Cardo PackTalk Edge Headset Review

[@RevZilla]

Find out more about the Cardo PackTalk Edge Headset here! rvz.la/3uk2hex

[@Snafu2346]

I ended up getting the Cardo Spirit HD because I ride alone, have no friends and I have no one to talk to.

[@John_Ridley]

I got a freecom for the same reason.

[@laceycharizard2546]

To be honest, the Freecom 1 and the Spirit are about all that 80% of people need. I didn't notice much quality difference on the higher ones except for features I might use less than 5% of the time I ride. But I suppose that 5% matters when you need it.

[@zscooterz]

We should get together. I have no friends either.

[@luvsallbikes279]

Funny , i ride alone 90 percent of the time , do these headsets allow you to stream music from your phone , and navigation directions? Also do you wear ear plugs , when I ride my naked bike the wind noise is bad even with my full face on .

[@JeffreyMeng1993]

@@luvsallbikes279 I wear my helmet with earplugs. The Cardo is loud enough to listen to music and hear navigation instructions. Don’t ride without earplugs. You’ll regret it.

[@JonLong]

I’ve owned every version of the Packtalk, now including the Edge. Like with all communicators, the advertised range is completely false. Even on a totally flat road in the middle of nowhere with uninterrupted line of sight, you’re lucky to get half of the stated range. Battery life is very good and seems to line up with the advertised claims. Although the Edge is slightly thinner than the previous Packtalk, the mount is thicker and the overall package is not any thinner. The device is pulled into the mount magnetically, but is then held in place with a physical latch. So it’s not magnets holding it in place once attached. I asked Cardo, and they stated that the speakers and the microphone are the same as with the prior Packtalk Bold. So no improvements to the speaker/mic themselves. All the improvements are to the electronics and software in the device itself. The Edge does a better job of filtering out wind noise than my Bold. I can flip up my helmet while riding and the wind noise doesn’t activate the microphone. The Edge is definitely louder and clearer than my Bold. With my setup (Neotec II, R1250 GS, earplugs), I can easily listen to podcasts and audiobooks on the highway. This is something I couldn’t do with my Bold. Overall, this feels like a nice but minor improvement to the Bold. No rush to upgrade if you have a Bold, but this is the one to get if you’re in the market. And after owning a few Senas, I’ll never get another.

[@RalphMercuroMusic]

Sena is terrible! My group of 9 riding buddies all had 20S's. What an aggravating experience owning those things! Switched to Cardo about 5 years ago. We all have the Bold, one rider decided to beta test the edge. Everything just works! I agree though. Upgrading doesn't seem necessary just yet...

[@adamwixx4796]

Hey Jonathan, could you please tell me if the DMC group intercom set up is "always on" meaning any noise picked up by the microphone will be broadcast to the group or do you need to say a command to activate it? My wife and I ride together often and she likes to listen to music, I'm an audiobook guy. Friends we ride with also like to listen to their own music, podcasts, etc. So DMC group thing would only be of interest if we could each still listen to our own thing and only be disturbed if someone actually means to tell the group something.

[@JonLong]

@@adamwixx4796 You can set the threshold for how loud you need to be to activate the mic. By default, noise from wind or your own audio (music or audiobook playing through the speakers) will not activate the mic. It only begins transmitting when you are talking. You can also mute your mic or mute a select group. For example, you can mute the group and have a private conversation with your wife using the Cardo. I also listen to music or audiobooks while riding. When someone begins talking, the volume of whatever you were listening to turns way down so you can clearly hear the person. As soon as they’re done talking, your music volume goes back up. Works really well.

[@PKFFWWIXX]

@@JonLong thanks for the info, that's a great help

[@talion9289]

Is the audio quality good for music? Also what earplugs do u use?

[@taybeltz]

Love my Edge. Coming from the Bold, my group and I are amazed by the improvements in sound and noise cancellation. The voice commands work every time now too. The range is excellent as well 👍👍

[@JacobBaldry]

Thanks for the tip! Noise cancelation is definitely a cool new feature.

[@mazlanyahya3948]

Just bought Cardo Freecom 4X about 3 weeks ago. Should have waited for Cardo Edge. With USB type C and Bluetooth 5.2, a great combo apart from DMC.

[@oceanbytez847]

it is. I had a full charge after unpacking it in about 45 minutes. Have not charged it in 2 days and used it for a couple calls and still have about 60% battery.

[@cpuuk]

I have Bold (excellent). Will buy the Edge when the time comes. Would like to see a DAB radio, as FM is almost extinct in the UK.

[@adelgado8917]

Lols ironically we still use fm in the states. Yet most audio options we us music apps, podcast and audio books. Only the selected few that'll still use the radio as an option.

[@RealTalkPowersports]

Great video bro! Also great to meet you this past week

[@C64SX]

Got the Edge last weekend, installed it in my HJC F70. The F70 isn't listed on Cardo's site in the compatibility list so I'd thought I'd share my experience with this combo. The speakers fit well. On the microphone I had to cut off some of the velcro to make it fit in the designated recess. For device attachment to the side of the helmet, I did try to use the clip mount at first but gave up and used the adhesive mount instead. The clip might work, the HJC/Sena comm system uses a clip as well, but I just wasn't sure how well it would fit between the outer shell and the padding. It is a big clip. This is my first helmet comm system so someone with a bit more experience attaching these devices might find it easy to attach the clip. You also have to attach the mount a bit further back than what you might find comfortable for reach since the F70 sun visor slider also sits on the left side of the helmet. The cables and connectors I stuck behind the left cheek pad. Not optimal, I would have liked to put the 3,5mm speaker connector in the little compartment in the back of the helmet (where the Sena system battery pack would sit) but the speaker cables were just a few centimeters too short for that to be possible. Haven't had the opportunity to use the system yet, but Cardo seem to be a good brand so I don't expect any major problems there. Cheers!

[@TWTourist]

It has a standard 3.5 connection? Can you plug in a standard earbud set?

[@C64SX]

@@TWTourist The cables inside the helmet have a 3,5mm connector for the speakers, but there's no 3,5mm plug on the unit itself if that's what you were wondering about. I have no idea what regular earbuds would sound like if connected. And the connector is hidden away inside the helmet so not easy to just plug in for a test.

[@ymoneyj]

@C64SX You dont mind me asking man, how's the sound levels compared to the Cardio Bold?!. Is it louder or do they sound the same?

[@C64SX]

@@ymoneyj This is my first set so I can't compare the sound level to other sets. But the other day I was talking to a riding instructor, who uses these sets all day. A couple of weeks after he saw my Edge he got one as well. I don't know exactly which Cardo model his older set was, but last time I spoke to him he said the sound was better in the new set.

[@miss_lily_lol]

Future rider here... how do these work? Do they connect on their own to other people who have them? Do you and whoever else you want to connect to, connect them? Do you control it from your phone? If you get a single one, does it connect to others? With the voice command, how would it hear you if it's on the outside of your helmet and you're riding?

[@mrinjen9519]

i’m a future rider as well but one of my friends has one and he uses it very heavily. so no they do not connect on your own, you have to hold down the button on the cardo and it will give you options for the people around you based on the distance from you and them (it says rider a, rider b etc.) i am not completely sure about controlling it for your phone but you can use it to change music and make phone commands based on your brand( like siri or google.) i am not sure on the single one but ik that not all of the cardo packs connect to others so id just stick to this one. lastly the actual mic for the cardo pack is inside of your helmet, you must wire the actual headphone and the mic parts into the helmet on your own, it goes underneath all your padding. the thing you see on the outside is like the bluetooth button basically. i hope i could help!

[@mrinjen9519]

goodluck in the future and be safe, i am planning on getting a gsxr 750 for my first bike in abt 2-3 months so ill be out on the road soon😼

[@lold6130]

I like this presenter. Not as frantic as that other guy.

[@gingernaut2550]

The wife said today she'd like to be able to communicate during rides.....I didnt have the heart to tell her thats part of the bliss of riding.... So here I am. What I'm curious about is, is there a system out there, this one or other where we can listen to our individual music, and still speak to talk?

[@RevZilla]

Yes, most BT comms nowadays allow for individual music to be played. More advanced units will allow music sharing, but for the most part all will have individual music options while communicating.

[@gingernaut2550]

@@RevZilla Thanks for the speedy reply! I have no experience with them and couldn't find a straight answer. Maybe because it should be obvious lol but I don't want to drop 750 bucks and be disappointed. Thanks again

[@aboraya8630]

a good business would be preparing helmets with built-in socket and ear and mouth piece and you only put the cardo in the cradle that would be already on the helmet.

[@morelcompasstv]

Is revzilla able to do a real world test showing the range of the best communicators? Would be interesting to know.

[@AndrewFearn42]

Range is going to be highly situation specific. Mountains, buildings, trees, hospital, power lines and so will all have an impact. That said, a line of sight test in a giant empty field would be relatively objective in comparing range between units, but that wouldn't scale with standard usage.

[@epicmotorcyclechannel307]

I did a range tests on my channel using the bold and original packtalk. One with obstructions in line of sight, and 2 more tests on straight roads with trees, etc. Check it out! I'm working on testing the edge now and will have that up soon as well.

[@aj-oldschool-motors]

It would be cool to also have an integrated camera.

[@hank4917]

Bought this. The music sharing straight up doesnt work. It just doesnt. That was the main reason I spent $700 on this unit. Major buyer's remorse.

[@TwoGoTouring]

Can I ask you guys in the comments. I have the Bold, is the Edge louder ? Or really can you turn the volume up when needed and is it louder when needed.

[@mayorofnow]

Is the waterproofing improved from the Slim? They both claim to be waterproof, but the gasket on the Slim sucks. I've lost many units to an imperfectly sealed USB port. (To Cardo's credit, their return process is accommodating, but it still sucks to have to pay for shipping and use a USB headphone dongle for 2 weeks every time I get stuck in decent rain.)

[@Winning4TW]

Really enjoying the channel, glad I found you, subscribed 😀

[@luiscoelho3523]

An outside sticker with touch buttons for interface and the unit hidden inside the helmet, when?

[@TurokmaktoNiken]

Witch helmet do you use for the video?

[@Tony92805]

I’m new to riding can you use it for phone calls ?

[@vinnymac1]

question if me and my wife buy this. if she is listing to music can we still talk fairly easy?

[@RevZilla]

Yeah, when you have the right settings in place the music will dim down to allow the conversation then resume once everyone is done talking.

[@andrekikkert2787]

Wish Cardo would work together with GPS manufactures (Garmin TomTom) so that we can controle the unit on GPS, and don't need to have a mobile on the handle bars or with you.

[@Alwaysbwitty]

Does this connect to iPhone? To answer calls too?

[@RevZilla]

iOS and Android compatible!

[@toshy]

How about improvements in voice quality and noise detection? We've been using Packtalk Bold units (I have a Black) for some time now, and the noise detection and audio quality is horrible. We constantly have to repeat what we said because cutoffs or to scream to activate the threshold.

[@patrickmchugh8039]

Have you tried adjusting the mic sensitivity in the app or settings? I believe you can lower the threshold from there. Sound has remained relatively the same since its still the same JBL sound from the BOLD (assuming you are using the JBL Bolds)

[@taybeltz]

The noise reduction is easily the most noticeable improvement coming from the bold. You hear only voice now, no more wind or motor reverb. We’re impressed with the upgrade 👍

[@pappaclutch3266]

lol I have a bold (Black) on my Arai and a spirit on my cheap helmet, the dam spirit has better sound and voice then the bold! And my bold has the 45m speakers

[@FlaxAU]

I can’t for the life of me get the Cardo clamp to seperate from the Cardo mount, why is it so difficult

[@dsd-downshiftdave8056]

How does the mesh on this compare to the mesh on sena, also how many devices can it connect to at same time? I know sena can connect to several

[@rodstawaa]

15. It doesn’t use open mesh like sena. Tho senas group is 15 also

[@Jimmy_Jim_Jim_1234]

Love the shirt !!!

[@MrMrsregor]

how long will the "live bluetooth" connection stay open for someone to rejoin ?

[@christian-my5lu]

just got the edge after reading many reviews saying the 40mm was actually louder than the new 45mm speakers with the pro and god was i lied to if you guys are buying these for sound mainly buy something else these arent anywhere near loud enough to what you would need on a highway or anywhere to be honest 2.5/5 stars 1/5 for sound the rest just bumps it up to 2.5

[@StucOStac]

but can I pair edge with some other brands like u-com16?

[@512mbflashdrive]

has sena come out with anything new lately? i've been behind on all this.

[@Leonardmichael]

Is Mesh 2.0 backwards compatible with old Cardos?

[@taybeltz]

Yes

[@RalphMercuroMusic]

The Edge works seamlessly with the Bold...

[@yeehaw3890]

Yall should do dirt bikes from the Canadian border to the bottom of Idaho so I know what I'm getting into.

[@RevZilla]

You can join us and the hosts at the Get ON ADV Fest in Sturgis for some riding if you'd like. That's about as far in that area we will be for the next few months.

[@kenal7748]

Is it true that Cardo is having a connection problem when use in carbon helmet?

[@RevZilla]

No. The entire antenna and connection device is on the exterior of the helmet, so the helmet doesn't provide any sort of disruption. If it was installed inside the helmet (like some helmet-specific units out on the market), it can sometimes cause connection issues. But even this is only slightly higher than if the shell was fiberglass, composite, or polycarb.

[@kenal7748]

@@RevZilla i see. Ive heard that carbon helmets absorbs the signal of the intercom and reducing the range from the other users/bikers.

[@5stardave]

The camera kept panning to the speakers and microphone like you were going to address them, but you never did. Confusing editing.

[@FlaxAU]

Hey is there any difference in audio quality between the two microphones? Thanks

[@RevZilla]

No difference in audio, they both use the same technology but offer the different styles for ease of mounting.

[@FlaxAU]

@@RevZilla Cheers guys appreciated

[@FlaxAU]

@@RevZilla one last thing, I just bought these and the JBL speakers aren’t completely circular, and the speakers don’t fit properly into the shoei x spirit 3 speaker cut outs. What do I do?

[@Jimmy_Cavallo]

💥 I’m confused. First you said 2 hours of talk time and 20 minutes of charge time then 13 hours of talk time.

[@RevZilla]

13 hours of total talk time with a full battery. Fast charging will get you 2 hours of talk time after 20 minutes of charging. Just in case you are in a quick pinch, you can charge it for 20 minutes and get a few hours down the road before the battery gives out on you.

[@bigmingus3803]

Do you need cell service for these to work? I’m only in areas riding where there is no service, will this still work? Thanks

[@RevZilla]

No, the units connect to one another without any service required.

[@thedeuce1374]

Is there any way I could find out how the battery life is affected by cold weather - as in snowmobiling weather?

[@MrMrsregor]

battery life is always affected by the cold, always not sure how much, but if i had to guess, maybe reduced by 5%-%15 depending on the temperature and what kind of battery is in this. this is just purely a guess based on my experience from rc hobbies

[@thedeuce1374]

@@MrMrsregor FWIW I think there's a minor flaw in the programming. When we head out for some snowmobiling we start getting the 'low battery' alert within a half hour. However the units keep functioning. We haven't done a full day of riding yet so I can't yet report on actual battery life in cold weather. Once we do I'll share my findings.

[@MrMrsregor]

@@thedeuce1374 oh yea man, sounds like something is wrong with it. how cold was it when you having trouble with it ? cardo's website says it has an operating temperature of "-20˚C to 55˚C/-4˚F to 131˚F" and a talk time of 13hours (but i dont really know, i just got mine installed and haven't got much of a chance to use mine)

[@thedeuce1374]

@@MrMrsregor When we go sledding it's typically between -10 and -20 degrees Celsius. I'm hoping to take the kids out for a full day of riding on the weekend; that should give me a good indication of how well these units work in the cold over several hours.

[@alp3781]

Can it be mounted via the clip, not glue clip to HJC 90S modular carbon?

[@RevZilla]

Yes, you just need to mount it behind the drop down sun visor mechanism.

[@alp3781]

@@RevZilla Thank you for the reply. 👌👌👌

[@ramafan_3903]

how to sound when compared to Packtalk Black and Edge/NEO is it the same?. Because the speaker is Black 45mm while the Edge/Neo is 40mm

[@RevZilla]

We found the speakers to sound near identical when testing them out. The 5mm size difference didn't really create a better/louder experience once you factor in the bike, the wind, riding at speed, earplugs (and w/o earplugs) and all the other elements that go into riding a motorcycle.

[@markich9510]

Question: does this connect with other com units from other manufacturers? My friend uses a com system from another brand, if I get the Cardo one, can I connect with him too, or is it just brand specific?

[@redmonday4154]

technically you can. but, it's a pain in the ass to make it work. so far i've only did cardo to sena and with how the way it worked you're losing a lot of features. so if you can, buy the same brand intercom as your friend already have. if your friend have some shit aliexpress comms and you only ride with him, get a freecom 2x duo pack and split the bill

[@markich9510]

@@redmonday4154 sounds reasonable enough... But I think this is much better quality and features, I will probably use it for solo riding, and if I ride with a friend I will just come up with something 😅😅

[@christianforbes6579]

@@markich9510 as a workaround, make a phone call. Even cheap Amazon units connect well to a mobile phone. No issues about the range from one bike to another, and if your mobile plan is good with it, it works like a charm.

[@escapeorion3741]

How to pair an edge to another edge

[@RevZilla]

Try the Guides that Cardo has available. www.cardosystems.com/support/packtalk-edge/

[@justinhalsall4077]

Previous generation on the highway: “hey Siri, hey Siri!! Hey Siri!!!” …*move head down behind fairing*… “Ok Google!!!”, *bleep bloop* Cardo: “hello google“

[@TWTourist]

Can you use standard earbuds instead of the 45 JBL?

[@RevZilla]

Yeah, Cardo speakers still connect w/ a 3.5mm jack so earbuds would work just fine.

[@Ahmedsamialshal]

Can you make phone calls using them ? Thanks

[@RevZilla]

If your cell phone is connected via Bluetooth, then yes you can.

[@DailyDrivenBikes_1]

Can this pair with senas too?

[@RevZilla]

Only via the 1 universal bluetooth pairing option. Sena and Cardo Mesh do not work with one another.

[@Marius-Gvr]

Will this connect to sena units via standard bluetooth?

[@taybeltz]

Yes

[@wrangler10]

the only thing from Cardo thats disturbing me the most is they are stubborn not to offer a handlebar remote option.We are not all speak fluently English or want to talk to our helmets.

[@zyonsdream]

You don’t have to talk into it for it to work. There are three buttons and a roller that will do everything talking will do. No need for a handlebar setup.

[@khaccanhle1930]

Handle bar mount. That's called your mobile phone. Use the app if you want

[@Crazylalalalala]

I agree i would prefer either it mounted on the bar or have a remote, When you talk with other people you dont want them to constantly hear you say "Hi Cardo Next Track" "Hi Cardo..." having to reach to the helmet every time is not ideal.

[@steventhan93]

@@khaccanhle1930 not the same, with touch screens, I have to move my eyes off the road, not to mention some high end gloves doesn't have touch fingers just yet

[@mayorofnow]

I've seen people post about Bluetooth handlebar buttons on forums before. I think there's one called Chubby Buttons. You ought to be able to use a handlebar remote (like that) and the Cardo headset at the same time.

[@stonkerontheroad9609]

If 2 riders bought the duo between then to save money, what wouldn't they get in comparison to buying a single each?

[@RevZilla]

The units are the same and everything included in the duo pack is just doubled from the single packs.

[@epicmotorcyclechannel307]

They would each get their own box that it came in. That's it! Btw I'm giving one of these away on my channel.

[@stonkerontheroad9609]

@@epicmotorcyclechannel307 So no real difference? I'm in UK

[@epicmotorcyclechannel307]

@@stonkerontheroad9609 Nope, It's basically 2 individual units in one box. I think they might come pre paired though.

[@stonkerontheroad9609]

@@epicmotorcyclechannel307 I can save a few bob then

[@JacobBaldry]

New KZbinr here! It seems like this Cardo is just catching up to the current Sena models? Am I wrong?

[@taybeltz]

Cardo surpassed Sena years ago and have continued to raise the bar

[@JacobBaldry]

@@taybeltz oh, that’s news to me! Thanks for the heads up!

[@RalphMercuroMusic]

Cardo is far superior to Sena...

[@dzunku1]

Can I talk to a person with iPhone?

[@RevZilla]

You would be able to make a call to your friend using your phone connected to the Edge. The Edge itself doesn't make phone calls if no cell phone is paired.

[@dzunku1]

@@RevZilla Thanks. Can I talk to a person with a Bluetooth headset then?

[@tmsmith4393]

I am disappointed with Cardo's customer service. I sent an email and have not received a response in over a week., Additionally, I called and hung up after over one hour and twenty minutes without anyone picking up the line. That's not customer service. Not a happy camper!!!!!!! Has anyone else had an similar experience with attempting to contact Cardo?

[@lukedevries9314]

Does this work with hey siri? Will it announce phone notifications?

[@RevZilla]

Yeah! As long as you have it turned on in the Cardo settings and (more importantly) with Siri on your iPhone (not having it require the phone to be unlocked first) - you will be all set. We use this feature daily to read texts, make calls, and play / change music.

[@ramafan_3903]

I have 1 question, is the sound quality of Edge with bold JBL to listen to music equal or superior to Edge?

[@RevZilla]

The speakers / JBL system are all the same, and in our experience in a helmet at speed: you won’t be able to tell the difference.

[@MissMan666]

Those 40mm JBL speakers are trash from my experience.

[@a1pestservice]

Voice activation is very poor, this is the second Cardo I've had and ended up getting a refund due to not doing what it says on the box. It's the top end headset and even the distance for communication is very poor. I would never touch Cardo again or pay that sort of money for what you get, compared to cheaper units on the market.

[@marinoopen]

It is a complete myth that you can smoothly use the intercom and share quality music between riders. Go ahead and prove me wrong

[@ericcory2469]

I purchased the Sena ST1 dual pack and all 4 mics - through both units, using 3 separate cellphones - were extremely low. No solution found and thankfully was able to return them. Bought the Cardo Edge and the results were similar. The JBLs sound fantastic but the mics still produce a really low volume. There's no way anybody is gonna hear me while I'm on the road. I've played with the settings in the Cardo app (Sena's app is awful by the way) and no difference. I can't find anything about this issue. Anybody having the same issue? Any resolutions?

[@Batinhas]

Those JBL speakers are pure marketing in my point of view. Disappointed with mine (edge) Not loud enough, quality not that good. It seems like JBL just added some equalizer tuning. To the worse (better if disabled).

[@AndrewFearn42]

Try checking your device equalizer if you have the option. On my PackTalk Bold with the JBL speakers, they seemed tinny and blown out with bass. Of course making sure my phone volume is at max first, then going to settings and switching between EQ settings (on my iPhone its under Settings>Music>EQ) and tested many options before finding one that worked well for my music.

[@MrDeepseadweller]

@@AndrewFearn42 Agree. I personally found that the “Late Night” EQ setting provides the best result.

[@adelgado8917]

I took out the 40mm drives that came with the bold for this exact reason. I opted to use jbl earbuds that use a headphone jack which of course ended up sounding better. Essentially it became kinda annoying taking my helmet off if I didn't wear a Balaclava...

[@FrauStormm]

The quality compared to my AirPods is jarring and will take time to get used to. Absolutely no bass.

[@riv5438]

Please review the new HJC i100 helmet

[@RevZilla]

Already in the works.

[@epicmotorcyclechannel307]

Great review! I'm working on a review/comparison on my channel and am GIVING AWAY one of these. Check us out!

[@ponylifestyle5995]

It would be nice to listen to the radio 😈music could get boring lol

[@RevZilla]

FM Radio is built in and you can select your presets for local channels.

[@theomoons]

Try audiobooks or podcasts.

[@AnTyx]

Is it backwards compatible with previous-gen Bolds for a single mesh network?

[@aeer6849]

No it's not ! This is biggest problem for the Edge, if there is an already made group with the Bold then you can't connect with the Edge! You need to make a new group on your Edge and then everybody can connect to you. So Cardo state's it's compatible, yes that's true, is it backwords compatible -> NO