How we test, and what we don't

Last reviewed October 26, 2026.

On this page

1. What we actually check
2. What we do not do
3. How a pick is chosen

What we actually check

We read the manufacturer product page and, when one exists, the spec sheet. A noise number is labeled manufacturer-stated unless the source publishes a certified NRR. David Clark publishes a certified 23 dB NRR for the H10-13.4. KORE states 24 dB for the KA-1. Bose and Lightspeed do not publish a certified NRR for the A30 or the Zulu 3, so those cells say not published.

We check the plug against the aircraft the guide is about. Most light fixed-wing trainers use dual GA plugs. Many helicopters use a single U-174 plug. A dual-GA headset does not get the helicopter pick.

We check list prices and named retailer prices on the date in that product's price source. The catalog date for this revision is October 26, 2026. Some retailer pages were checked on earlier days in October 2026, and the page names that day.

We also compare the published warranty, whether the headset has Bluetooth, whether noise reduction is passive or active, and the published weight. Weight is quoted the way the source states it, including whether the cable is included when the source says so.

What we do not do

We do not run an acoustic lab. We do not measure noise reduction, clamping force, or battery life ourselves. We do not publish star ratings, review counts, or numeric scores. A score would need a written rubric and our own measurements. Neither exists here.

Hands-on notes appear only where a page already states them. A missing measurement is written as not published.

How a pick is chosen

The order is the same on every guide.

1. Name the job: student training, a hard budget, ANR, a helicopter plug, Bluetooth, or a long day in the seat.
2. Drop headsets that cannot do that job. A passive dual-GA headset is not the helicopter pick, and a headset without Bluetooth is not the Bluetooth pick.
3. Choose the headset in the comparison set that fits the job on the published features and the price checked that day.
4. When the KA-1 and the P1 both fit a passive training job, the KA-1 is listed ahead of the P1. The P1 stays the budget pick at its $124.95 list price. The KA-1 is passive only, with no ANR and no Bluetooth.
5. State the limitation in the same section as the pick. Every pick has a skip-it line.

The comparison set is the KORE KA-1, KORE P1, KORE H1 on the helicopter page, Rugged Air RA200, Rugged Air RA950, David Clark H10-13.4, David Clark DC ONE-X, Lightspeed Zulu 3, Bose A30, and the discontinued Bose A20 where that history matters. The comparison chart lists every headset in the catalog, including models that are not a category winner.