David Clark DC One-X

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.

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