Pros:
1. Its wireless! If you don't like cords, or if you move around inside and outside the aircraft a lot, you will love it!
2. Its cheap for a Lightspeed!
3. No batteries to change!
Cons:
1. About those batteries... you will be charging BOTH parts of this headset every time you fly, just imagine you have another cell phone, or two.
2. Unforgivable design flaw in the headset charging port. More on this in the detailed review below.
3. Slightly bigger and bulkier than some other headsets.
I was intrigued when I first saw the news of Lightspeed's new wireless Tango headset. Since I became our company's "consumer beta tester" for this model, and since guys at work keep asking me about it, I figured I'd write my own review, as I did with the Telex Stratus Heli-XT headset a few years back.
I fly heavy and medium helicopters in the Gulf of Mexico (S92 and S76). I have two David Clark headsets and a Telex headset that I use as backups. I traded in a five year old Bose X headset and purchased the Tango from Aircraft Spruce, who offered $275 trade in for the Bose (I believe they offer up to $400, quite a bit more for the fixed-wing model of the same headset) which brought my total out of pocket cost down to around $525 from the going price of $800 for the Tango.
The Tango comes with a very nice semi-hard headset case with separate compartments for the panel interface (Lightspeed's term for the part that plugs into the ICS) and the headset itself. There is also a zippered compartment in the case that fits the dual charging cord which allows you to charge both components at the same time off of one wall plug. For those who will be using multiple Tangos, Lightspeed includes a set of colored tags, presumably so that you can keep track of which headset goes with which panel interface.
Controls are pretty simple and straightforward. The panel interface has a button to turn the headset on and off, and a button to turn the Bluetooth feature on and off. On the headset, there is a button on the mike side to turn the headset on and off, and a button on the opposite side to activate the Com Priority feature which interrupts the Bluetooth feed when radio or ICS messages come across the headset. In addition, the entire "cap" on the side opposite the mike is a big volume up/down switch. The earcups are not left/right specific, and the mike boom can be thrown over the top, so you can wear the boom wherever it is comfortable, as long as you remember which side the controls are on! And of course, since there is no cord, you can have the mike on whichever side you'd prefer.
When first turning on the headset, you first turn on the panel interface and Bluetooth if needed, then turn on the headset. A little different since the components are not physically connected, but after you turn it on once it's no big deal. Both components will activate auto shutoff after a fixed period of time, or when the ICS is powered off in the case of the panel interface.
The panel interface has two cords. Both are braided for extra strength and both are capable of being coiled up neatly within the panel interface. The first cord hooks into the ICS system, the second cord is a mini stereo plug that is only used in the event of a wireless failure. This mini cord is made to be rapidly pulled out of its holder so that you can connect it to the headset and restore communications. Apart from that, there is a charging port (mini or micro USB?) and another port to plug in additional audio devices. I keep my panel interface cord wound up all the way, which leaves a few inches of cord exposed, and then leave the interface on the ICS panel or stuff it in a gear bag. Other than turning it on, you really never need to mess with it, the volume controls being on the headset itself.
Both components are powered by identical rechargeable lithium ion batteries, which are rumored to be proprietary Lightspeed items. In theory, this gives both components nearly identical battery run times. Claimed battery life is up to 12 hours. On days when I have flown in excess of 6 hours with associated taxi and ground time, and the Bluetooth running wide open, I have never experienced a low battery or power failure*. Both batteries can be fully charged in around two hours. Lightspeed recommends that the headset be charged after every flight, with a note that the headset is better stored long term in a partially charged state than a fully charged state.
* Full disclosure - the first time I used the headset I did not fully charge it out of the box, because I mistook the battery state light to be fully charged (green) when it was only partially charged (kinda amber, kinda green). The wireless failed after around 4 hours and I plugged in the backup cord and continued. Now I understand the battery status light has to be VERY VERY GREEN before the set is FULLY charged!
The headset itself is comfortable and light, though bulkier than other Lightspeed designs. The adjustment of the earcups for head size is kind of different... the adjustment seems to pull out of the headband more horizontally than vertically as with all other headsets I've flown. Lightspeed has a video out there on YouTube describing how to get the proper fit out of their headsets. Though the video does not describe the unique adjustment of the Tango, the principles are the same. I have found that snugging up the headset particularly at the bottom of the ears does make a pretty big difference in the quality and volume of the audio, especially from the Bluetooth feed.
If I understand Lightspeed's manual correctly, the wireless audio connection is digital IN and analog OUT in order to provide a more "wired" sidetone. Some other reviewers have complained about a very different sidetone from this headset but it really has not bothered me. I do notice a louder sidetone when I key the ICS vs. when I speak over the vox, but that's about it.
The headset charging part has been a point of contention in other reviews, and I can see why once I saw the headset charging setup. The mini/micro USB charging port for the headset is INSIDE the cap on the mike side adjacent the battery, beneath a flimsy battery door. The picture below shows the headset charging cord plugged in on the lower left of the picture with the battery status light just above.
The door is both flimsy and difficult to snap open. It is very easy to accidentally turn the headset on (little black button at the top of the picture) when trying to get the battery door open. And you have to do this EVERY TIME you finish using the headset. Lightspeed needs to fix this when the .01 version of this headset comes out, or hire a full time guy to replace battery doors for irate Tango owners.
But wait, there's more... as near as I can figure, Lightspeed CHANGED THEIR MINDS as to this setup somewhere in the design process, as in the picture below, bottom right, is a covered up blank in the back of the battery door that would have allowed you to plug the charger straight through the door and never have to open it!
I can only guess that in the battle of form vs. function, sleek design won big. It's pretty to be sure, but I sure would have appreciated an accessible charging port, somewhere, ANYWHERE on the headset. Happily, on the panel interface, you just stick a charger into a port on the side of the interface and you are done.
Blah blah, so how does the wireless work? Quite well in fact. When I first flew this headset what I really wanted to know is what the range was like. Feet? Inches? Much better than I expected.
What makes this headset so ideal for a two pilot aircraft is that one pilot can be outside the aircraft and hear all the radio and ICS traffic just as if he were tethered to the ICS. This is absolutely invaluable during ground operations. The only thing that would make it better is if the headset had a toggle switch to allow you to key the ICS and radio. But since you can use the vox function, you can still have two way communication.
Wireless range under normal conditions is probably 20-30 feet or so. In one extreme case I had a digital signal (audio in) from 100 feet or more across the ramp with the aircraft not running. But more commonly, I can have perfectly clear audio all the way in the back of the aircraft (S92, essentially 7 rows back in the cabin) or about halfway to the back of the aircraft when standing outside with the aircraft at ground idle. You never have to remove your headset while loading or offloading passengers. Very cool.
There is some noise heard over the ICS by the other pilots/crew when your wireless signal cuts out and rejoins, but everybody adjusts pretty quickly.
I don't know that I'd be as excited about the wireless feature if I was flying single pilot and never exiting the aircraft until shutdown. It all depends on how much you hate the cords. If cords get in your way while strapping in, and if your headset cord is always hanging up on your survival vest/life vest/silk scarves/air medals, this may be the headset for you!
Lightspeed customer service is legendary, and I feel that if I do have any issues that the company will address them. Years ago I had a Lightspeed 25XL and I found that to be the case then.
I hope you have found this review informative, and if you have any questions, please post them as a comment and I will do my best to answer them. I will post updates to this review if I experience any issues down the road.
