Joybringer
Registered user
Not sure if this is the right place, but if a Mod wants to move it (I can't find an alternative home for it) please do.
Having acquired my 660 two or three weeks ago, and having previously used both a Quest and a 2610 with an Autocom, I wanted to find an affordable, easy-to-use wireless solution, preferably with some kind of bike-to-bike comms, even though I ride alone most of the time, and when I do ride with someone, they don't have comms!!
As anyone with an Autocom knows, it has more cabling than the National Grid.
Before the Zumo arrived, I bought a Parrot SK4000 bike-specific Bluetooth handsfree telephone headset, and fitted to my an Arai Tour X.
Excuse the homosexual helmet in this stock picture...
This comes with a wireless, handlebar mounted remote control (that's not actual-size in the picture
), FM radio, and the best quality music rendition from an MP3 I have ever heard from an in-helmet solution. The mic is good for easy telephone calls up to 70 or more, and the voice activated dialling and call-ending features are great. I don't make or receive that many calls, but it's extremely handy to listen to good quality music rendition. It even has Equalizer options!
Anyhow, whilst a good unit, and very well made, I overlooked one thing. It didn't say it connected with a GPS
So, back to the drawing board...
When I finally ordered my 660, I added the Scala Rider Q2, thinking it would solve all my connectivity problems, and give me the bike-to-bike comms I thought I would need.
The numbers were optional extras...
So, out came the Parrot (the Parrot is no more, the Parrot is deceased, etc etc) and in went the Scala. But before I fitted it, I wanted to be able to use my Ultimate Ears custom moulded monitors. A quick call and £25 quid later, they lopped off the Scala speakers and added a 3.5mm inline socket for me to attach my lovely monitors...
(I needed the monitor cable repaired under warranty, so took advantage of that, and asked for the cable to be considerably shortened. Very helpful and customer-friendly service, btw.)
It took just over a week to return all the bits to me, and I set aside some quality time for me to be alone with my helmet and Zumo...
Well, there were only two words to describe the quality of the Scala Rider Q2's finish, fitting, and that all-important sound-quality...
SHITE
and
SHITE
Whilst all the functionality seemed to be there, the quality of music, voice instructions from the Zumo, and the FM radio, was/is absolutely dire.
The mic quality wasn't as good as the Parrot's (as reported by people I called with it), and I just can't explain how bad the sound was. And it was MONO!
Good grief, Penfold. 'kin MONO?? In the 21st Century??
What a waste of money. I was stuck with over £240 worth of electronics - one giving me everything I wanted, but shite quality, and one where I'd have all the phone and music functionality I wanted, but no connectivity to the Garmin. Bugger.
Or so I thought...
Breaking a long-standing personal mantra of 'fix the feckin' thing yerself, yer don't need feckin' pansy Support or a feckin Manual, yer feckin' poof' I called the lovely man at Parrot.
He pointed out that there was a secret way of connecting the Parrot to the Garmin Zumo. Ah Ha! A funny handshake and a rolled-up trouser leg later, I was in!!!
So, I tried it, and it worked! Hurrah.
It loses some of the functionality, such as voice dialling and voice answering/rejecting calls, but I can live with that. As I said, I don't have that many calls, so it's more of a nice-to-have. Just being able to hear quality MP3 music and GPS instructions are my priorities when making that oh-so-long trip to Sainsbugs. Of course, the Parrot doesn't have bike-to-bike comms, which is a minor irritation for me. Oh, well. I'll just have to shout. Or phone them. 
Having fiddled and faffed with the in-helmet speakers, I thought about sending it all back to Ultimate Ears again to have the speakers looped off, so I can save my hearing from the Arai's atrocious wind noise levels, but then thought; why not have a go myself??
So, £25 later on all the soldering irons, solder, socket, shrink tubing and stuff at Maplins, yielded the following result!
Farkin' luvverly.
I get GPS, MP3, FM radio, all in lovely booming, bassy, STEREO! I can have a party in my head and no-one knows! It's funfeckintastic. Really.
To sum up - DON'T buy the Scala Rider Q2, unless you are a deaf, one-eared gadget-freak.
The Parrot SK4000 is ideal for a reliable, quality, Bluetooth solution for GPS navigation instructions and MP3 music. I use the Zumo as an MP3 player, but you can use others. The Parrot will also work with the 550.
Off for a lie down now, after all this typing.
Yoy
FOOTNOTE: I've since reattached the Scala's speakers, and the sound quality is still shite. So it's inherrent in the design and nothing to do with any mods etc. I'm stuck with a useless bit of kit. Oh, well.
Having acquired my 660 two or three weeks ago, and having previously used both a Quest and a 2610 with an Autocom, I wanted to find an affordable, easy-to-use wireless solution, preferably with some kind of bike-to-bike comms, even though I ride alone most of the time, and when I do ride with someone, they don't have comms!!
As anyone with an Autocom knows, it has more cabling than the National Grid.
Before the Zumo arrived, I bought a Parrot SK4000 bike-specific Bluetooth handsfree telephone headset, and fitted to my an Arai Tour X.
Excuse the homosexual helmet in this stock picture...
This comes with a wireless, handlebar mounted remote control (that's not actual-size in the picture
), FM radio, and the best quality music rendition from an MP3 I have ever heard from an in-helmet solution. The mic is good for easy telephone calls up to 70 or more, and the voice activated dialling and call-ending features are great. I don't make or receive that many calls, but it's extremely handy to listen to good quality music rendition. It even has Equalizer options!Anyhow, whilst a good unit, and very well made, I overlooked one thing. It didn't say it connected with a GPS
So, back to the drawing board...
When I finally ordered my 660, I added the Scala Rider Q2, thinking it would solve all my connectivity problems, and give me the bike-to-bike comms I thought I would need.
The numbers were optional extras...
So, out came the Parrot (the Parrot is no more, the Parrot is deceased, etc etc) and in went the Scala. But before I fitted it, I wanted to be able to use my Ultimate Ears custom moulded monitors. A quick call and £25 quid later, they lopped off the Scala speakers and added a 3.5mm inline socket for me to attach my lovely monitors...
(I needed the monitor cable repaired under warranty, so took advantage of that, and asked for the cable to be considerably shortened. Very helpful and customer-friendly service, btw.)
It took just over a week to return all the bits to me, and I set aside some quality time for me to be alone with my helmet and Zumo...
Well, there were only two words to describe the quality of the Scala Rider Q2's finish, fitting, and that all-important sound-quality...
SHITE
and
SHITE
Whilst all the functionality seemed to be there, the quality of music, voice instructions from the Zumo, and the FM radio, was/is absolutely dire.
The mic quality wasn't as good as the Parrot's (as reported by people I called with it), and I just can't explain how bad the sound was. And it was MONO!
Good grief, Penfold. 'kin MONO?? In the 21st Century??
What a waste of money. I was stuck with over £240 worth of electronics - one giving me everything I wanted, but shite quality, and one where I'd have all the phone and music functionality I wanted, but no connectivity to the Garmin. Bugger.
Or so I thought...
Breaking a long-standing personal mantra of 'fix the feckin' thing yerself, yer don't need feckin' pansy Support or a feckin Manual, yer feckin' poof' I called the lovely man at Parrot.
He pointed out that there was a secret way of connecting the Parrot to the Garmin Zumo. Ah Ha! A funny handshake and a rolled-up trouser leg later, I was in!!!
So, I tried it, and it worked! Hurrah.
It loses some of the functionality, such as voice dialling and voice answering/rejecting calls, but I can live with that. As I said, I don't have that many calls, so it's more of a nice-to-have. Just being able to hear quality MP3 music and GPS instructions are my priorities when making that oh-so-long trip to Sainsbugs
. Of course, the Parrot doesn't have bike-to-bike comms, which is a minor irritation for me. Oh, well. I'll just have to shout. Or phone them. Having fiddled and faffed with the in-helmet speakers, I thought about sending it all back to Ultimate Ears again to have the speakers looped off, so I can save my hearing from the Arai's atrocious wind noise levels, but then thought; why not have a go myself??
So, £25 later on all the soldering irons, solder, socket, shrink tubing and stuff at Maplins, yielded the following result!
Farkin' luvverly.
I get GPS, MP3, FM radio, all in lovely booming, bassy, STEREO! I can have a party in my head and no-one knows! It's funfeckintastic. Really.
To sum up - DON'T buy the Scala Rider Q2, unless you are a deaf, one-eared gadget-freak.
The Parrot SK4000 is ideal for a reliable, quality, Bluetooth solution for GPS navigation instructions and MP3 music. I use the Zumo as an MP3 player, but you can use others. The Parrot will also work with the 550.
Off for a lie down now, after all this typing.
Yoy
FOOTNOTE: I've since reattached the Scala's speakers, and the sound quality is still shite. So it's inherrent in the design and nothing to do with any mods etc. I'm stuck with a useless bit of kit. Oh, well.
