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technically, the active ANC in the ProFlight is more advanced. I used the Tap Control with the ProFlight and looked forward to testing the feature in the A30. The comfort of the A30 was excellent on the flight, and I opted to use it as my primary headset. We tested all modes of ANC. Sometimes it was difficult for us to consistently activate the Tap Control, which works best if you double-tap with your fingernail directly on the earcup. It was almost easier for us to select Low on the ANC level control switch. We both felt that keeping the ANC in High was the best mode for us, except when talking to our passengers, primarily due to the cancellation across all frequencies.
We also wanted to test the new A30 on a more extended flight, so two days after our Baja trip, we took off to fly from San Diego to Ft. Lauderdale for a few days in the CJ. The longer you fly with the A30, the more you notice the reduced clamping force and comfort, which we confirmed on fifteen hours of flying over two days.
Our ANC decibel testing (A-weight- ing) noted a 30 Db reduction in High, 10 Db in Mid, and 5-10 in Low. Our testing wasn’t a fully-engineered test- ing environment but ref lected in-f light testing inside the ear cups.
Audio Response
The Bose headset meets the FAA TSO and E/TSO-149 standards, passing 145 certification tests. This standard is very complex and includes an audio speci- fication targeted towards spoken com- munication – microphone and speaker.
ATC and Intercom audio in the Bose A30 utilizes one Equalizer (EQ) circuit tailored to this requirement – hence the crystal-clear speech quality. The 3.5mm sound input jack uses a separate EQ tuned slightly differently, balanced for both sound quality for music and voice. When connected to a Bluetooth source, a third EQ is acti- vated that utilizes what Dr. Amar Bose termed the ‘golden curve’ for the music input. In discussions with Matt Ruwe, senior product line manager at Bose, he mentioned that including three EQs provides for the optimization of sound, dependent upon the source, which makes sense. In this way, you don’t
have to compromise with varied in- puts. We noticed that the sound quality while using Bluetooth was terrific and definitely a different experience than when using the 3.5mm input source.
Pricing and Availability
Bose offers the A30 Aviation Headset at $1,249 retail, a slight increase over the price of the A20 model, with or without Bluetooth connectivity. You can order the general aviation model with 5-pin XLR, U174, 6-pin LEMO, or dual-plug connectors, as with other Bose headsets. Next year, U384 and oth- er connection options will be available for GA, commercial, and military mar- kets. In aircraft equipped with power to the multi-pin connector, battery power is unnecessary, and the headsets will power on automatically with aircraft power. Adaptors for both U174 and du- al-plug connectors are available with the LEMO version. Videos detailing the new Bose A30 headset can be viewed on the YouTube Personal Wings channel.
You can purchase them directly from Bose or your favorite Bose Aviation dealer.
Final Words
We’ve tested the Bose A30 Aviation Headset over 60 flight hours in vari- ous aircraft models, from some of the noisiest pistons to quiet jets, and are impressed with Bose’s latest aviation headset. The reduced clamping force alone is a significant upgrade. In con- junction with other improvements, it is another excellent product from Bose Aviation.
With 12,000+ hours of piloting more than 100 air- craft models, Rich Pickett still has a passion for flying. Rich holds an ATP,
CFII SME, SES, glider licenses, and type ratings in the L29, L39, Cita- tion 500/510s/525s, Eclipse 500S, Beechcraft Premier and DA10. His company, Personal Wings, provides training, mentoring and aircraft ser- vices. You can contact Rich at rich@ personalwings.com.
April 2023 / TWIN & TURBINE • 7