Have Motorcycle Communicators Gotten TOO EXPENSIVE?

[@spitescorner]

Would you buy the Packtalk Pro on it's own, or do you want it in the box with everything? Check it out for yourself here: bit.ly/3IUZ1hM

[@totinsun]

I would love to buy just the head unit since I'm running the packtalk edge now.

[@SergeyPRKL]

just the unit, why waste stuff that you don't need.

[@jmc1771]

I needed the whole setup

[@bb3152]

Can the crash detection be linked to emergency services instead of your emergency contact? I would rather have them rolling asap, instead of worrying my contact and making them make a second or third call (they would probably try calling me first).

[@sawyer4981]

Nearly $500 for a bluetooth comm unit is highway robbery. Let's be honest

[@hogueraleksander5868]

For only 1 unit is waaaay too much. And I have 2 cardos freecom 4x. I would get a pro if they just sold the unit separately since I don't use the stock speakers on any com unit anyways. In ear headphones are the way to go for clarity, noise cancelation and talking at 90mph.

[@someguy9520]

Buying units like these for MSRP isn't a great idea anyways Bought a freecom 4+ duopack for 240eur Recently bought a packtalk slim duo pack for 350eur No way im paying that much for some meh speaker, bt antenna and a plastic mount

[@sawyer4981]

@@someguy9520 Facts. I bought my previous gen cardo on FB marketplace. Lightly used. Saved over 50% & have had zero issues with it.

[@zeve1322086]

its not a bluetooth comm unit. its a miniaturized mesh router with all the other features. I can see the reason why it costs that much. Having said that, I'm very happy with my Spirit HD with the JBL speakers upgrade kit. I don't see how to go over 4 people without getting comunications a total mess, So I don't see mysel goinf over the freecom 4+

[@sawyer4981]

@@zeve1322086 Semantics. Don't care what you call it. Things not worth $500

[@axelotl86]

It’s time to open the mesh standards.

[@spitescorner]

100% agree. It'd be great for Cardo and Sena to easily pair up so that riders aren't pigeonholed into buying what their buddies have.

[@Aaron_Ada]

@@spitescorner I'm pretty sure the newer ones can mesh? I think there is a distance limitation. I could be wrong, but I could have sworn I have seen articles/videos on it.

[@hybrid4184]

You can link Cardos into Sena’s mesh with an update from last year. But I dont believe Cardo can invite a Sena user, they can only join. Wouldn’t know, as I don’t know a single person that owns a Sena.

[@crazycamkalani]

Cardo is great about working with other brands, sena is the problem child still trying to keep everything in their own ecosystem

[@exothermal.sprocket]

Time to make a compact CB radio or FRS or GMRS radio that goes like 3 to 5 miles without all the crap involved with digital bluetooth radio.

[@josht717]

You can get a mid-grade cell phone that has more advanced hardware & capabilities for $250. I know part of it is the typical motorcycle tax, but these prices are insane to me.

[@eckes13]

I just want to say, some people cant make that transition from guest host/secondary host to main host (exp: MatPat retiring) but you Spite are one of those people that can. its great watching you grow and carve your own lane... keep up it up and LeTS GO!!!!

[@Ephem13]

Here is the answer I found. I have the Spirit with upgraded JBL 40mm. 90% I ride alone, for the times I don't, I showed my friends how to set up Discord on their phone. If you have cell signal, you are in range.

[@nulla9601]

8:56 When I was in the ambulance from a crash, we were all hearing music but no one knew where it was coming from. Turns out, my helmet was still playing music 😂

[@Snafu2346]

I ride alone and have no friends. So the old Cardo spirit works for me.

[@Chris-vq5vr]

That’s how I ride too brother. No shame in that! 👍

[@TheNinjamechanic1]

I’ve had my Cardo Freecom 1+ since 2019 and haven’t found a reason to get a different one yet.

[@spitescorner]

I always recommend that one for solo riders. It's got everything you'd want at a good price.

[@dylanpage4106]

$94 is still ridiculous to listen to music.

[@artwallace5925]

I'm still rolling with a 4 year old Freecom 4+

[@omgitsabloodyandroid5161]

The whole point of a bike is to NOT having to talk to anyone

[@Jagshemasher]

I bought a Packtalk Edge Duo Pack for around USD600 and they work very well. At the end of the day the main thing is you need to be able to talk to you riding buddies. Music and other stuff is a plus. I have found with the speakers that the position relative to your ear is absolutely critical. The speakers have to be perfect aligned with your ear canal and quite close also otherwise wind noise will get intrusive. The problem with all these systems is if you wear ear plugs for wind noise protection the sound gets significantly muted so the sound quality is not that great. Really what we need is helmets with liners that provided better sound insulation. I'm looking at experimenting with in-ear monitors. The Packtalk Edge battery life is pretty good - I've ridden all day (10-12 hours) and the battery is still okay.

[@BUGBYTE_]

I think its worth the price. But i really think just upgrading the main unit without all the rest of the parts should be an option. Especially if you're happy with the speakers you already have. They already sell the speakers and mount by itself for second helmets. Why not just sell the nain unit without all the extra? Something else people need to take into account when it comes to road noise is the actual helmet you have. Better insulated helmets will give different results than a Amazon knock off helmet.

[@killerdeviant]

I upgraded to the 45mm speakers and they were much thicker than the 40s. Make sure you have room for your ears!!

[@ScottsMotoAdventures]

Im not sure if the 45 mms will fit in the MX9. Good chance to show the interchangeable cradle. I also sometimes unplug the speakers and put in something like the Elgin Rukus earbuds.

[@Aaron_Ada]

I picked it up for the crash detection, and because I wanted a second unit for my daughter. I went with the pro instead of another edge because of the crash detection. I do think they should sell just the head unit. I agree the speakers ARE better, but not mindbogglingly so.

[@257796]

The price of electronics is supposed to come down year after year. Think of flat screen TVs. They seem to have it backwards

[@TwistedAnkles]

Can’t take this review seriously when buddy is sponsored by Cardo

[@spitescorner]

It wouldn't make a difference either way. If I had an amazon affiliate link I could still say good things about a bad product to get people to click on it. Lying to my audience is the quickest way to ruin my credibility, and making a few bucks on commission is not worth the long term damage. I only review products worth people's consideration.

[@Hoggdoc1946]

The secrete to good helmet audio is speaker placement. The speakers need to be on contact with the ear and centered around the ear opening. Otherwise you will loose volume and dynamics no matter what drivers you are using.

[@movingnaturefilms]

Fuck Cardo and Sena for their pricing. These units probably cost $20 to produce, if that. It should be $99 at best.

[@brendonfernandes2877]

They aren't running a charity and they don't sell millions of these to allow for low margins. I have tried a few much cheaper Chinese bluetooth communicators and they aren't even close in quality. Of course I ain't paying so much for a top of the line communicator as I mostly ride solo or with a single friend. I got a Cardo Freecom 2x for like 150 euro for a pair and I gave one to my friend. It's been 2 years now and they are working great. When they die ill stick with a Cardo only but yes ones on discount and not these top of the line models.

[@MotoMapperMe]

I ride solo most of the time, and some times when I don't, we don't have the same headset. So point of a comm is mostly to listen to music when I ride, with earplugs, so a basic comm with decent speaker work quite well.

[@roadkill8161]

i bought an intercom for $20 on amazon 2 years ago and its still going strong all seasons and all weather no sign of distress or wearing out. I just cant justify spending hundreds on a cardo

[@WeaponsArtist]

Hey Spite. Man, Cardo even hooked you up with the Cardo neck pillow, nice 😂 They better include that in their $350+ systems!

[@electrobob1]

It's adviced to wear hearing protection at 80Db+. It's likely these speakers are set to a lower dB because of hearing protection. On an open helmet (Aray Freeway with bubble screen riding a Griso) the turbulence is deafening and the speaker is of no use when velcroed to the inner shell. When the speaker is thickened up with additional layers of velcro and moved from the ear edge to the ear input, sitting against your ear volume can be reduced by half. With the aid of optoplastics (-30dB)near max volume is good for an estimated 50dB and useable for navigating close to a whisper db level. Keep in mind, moderate wind in an open field is approx 45dB so with heavy hearing protection 75dB speaker volume is marginal unless placed against your ear... Please put in your hearing protection and run the test again. You might notice the speaker pockets are placed wrong (both my AGV and Arai) in favor of the kin strap. One could seriously consider noise cancelling speakers for ear protection. Afer a trip, without earplugs at 70mph I hear a beep in my ears which is a sign for hearing loss. The additional specs of the Cardo are very interstesting but you might understand with -30dB ear protection the volume output of those speakers might be marginal for navigation not risking an expensive purshase. Because of this I purshased the cheap Twiins speakerset and placed this in my AGV full face helmet+ optoplastics for the Griso70+mph and the Aray open helmet and Beeline moto2 for the RE Classic350 (70-mph). An open face helmet on the Griso is deafening... Btw. I believe your vest is not abrassive protected and better sited for offroad. Looks cool! regards, Erik

[@ApexRadius]

Here's a potentially better option to the speakers: Use IEMs (in-ear-monitors) or wired earbuds and sell the speakers if you want to recoup some money. They plug right into the Cardo Edge/Bold/Black units (and I think any Cardo model). A decent but inexpensive set of IEMs sound good, actually provide pretty good hearing protection from wind and other noise, and allow you to use modest volume. They actually get way louder than you'll ever want but if you keep them at a reasonable volume, you should be able to hear outside sounds okay, too. A relatively good-fitting set of IEMs might be more comfortable than jamming speakers in some helmets. Your miliage may vary depending on your head and helmet. One catch: It may not be technically legal in your state/province/region to have both IEMs or earbuds in. II'll risk the ticket. I've had police encounters with IEMs or earbuds in and they've never even mentioned it. Again, your milieage may vary. EDIT: Second catch: one commenter has warned that low impedance headphones/IEMs could potentially shorten the life of the amp in the comms unit, however, Cardo says you can use their unit with "your favorite (wired) earbuds" via the 3.5mm jack. Sena usually has some kind of adapater available for theirs, too.

[@solidsnake2665]

Def appreciate swapping the speakers bro. I have owned an Edge for 2 years and always wanted to see the difference with the 45mm drivers. The clips comparing them all is awesome. I think I'm waiting for the PackTalk Pro 2 since the Edge does so well already. Also, Spite looking good! Nice man!

[@spitescorner]

Glad you liked that! I haven't seen anyone else talk about the speakers back to back before.

[@javierc2726]

Loudness sound quality

[@djakasha]

Just so you know, I really appreciate the level of effort you put into this video to make it so informative and interesting!

[@dillonvillon]

Yes. No reason they should be over $200. They probably have a 75% profit margin on them

[@rubenhasan1367]

First of all, for everyone with a newer iPhone, the crash detection isn’t needed since the phone already has it without needing cell connection, and second of all the bigger speaker don’t fit in a lot of helmets, as it is with mine.

[@jordanveigasmusic5931]

Low frequencies require more energy to oscillate thus the bigger the driver the better the low end . But music is about balance, and the mids are what bring about the balance, thus having a system that has the ability for low end is great as long as it does not compromise on the highs , this is what the neodymium magnets are great for on all these speakers , however the ability to eq these to your preference is tool that is much needed , as everyone's ears are different and so everyone's preferences differ, let me give you an example I owned a Bose that I spend 250 dollars on in the past , then I found a JBL for 30 dollars that sounded fantastic on every genre of music . It's a matter of preference , to combat that it's best for speakers to have a somewhat flat response so people can dial in the sound they like , this can help in active NRC technology , that can be used to eliminate any dangerous frequencies from the ambient and the wind , that can cause ear damage in the long run .

[@JA-zh5xi]

Me and all my friends run Cardo edges. Pro tip - forget all the lame speakers - get a decent pair of noise canceling ear buds and they will absolutely 1000% improve sound quality and noise reduction. It also protects your hearing if you’re riding loud bikes like we do.

[@mikeviener]

A thought from someone that crashed with a Cardo 5 days ago. A car cut me off doing a classic SMIDSY left turn, I got launched over the car and slammed my head down. My Cardo vanished, no idea where it went. SOS is probably not going to work then right? I feel like a lot of crashes that won't help much. But I guess I'd rather have it than not, I was too disoriented to use my phone but had plenty of witnesses to help me thankfully.

[@sahzookey]

Sorry about the wreck. I hope you're doing okay.

[@nowillnoway]

I'd guess in that scenario it'd be fairly good odds it'd still work - question is if it gets thrown out of bluetooth range of your phone or not, and bluetooth range these days is generally pretty good. Short of it ending up under water, or over the edge of a cliff or something, I'd imagine it'd stay connected in most crashes (also assuming it stays in enough of one piece to be functional).

[@amitdavidson3192]

The Crash detection works instantly once it recognized the crash. So the unit already send the warning while crushing!

[@mikeviener]

@@sahzookey doing well all things considered, thank you! Maybe just a fractured shin bone and sore all over otherwise. Good gear is worth every penny.

[@mikeviener]

@@nowillnoway thinking on this more, I will probably get one of these to replace the lost freecom 4x. I think you're right it would have kept working within Bluetooth range, also a good argument to keep your phone on your body and not on the bike. If I had crashed somewhere more remote without witnesses it would have taken me a while to call for help on my own, if I could at all

[@wheeltrouble]

No comms unit is worth more than my entire helmet, let alone stables of helmets!

[@spitescorner]

If you have multiple helmets that collectively add up to $450, you might want to invest in a nicer lid. You only get the one head.

[@wheeltrouble]

@@spitescorner mips and ece. They're fine. Z1r for street and Moose for my offroad/bmx. Even F9 is fine with the Z1R.

[@wheeltrouble]

Look, I get the simp, but face it. They was almost as much as an amp for a damn headset.

[@TheKP959]

@@wheeltrouble😊

[@angelusmortis3256]

@@wheeltrouble i can get a scar monoblock and 2 10s for the same price... highly overpriced...

[@dannypeck96]

honestly i just want them to come out with some good quality kit that will allow 2 riders (or in my case, rider and pillion) to have their own music going and cut out for voice comms. i don't need to be able to talk with 100 other riders, just my backpack.

[@alanhassall]

I am still using a Packtalk Bold. I gave up on the speakers because I wanted some noise protection and wearing ear plugs with the helmet speakers just made them sound muddy. I ended up going with in ear monitors with custom ear tips. I can ride with the volume at minimum and hear just fine. I started out using it just for music, podcasts and audiobooks, but have used it to communicate with my wife on the back of the bike. I could get by with a lower level unit without mesh. The new ones are too expensive for me. Helmets alone are dangerously loud on their own.

[@motomike71]

I have the Cardo 4x. The first one I had was lost, either stolen at a stop or fell off because it wasn’t tightly clipped. I had to buy a second one full kit. That one had one of its buttons go bad and I had never registered it so no warranty to take advantage of. So I had to buy a third full kit. So now I have two sets of speakers and mics sitting on the shelf unused. Would’ve been nice if I could have bought just the unit. Aha, but you can! Yet it’s only $10 less than the full kit :/

[@MadStryker187]

Interested in selling the speakers ?

[@chr00bs]

I run an Amazon freedconn unit, paid 60 bucks for it, have had it for two years, works well

[@Vorm17]

There are so many decent China models for prices that make sense... These Cardos are literally nuts in price. I've got some Fodsports that my family uses and they've been rock solid, connect right up without issue, and the speakers work fine. Got them for less than $100 for both. They've gone up in price by double since but they are still a way better value.

[@sqlb3rn]

I've had Bluetooth comms for 2 years, and I've used it exactly once to talk to another rider. I also took a phone call one time. The rest of the time it's just for playing music or podcasts

[@jmfreestuff73]

I have a £60/$76 Comms unit from Amazon. 4 way pack connectivity, Bluetooth and decent speakers. Not great but okay. Had mine for 2 years and used all year round for commuting.

[@sorenmelchior]

As I spend more time off road, than on… the crash detection would likely need a disable function for when I am on the trails. If this was available with a toggle “on/off” that could easily be switched when moving on and off the tarmac then the pro would make sense for me. They might even be able to achieve this with a firmware update? And a voice activation/deactivation feature for this would be super convenient.

[@Thelnferno]

GREAT COMPARISON!!! What audio profile from the Cardo app did you use?

[@BatuuBounder]

Soooo... 45mm speakers can be installed with the packtalk bold and slim. And the Detecht app can execute the same emergency crash contact response. And all for less than the pro...

[@thorstenmetalhead9666]

I do not have any need for crash detection in my intercom. Free smartphone apps do that for ages. And on a device that has a batterylife of over 10 hours I never had it dying on me even if I left it on at a stop. I do not need the Auto On/Of Feature. Just charge it every night befor a daytour.

[@asparceproton1]

The thing about increasing the size of drivers is that the area gets exponentially larger. 5mm doesn't sound like a lot, but it makes a massive difference. It's the same reason that the largest pizza you can order at a given place will always be better deal than a smaller pizza.

[@mikehimes4833]

Speaker placement is everything for good sound .. doesn’t matter if u have 60mm jbl’s if you don’t have them pretty much touching your ears your not gonna get good sound

[@mkoehler222]

Just wear ear plugs and you can turn it down to 3. We use the 50 dollar Moman which works just fine that way.

[@blandrooker6541]

My primary issue with bigger speakers is that I have big ears and wear glasses with very thin earpieces, and spending a huge amount of money on a pair of Flying Eyes with progressive lenses is out of the question. The pressure on the tops of my ears is unbearable. You can ream out only so much helmet with a Dremel before affecting safety in that area to make speakers fit without pain.

[@danb6497]

Vimoto for 100 bucks.. Rather good sound and noise canceling and the battery lasts forever. I was traveling for a couple of days (around 10 hours a day) with my comm system always on and it didn't die. And it's hard to forget about turning it off because of a giant blinking light. Sometimes I am looking at Cardo and Sena and I just don't see why I should change to those more expensive systems

[@slawomirkulinski]

bigger driver = more bass. e.g. Sony MDR-XB800 have 5cm driver and can do as low as 3Hz. I know it doesn't make sense for a helmet as BT can only go 10Hz but that extra 5mm driver size should do the trick.

[@cwroberts79]

Spite! You’ve lost weight. Looks great buddy. Keep it up. It’s worth the effort.

[@NTDang]

You should measure the loudness and set them to the same loudness. The graph is nice for like a sec and its cool if its available for the audiophiles, but your opinion of just how it sounds is more valuable

[@steppenwo1fsgl244]

Separate unit on its own is a great idea!!!!

[@TsnBanks]

if you have an emergency contact feature on your phone. set it up. people can use it to contact your emergency contacts without unlocking your phone. Luckily ive never had to use it in an emergency. But at my job I cant count how many lost phones ive returned to their owners by using this feature.

[@hagnbike]

The funny thing is, that I bought two cardo edge for 580 euro when it came out. Since then it has gotten more expensive and a single unit now is over 400 euro. That's pretty insane.

[@schrodingersmechanic7622]

Esp32 chips with wifi and Bluetooth are $3 each commercially. They're probably a tenth of that wholesale.Injection molded cases are a fraction of a penny. A small Lithium battery is under a dollar wholesale. There's no reason ANY comm set should cost more than $50.

[@brendonfernandes2877]

You get cheap Chinese ones but it's your luck if they last and forget about any sort of service.

[@jmc1771]

Thanks

[@bikegeist]

I'm using a cheap T Nicer T5 Plus. People who only look at Cardo or .....the other ones will be paying a lot for features that I don't find worth 10 times the price. The crash detection is a great idea, though.

[@duc_duc_hoon]

I'd buy it but.....I ride in the mountains, so no signal. My packtalk bold black came with the 45mm jbls so I still don't see a reason to upgrade. Damn good mouse trap.

[@spitescorner]

That's the rub, each one of their units is rock solid so it's hard to convince folks to upgrade.

[@OtterMachine]

Whitechapel hell yeah 🤘 Black Bear is such a groovy song. I've never had a communicator system for my helmet, I just use cheap $20 bluetooth in ears. I would love a Cardo one day though, probably their entry level

[@commiesarehorrible7622]

I ride with just a helmet. No comms

[@jdroth50]

Paradoxically, I found I like the way my 40mm JBL speakers sound more /with/ earplugs in vs without. I wouldn't mind it being a smidge louder, but it took away some of the distortion that comes with cranking tiny speakers to the max. Might pick up a set of the 45mm speakers a la carte now!

[@seanpelfrey4054]

I don’t know. Used a cardo for a while. Didn’t really make sense. When you got wind noise that can damage your hearing, then you crank up the volume to compensate. I was worried about hurting my hearing. So now I use plug fones from Walmart and really like em.

[@livius16]

Ported earplugs - cuts down the wind noise and lowers the db, can still hear the Cardo well 👍

[@rellisonii]

what is the best helmet speaker without coms? i ride alone 99% of the time and earbuds in helmet are just not comfortable.

[@SwampSurferPDX]

I switched out the speakers to a pair of wired JBL ear buds. So much better, but I have to position them just right or they become uncomfortable. It’s also a pain to remove my helmet (Arai XD-5) with them in place.

[@oldsalty3d122]

Yes I would like to have just the packtalk pro without the speakers. I already have the JBL 45s from an earlier pro model, I think it was the Paktalk Black special edition. So I don't need another set of those, just the Pro unit itself. You get Cardo to do that, then ill buy one. I already have an Edge using 45s.

[@marcusgeorge1825]

My now old Packtalk Edge Bold has the 45mm JBL speakers so no need for an upgrade unless they automatically adjust volume based upon speed.

[@TheCrazyBird844]

Pretty sure that’s a setting, I have a freecom 4+ that I understand is pretty old and mine does that.

[@Cthooligan]

I bought the JBL speaker add on for my Cardo Edge a few years back and still had distortion once maxed out. Nothing beats in-ear noise cancelling buds regardless of how big your drivers are.

[@spitescorner]

In ear noise cancelling buds don't protect your ears against road noise though. I wear earplugs with my speakers.

[@Cthooligan]

@@spitescorner Do they not? I've been rocking that setup for a few years now with no ill effects thus far. They even seem to work better than regular earplugs as far as noticing the road noise goes.

[@carlostonebanks]

What brand of buds? I have soundcore a40's and they do an incredible job of noise cancelling... when they stay seated. It really is remarkable. But they stick out enough that the helmet rubs them, displaces them, the seal is broken, and you get wind noise... and of course that means they'll fall off when you take your helmet off. And sadly, the built-in mic can't work either. I would love to find a noise cancelling ear bud + mic solution that worked inside a tight fitting helmet!

[@TheCrazyBird844]

@@spitescornerI wonder if there’s research on this, noise canceling headphones do attenuate the sound, and are particularly good at constant sounds like road noise. The problem I think is they’re only dropping 22 db, where earplugs are 30-40 and it’s not a linear scale.

[@Cthooligan]

@@carlostonebanks I use the latest gen Sony WF-1000XM5. Funny enough, the JBL speakers I put in the helmet actually act as a backplate/riser against the earbuds so they stay more firmly in my ear

[@theobviouschicken]

This isnt too expensive for what you get if you need it. But their music/phone only spirit is most certainly too expensive. I use a set of $30 AUD 40 mm speakers attached to a $20 dollar bluetooth receiver that is way smaller than packtalk ( enough room to put it inside the helmet! ) , for music and gps guidance. Dont need to answer calls. Video was excellent btw. Simple tests that we can understand and just enough nerdery for the nerds.

[@CageFreeTom]

Couple questions, I use ear plugs. Worth it getting a communicator with speakers since I use ear plugs? Also, that chin mount on bell mx-9, what one is that?

[@LiviuXSA]

a nice pair of wireless headphones is under 100$ and they work great for music and for riding. i use galaxy buds 2 they are amazing and dont hurt my ears under the helmet, they rock.

[@DirkBremerbremerd]

When it comes to speakers, I wonder why there seems to be no 45mm option for the 2nd Helmet Kit. I have 3 Helmets in regular use and I would go for an upgrade, but certainly not when I have to buy a 2nd Helmet Kit PLUS the 45mm speakers for €200 times two...

[@Thruxtonrider21]

With or without earplugs?

[@ryguy9341]

I got my Freecom 2x for $119 on sale a few years ago. Until it dies or breaks I am not buying another especially at that price!

[@DomGaskell]

A phrase us Brits like is "swings and roundabouts", implying it's a bit of this and a bit of that. Yes you have the improvements: personally I can see the auto on/off being a blessing and a curse (see: forgetting to turn off Cardo when you set your lid down), and yeah, from your testing, the speakers do sound nicer. I got my Bold when I first bought everything and it suits me, but it was £300 new (I think it was on sale for less? Can't remember). The pro is £400 all in (over $500), and I'm sorry, that's top-end, midlife crisis pricing. Being able to buy the unit or the speakers separately would certainly go a long way for riders looking to upgrade their existing setup, but I'm not replacing mine until it dies

[@richardjreidii]

Here’s my two cents: 99% of my riding is done alone. By it very nature motorcycling is an inherently solo activity. That means that for me, the communication features are affectively useless on a day-to-day basis. Sound quality, and ease of use are what sell me on the product. Cardo and Sena have both fallen a little short on both, for me. I ended up finding my solution with Syphon Sound Pro’s. Loud enough for me to hear not only my music but an audiobook on the highway on all of my bikes, and more importantly, having the best design controller I have ever encountered. I hated the buttons and the jog wheel on the Cardo. I always felt like they were designed by someone who wore very very thin gloves because they damn sure don’t feel like they’ve been designed for someone like myself with massive pork paw wearing heavy gloves. The Syphon has a big wheel and you twisted one way or the other to raise lower the volume twist and hold it to change the track anywhere in the middle to mute or resume or take a call. Incredibly intuitive and I have yet to screw it up over the course of about 20,000 miles of riding. Cardo and Sena both need to take a page out of their book when it comes to the control unit. When your product offers a separate controller amount to your handlebars, you know you fucked up.

[@brendonfernandes2877]

The Syphon costs about as much as a Freecom 2x and doesn't have any two way communication. I also mostly ride solo but I gifted a unit to my best friend so that when we ride we talk our heads off. Best investment I ever made. I don't know why you have an issue with the controls. I found the controls pretty easy and I always ride with full gauntlet gloves.

[@richardjreidii]

@@brendonfernandes2877 ultimately it may come down to the fact that I am neither graceful nor dexterous. I need big fat buttons. When I used Cardo, I had another Bluetooth device called chubby buttons that strapped my forearm that I would use to control my music.

[@4DMASTR]

I already have the Edge, and the 45mm speakers. I like the crash detction idea, and more than a few times have i found myself trying to watch a reel on my phone only to fund its still connected to my helmet in the garage 🙂 Definitely not going to spend $500 to add those 2 features though. A couple hundred for the head unit alone? Maybe?

[@thesubiedriver]

I would by a Packtalk Pro by itself right now but due to the price I find it hard to justify and will wait a couple years till it's time to buy another helmet.

[@cpuuk]

Still got the same dumb FM radio which is useless in the UK as the stations change frequency within a short distance (UK FM radio stations have a different Freq you need to tune into for any given region- no nationwide). Give me DAB at least. And I have 2 of things, luckily the bike to bike works good enough although that range hasn't increased in at least 5 years.

[@It_Is_I_I]

Oh damn, its nice to see another yiutube music user out there

[@1jfmurray]

Already have upgraded speakers on my Edge and crash detection on my iphone and watch.

[@livius16]

100% would consider buying just the communicator No way I’m buying a full kit for full price as an edge owner 👍

[@mattus1gig]

I wear 3M ear plugs while riding and can still hear music and phone calls on a £20 headset, plus it auto shuts off after a few minutes if nothing is being played. The battery is so big you can use it to charge something else. I can’t see why they charge so much for the same things? 🤷‍♂️

[@TheNielsAlmelo]

i had just bought a new helmet, and it was a pain finding a helmet that is not designed for Senna these days! I love my cardo, but helmet manufactorers are making it really hard. Ended up with a Scorpion EXO-1400 Carbon

[@akripper6248]

I wear a shark evo 1 two helmet and an cardo edge with the chin bar up and with ear plugs because wind noise and a slightly better speaker would be nice if I could just buy those, but to replace the edge I use (and love) for those 2 things and 5mm larger speakers at that price point doesn't seem worth it to me. The auto on/off should be something they could add to the edge in a software update and the crash detection sounds like it would use the accelerometers in the phone so maybe an app update. Also a comparison to more competitors products would have made this feel a lot less like an ad. Now I have to go fins this song.

[@SoDakTwisties]

I've had the JBL 40mm (Edge) and 45mm (PT Black) speakers and at speed I cannot tell the difference. I am not a legit audiophile, but I have quite good hearing. I can't imagine there are many solutions that'd satisfy a real audiophile at speed. That being said, with my custom molded ear plugs in, my PackTalk Edge with the 40mm speakers does quite good. I won't be making the change.

[@spitescorner]

Yeah, on the highway it's tough to tell the difference. It's there but its subtle. Speakers alone aren't worth the upgrade, but I like the crash detection a lot.

[@AussieTrucking]

I had the pactalk bold couldnt hear my mates bike. Now with the pro i can. The only complaint i have and its to do with the helmet more specifically. Its not all the way stuck on. i have the HJC RPHA 91 modular. Has a built in comms slot for sensa.. BOTH SIDES. i wish they didnt do that.

[@lp_6014]

Do the 45s still fit in the speaker cut out okay? Last I tried JBLs in SHOEI it was a tight fit

[@dougdoug7139]

I use wired earbuds, ( I use cheap skull candy ones. 10-15 bucks. Higher quality ones might be even better ), connected to the unit. This serves 2 purposes for me. Hearing protection,( Ish), and I could listen to music/People at a lower volume. I just could not understand when people talk or hear the music very well. I have found the units have gotten way overpriced for what most people use them for. The biggest group I have been in had maybe 4 people in it that I cared to listen to. Lol. Mostly Just one or two others, one being my pillion. The rest was just music.

[@beaulunawolf1198]

I already have the PackTalk Edge. Aside from the upgraded speakers, I see no reason why the existing Edge cannot be software updated to include at minimum the auto on/off feature. The crash detection I get may require some new hardware that's packed into the newer unit, but I even question that since it still requires a cell connection to function. Just my two cents, but I don't see a worthy upgrade here if you already have an Edge. Mine is only a year old at this point.

[@spitescorner]

I thought that too, but I don't know if the Edge has the same onboard sensors that the Pro does.

[@beaulunawolf1198]

@spitescorner You may be right, but for me, this upgrade they're pitching is like upgrading from a one year old flagship cellphone. It's in my opinion, a huge waste. I'm not against innovation, but this doesn't feel worthy of my money, especially when you consider most high-end cellphones have crash detection built in that you can enable.

[@Jonlyjo]

A bit disappointed that it doesn't also call emergency services when you go down and drop them the gps. Read the disclaimer that it only works in certain countries and tought those are the places compatible with such a system.

[@lateknights1]

I know I might have pretty high standards when it comes to headphones and audio quality in general, but those 40mm JBL sounded abysmal when I got my first Cardo. Like wtf, 20$ Koss ear clip headphones sound like pure heaven compared to those. And they‘re supposed to be the better ones that come with com systems?

[@busterfrith8898]

I never need the speakers as I use in ear monitors so I can actually hear comms and music. With noise reduction already included.

[@sqlb3rn]

If your IEM have low impedance you could shorten the life of the amp in the headset. The 45mm JBL speakers are 64 ohms. My Shure SE215 IEM are 20 ohms.

[@busterfrith8898]

@@sqlb3rn well that’s sucks but good to know. I’m using the same SE215 IEM

[@Bugside]

My Chinese $50 comms work just fine, thanks

[@dadbodmotomod5840]

I was looking for just the head unit last week. Not buying 4 whole new sets for all of our helmets.

[@sdot13tube]

Spite, why u talking about color? U bought the edge in the KTM wrap. I had to order mine specifically because no cycle gear stores had the KTM one in stock, they had the black ones that looks just like the PRO you just got.

[@warfo2100]

Whitechapel - black bear! Didn't know that Spite can go so hard 😊

[@qaqa84121]

I have an old and trusty cardo Q solo, it has survived a lot lol. from lots of rain to an accidental trip in the washing machine haha oops, 1 crash, and a stone hitting it at 110kph causing it to falloff my helmet and scrape against the ground. After all of that it still works with no issues it just don't look to pretty anymore. Cardo for life!! I would love to get a new one but i just can't get passed the price tags of the new ones. The cardo packtalk edge is $455.99CAD and the pro is $644.95CAD just way to much!

[@spitescorner]

DAMN, that's crazy that the Q Solo is still doing all these years later. Cardo reliability

[@Eviebor13]

Is there any talk about iphone’s crash detection?? I’ve already had a bad crash with my iphone and it called emergency services for me… not just an emergency contact. Also it will work without internet because of the iphone’s satellite emergency calling….. I feel like an edge with my iphone is all i need. If I want the 45’s I can buy those, but the only thing I would be interested in is the auto on/off…. That’s bot worth $150 to me

[@guitarfreak342]

I just wear my old galaxy buds while I ride. Great music quality, protects my ears from my exhaust noise, and I don't give a shit about talking while riding anyway for the most part. *Shrug*

[@AussieHavs]

Do they make a 2nd helmet kit for the Packtalk Pro? Edit: Never mind, I just got to the part of the video mentioning that it shares a mount with the Edge.

[@ADingoTookMyDasco]

The auto on/off feature is the game changer for me. There's been a few Mondays when I've picked up my commuter helmet to find that the headset's been on since Friday night. And it's a no brainer to just offer the new unit by itself at a cheaper price. It makes the barrier to upgrading so much lower & is much less of a hassle. Wiring up a helmet with new speakers and a mic is not my favorite job, especially as I've had to do it for a bunch of friends as well.

[@100100toxic]

That on/off feature is the only thing that caught my eye for that same reason you explained

[@festol1]

Still don't know why there is no bluetooth/corded headset that pairs with smartphone. Why the need to buy another gadget?