So, which intercom thingy should I buy?

[Simon Davey]

As per title...

 

I'd like a nice music and call quality, and might need to connect up with buddies.

Are these things universally connectable?

 

Cheers in advance

[RideWithStyles]

cardo

[Steve_M]

Whichever, don’t buy one that transmits all the time, but is voice activated. My current Sena system is a whizz-bang techno-miracle of design and features but I can hear everything my pillion utters while riding. Since she hates it when I filter I can hear the full “oh, for feck’s sake” and “shit” (when I pass through a narrow gap”  etc as we rode along. With the Cardo we had previously I never heard any of this - or, at least it until she’d explicitly made a sound to cause it to transmit.

 

 

[Fiddlesticks]

We got the Fodsports FX2 - but it's just for the two of us. If I was riding with a group it would have to be the Cardo Packtalk I think.

[RideWithStyles]

they are and not universal, depending on tech used.

most of the budgets use basic blue tooth, so they are more universal but range and quality is hit and miss.

you can use mesh tech (cardo and sena upper range models are the more trust worthy) which brings some benefits but they are quite costly. 

if its just for you and your partner the mesh is not that important. if you regulary ride in groups then yes but for best reasults try to bee all the same make.

 

cardo has the better speakers and mics, and is actually water proof with a solid warranty, senas are mostly splash resistance and a hit and miss warranty claims

[Hairsy]

I have Sena because it's designed specifically for my Shoei helmet but I wouldn't buy it again. The voice recognition is completely hit & miss. I took it back to the Infinity store where I bought it after a few weeks and could clearly demonstrate it being hit & miss. I was advised to try speaking at different volumes and different paces and see if that improved things. I was told they could send it back to Sena but it would be away for at least a few weeks and might well just come back with the message that They All Do That Sir.

 

I decided to just suck it up - the Siri instructions work and that covers most of my needs.

 

But next time I'll go Cardo.

Edited February 5, 2024 by Hairsy

[Simon Davey]

Many, many thanks good people.

Much appreciated.

 

Cardo it is then....

[rob m]

I can only recommend Cardo as I used one on a tour to Spain with my mate. Worked perfectly, although we lost a bit of clarity over 80mph. I'm sure they're better now.

 

Also great for listening to music,  which I found out after I ripped the piss over the intercom when he got fined for speeding at a Peage. 

 

[Steve_M]

56 minutes ago, Hairsy said:

I have Sena because it's designed specifically for my Shoei helmet but I wouldn't buy it again. The voice recognition is completely hit & miss. I took it back to the Infinity store where I bought it after a few weeks and could clearly demonstrate it being hit & miss. I was advised to try speaking at different volumes and different paces and see if that improved things. I was told they could send it back to Sena but it would be away for at least a few weeks and might well just come back with the message that They All Do That Sir.

 

I decided to just suck it up - the Siri instructions work and that covers most of my needs.

 

But next time I'll go Cardo.

That was my reason for going Sena - the SRL2 is designed to go with my Neotec. We bought a cheaper Sena (SMH.) for my pillion - also Neotec - as the total cost would have been exorbitant for two SRL2’s.

 

Next time will be Cardo for us, too. 

[JRH]

Had a Cardo, then when I changed my helmet got a Sena to fit into the Neotec.
in my opinion the Cardo is the better unit. 
 

[V650]

On 05/02/2024 at 12:59, Hairsy said:

I have Sena because it's designed specifically for my Shoei helmet but I wouldn't buy it again. The voice recognition is completely hit & miss. I took it back to the Infinity store where I bought it after a few weeks and could clearly demonstrate it being hit & miss. I was advised to try speaking at different volumes and different paces and see if that improved things. I was told they could send it back to Sena but it would be away for at least a few weeks and might well just come back with the message that They All Do That Sir.

 

I decided to just suck it up - the Siri instructions work and that covers most of my needs.

 

But next time I'll go Cardo.

I also got the Helmet specific Sena for my HJC 

Does not work well with the Garmin XT and also read elsewhere that others had issues with Sena and Garmin noisy / crackling Bluetooth

Have heard good things about Cardo so might be worth a look + If  you get a new lid you can move the headset to that  which you cant do with Helmet specific ones

[Stu]

Cardo user here too! 

 

I convinced my mates to all get them and they just join each other seamlessly 

 

A few other guys I ride with have sena and its pretty funny watching them mess about every time trying to get them to talk to each other pressing all sorts of buttons! and they can only connect up to 4! 15 on the Cardo without issues 

[Capt Sisko]

Worth a read if you go down the Garmin & Sena route:-

https://fliesonthevisor.com/sena-50s-garmin-zumo-xt-perfect-harmony/

[Simon Davey]

33 minutes ago, Capt Sisko said:

Worth a read if you go down the Garmin & Sena route:-

https://fliesonthevisor.com/sena-50s-garmin-zumo-xt-perfect-harmony/

Very well written, thanks. 

 

[Bender]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

Cardo user here too! 

 

I convinced my mates to all get them and they just join each other seamlessly 

 

A few other guys I ride with have sena and its pretty funny watching them mess about every time trying to get them to talk to each other pressing all sorts of buttons! and they can only connect up to 4! 15 on the Cardo without issues 

Sena does way more than 4 if it's a mesh network and not just intercom pairing.

 

I've had no issues with the sena, it's the fastest connecting Bluetooth thing I've ever owned.

 

I can see how the button pressing would start causing problems, there are too many now which one does what again

[Stu]

11 hours ago, Bender said:

Sena does way more than 4 if it's a mesh network and not just intercom pairing.

 

I've had no issues with the sena, it's the fastest connecting Bluetooth thing I've ever owned.

 

I can see how the button pressing would start causing problems, there are too many now which one does what again

 

It might do but the ones my work mates have only do up to 4 

 

[Bender]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

 

It might do but the ones my work mates have only do up to 4 

 

They have old non mesh units or don't know which buttons to press

[Stu]

3 hours ago, Bender said:

They have old non mesh units or don't know which buttons to press

They are fairly new! Just no mesh 

 

And haven't got a clue what to press

[daveinlim]

If you generally travel solo would just some air pods or something similar work?

 

 

[Simon Davey]

1 hour ago, daveinlim said:

If you generally travel solo would just some air pods or something similar work?

 

 

 

That was my initial route, but l will be hooking it up to GPS as well as the phone, might aswell go the whole hog. 

[S-Westerly]

I've a set of Bluetooth ear plugs that allow my GPS to talk to me and my phone too with music etc if I want. I usually don't.

[curlylegend]

Well I always travel solo so a set of Bluetooth helmet speakers does me fine. I listen to music mostly but it can allow my Garmin satnav to shout at me or pester me with phone calls. I can assure you there are no phone calls ! Bloody last thing I'd want.

[Simon Davey]

So, just fitted my Cardo Packtalk, and I'm very happy with how it went. 

It was made easy by the helmet having the speaker spaces and grooves for wires, even the microphone was catered for. 

Cheers all. 

[Joe85]

I have a Sen 50R and a Paktalk Edge. Prefer the Sena because the battery appears to be some form of small-scale nuclear reactor that never needs recharging. Cardo looks better and has a slimmer profile.

 

Sound quality is similar on both.

 

That it's a faff to get both to talk to each other is another thing entirely.

[Simon Davey]

I used it today, only disappointment is not being able to control streaming music, only files on the phone storage. 

 

Otherwise, spot on for phone calls, and music quality.

I don't understand why the speaker connectors aren't flat like the microphone, did few miles with it embedded in the back of my head before I adjusted it.