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Aviation headsets, especially the ones with Active noise cancelling, are getting relatively steep in price. Active noise cancelling do offer more comfort and protection in the cockpit over their passive counterparts. Refer to our headset recommendations post here for Passive and high-end Active Noise Cancelling headset recommendations.
Leaving out the ANR headsets at the top end of the category, here are top 3 Active Noise Cancelling headsets that offer great value.
Lightspeed is well known for its higher end Zulu series ANR headsets, however their lower cost model, the Sierra is packed with features comparable to the high end model
The Lightspeed Sierra offers the following features:
Active Noise Cancelling with Auto shut-off
Bluetooth
Reversible Mic
5-year warranty
Compared to its higher-end Lightspeed Zulu 3 model, the Sierra
Has more plastic components in its construction
Doesn't feature Kevlar cords
Does not have the 7-year warranty
The Sierra is still a great ANR headset for a fraction of the cost compared to the top-end model and has all the functionality as some of the more expensive models.
Rugged Air also has an ANR headset, their stereo RA950.
The RA950 offers the following features
Active noise cancelling
Stereo/mono switch
Slightly lighter weight vs the Lightspeed Sierra model
7-year warranty
The RA950 does not come with Bluetooth however and users have occasionally reported issues with the mic sensitivity.
Faro's G2 ANR headset is an upgrade to their G2 PNR (passive) headset without a huge jump in the price difference for the ANR features.
Faro's G2 ANR offers
Active noise cancelling
3-year 100% replacement warranty
Up to 52dB noise attenuation
The Faro G2 also does not have Bluetooth, however this may not be a necessary feature for most pilots and just the ANR functionality at a mid-range price may be worth considering this headset.
Having used both ANR and PNR headsets, the ANR does provide more comfort over time. This short list above provides a few mid-range options for those who do not want to splurge on the top-of-the-line models.