I'd like some advice for this project. I had a different headset I tried converting to XLR, and I think all I did was blow the capsule. I'm tempted to basically completely gut the original hardware in the headset and replace it with components that are actually intended for general audio usage (at least outputting through a PA system), but I'm not exactly sure what I should keep in mind when doing this. Surely I can't just replace the capsule and wire it up to an XLR jack, right? Any insight would be appreciated!

 

Is it a condensor microphone or a dynamic microphone? Is it battery powered or phantom powered?
If it is a dynamic microphone, then yes, you can just wire it to the XLR. Pins 2 and 3 to the capsule, pin 1 to ground and the cable screen.

 

The David Clark equipment for aviation communications is not balanced circuitry at all, and so a direct connection to a balanced circuit will be challenging and always will require additional circuitry.

 

The microphone is noise-cancelling that cancels sounds that are the same at the front and rear sides. Then for it to pickup a voice, the voice must be close to only one side.

 

I am aware of some of the noise cancelling microphones using multiple mic elements for that purpose. . And at least one model that used rather fragile dynamic elements that did not survive a drop onto a roadway when the mic fell off a car seat.
so if the David Clark headset uses multiple dynamic elements, probably in series, converting it to a balanced output could be done simply, MAYBE. But if it uses electret elements with an internal amplifier module it will need some serious revision added. It might have some useful circuit information in the supplied literature, if that is available..