Question for HGU-55 wearers

[L2Driver]

Since most folks seem to make upgrades to the standard helmet, I was curious if there was any appreciable difference in sound attenuation between the standard plastic ear cups/seals and the leather earcups with speakers housed within? Logic would point towards the plastic cups doing a better job but I figured I'd ask. Thanks.

[JimH]

The leather earcups were innadequate for my poor hearing. The leather edgeroll does not seal out outside noise and I can see that over time this will wear and only get worse. I sent my 55 back and had the earbud system installed, now the sound is pumped straight into my ears and it is awesome, no more saying "say again for November...".

jim

[Ken]

I had the plastic for years and switched to leather earcups about 4 years ago. Big improvement in comfort for me, although I assume the noise attenuation is slightly worse with leather. A cloth skullcap helps avoid that sweaty feeling on the leather and adds one more small noise deadening layer. I always wear earplugs and am fortunate that the radios turn up enough for me to hear okay.

What surprised me is that I occasionally start with a David Clark H10-76 headset (stock except high-end gel ear seals) and, after dark, switch to my helmet and find that the helmet is better than the headset in both noise and sound quality. This is in a C-130, which the Aerospace Physiology folks say is the loudest cockpit in today's inventory. From the handful of B-25 hours I have, I'd estimate them to be similar in cruise, with the B-25 being slightly louder. Takeoff - no contest.

Ken

[Lynn Allen]

The leather earcups were innadequate for my poor hearing. The leather edgeroll does not seal out outside noise and I can see that over time this will wear and only get worse. I sent my 55 back and had the earbud system installed, now the sound is pumped straight into my ears and it is awesome, no more saying "say again for November...".

jim

Jim, where did you send yours for the earbud system to be installed and how much??

Thanks,

Lynn

[JimH]

@ Lynn I bought the Helmet from Gibson and Barnes and after about a month of use I sent it back for the CEP installation. All told it was about $160 for the CEP bud system. I also had them paint it and change the edgeroll to black so the total bill ($370) reflected all that work as well. The turnaround was incredibly quick and thier customer service was perfect.

jim

[L2Driver]

I notice Gibson & Barnes also offer a leather earcup that goes around the standard plastic. I'm assuming this is more for aesthetics than anything else. I think I'll stick with the stock ear cups.

I'm retiring my SPH-4 and purchased an HGU-55 since it's a full pound lighter. The only change I made was to install the crushable plastic earcups from the HGU-84 helo helmet just to add a bit of side-impact protection.

Assuming the CEP kit replaces the speakers with ear buds?

Thanks for your replies!

[JimH]

The nice feature of the CEP is the speakers remain in the helmet and the earbuds are wired into the system separate with both being operational. The earbuds are extremely comfortable and come in a couple sizes. I've also been wearing the Clarity aloft ear bud system when wearing original 1940's cloth and leather helmets. The Clarity Aloft has a small box near the jack plugs that has a volume control and I-pod plug. I friend of mine wears a Campbell Aeroclassics helmet that has inadequate speakers for his lack of hearing. He uses the Clarity Aloft headset under his helmet with great success.

jim

[ffuries]

If I recall correctly Oregon Aero makes a hush lit for the -55/P, we had them installed in ours in the AF. We had a soft leather oval ear-cup with the hushkits installed, and the crews loved them. The older style custom ear-cups, the ones shaped like a pizza slice, didn't do a good job of blocking out, ambient noise, but were comfortable.

The newer style is shaped like the old hard plastic ones, which allows it to seal around the earr better, added with a hush kit, they were awesome.

If anyone in Florida has a kit that needs to be installed let me know, takes only a few minutes, and after doing this for 23 years in the AF, I can do them in my sleep.

Mike
USAF Retired

[JimH]

@Mike, I looked into the Oregon Aero system first and ended up with thier helmet liner, which is 1000 times better than the G&B TPL liner. Unfortunately 300 hours in the 25 has killed my ears and I am to the point of needing sound pumped straight into my head. If I would have only used ear plugs 10 years ago.

jim

[skooterN2767K]

The Oregon Aero upgrade (Zetaliner and earcups) is in my opinion unbeatable! My HGU-55 with all the Oregon Aero goodies is almost as quiet as any ANR headset. I fly with my helmet more than my headset cause its QUIET and listening to 4 Allison turboprops all day can be hard on your hearing. We also use earplugs with the helmet and even with the Bose headsets in the Herk! Works good in the Pitts, Extra and the Luscombes too!

[Lynn Allen]

@ Lynn I bought the Helmet from Gibson and Barnes and after about a month of use I sent it back for the CEP installation. All told it was about $160 for the CEP bud system. I also had them paint it and change the edgeroll to black so the total bill ($370) reflected all that work as well. The turnaround was incredibly quick and thier customer service was perfect.

jim

Thanks Jim

[Ken]

I wanted to restart this thread. Been hearing about too many incidents where a helmet would have helped prevent injury.

I have a stock USAF HGU-55 that, as mentioned above, worked great with foamie earplugs underneath ... except now in the O-1 & T-6, without earplugs, there is way too much noise and I can't use it in its current state.

I assumed that I'd get a Clarity Aloft but wasn't sure how much I'd like using the thin CA mic with the helmet. The "pro" seems to be that the CA has an individual volume control, iPod input, and can be worn without the helmet. The "con" is possibly the mic and that, without a U-174 adapter and impedance changer, it won't work in our O-1 and in other non-civil airplanes. (I do have the adapter to use the helmet in a civil airplane, but not vice versa).

Then I saw the CEP system that JimH mentioned. I like that it becomes part of the helmet and the helmet mic & boom can stay. The "cons" would be the opposite of the above: no individual volume, no iPod input, can't use it independent of the helmet. I see Aircraft Spruce (and others) offer an inline volume knob, maybe that would help.

I also see that some companies offer ANR kits to retrofit helmets - does anyone have experience with this?

Sooo ... can anyone say how well (comfort & effectiveness) the CA mic interfaces when wearing a HGU-55 helmet? And has anyone converted their CA foam inserts to either hard or soft earmolds?

It's time to do something ...

Ken

[cluvara]

I also see that some companies offer ANR kits to retrofit helmets - does anyone have experience with this?

I've had good luck with my Headsets inc ANR in my HGU-55 (http://headsetsinc.com/). I have the plastic earcup with standard cushions.

I made one small mod that helps the cups seal, I took a very thing piece of soft foam and velcro'd it behind the cups and to the sidewall of the helmet. This makes sure the cups seal nice and tight, which is what the majority of problems are with passive and ANR headsets.

Chris

[Flybipe]

I have the -55 with ANR and the CEP kit and its fantastic. I use it in three different Pitts aircraft. The -55 without the plastic earcups and wihout ANR is barely useable in a loud aircraft. With ANR it works fine in a loud plane. With ANR and CEP it is fantastic! I love the freedom of the clarity aloft style headsets but I frankly can't see not wearing a helmet in any sport aircraft or warbird, especially one that you wear a parachute in and may jump out of. Heck I wear a helmet when I ride my bike to the park with my kids or go downhill skiing...seems like the risk is just too great when there are such great helmet alternatives out there....

[Ken]

I never considered adding both ANR and the CEP together ... thanks!

Ken