MGL Avionics User Forum

My v16 works ok with D.C. headsets but no sidetone with my lightspeed zulu.
Any suggested fixes would be much appreciated.

There should not be any difference - the V16 does not know what kind of headset you have connected.

One lead is the microphone from the headset and the other is the audio to the headset.

Differences between headsets are mostly related to microphone levels - some produce more signal amplitude than others - this you can compensate for using the microphone input gain setting in the V16 (pilot and pax each have their own).

If you can transmit a good signal then you know your microphone is working fine but your headset is not responding to the audio output.

If you still have your DC headset you can use that to fault find as well: Plug in the microphone from the Zulu and the headset from the DC - can you hear the MIC now ? If yes there is an issue with the Zulu headset.
You can do the same the other way around.

The thinner of the two plugs is the microphone.

The Zulu is an active headset so it has batteries and needs to be switched on (but I am sure you know that)

Thanks so much for the time you spend in answering these queries and helping us Ranier. I realise that you are very busy so the effort you put into it, and your patience, is much appreciated.

I fixed the problem by connecting an earth directly from the aircraft frame to the earth pin in the female end of the plug. I have no idea why the DC headset works without this earth yet the Lightspeed does not.

All that matters is that the Lightspeed headset now works so I'm happy! Very happy!

That's great.
There are two Audio grounds - one on each plug. One for the headset and the other for the microphone.

On some headsets the two grounds are connected in the headsets so if one is not connected you often don't notice.

The Zulu did notice !