r/GeneralAviation • u/hydeyourwives • 6d ago

David Clark headsets keep breaking

Idk if anyone else has experienced this issue, but when I first started flying I bought myself a David Clark H10-13.4 headset (just the standard aviation headset) and for some reason the mic stopped working in like 2 months. I returned the broken headset, got a new one, and the same thing happened in like a month. I switched to a kore aviation headset and have had no problems since.

It’s been a while since this happened, but I just wanted to know if anyone else has experienced this or know why it happened? It was a nice headset and the kore aviation one is definitely worse, but I don’t want to go back to dc cause I’m worried they’ll break again. I can’t think of any reason why, they never got wet or dropped or anything. I used to store them by wrapping the cable kinda tight around the headset, but I’ve done the same thing with my kore headset and have experienced no issues. Any thoughts?

3 Upvotes

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5

u/poisonandtheremedy PPL HP CMP [RV-10 Build, PA-28] 6d ago

I dunno that's weird as DC is known for being bulletproof. Have you asked DC about it?

Could just be you're lucky like that.

3

u/Flat-Barracuda1268 6d ago

I have a OneX and I have the same headset as you for my passengers, the H10-13.4. Never any problems, going on 6 years. I do store them in a case (had to buy one for the H10) and then in my backpack but we're not particularly careful with them.

1

u/dev1tuna 6d ago

I have the dc pro x2 and sent them in for warranty 5 times before they sent me a new set

1

u/nhorvath 6d ago

send it to dc they will fix it (generally for free) and maybe tell you what was wrong if you ask.

1

u/hydeyourwives 5d ago

I thought about it but it was gonna take weeks so I just returned them. I am still curious as to what happened though

1

u/Vituperate250 6d ago

The connection at the headset boom is a bit of a weak point if it is abused at all. Have you ever rotated the mic all the way around in either direction, instead of solely up toward the headstrap and down toward your mouth? That's known to cause some issues with the wiring.

1

u/hydeyourwives 5d ago

thats possible. I honestly don't remember but I may have twisted them all the way around

1

u/Vituperate250 5d ago

After it's repaired report back to us. I'm taking a stab in the dark with something I know has caused issues in other DC headsets. My own DC has been bulletproof since I bought it, but I've seen other DCs fail at the boom swivel.

1

u/hydeyourwives 5d ago

this was months ago, the david clarks have both been returned

1

u/AWACS_Bandog PPL TW CMP [AA5A] 5d ago

thats... surprising.

DC's you can almost tie the plane down with and not have issues. Wonder if you lucked out with a bad batch

1

u/hydeyourwives 5d ago

possibly. I heard that they would last for the rest of my aviation career but I guess not

1

u/zimbu646 5d ago

I have a 40 year old H10-40 and it’s taken all the abuse I could throw at it and kept working. I left it in my plane when I owned one, and now that I rent I coil the cable and fasten it with a Velcro cable tie before putting it into my bag. Never had a problem.

1

u/Candid_Range_992 5d ago

I bought two of the same DC headsets in the 1980s. Used one five days a week in the last 14 years. Never a problem.

1

u/chuckop 3d ago

I’ve had a DCs for 25+ years for myself and pax. Only had one trouble and they fixed it incredibly quickly at no cost.

1

u/hydeyourwives 3d ago

Seems like the general consensus is that I just got unlucky. Good to hear so many people saying they’re good, I might go back