AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2024 - 41

FOR PILOTS.
FROM PILOTS.
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that supports AOPA
and general aviation.
Wherever you go.
David Clark DC One-X
Quiet, capable, and comfortable ANR headset
BY KOLLIN STAGNITO
I 'M A BIG believer in ANR headsets and suggest everyone consider prioritizing active
noise reduction as they are making headset choices. ANR makes flying safer and more
enjoyable by reducing strain on your hearing and the resulting mental fatigue. I've
flown wearing Lightspeed and Bose ANR headsets and have been pleased with both.
So, I was eager to sample the David Clark DC One-X (priced at $995) to see how it
compared to the similar offerings from Lightspeed (Zulu 3, $899) and Bose (A20,
$1,095-but discontinued and only available while supplies last). It should be noted
Lightspeed and Bose have newer offerings, the Delta Zulu priced at $1,199, and A30
priced at $1,299, respectively.
I liked the compact size of the soft carrying case, which includes zippered pockets
for spare batteries and a detailed quick reference guide. The small case size is
possible because the One-X's earcups fold and nestle into one another. The inclusion
of a control module holder is an unexpected bonus.
At 12.4 ounces, the One-X is just 0.4 ounces heavier than the A20 and 2.3 ounces
lighter than the Zulu 3. After 25 hours of flight time with the One-X (including several
3-plus hour legs), it's clear this lightness contributes to excellent comfort on
long flights. The ear seals are very compliant and did not press the temples of my
sunglasses into the side of my head as other headsets can.
The One-X ANR functionality was terrific, and to my ears equal to the Zulu 3 and
A20. Noise reduction with ANR turned off, however, was significantly reduced-a bit
more so than with the Zulu 3 or A20. On the plus side the One-X's battery life is up
to 50 hours of continuous use compared to 40 hours for the Zulu 3 and 45 hours for
the A20. Functions on the control module were intuitive and easy to use: power,
volume control, and Bluetooth, which was simple to pair with my iPhone.
An auto-on feature (that senses the aircraft avionics powering up and turns on
ANR) would be nice. And I was surprised there was no volume level indication on
the control module, making it impossible to know what volume level each ear was
set at until reaching maximum or minimum volume in each ear.
Overall, the David Clark DC One-X is a great choice if you're looking for a quiet,
comfortable, and capable headset at a competitive price. kollin.stagnito@aopa.org
davidclark.com
AOPA PILOT / September 2024
41
3%
Cash Back1
Select
AOPA Partners2-4
CASH BACK1
APPLIED AS STATEMENT CREDIT.
QUARTERLY BONUS POINT CAP OF 2,500 POINTS4
Visit
AOPA.org/creditcard
to learn more
*Certain points and purchases restrictions apply, see full Rewards Terms and
Conditions for full details at AOPA.org/ccrreditcard. 1. Rewards points can be
A.
redeemed for Cash Back or other redemption items provided through AOPA Pilot
Rewards. A Cash Back redemption is applied as a statement credit. The statement
credit will reduce your balance but you are still required to make at least your
minimum payment. A minimum of 2,500 points is needed to redeem for Cash Back.
Values for non-cash back redemption items such as merchandise, gift cards,
and travel may vary. 2. Advertising, Aviation Insurance, PAC Donations and AFI
Donations are excluded. Visit www.commercebank.com/aopapilotrewards for
complete details on exclusions and bonus point categories. 3. Participating AOPA
partners include: Aero-Space Reports, Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co., Jeppesen®,
Pilot Workshops, SiriusXM®, Sporty's® Pilot Shop. The listed AOPA partners
are in no way affiliated with Commerce Bank, nor are the listed merchants to be
considered sponsors or co-sponsors of this program. Use of merchant names and/
or logos is by the permission of each respective merchant and all trademarks are
the property of their respective owners. 4. Please note that merchants self-select
the category in which transactions will be listed and some merchants may be owned
by other companies, therefore transactions may not be counted in the category
you might expect. Purchases made using Near Field Communication (NFC), virtual
wallets, or similar technology may not be eligible for bonus points.
http://www.AOPA.org/creditcard http://www.AOPA.org/ccrreditcard http://www.commercebank.com/aopapilotrewards http://www.davidclark.com
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2024

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