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The lightweight headset market gained yet another player recently when Sigtronics introduced their 8 Series of lightweight headphones. The company, long a player in the headset and intercom market, has brought a strong team of lightweight headsets to the table with the 8 Series.
To start with, there is the S-58, which is the monaural version of the Series 8 line, which is also available as the S-58S in stereo, and it even comes in a helicopter model that features a coiled cord that ends with a U-174U plug. All the 5-58 models feature bright blue earcups and come with black, powder-coated hardware to provide a durable, glare proof finish. The company offers their S-68 series as well, which comes standard with black ear cups and gold-plated hardware.
The biggest change in these headsets from the previous Sigtronics models of the past is in the area of reduced weight. Both the S-58 and 68 line weigh in at only 11.9 ounces, which represents a half an ounce reduction from their entry-level S-20 and 40 models.
Beyond the weight reduction, the headsets come with some standard features that will act to draw in customers. These include a mic muff to cut breath pops and cockpit noise, a nice, full-flex boom that will make mic placement a breeze, gel-filled ear seals to provide a more comfortable, even seal over the ear, and even a more comfortable headpad.
The above list of features should work to bring in customers, but Sigtronics went even further. The headset comes with an attractive, padded black nylon carry case, and even has a cord clip to keep the majority of the weight of the headset wires off the headphone wearer's head, which in turn will further reduce wearer fatigue.
All these features work in concert with the design of the S-58 line to provide a headset that does a good job where it counts ó in the cockpit. We tried out a set on a recent long IFR flight where we were in constant contact with air traffic control. Over the course of several hours, we were impressed with the performance of the headsets for a number of reasons.
First, there was the comfort. In spite of the fact that this headset uses tension to attain a good seal, the gel ear seals and head pad kept us comfortable during the flight. The microphone worked well, and we didn't have a single blown communication with ATC, despite a number of hand-offs between the various centers and service areas that we passed through. Finally, the crisp, clean audio that was carried through the ear phones made it easy to understand what the controllers were saying.
“One of the big secrets of the comfort of the 8 Series headset is the headband... said Shrouder It isn't just wider, it follows the contour of most people's heads.”
Tom Shrouder
With several hours under our belt, we were able to test the “jaw” factor, or the amount our teeth felt out of alignment due to excessive tension forces in the headband. We are pleased to report that the test resulted in a score of zero, which equates to a reasonable amount of tension. We checked in with Sigtronics to gain some understanding of why this headphone was developed.
“Customer demand for this product was high,” explained Tom Shrouder, director of sales and marketing at Sigtronics. “We make a good quality headset, but our customers kept asking for a flex boom, and we try to keep our customer's wishes in mind.”
Shrouder pointed out that the mic used in the 8 Series is a M-80 unit, which is specifically designed for high noise environments. According to Shrouder, changing the ratio of noise to the pilot's voice allows a reduction in intercom volume, which further reduces aircraft noise that comes through an intercom system.
Of course, the true test of any headset is how the customers respond to the product, and if sales are any measure of response, Sigtronics has a winner.
Another feature allows the mic to pick up voices with no problem, and conversely ignore low frequency rumbles and ultrahigh frequency noises, which keeps the intercom from turning them into annoyances. The results of the effort are crisp, clear transmissions in all types of aircraft.
“One of the big secrets of the comfort of the 8 Series headset is the headband.” said Shrouder. “It isn't just wider, it follows the contour of most people's heads.” The headband itself is interesting in that it uses 12 pillows to spread out the weight of the headset across more of the top of the pilot's head. The intent of this design improvement was to eliminate the pain and discomfort of hot spots that can crop up during long flights by providing distributed support across the entire headband area.
In addition to the 12 cushions, the angle of the two outside rows are thick instead of thin to take even more of the clamp off of the wearer's ears. This minor detail in the design further contributes to the comfort of the headsets.
Of course, there are other elements in the construction of the Sigtronics 8 Series that help make the headsets a good value through their durability. “We use 105 strand wire in the headsets, because it is one of the most important parts of the headset,” Shrouder explained, noting that if the cord fails, even the best headsets are dead. “A lot of manufacturers use 15 strand wires,” Shrouder said. “The 105 strand wires are more malleable and less likely to be broken by routine use.”
Even with the light weight, the 24 dB noise reduction ratting of the Sigtronics line was maintained. The company placed a great deal of effort in fact to assure that the noise reduction rating would be maintained, as noise fatigue can be just as taxing as clamping force.
Shrouder was quick to point out that the 8 Series of headsets are engineered and built in the USA. The series comes with Sigtronics standard five-year warranty on parts, labor and workmanship, and sells at a suggested retail price of $329, with a minimum advertised price of $237.
Of course, the true test of any headset is how the customers respond to the product, and if sales are any measure of response, Sigtronics has a winner. The company has been producing the S-58 and S-68 models at their full capacity, and it was only as of the last week of September 1998 that the company had started to get ahead of incoming orders. As expected, firm orders are coming in from vendors across the company for the new headsets.
“I had a gentleman that flew up from Merced,” said Shrouder, noting that about half way into the flight, the customer realized that he wasn't conscious of the headsets. “He had forgotten that he had them on his head, and called to tell us what a wonderful headset this was.”
For more information on the Sigtronics line of headsets or intercoms, contact the company at (909)-305-9399, or you can find them on the web at www.sigtronics.com.
Reprinted with permission from the December, 1998 issue of Avionics News magazine.
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