comparison advice

Hi Folks

I looking to buy a comms unit in the not too distant future, I'm looking for the usual music and phone, with the ability to do bike to bike as a later add on.

the Baerh stuff is meant to be best but I feel maybe too expensive, and the Starcomm stuff gets very mixed revues.

the realistic options are Autocomm kit 200 or Intaride EVO, So has anybody had experience of either of these units preferable a direct comparison.

So far my impression is

Intaride EVO
'phone' plugs are good
customer service is excellent
digital unit so can easily be upgraded
good value for money
there seemed to be some quality issues with early EVO units
unknown build quality, and reliability


Autocomm kit 200
'DIN' plugs seems an ackward method of connection if your where gloves
customer service is also excellent 'GSRich'
don't know about upgradeablity
they are the 'standard' in comms
value for money is subjective, consumables appear to be expensive compared to Intaride
known build quality and reliability

as far as I can tell sound quality is good for both units.

the CBR1000 and GSX1000 forums appear to do a discount deal with Intaride if you join either forum, I'm trying to find out what that discount is, see thread in in 'Beakchat'

any opinions on either unit would be helpful.

cheers

Roddy,
I must first admit to being an Autocom user for over 7 years.

You could of listen to the Autocom vs. Intaride comparison on the Autocom website - but of course Intaride have said that the comparison test is rubbish!

One difference between the systems is that the Autocom mike switches of completely when not in use - giving perfect silence. OTOH, this means that that you have to start a new communication with a key word such as "Hi" to re-activate the microphone - one soon gets used to this. . The noise cancelling function when the mike is open is also excellent
On the other systems, the microphone is permanently open giving a small amount of background noise, but you don't need to use a key word, as the pillion will hear whatever is said.

The other technology issue is that the Autocom has sidetone as standard (this is where you can hear your own voice through the headset when you are talking - rather than as an echo in the helmet).

I personally would not be without these two features.

The Autocom gear is sold worldwide and they try to over-engineer everything for the sake of robustness and to avoid customer returns from, for example, American dealers. It is maybe a little more expensive.

The Kit 200 is new unit and Autocom don't change for changes sake. .

I have only ever used Autocom so can only give you my experience of their comm's and to be honest it's about the best thing since 'sliced bread' BUT depending on what you need it for and what equipment you are going to attach, if your planning on connecting a Zumo gps, then try to go for an older unit than the 200, that way all the audio from the GPS isn't trying to go thro one plug into the Autocom.

Jacal,

Did you get your Autocom/Zumo/phone sorted during the factory visit or have you decided not to go? What was up with your configuration?

No mate, 'it's the same as it ever was' as for a 280 miler, that would get me to Paris and I would rather go there

As for the fault or whatever you call it, I think there's too much going down one bloody line for it to work right so I've resigned myself to the fact 'it ain't going to work'.......BUGGER IT, everything else works.

And the Zumo gets better the more I use it......We'll impressed!

Well folks, I ended up with the Intaride EVO unit mainly as I managed to get a used unit for a knock down price saving nearly 90 quid on a new unit. so that made my choice for me.

we'll see how it goes but preliminary test appears to be good, just need to find a wee nook on the bike to put it

cheers