Best Intercom for Arai Helemts - Cardo or Sena?

V2 TRV

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I am looking for the best intercom to use with an Arai helmet. I had initially looked at Sena integrated on Shoei GR Air but the glasses channel on the Shoei makes it a non starter so back to Arai it is.

As far as I can see there aren’t neat solutions as per above for the Arai so iI’m considering a Cardo 4+ or a Sena 10V2. Both appear quite bulky compared to the above but it looks like that’s as good as it’s gonna get.

Has anyone any experience of the above 2 systems?

Cheers for any tips.
 
Main question Trev: Are you using it, or see yourself using it for bike-bike comms on holidays etc?

If not - there are perhaps no overriding reasons to differentiate.

You can buy a good S/H Cardo G4/G9 for £60 upwards, that will BT connect to other equipment/phone - the module sticks/clamps to the LHS of the helmet at the lower edge, but in practice isn't much of an inconvenience and I have never had any problem with aerodynamics.
 
I have the sena 20S on my arai it works well

My pal has the integrated sena on his shoei it does not work so well in as much as it is more limited to the number of other units it can link to the range is not as good and nor is battery life

I know it is on a Shoei but it is the same system just a different shape for different helmet
 
Hi Al

Main usage is for FM on my commute as well as phone calls. I would do a couple of trips a year with my brother so that's as far as usage goes.

Trev
 
Hi Al

Main usage is for FM on my commute as well as phone calls. I would do a couple of trips a year with my brother so that's as far as usage goes.

Trev

I had a Cardo Q1 and now a Cardo packtalk slim and both have rubbish FM radios (tried all over the UK and Europe). I now just use a radio app on my phone and stream to the headset.
 
I have the Cards Scala Packtalk on my Arai Tour X4 and am very happy with it. I also have a Schubert C3Pro with the integrated system (relegated to commuting as its getting on a bit).
I was worried about having the Packtalk fitted on the outside (after a fully integrated system) but I can safely say after about a year of use you don't feel it there. I agree they can look a bit 'obvious' but, in my opinion, cause not ill effects what so ever.
I love the Packtalk. the quality and volume is brilliant (on all bluetooth devices you need to spend time moving the speakers around to get the best results) and it is waterproof unlike a lot of the competition.
 
Hi Al

Main usage is for FM on my commute as well as phone calls. I would do a couple of trips a year with my brother so that's as far as usage goes.

Trev

Can’t advise on FM reception/quality on the Cardo - I chopped off the ear pads and fitted a stereo jack. BUT - the FM antenna runs in one of the speaker supply wires. Something to keep in mind.

You may be able to set up your phone to play FM and also auto-answer for calls?
 
Trev, I’m now using the Scala Freecom in my Arai lids. I got the single kit, then bought their audio kit to fit to my other Arai so I can swop the main unit between helmets. The FM is pretty decent and the actual unit on the side of the helmet is quite slimline and much less bulky than others I looked at. So far, I’m very pleased with my choice.
 
Both are shit. Get an Interphone.
 
Trev, I’m now using the Scala Freecom in my Arai lids. I got the single kit, then bought their audio kit to fit to my other Arai so I can swop the main unit between helmets. The FM is pretty decent and the actual unit on the side of the helmet is quite slimline and much less bulky than others I looked at. So far, I’m very pleased with my choice.

Cheers Davy
 
I’ve had two Interphones....both disappointing with connectivity and battery life being poor. They’d run out of puff before a long day in the saddle would be complete. I then had the Uclear which was a great item, long battery life, never dropped out but poor water resistance and both got drowned (the first one was replaced under warranty after water ingress, the second died this year, again death by water). The Scala seems totally waterproof and so far so good.
 
I'm certain others will have a different view but this was my experience with Packtalk Slim and Tour X4.

This is my first communication unit ever. So I have no reference to compare too however, I did a fair bit of research, reading reviews and watching youtube videos of which there are many that promote it as a top rated item….and some that suggest it isn’t quite that. It certainly wasn’t the cheapest at £412 for a duel set but I decided to come off the fence and picked PT Slim.

Apart from the reviews I settled on this unit because it was unobtrusive on the outside of the helmet, voice controlled (in part), waterproof, simple to use and connected to your phone via the Cardo app.

The unit was fairly easy to fit to my Arai Tour X4 and after I’d set mine up with a firmware update I sat in the living with my hat on and using the ‘app’ phoned my wife in the kitchen…the sound was excellent. Not that I bought it to do so I played a few tunes and the voice controls all seemed to work at advertised too. So far so good. The next day I went for a ride and used the telephone and music function again. At slow speeds (30-40mph) it was no problem to hear/communicate but at 60 -70mph it was a struggle to hear anything.

Perhaps I could move the JBL speakers around and it would be better. I tried and it wasn’t.

Perhaps I could adjust the audio settings and that would make things clearer. It didn’t.

Even at full volume it was a struggle to hear when travelling at anything above 60mph but maybe they're all like that!

I normally wear earplugs when riding but even at the lower speeds with the highest volume level it was still difficult to hear and even without earplugs it was a competition between road noise, wind noise and the speakers. I wear a helmet size that actually fits properly and my hearing is fine so that was a little disappointing.

I returned home and then tried to pair it with my wife's helmet to test the intercom. No joy. The instructions were fairly straight forward but it simply didn’t seem to work very well at all. It really should be this difficult should it!

I tried connecting them back up to the Cardo Community (the place where you can link the units via your computer and then make adjustments) to see if there were some alternative settings. However, neither unit was now recognised by Cardo. Strange I thought….maybe I was tired or the internet was playing up so I put my new toys down to return the next day.

Refreshed and keen once more I tried connecting the intercom function….nope, nothing, zilch, nada. Bugger.

I tried connecting them to the ‘community’ again and still they were not recognised.

I know ... Factory reset - control alt delete …..standard operating procedure right. Wrong….nope, nothing, zilch, nada. Double bugger!

I emailed Cardo and unexpectedly received an email back within a few hours stating that the ‘community’ was no longer used and that all adjustments were done via the ‘app’. A bit strange as the ‘community’ remains active and nothing on Cardo pages state this. Not to worry. I connected one device to the app…..nope, nothing, zilch, nada. I tried the other device….and you know what’s coming….triple bugger!

So now neither device connects to the ‘community’ or the app rendering me unable to make any further adjustments to any of the settings.

Maybe they were faulty units but it really shouldn’t be this difficult and in any event the sound quality was poor and not as expected at all but thankfully returned to Amazon for full refund.

So back to the drawing board.
 
Cardo Updater

I emailed Cardo and unexpectedly received an email back within a few hours stating that the ‘community’ was no longer used to update Packtalk and Freecom units and that all adjustments were done via the ‘app’. A bit strange as the ‘community’ remains active (but is still relevant for earlier units such as my Q1) and nothing on Cardo pages state this (registered Cardo users should have received an e-mail to this effect). Not to worry. I connected one device to the app…..nope, nothing, zilch, nada. I tried the other device….and you know what’s coming….triple bugger!

Comments added to Bart 1664's post - helpful I hope.

I know why I am still using a wired system for touring ;). My first attempt at BT rider-pillion was rather unsuccessful, but I'm going to give it another try.
 
Thanks Beemerboy.

The email I received back from Cardo never stated/mentioned any of your observations :nenau

But as I said....it really shouldn't have been that difficult.

:thumb2
 
Hi Al

Main usage is for FM on my commute as well as phone calls. I would do a couple of trips a year with my brother so that's as far as usage goes.

Trev

I purchased the 20s evo for my Arai last year, I am happy with the fitment of the unit & its performance. However, the FM is extremely poor in operation, although I am not a big fan of music on the bike. I think most people would return the unit, being close to £200 it is not really acceptable.
 
Ive got a Sena 30K

It could be a lot better ..

The mic is over sensitive, and keeps trying to intercom, mesh , whaterver if you have your visor up at all.

Voice commands dont work.

You can shout "hey sena" and i mean "feckin scream hey sena" and thats a feckin naf statement if ever there was one ..., and it does sod all

Burp, and its trying to activate every command in its aresenal ffs

earbits need driving hard to hear them through plugs & wind noise , which in turn meand the much touted super long battery life is halved
 


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