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Cutting the cord with Lightspeed’s wireless Tango headset

Cutting the cord with Lightspeed’s wireless Tango headset

By Guy R Maher

By Guy R. Maher | June 10, 2016

Published on: June 10, 2016
Estimated reading time 16 minutes, 3 seconds.

We spent a month flying with the latest generation of Lightspeed headsets, the wireless Tango. Here's how it performed.
I feel I should begin this review with full disclosure: I’ve been using Lightspeed Zulu active noise reduction (ANR) headsets exclusively since I first compared them in flight tests to the other top brands eight years ago. I have two sets of Zulus and two sets of Sierras in my Cessna 310, and I have another set of Zulus that stays in my grab and go bag for flying other airplanes and helicopters. So, I think it’s pretty obvious how I feel about the product and the company.
The wireless Lightspeed Tango headset weighs 18 ounces. Battery life is reported to be 12 continuous hours, and once drained, it can be fully charged in two hours. Lightspeed Photo

With that said, it probably won’t come as too much of a surprise that I was quite happy to be asked to wring out a set of Lightspeed’s newest product — the wireless Tango — this past January. I had the full month to do as I pleased with the new headset, and I gave it as full of a range of testing as I could.

The Tango arrived in a stylish yet rugged carrying case. It would take considerable effort to damage the headset when inside the case, but as useful as it may be, it takes up a substantial amount of space. So, for my operations, the Tango occupied the padded section in my flight bag — temporarily displacing the Zulu that usually resides there.

The overall look and feel of the Tango is more substantial than the Zulu. The depth of the ear cups is about 50 percent more than those on the Zulu, and it also has a beefier headband and cushions. Of course, the larger ear cup is to make room for the wireless components. This is reflected in the comparative weight of the headsets, too — the spec sheet for the Tango says it weighs 18 ounces, whereas the Zulu weighs 14.7 ounces.

The panel interface pack is also about twice the size of the Zulu’s in-line controller module and is the vital hub of what’s known as the “Lightspeed Link” system (more on that later) — routing communication between the headset, the intercom, and auxiliary devices. Wrapped in a durable case, it houses the lower cable, which connects to the aircraft’s headset and mic jacks and is adjustable to 31 inches. Weighing just under nine ounces and with multiple mounting points, the panel interface can be mounted conveniently and securely in any aircraft. Besides containing the wireless transmitter for the Tango, the panel interface also holds a retracted backup cable — or “upper” cable — that you can pull out and connect to the headset in the event of battery depletion.

The panel interface can be recharged by a standard USB style charger/adaptor. So, if you fly only one particular aircraft, you don’t have to take the panel interface unit home to charge it. (In a pinch, the headset can also be charged from the same USB adaptor.) There is also a LEMO option for single source power and audio, but only to the panel interface unit. The headset itself still requires the use of its battery.

At the heart of the Tango headset is Lightspeed Link. It’s not Bluetooth or WiFi. Rather, it incorporates existing technologies chosen for both signal reliability and audio quality for the aviation environment. The Lightspeed Link connection is robust enough to allow as many as six Tango headsets to be operated in the same aircraft through one single interface unit.

Time to Tango

In preparing the Tango for my first day of flying, I installed the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in both the headset and interface unit, and connected the dual-port wall charger. The charger can charge both the headset and panel interface batteries at the same time, providing 75 percent charge in less than an hour and a full charge in two hours.

The batteries can also be replaced on the go. The exact same battery model is used for both the headset and panel interface, making them interchangeable. Battery life is reported to be 12 continuous hours, so for heavy users, buying a spare set of batteries — or at least one for the headset unit — might not be a bad idea.

And it was the batteries — or should I say the charging of them — where I have a complaint. In order to charge the battery on the headset unit, you have to open an access door on the side of one of the ear cups to expose the battery compartment and the connector for the cable from the charger. This places far more use and wear on the compartment door, latch, and hinge. Plus it makes for more of an effort for charging and would be a real pain if you wanted to charge while in flight.

Conversely, on the panel interface unit, there is a small notch cut out in the unit’s cover to expose the receptacle for direct connection of the charging cable without any fuss. I don’t understand why a similar arrangement couldn’t have been made for the headset itself.

For my first test flight, I climbed into a plane with a training client and just flew the Tango in its most basic mode — meaning I didn’t perform any Bluetooth connections or play with any of the optional features, such as music inputs. It was easy to find a convenient place for the panel unit where it was nicely tucked out of the way.

I must admit that it felt a little odd not having the wires. With my Zulus, I route the wire from the panel along the side of the seat and clip it to my sleeve to keep the wire from tugging on my earpiece. With the Tango — well, that’s not required. Plus, the Tango’s design allows microphone placement on the left or the right. It’s a nice feature. But it’s not as critical now that you don’t have to worry about what side of the cabin the wires are coming from.

The Tango arrived in a stylish, yet rugged, carrying case. Included with the headphones is the panel interface pack, which houses the wireless transmitter and is the hub of the “Lightspeed Link” system. Guy R. Maher Photo
 

I certainly sensed the slightly heavier aspect of the Tango, but it wasn’t a problem. The fit was very comfortable, the ear pieces felt quite plush, and the first experience was a good one.

On occasion during that first flight, the audio in the headset had a slight echo or reverb effect. It wasn’t continuous; nor was it distracting. I only noticed it when I was speaking using the intercom system (ICS). It didn’t show up with air traffic control (ATC) or when my student was speaking on ICS. Not knowing what was causing this, I just fiddled with the mic a bit, moving it closer to my mouth. That cured it.

As it turns out, the echo is a result of the wireless system — and is known as “latency.” It is only evident in the side tone. You are hearing yourself ever so slightly after you speak. Apparently, latency is an issue with all wireless systems.

According to Lightspeed, their Link system is designed to minimize latency. I was told that if I was experiencing a significant echo, I should try moving the mic closer to my mouth, which I had already found out fixes the problem. They also told me that increasing the headset volume a couple of notches, then using panel volume control to compensate if it’s too loud, will do the trick. I never had that experience again, so I didn’t need to use any of the additional remedies.

Comparing the models

My next test outing was in my 310. This time, I switched back and forth between my Zulu and the Tango. And in doing so, I could readily detect an improvement in the newer model’s ANR — especially at diminishing the wind noise that leaks through the door seal. (Remember, I’m comparing them to the eight-year old original Zulu, not the newest versions.) The ear cup is a nicer fit, too, which certainly helps the performance of ANR as well as passive noise reduction. And the clamping pressure, if you can call it that, was just right. I was starting to get quite used to the Tango — and enjoying it.

The next testing phase was at the Bell Helicopter Training Academy for a two-day 407 recurrent training course. Here, the Tango shined. The demo unit I was using had the U-174 single helicopter plug. (My traveling Zulu has the same plug and I have the adaptor for the general aviation aircraft jacks when called for.) I plugged it in and quickly found a convenient home for the interface unit. It was really nice not having the wires drooping down behind my back or over my shoulder. For those of you who have attended the Bell training academy, you’ll understand when I say I quickly forgot about the headset while flying — you are not left with any opportunity to think about anything else.

I can say that the Tango performed flawlessly and it didn’t create any situation where I had to “think” about the headset. One point I will make is that the various warning tones generated by the 407 were loud and clear. I never gave it any thought until talking with another pilot who complained that another ANR headset that he owns degraded the tones by at least 30 percent.

Back on the home front, it was time for another 310 trip. But this time I wanted to play with some of the extras. The first was Lightspeed’s free FlightLink recording app for the Apple iPad and iPhone, which allows you capture and retrieve incoming and outgoing communications via the supplied patch cable.

It’s a simple matter of calling up the app and when you want to record, you just touch the start button. Not only that, but there is a scratch pad with the app that allows you to take notes at the same time as you record or play back. I recorded and played back a few conversations with ATC.

The only caveat, of course, is that if you are using the same mobile device for your navigation features, you’ll have to bail out of that app to open FlightLink. The easy answer is to use a non-critical back-up device for these ancillary tasks. I can see this being particularly useful for backing up complicated clearances. But if you only have one device, you can switch back to your primary app once you start recording — and the recording will continue. A red bar at the top of the screen reminds you that you are still recording.

Although nothing new to high-end aviation headsets, I still tested phone call clarity and music fidelity, which was superb. Lightspeed’s patented ComPriority feature lowers the volume of any auxiliary device automatically during radio or intercom transmissions. Volume control for the Tango is a simple matter of tapping on a panel on the side of one of the ear cups. No more volume sliders.

A test of endurance

Just when I thought I had done a pretty decent test of the Tango, a final last minute opportunity offered itself. I was to provide an aircraft transition student 10 hours of initial training over a two-day period. The schedule was split into two 2.5-hour sessions each day. I decided to start on day one with the batteries fully charged and see if they’d go the full 10 hours. (I kept my Zulu’s handy just in case, but it wasn’t necessary.) The Tango went the distance — a full 10 hours of flying and I didn’t even get the red warning light. I didn’t use any additional features such as Bluetooth or recording, but I’m not sure if that would have reduced battery life or not. I felt no discomfort — from weight, clamping pressure, or hot spots — as the long days pressed on.

And the last test, just for curiosity, was when my training client and I pulled up to the ramp at the end of our last flight session. I had him keep everything running and I exited the airplane. I was able to talk to him until I had walked roughly 30 feet from the plane and the reception faded. Not a bad feature for those crew members who want to exit a running helicopter to help load passengers, yet still stay in communication with the cockpit.

With everything going wireless these days, it was only inevitable that headsets would join the crowd. LightSpeed’s first entry into this market is a strong one, and with a very competitive price. The biggest obstacle to their sales of the Tango may be in my opinion, themselves.

There is only one reason I didn’t decide to buy a set for myself after the test. And that’s because the Zulus I have now continue to work perfectly. To buy a Tango would mean I’d have to idle a perfectly good headset. (Although, I must say, Lightspeed has been sweetening the pot lately with an attractive trade-in program.) Of the three Zulus plus two Sierras I own, I’ve had to send only one unit back to the manufacturer — and that was to fix a volume slider control problem. Lightspeed handled it quickly and for no charge, even after the warranty had expired. Other than that, I’ve just replaced the worn head pads and ear cushions.

If you are sick of wires in the cockpit and want a very comfortable and great performing ANR headset, you can’t miss with the Tango. I just hope Lightspeed has the patience to wait long enough for when the users of their older wired models finally wear them out.

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1 Comment

  1. You might get 50 feet of distance if the module is placed out in the open. Just saying , It may have been.

    And Are other wireless headsets WI-FI ? or Bluetooth?

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