Description
Zulu 3 is designed for the discerning pilot looking to invest in a high quality ANR aviation headset built for longevity and with unsurpassed attention to comfort details.
“The Zulu is the company’s best headset ever… Lightspeed has knocked the competition out of the park.”
— Pilot review from Ian J. Twombly, AOPA Pilot Associate Editor
Legendary Lightspeed comfort and durability have earned the loyalty of private pilots, too. Performance ear seals, sturdy cables built around a Kevlar core, an industry-best 7-year warranty, make Zulu 3 the most enduring headset Lightspeed has ever assembled.
Zulu 3 is compatible with FlightLink™, our free in-flight cockpit recording application for Apple iPad and iPhone.
With full Bluetooth integration, enjoy excellent call clarity, music fidelity, and wireless access to critical audio alerts from aviation apps on mobile devices.
Autumn –
This headset is the best active noise reduction I have ever used. I bought this set after my student solo almostayearago. They work great, look good and are comfortable with sunglasses.
Ed Wischmeyer –
I’ve had Lightspeeds for years and have been quite satisfied with their comfort and performance, although somehow they’ve occasionally needed to go back to the manufacturer for tuneups — that were always free! After a friend loaned me his Zulu 3, I was hooked and ordered one. I could not believe what an improvement it was. The passenger is still stuck with a Sierra, though, but nothing wrong with that.
Dennis Hayes –
I have been flying since 1988. over the years I have used nearly every brand of headset, having personally owned Telex, David Clark, and FlightCom. Once I tried my first noise cancelling headset (LightSpeed XL series) it was a game changer. Suddenly I could hear my passengers and ATC clearly, no more droning engine noise to muffle the intercom audio! I replaced those original XL’s with the Zulu 3 and was impressed with how much better they performed. Clearly Lightspeed has mastered the art of noise reduction. When I bought my Mooney 201 the first major purchase was two additional Zulu 3’s so my passengers can travel in comfort as well.
Bruce Grubbs –
I’m a Part 135 charter and air tour pilot flying single-engine Cessnas including the Caravan. The LightSpeed XLC was my first ANR headset, and when the Sierra came out I upgraded. Both were excellent for their time but when the Sierra finally wore out I took advantage of LiughtSpeed’s upgrade offer and bought a Zulu 3. I have to say the Zulu 3 is the quietest and most comfortable headset I’ve used. (I’ve never owned other brands but I have tried most of them.) I was skeptical of the Bluetooth connection for music from my phone- I’ve never been a great fan of Bluetooth’s audio quality- but in the Zulu 3 it works very well and certainly is less hassle than messing with a wired connection.
Alex Petrovic –
Still using my nine year old Zulu 2 (which is obviously quite similar to Zulu 3) and it has never missed a beat! A true testament to quality and durability of these headsets. I’m sticking with this brand for life.
Pedro Giafferis –
Hands down the best headset I’ve tried so far!
Not only light, but it has an awesome solid feel to it, amazing cables and much more!
Com priority is awesome when having the phone connected!
100% approved!!
Jennifer –
Since upgrading the to Zulu 3 headset this year, I couldn’t be more happy. Having it as my first ANR headset, I feel spoiled when I fly now! I am also very impressed with their attention to detail in the little things that matter – the spacing in the head padding for when I wear a hat that has a button on top, the heavy duty chord, and a mic that handles open-cockpit noise very well. Paired with a set of Flying Eyes sunglasses that won’t bust the ANR, this headset has unbeatable comfort and quality.
[I tried on a Bose A20 just to compare … nope! – Lightspeed all the way!]
Evelin Simon-Pinter –
This headset was one of the best decisions of my life. 🙂 It supported me during my whole training from 0 to CPL exam, pleasure to wear it during longer cross-country flights as well. In the first 3 weeks of my training I was using a passive headset provided by my flight school, and there is a huge difference! Noise cancelling and Bluetooth are perfect, not just during flights but even at home during cleaning the house. 😀 I also love the hard case which protects the headset perfectly.
Julian Jäckering –
Love it.
The comfort, the ANR, the quality and looks. All very nice and convincing.
I bought the Zulu 3 at the beginning of my training and don’t regret the decision. It seemed like a very big purchase but it’s more like an investment into my future and especially my ears’ future. Other ANR headsets are also very good and I think its personal preference but especially in terms of built quality the Zulu 3s are way better than the competition.
My recommendation: Try them on and compare the feeling against other Headsets. Happy Landings
Matt Gardner –
I LOVE this headset! I tried to use a set Bose A20’s for one leg of my flight, and 30 minutes in I switched back to my Zulu 3’s. For a student pilot that wants a good ANR headset that doesn’t break the bank, either these or the Sierra’s are the way to go.
Stephen Fell –
Treat your ears, they deserve it and will love you forever when they get a pair of Zulu3’s.
I’d spent a long time looking at the pros n cons of this head set vs the Bose A20 and ultimately went with the Zulu3 for the main reason that the after sale service was on far greater than Bose based on what I’d seem and read. After getting my headset and since also trying a friends A20, I’m convinced I made the right decision.
For me the comfort of this headset is amazing, I can wear for hours at a time with glasses and have zero discomfort or impact on ANR even being a glasses wearer. Equally the quality of sound and more importantly quality of build is second to none.
Put your ears first and treat them to the best!
Samuel Ramos III –
I purchased the 25th Anniversary edition version which is in matte black. It is the third headset I own from Lightspeed. I also have two Sierras. Let me tell you, Lightspeed really puts out and amazing product. It is truly one the best headsets on the market. The customer service is top notch because all they do is aviation. You don’t have to filter through agents who know nothing about the equipment or aviation. They take the time to figure out what pilots need and come out with a quality product. I will only use Lightspeed headsets and recommend that you get yours and see what we are all raving about. I have been flying for over 20 years.
Carl Schultz –
I use both Bose and Light Speed in my Cirrus . I find them equal in all aspects EXCEPT the thicker profile Bose controller often gets seriously wedged between the front seats . ..requiring a good deal of tugging and seat jockeying to free up.
Dustin Triplett (verified owner) –
I love this head set so far. You guys make a great quality product. They are much more comfortable than the other headset I used, your customer support is outstanding which is something that is extremely important to me and will keep me coming back.
Thank you
Tomasz Chowaniec –
6mo and 600 hours of using Zulu 3. Many times 8-10h per day in the headset , no headache, any discomfort. battery more or less 50h, all the time with music. For me much better than A20. Just perfect!
Chris –
I got my zulu 3 headset several years and a few hundred flight hours ago. I have loved every second of them and when my wife joined the flying in our plane, I had to get her a set of them as well. You can’t beat the ANR for a nice quiet ride in any cockpit. My hearing is not the best, but the ANR allows me to hear every word. I have been cruising along and looked over to see my ‘co-pilot’ sound asleep for the ride. The Bluetooth capability allows me to pick up a clearance at an untowered field from my phone while the plane is warming up. The calls are always super clean and clear. The pads make them a super comfortable headset to wear on long xc flights. I’ve done several multi hour trips wearing these for 7 hrs at a time and they are still super comfortable to put on for hour 8 as they were for hour 1.
Peter Beeson (verified owner) –
Super comfortable headset, the noise cancelling is great, the Bluetooth speakers are awesome and you can enjoy your music and phone calls on long x country’s with clear sound and plenty of volume. As a flight instructor that spends a lot of time loud single engine airplanes I couldn’t recommend these more!
Bob Ross –
Better than Bose and cheaper. Buy them, your ears will thank you. I enjoy flying around happy little clouds with them.
Edward Godschalk (verified owner) –
I have just received my Zulu 3 and previously had the Tango wireless for most of my past ten years of flying. I love the fact that the Zulu headset is not bulky and fits so snug and comfortably. The noise cancelling is so effective even compared to my previous set and I would definitely recommend. I have been happy with the after sales support as well especially being so far away in Australia!
Brad R (verified owner) –
I have thousands of hours flying, and have owned so many different types of headsets, and my Lightspeed Zulu 3 is buy far the best headset I have ever owned. I would recommend any Lightspeed product, because when I called the customer service was incredible, very informative and courteous, and shipped my headset the same day. I intend to purchase additional headsets for my family members based on the quality and customer service, and the value that I put into sound quality and hearing protection.
Rock (verified owner) –
This is my 2nd Zulu headset. I have the Zulu 2 and needed the second for passengers. I have an RV 9 and they are not known as a quiet airplane! The 3 looks and feels pretty much the same except for the new one has what looks like twisted small rope for the cord. I prefer the old solid cord style but maybe I will get used to the new cord. I also ordered the 3 for the bluetooth recording to an ipad, but I have not figured that out yet. The sound quality is great in both and I would recommend it to others. Just know the cord is different than what has been used in the past.
steve mowery (verified owner) –
I have been using Lightspeed headsets in my noisy 210 starting with the 30G, then the Zulu 1, Zulu 2, PFX, and now the Zulu3. I did a trial with the Bose A20 vs the Zulu3 and for my head and needs the Zulu 3 was superior to the A20 in comfort, noise cancelling, and my beloved music. Customer service has always been off the charts with Lightspeed so it was an easy decision. Thank you Lightspeed.
Melthetraveler –
Mannnnnnn!!! The quality, design and most importantly peace and quiet in unmatched!
Temple (verified owner) –
I recently got a pair of the Zulu 3. So far I have no complaints with the headset. This is my first pair of a “high grade” headset and I am very impressed with the comfort, durability, and overall the well built design. I do wish the app was a little more well designed. And I wish I would have waited a few weeks to get the free survival kit with it! But overall I definitely recommend to buy.
Garrett Miller (verified owner) –
I received my Zulu 3 Headset February 2020 . During that time I have flown with them for 700 + hours and I don’t know how to put in any other words than they are the best headset I have used.
The headset is a very sleek looking headset. I fly primarily helicopters (U-174 plug) however I have used them with a splitter in airplanes as well. The headset is comfortable and compared to the DC-one X and Bose A20 they do weigh slightly more. Likely due to the fact that the Zulu’s have less plastic than their competitors. The extra weight though has not bothered me and I have worn them for 11+ hours in one go. The Zulu 3 I chose were the braided cord and I won’t go back to a coiled cord
Do not get me wrong the Bose A20 is a great headset and does the job well. For me though I “took a chance” so to speak on the Zulu’s and for $850 with almost identical performance as the $1100 A20’s, it was an easy chance to take. The white lettering on the sides of the A20’s that spell “Bose” is the reason for the extra $$.
Outside of the headset the single most important thing I have found has been the case. This case is hard unlike the A20 and DC-one X. This is VERY VERY Important to me because things happen and that case has been the reason this already sturdy headset is in almost brand new condition after 700 hours and closing in on 2 years. I have dropped my headset by accident several times and because of the case nothing happened.
Like previously mentioned the Zulu 3 are awesome and work great in helicopters. I have done long line in helicopters with my head hanging outside the aircraft looking down and had no issues hearing radios or others in the helicopter. Side pressure on your head is very light. This goes for most headsets but wearing sunglasses has been the only challenge in comfort for me. This isn’t even a negative for the headset because with thin framed sunglass it would be better. For some reason I just don’t like thin framed sunglasses. Also I wear a hat all the time and this headset fits great with a hat on.
I would definitely buy brand new Zulu over A20 just because price alone and especially after I have flown with both now. I have worn the DC one-x only once and can’t speak very much about it compared to the Zulus.
Tyler Thickstun –
Upgraded from the original Zulu’s to the three’s mid 2017. I fly 207’s, 208’s & Navajos year round in the Arctic. Kevlar cord stays flexible at -30, good battery life & with over 4000hrs on this headset alone I haven’t had to send them in for repair. I just replace the ear cups & headband once a year. Best headset I’ve had for comfort & durability.
Tim Parker –
I fly a purple tailed Caravan commercially out of Vancouver, BC. I purchase this headset to replace an excellent Sennheiser HMEC 460 ANR headset that was starting to fail. That is certainly a tough act to follow. But the Zulu 3 did not disappoint. The design and build quality is superb.
After receiving the headset, I emailed with support about how to adjust the clamping force to make it tighter to my smallish noggin, plus I ordered the free larger headband pad for the same reason. A great response and an excellent outcome.
I had previously tried the latest Bose headset, and I was quite disappointed in them…ear cups too small and the noise cancellation over-rated IMHO.
I ordered through Avworld in Toronto, as ordering direct from the factory seemed to incur a high shipping rate to Canada. I would suggest opening up more options for Canadians to purchase.
Oh, and the professional pilot rebate was much appreciated!
Robert Wyatt –
I was forced to upgrade to Zulu 3’s when my backup headset (wife’s headset) was damaged. Once I received my Zulu 3’s I passed my Sierra headset to my wife. The Zulu 3’s are even lighter than the Sierra’s and the sound is beautiful! Love the kevlar cord (that’s where the old headset died!) I didn’t realize there would be a difference from the Sierra’s or I’d have upgraded sooner! Side note: My wife was blown away by the Sierra’s compared to the non-Lightspeed ANR branded Headset that died. Not only did I get an amazing upgrade, my wife gained an upgrade too! Love Lightspeed products in general (former owner of XL15’s a long time ago).
Kevin Neumann (verified owner) –
Great headset. I knew I needed to prioritize comfort as I have a big head. After tying someones A20’s I decided to order the Zulu 3 to try. Much more comfortable in my opinion. Sound quality and build quality seem great too. Definitely a better value than other high end headsets!
Charlie C –
I loved my Zulu 3 so much, that I purchased a second set for my passenger and a Sierra for the younger passengers! Great product!! Lightspeed has set the bar high for aviation headsets. If you’re looking for an amazing headset, then this is it!
plewca –
I’m a student working towards my Private Pilots license. I tried many different headsets, most of which gave me headaches (apparently I get headaches easily with these things! :)) The one contender that didn’t give me a headache, required a LOT of vocal force to get the mic to pick up my voice. I felt like I was yelling into the mic. The Zulu 3 is awesome. It’s comfortable. I barely feel it while flying. The mic is clear and the volume adjustment is good. The mic picks up my voice easily, while not pulling in other noises. I love how flexible the ear cups are and the cushions are very cozy as well. The dual plug splitter is pretty small, I have a hard time getting both plugs in, and it kind of makes me worry that the cord will wear early because of this. But I guess that’s what a warranty is for! Overall, I’m VERY satisfied with this headset and would recommend.
kenny –
I just started my flight training and decided to go all in and purchase this headset. The zulu3 is EXTREMELY comfortable. They have very large ear seals with lots of space inside and proper clamping force distribution. I used it for 1.5 hours so far in flight and I cant see this headset ever becoming uncomfortable even after several hours of flight.
in comparison, the Bose A20 is much smaller and very uncomfortable. After a very short time you can feel the speaker pressing against your ear, which for me is a very big drawback. A comfortable headset is one which has sufficient padding and ear space inside the ear cup to prevent direct contact of the speaker on the ear. The lightspeed has plenty of space and allows your ear to rest comfortably inside with only the pillow like ear seals resting on your head.
Sound clarity is excellent on the zulu and communications are perfect. The only small negative point i would have to point out is the sound quality, it lacks a bit of bass for music listening. I use the zulus on my PC at home as well with an aviation GA plug to PC adapter and it is just great. Most comfortable headset ive ever worn.
thank you Lightspeed!
Ashley M –
I’ve been using Lightspeed headsets for years now and have always thought they were the best. I love the Zulu line and the Zulu 3 is my favorite. I’ve tried the Bose, David Clark, and other low grade headsets. Lightspeed always wins! Great sound, clear communications, best comfort.
Doug H –
I just love my Zulu’s. Started out as a Zulu 2 and took advantage of the Zulu 3 upgrade. They are so comfortable. Battery life is almost hard to believe. I got these while I was a student pilot because I wanted the best. When I bought my plane it actually came with a set of Bose. I compared them on my 1st flight. My passenger gets the Bose….Not that the Bose aren’t good. The Zulu is much more comfortable to me. The bluetooth feature allows me to connect to my Gamin Virb for cable free voice/radio on my cockpit videos.
[email protected] –
I have been flying with a Headsets Inc. ANR headset for years and found for the price it was an excellent headset. When one of my students asked to buy it from me I decided to make the jump to a high end headset. I ended up buying the Zulu 3. After flying with the Zulu for several months I got an opportunity to use a Bose while flying my friends C-210. In my opinion they both have the same high quality noise canceling, but the Zulu is more comfortable on long trips, and cost a couple hundred dollars less. I am happy with my purchase of my Zulu 3s.