Lightspeed Zulu2 vs. Bose A20 - Aviation Headset Review (Comparable to Zulu3)

[@CriticalAngle]

I realize this video might be a little late to the game, but I only found two other videos comparing these headsets and they were not very helpful when trying to make my decision. As bad timing would have it though, it seems Lightspeed just introduced the Zulu3 right after I filmed this video. It doesn't look like much has changed except for the now Kevlar-braided cable and all versions of the Zulu3 being straight-corded which I preferred for the helicopter version anyways.

[@jacquesvanderwesthuizen1744]

I actually initially bought a pair of Lightspeed 2's but later sold them because of the hype around the Bose. When started flying gyrocopters I found that the Bose's mic would actually cut out when I had to talk loud into it because of the noisy environment. I end up selling the Bose and re-bought the Lightspeed 2 as it better fit my requirements. Both excellent headsets but the Lightspeed fit the purpose better for me.

[@NzAviator]

Thanks for the great review best comparison one i have found yet.

[@tropicthndr]

just tried a swap comparison with my new lightspeed 3 and flight instructors Bose headset while flying in Cessna 172, he noted right away that there is a annoying feedback drum pounding your ears from the lightspeed when the air entering the plane from Gasper outlet blows toward your face or the door window is open. Bose headset doesnt do it, no wind noise pounding feedback. If I knew this before hand I would have definitely purchased Bose instead.

[@calebniederhofer678]

tropicthndr something does not sound correct with that , I have worn both . I wear the Zulu 3 because it’s a superior headset in terms of build quality , warranty , comfort with bigger ear seals. Only drawback is no TSO , ANR might be a tiny bit less but on a scale of 1-100 with the A20 being 95 I would say the Zulu is 92. I have also learned you can’t just put the headset on one airplane because Lightspeed seemed to handle certain aircraft better then Bose where the a20 handled it better on another. Overall Lightspeed is killing it with value , and a better quality built headset in my opinion. No way is Bose worth the price different especially on a headset that’s almost 9 years old with no update , or price drop.

[@tCCZebra70]

Critical Angle late or not, this was by far the most unbiased and helpful video yet. Thank you!

[@djw4fish]

Yeah, I've watched about 20 crappy reviews trying to get all the information you put so well into your video. Your editing and video shots are excellent. You know what you're talking about. Keep up the good work. Thank you.

[@CriticalAngle]

David Wagner Hey thanks! That's exactly why I made it. Glad it was able to help.

[@rsrt6910]

Thanks. I've been trying to decide what would be best for helicopter use and found that the right microphone was critical, something no-one had ever commented on until I saw your video so once again, thank you.

[@CriticalAngle]

Rs Rt Glad it helped. I hadn't seen it mentioned anywhere either until my Instructor mentioned it and I experienced it. Had to get the word out!

[@77hoolie]

The only thing I wanted to know, which one had better ANR. Which one decreased noise more. You never commented on that. Why not?

[@djtoddb]

Just to complete the comparison of these two units.... my experience with the customer service from BOSE was awesome. I purchased a used A20 from Ebay that had a very slight squeal in the background. I contacted BOSE about it and they sent me out a new unit ASAP, free of charge, and provided a shipping label to return the defective one. No Hassles, No fuss.

[@CriticalAngle]

Thanks for the perspective Todd. Glad to hear you had a good experience with Bose. Like I had said in the video, I hadn't personally experienced their customer service yet and I didn't want to put anything out there that was just what I had heard.

[@ChuckS117]

Did the ebay buyer sent you the warranty and all? I'm looking into buying some second-hand ones, but the user says he only has the instruction manual, cables and carrying case.

[@christophefolio91]

Thanks a lot ! Me and my friend were hesitating between these 2 marvels. You helped a lot in the choice ! I've tested the Bose A20 and there is no doubt that it is in the top of the game for the moment. But the A20 is a little bit too much narrow for my ears. So I will order the Lightspeed Zulu 3 with some updates over its predecessor... Thanks a lot for posting reviews like this !

[@c2protect]

Thank you for your breakdown. Very efficient since I am in an R22 as well. We don't have the luxury of wasting time. Haha

[@ronwills3486]

Startup and flyaway in a 206 B jet ranger L 4.

[@jafar6785]

Thanks for the simple and straight forward opinion about these two headsets...however In Australia Bose has better customer service , but i think i would still go with lightspeed. Cheers

[@CriticalAngle]

Not a problem. Yeah, for me customer service wasn't even really the deciding point. It was the huge price difference and the microphones.

[@eastbear2]

Thanks for the tip on the David Clark trade-in for the Lightspeeds. It will definitely save me $$$!

[@Woodgal91]

Thanks so much for this! I'm just about ready to purchase my first headset! Can't tell ya how helpful this was!

[@CriticalAngle]

Hey glad you liked it. Which headset are you going to end up going with?

[@Woodgal91]

I'm thinking I'll probably go with the Lightspeed Zulu 3. My CFI has a Lightspeed and is very happy with it.

[@CriticalAngle]

Woodgal91 Sweet. I got one of the CFI's at my school into upgrading to the Zulu and I think another one is going to shortly. It's an awesome headset and I'm loving it so far.

[@Woodgal91]

This just confirms my reasoning for going for the Lightspeed! Gotta love those CFIs!!

[@andrewvaldez6658]

I tried both and both are excellent BUT the Bose A20 was at least 7 decibels quieter and communications were considerably clearer, especially your own transmissions. This was true in 3 different aircraft. If you can't get a new one I would recommend buying a lightly used one.

[@dylanreichstadt8997]

I also like that Lightspeed has the FlightLink app so it can record Cockpit + ATC audio to your phone. Nifty little bonus feature. Bose has "no plans" to implement this. They're riding on their high horse I guess.

[@briantii]

A few points missed that actually drove me to pick Bose over the Zulu 3: 1) If you get the 6 pin LEMO Bose, they have adapters to plug it into other versions like 2 pin GA. Lightspeed you have to go with an aftermarket adapter setup (more boxes) or swap control boxes. 2) If you do use LEMO plugs, Bose has the ability to backup your aircraft's powered ANR via the batteries in the control box. Lightspeed if the aircraft power source goes, so does your ANR. 3) While the plastic pieces on the Bose "feel" cheap - they aren't. They're really quite tough. Compared to the control box on the Zulu 3 which feels good, but has the tendency for the sliders to fall off.

[@douglasdossantos9978]

I've been very happy with the Lightspeed Zulu 3. Had some flying days where I've worn it for 8 hours with abosulety no discomfort! Bought mine for $850 CDN with bluetooth.

[@paulw496]

Where did you find the Zulu 3 for $850?

[@salvatoreshiggerino6810]

These ought to be sent to AvE and EEVBlog to be torn down and tested for skookumness and bobby dazzleness, respectively.

[@philconey11]

tappy-tappy tap

[@mikecrim2850]

This!

[@NzAviator]

This is a unique problem pertaining to the type of flying I do.. when flying jump planes, atleast in the pac750 both can get a pretty bad buffet when the door is open. However the zulu 2 is definitely worse with this. It can be reduced by making sure your sunglass legs sit above the ear cups and hats are kept clear as well. This being said I use the zulu 2s every day with 700 hours on them and they are still great. Personally i use the supplied aux cable that the zulu 2 came with with a push button feature so i can quickly and easily mute and or change songs. Bluetooth doesn't do this atleast with my android device. Hope this helps someone.

[@ClearedAsFiled]

Great review... Thanks... Also new subscriber too!

[@saigudbai]

I have a Zulu 3 and in the middle of a delicate job (helicopter) the right ear started a very loud popping and failed. I don't know if this is a rare kind of thing, it's the only Lightspeed I have owned. Lightspeed seems willing to fix it once I send it in to them. I am using a Bose A20 right now on the job that my boss lent me. For me, the differences are: Zulu 3 is a bit more comfortable on the ears because of the size of the cups. If you have bigger ears, they kinda get a bit bothered by the Bose after a long day. It's not terrible though. Music is good in both, but I have to say the Bose sounds a bit better with more base I think. The ANR seems better to me in the Bose, it is clean and works well in a helicopter. The ANR works okay in the Zulu but in mine before they broke you could hear faint beeping and clicking noises for some reason. I find the blade slap in the Bell 212 sometimes causes a weird buffeting effect with the Zulu 3 but it's less in the Bose. Overall, after using both, I would probably pay the extra for the Bose if I was doing it over again. I might just sell the Zulu once they fix or replace it and get a Bose. The big killer for me is that I am going to have a hard time trusting the Zulus after that disorienting popping in my right ear when it failed. I was placing guys via longline on a structure right when it happened. Could have gone very bad.

[@carpenterfamily6198]

Any thoughts on the DC One-X compared to these two ?

[@calebniederhofer678]

Carpenter Family It’s decent , but not on par ANR with either Bose , or the Zulu3. Also it has more clamping pressure , there is a reason these are the two best. I’m a lightspeed guy though , for about 5 reasons lol.

[@firstofficerchris1321]

Thanks so much!!you helped me choose between the two!! Just subscribed as well

[@CriticalAngle]

Awesome, hope you're happy with them!

[@sudiptabhowmik6661]

Are helicopter Cockpit more louder than aeroplane Cockpits?

[@remythebully1811]

thanks for the review. Excellent ad informative.

[@PETEZORRILLA]

Good real world review. Thanks.

[@AC-pm7sn]

I can tell you from experience on 6 - 7 hour+ flights that having anything other than a lightweight ANR headset is going to be painful. My commercial cross country flight was 7.2 hours long and I wore my DC H10s. I can't even imagine what instructing would be like. Doing that 5 days a week? No thanks!

[@calebniederhofer678]

Cole Byre lol well that’s not really accurate. You can’t compare a H10 to a good ANR set. Even the Sierra would be a major upgrade in terms of comfort , ANR. It’s not light. Would recommend the Zulu 3 though.

[@AV8R_1]

Why do helicopters even use a different jack style than fixed wing?!

[@stefanneculavtelaru9321]

thanks for the information

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

Lightspeed has a problem in management.. last year the new hyper Christian guys that took over fired the founder/inventor that actually developed the product line. You should know that in spite of Lightspeed being located just outside Lake Oswego Oregon, the actual product is manufactured in China. Given that the brains that designed the Lightspeed is no longer with the company don't look for any further real evolutions. Bose took sued Lightspeed for patent infringement, in spite of different technical solutions being employed. Rather than fight the suit, the inept new management choose to fold and pay Bose the extortion. Overall, you made the right choice.. in a few years, Lightspeed may be without product direction, lacking then technical innovation of the inventor founder, but for now and reasonable future, they have the superior product.

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

Mo- C Easy.... I know the party involved. And no.. I am not naming names out of respect for both the innocent and the guilty.

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

Caleb Niederhofer If I were buying, I too would stick with the Lightspeed.. I have problems with the politics of the management, but the quality you fly with is what one must decide on.. Product to product, Lightspeed does win. Its also well engineered, and they still have excellent customer support.

[@abdulazizalghamdi5171]

which one cause more pain in the ear after long time of flying? because you said bose cause more pain but you wear holding the zulu.. at 2.49 i am thinking to take zulu 3. what do you think?

[@CriticalAngle]

abdulaziz alghamdi the ear cups on both were fine and didn't cause any pain. For me, the only pain was slight and caused by the Bose at the top of the head where the hinge was. The Zulu 3 is a solid headset and you won't be unhappy with it.

[@abdulazizalghamdi5171]

thanks for the reply

[@yourfavoriteamputee]

Bose has a 90 day money back guarantee now with a 5 year warranty

[@MichaelThe-Pyro]

i think this is the first time you've said your name in a video

[@CriticalAngle]

Michael The-Pyro it's probably just due to the style of the flight videos. For most of them, I just pretend the camera isn't there and go on about the flight. I put my name in the description though. I would like to start doing more review videos though.

[@michal3980]

Bro you are sponsored by Zulu

[@jennerial]

#AD - youtube is cracking down and will demonetize you. 2019 is gonna hurt alot of the FTC rule breakers.