Guide
Aviation Headset Comparison Chart (October 2026)
This chart compares every headset in the catalog on price, weight, the NRR as stated and who states it, ANR, Bluetooth, plug, and warranty. The KORE KA-1 at $224.95 is the best passive pick and the student value pick. The KORE P1 at $124.95 is the budget pick. Both are passive only, with no ANR and no Bluetooth. A cell says not published when the source page did not state that figure.
· Prices and specs checked
Every aviation headset found in the Aircraft Spruce and Sporty's catalogs is listed on the aviation headset specifications index. Each entry links to a specifications page.
Read the row for the job, not the brand. The KA-1 comes before the P1 because it is the better-equipped passive headset when both would fit a student. The P1 is the one to buy when the budget is the constraint.
NRR cells name the number and who stated it. An ANR decibel quote that is not an NRR stays out of that column. Bose and Lightspeed do not publish a certified NRR for the ANR models here, so those cells say not published.
Specification table
The KORE KA-1 row is the best passive pick and the student value pick. The P1 is the budget pick. Both are passive only, with no ANR and no Bluetooth.
| Headset | Price (USD) | Weight | NRR | ANR | Bluetooth | Plug | Warranty | Date checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top pickKORE Aviation KA-1 Specs | $224.95 | 1.34 lb (about 21.4 oz) with cable. Headset without cable 1.16 lb. Cable 0.18 lb. Bag 0.4 lb. Headset plus bag 1.74 lb. | 24 dB NRR, KORE stated | No | No | Dual GA | 5 years | October 26, 2026 |
| KORE Aviation P1 Specs | $124.95 | 19.4 oz on KORE's general spec sheet (about 1.21 lb). The sheet does not say whether the cable is included, and it does not list 1.19 lb. | 24 dB NRR, KORE stated. The 23 dB spec-sheet line is volume-control attenuation, not an NRR | No | No | Dual GA. Gold-plated mic plug 0.206 in and headphone plug 0.250 in. | 1 year, serviced in the U.S. | October 26, 2026 |
| Rugged Air RA200 Specs | $99.99 | 16.24 oz | 24 dB NRR, Rugged Air stated | No | No | Dual GA | 7 years | October 23, 2026 |
| David Clark H10-13.4 Specs | $375 | 16.5 oz without the cord | 23 dB certified NRR, David Clark | No | No | Dual GA on the standard mono model. Helicopter model is the H10-13H. | 5 years | October 23, 2026 |
| Rugged Air RA950 Specs | $499 | 15.2 oz | 24 dB passive NRR, Rugged Air stated. 39.5 dB at 3 kHz is ANR, not an NRR | Yes | No | Dual GA | 7 years on the Rugged Radios page | October 26, 2026 |
| Lightspeed Zulu 3 Specs | $949 | 14.6 oz including ear seals and mic boom | not published | Yes | Yes | Dual GA, LEMO panel power, or U-174 | 7 years | October 26, 2026 |
| Bose A30 Specs | $1,299 | 404 g (14.2 oz) on the head, per Bose. The owner's guide also lists 12 oz for the headset alone. | not published | Yes | Yes | Dual GA, LEMO, XLR, and helicopter configurations are sold | 5 years | October 26, 2026 |
| KORE Aviation H1 Specs | $224.95 | 1.36 lb (about 21.8 oz) with cable. 1.12 lb without the cable. Cable 0.24 lb. | 24 dB NRR, KORE stated | No | No | Coiled cord with a U-174 plug | 5 years | October 26, 2026 |
| David Clark H10-13H Specs | not published | 16.5 oz without the cord, per David Clark's helicopter chart | 23 dB certified NRR, David Clark | No | No | Coil cord and a single helicopter plug, per David Clark | 5 years | October 26, 2026 |
| David Clark DC ONE-X Specs | $1,020 | 12.3 oz without the cord | not published | Yes | Yes | Dual GA, with panel-power and helicopter configurations also sold | 5 years | October 23, 2026 |
| Bose A20 Specs | not published. Discontinued. AvBrief reported used sets around $700. | not published | not published | Yes | Yes, later dual-GA version | Dual GA and other aircraft connectors were sold | Original warranty was 5 years. Out-of-warranty factory repair has ended, per AvBrief. | October 2026 |
| Lightspeed Zulu 4 Specs | $1,099 | 14.6 oz including ear seals and mic boom, on the spec table and Lightspeed's comparison chart. A feature line on the same product page says 14.9 oz including the head pad. | not published | Yes | Yes | Dual GA on SKU 40614. Panel-power (6-pin) and U-174 are separate SKUs. | 7 years | October 26, 2026 |
| Lightspeed Sierra Specs | $749 | 16 oz | not published | Yes | Yes | Dual GA only | 5 years | October 26, 2026 |
| Lightspeed Delta Zulu Specs | $1,299 | 14.9 oz including ear seals and mic boom | not published | Yes | Yes | Dual GA on SKU 4074. Panel-power and U-174 are separate SKUs. | 7 years | October 26, 2026 |
Specs checked October 26, 2026. Date checked uses the price-source date when that source names one. Otherwise it is the catalog date, October 26, 2026. A cell says not published when the source used for that headset did not state the figure. NRR cells name who stated the figure. This site did not measure noise in a lab.
The rows above are the headsets in this comparison. Every aviation headset found in the Aircraft Spruce and Sporty's headset catalogs is on the aviation headset specifications index, with a specifications page for each one.
Questions pilots ask
Which passive headset should a student buy?
The KORE KA-1, at $224.95, when gel seals and an AUX jack matter. It is passive only, with no ANR and no Bluetooth. The P1 at $124.95 is the budget pick if the KA-1 is more than you want to spend.
Which headsets publish a certified NRR?
David Clark publishes a certified 23 dB NRR for the H10-13.4 and the H10-13H. KORE and Rugged state 24 dB on their passive models, and those figures are the manufacturers' numbers. Bose and Lightspeed do not publish a certified NRR for the ANR headsets in this chart.
Which headsets have Bluetooth?
The Zulu 3, Zulu 4, Sierra, Delta Zulu, Bose A30, the later dual-GA A20, and the DC ONE-X have Bluetooth. The KA-1, P1, H1, H10-13.4, RA200, and RA950 do not. The Zulu 3 lists at $949.
What does not published mean in this chart?
The manufacturer or retailer page used here did not state that figure, so this site does not guess. The H10-13H price is one example. The catalog date is October 26, 2026.
Will every headset in the chart plug into a helicopter?
No. The KA-1 uses dual GA plugs and will not fit a typical U-174 jack. Helicopter rows are the KORE H1 at $224.95, the David Clark H10-13H, and the helicopter configurations of the Zulu 3 and the A30.
Do I need ANR in a Cessna 172?
Not for short lessons. A passive headset such as the KA-1 at $224.95 is the student pick, and it has no ANR. The Zulu 4 at $1,099 is the ANR pick for a 172 when the cockpit is already too loud.
What changed
: Specs and prices on this page were checked against the manufacturer pages and retailer listings named in the copy. This site does not add its own noise measurements.