PNR versus ANR

[Wingtipvortex]

I just bought my first headset, and although I settled for a cheap pair of AVCOMS the first time around, I was amazed to learn how expensive a good set can cost.

So I did some research to find out what I am paying for when I fork out a 1000 bucks for a pair of BOSE ANR's, and this is what I learned;

My 100 dollar AVCOM is a PNR headset, which means Passive Noise Reduction. The 1000 dollar Bose above is ANR, which stands for Active Noise Reduction.

Passive noise reduction is acheived by absorbing sound energy before it enters the ears, and active noise reduction is achieved by essentially balancing the noise out with MORE noise. To be fair, all ANR headsets also have PNR qualities, so the 40+ decibal reduction of these sets consist of about 20db Passive noise reduction.

On my first flight lesson I used a set of ANR Headsets and I know how comfortable it is.

However, apart from the comfort, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that from a PROTECTIVE point of view, the ANR method of reducing noise does not really protect your hearing, since the sound energy is still reaching your ears, just not in a fashion that they send legible signals to your brain.

So my AVCOM rated at 24db noise reduction, is not too bad from a protective standpoint, for 1/10th of the cost.

Hmmmm. I still want a BOSE....

[HighKing05]

Great post! As a student pilot I used a loaner headset that my instructor let me use... I tried on a TON of headsets and all I could think about was the BOSE... so I saved and saved until I couldnt save anymore...and I bought the Bose and never looked back! Bose being my first headset that I actually own has not let me down one bit! I love the comfort more than anything... I hated getting done with a flight and having red ears for the hour after... well no more red ears and the quality is great!

[Jeff S KDTW]

I too have the Bose and really like them.

However, there are many others that are available, which are cheaper, that have very good ANR. For instance, LightSPEED will well known for their ANR, so is David Clark, and many more.

I have been searching for just the right set for my wife and kids and in the process, I have accumulated a number of headsets that I'm now selling (used only a few times each). If you're interested, you can see them here: LINK to eBay