and trust into something and don’t get the results back that you are looking for. You have a right to be upset.
I wouldn’t give up though. Have you tried writing a letter to their customer service department? Sometimes a letter opens more doors.
When my Sennheiser died, it took a $100 fee to get it “refurbished.” Sennheiser was very nice about it. I hated to part with the $100, but I really liked my Sennheiser headset, so it was worth it for me. And right after I got it back, I lost the battery cover, like on the next flight, so I called them again and they sent me the cover.
Let me know how it goes!
Jeffrey
May 24th, 2011 at 4:32 pm
I echo the comments of others concerning the breaking yokes. Also same $175 rip off and gobbled gook from Bose. Curtis in customer service gave me the same TSO’ed story and that they were the only one’s who could repair it. Not true. I get TSO radios repaired all the time. It’s a standard not a license to steal. I’ll park my bose and go back to a very old friend in my David Clark. Had some issues in the past and they always were helpful with service. Wife gave me the bose as a present and their nice but so pissed off right now I may never repair them. Built in breakage is a way to make long term profits not make long term customers.
June 10th, 2011 at 8:10 am
I fly a six seater for my company, which WAS set up with 6 sets of Bose headsets. No problem with the math here, $6000 in headsets!!! Long story short, I am down to a single set that doesn’t have a broken plastic yoke, and that is the set that I use and baby. A piece of hard advice, DO NOT BUY BOSE HEADSETS FOR PASSENGER USE!!! Passengers are hard on headsets and the fragile yoke will not hold up to the demand. I’m sure you can picture the scene, a new passenger tugging, pulling, twisting the headsets trying to figure out how to get them to fit on their head. So for several reasons, in addition to the problems mentioned by previous commenters, I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER BOSE HEADSET AGAIN!!! For my passengers, we are equiped with the vertually bullet proof David Clarks, and for me, I have 5 sets of the Bose headsets to be used for replacement parts.