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[Jeff Lelko]

Hi all,

Anyone here have experience with the 3M Peltor MT Series Headsets?  I'm particularly interested if the connector coming out of them is just a standard 1/8" TRRS plug (where I can use a breakout cable to interface with a variety of equipment) or if it's a proprietary size that must be used with their PTT Adapters.  The price on the headsets is quite reasonable but I'm not keen on paying another 250-300 for a PTT Adapter just to use it.  Naturally the manual doesn't give details other than direction to spend the extra cash on the adapter... 

Thanks!
-Jeff

[brian maddox]

Hi all,

Anyone here have experience with the 3M Peltor MT Series Headsets?  I'm particularly interested if the connector coming out of them is just a standard 1/8" TRRS plug (where I can use a breakout cable to interface with a variety of equipment) or if it's a proprietary size that must be used with their PTT Adapters.  The price on the headsets is quite reasonable but I'm not keen on paying another 250-300 for a PTT Adapter just to use it.  Naturally the manual doesn't give details other than direction to spend the extra cash on the adapter... 

Thanks!
-Jeff

Looks like an 1/8" TRRS to me...   

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/678237O/3m-peltor-mt-series-2-way-headsets-communication-solutions.pdf

[Mac Kerr]

Anyone here have experience with the 3M Peltor MT Series Headsets?  I'm particularly interested if the connector coming out of them is just a standard 1/8" TRRS plug (where I can use a breakout cable to interface with a variety of equipment) or if it's a proprietary size that must be used with their PTT Adapters.

It does say it works with most radios, so that implies it is a standard connector. In the photo it looks more like the stubby TRRS connector used on helicopters, but that wouldn't work with any radio, so it won't be that. I would cut off the connector and replace it with a 4 pin XLR that would work directly with comm systems and build adapters to that for any other gear.

Peltor is generally pretty comfortable for a high noise environment headset.

Mac

[brian maddox]

...
In the photo it looks more like the stubby TRRS connector used on helicopters, but that wouldn't work with any radio, so it won't be that. I would cut off the connector and replace it with a 4 pin XLR that would work directly with comm systems and build adapters to that for any other gear.

Peltor is generally pretty comfortable for a high noise environment headset.

Mac

Looking at all the other photos those look kinda stubby to me as well.  They sell a variety of adapters for it which may be why they say it "works with any radio"...

I second Mac's suggestion.  I'd cut that sucker off and put an XLR on it, then make adapters to fit any use case i regularly encounter.

[Henry Cohen]

The plug is a Nexus connector, and is pretty standard fare for high end radio & intercom agnostic headset offerings. David Clark is another headset OEM that uses them regularly. You then buy the adapter interface specific to your application, be it a radio, fire apparatus intercom, aircraft system tank, Humvee, etc. The interface not only provides the cable with the correct connector but may also contain impedance matching, mic preamp, bias voltage circuitry, headphone amp and battery. In the cast of a two-way radio, the interface also contains the PTT switch.

[Jeff Lelko]

The plug is a Nexus connector...

Perfect, that was the piece of the puzzle I was missing.  I can definitely see the benefit of chopping off the plug and soldering my own on, but I'd rather (and will) do that to a short extension cable so that I don't modify the headset itself, just in case I ever wanted to sell it.  I just needed the right phrase to find what I was looking for!

Peltor is generally pretty comfortable for a high noise environment headset.

I'm glad to hear that you like them Mac.  They're not cheap but seem to be pretty standard issue for field applications that need comm on top of standard ear protection.  These will be put to use for Class B pyro jobs which can get quite loud down on the firing line. 

Thanks for the help with this!  I'd hate to buy a few of these just to realize I can't use them as intended! 

[brian maddox]

Perfect, that was the piece of the puzzle I was missing.  I can definitely see the benefit of chopping off the plug and soldering my own on, but I'd rather (and will) do that to a short extension cable so that I don't modify the headset itself, just in case I ever wanted to sell it.  I just needed the right phrase to find what I was looking for!

I learned a new connector today.  yay me.

Here's what you would need to make the extension cable...

http://www.skygeek.com/nexus-tj-102-in-line-microphone-jack.html

[Scott Holtzman]

I learned a new connector today.  yay me.

Here's what you would need to make the extension cable...

http://www.skygeek.com/nexus-tj-102-in-line-microphone-jack.html

In airplane world we call those U174 connectors.  Bose is one of the most insane vendors with the adapters for their ANR headset tilting the scales at $275.00

I had a chance to try out the AKG ANR headsets at a trade show.  They are by far the most comfortable with excellent noise cancellation.

[Jeff Lelko]

Thanks Brian and Scott.  After rooming with three pilots back in college I caught on pretty quickly that anything aviation related is usually pretty expensive.  Even as an engineer of the aerospace variety, I get why anything related to a life safety situation needs to be held to a much higher reliability standard and as such the cost will increase accordingly.  Even the few bits of fire fighting equipment that I own are very costly for what they do.  That said, I still don't want to spend a few hundred dollars on a cable/adapter that likely cost Bose/3M/etc. a few bucks to make... 

What attracted me to this specific headset is that a variant is available for use with a hardhat.  I've tried headsets with the band behind the head instead of on top, but between the hardhat, eye protection, and occasional Nomex hood I'm wearing it was just too much stuff on my head and it wouldn't stay put!  I think these will work out much better.  Thanks again!

[Lyle Williams]

I think the U174 and friends are much bigger connectors than this one.

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