The Bottom Line
Pros
- Simple design with only two main buttons, two volume up/down buttons
- Unit easily slides in and out of holster without wires
- More talk time than you'll need, and great sound quality for voice conversations
Cons
- Volume buttons require high pressure, awkward reach to back of the unit
- No remote volume control available for wired MP3 player input, and thin sound quality with music
- FM radio is next to useless
Description
- Price: $395.99
- Bluetooth system includes cell phone & GPS pairing, helmet-to-helmet or rider-to-rider communication (up to 1,640 ft)
- Full duplex connection enables simultaneous talking & listening
- Allows wired connections to MP3 players or accessories
- Voice activated cell phone answering
- Speaker volume adjusts automatically based on ambient sound levels
- Up to 8 hour talk time, 10 day standby time; 3 hour recharge time
- Quick release system uses contact points, not wires
- Rain proof construction
- Built-in FM radio
Guide Review - Cardo Scala Rider Q2 Multiset Bluetooth Review
How did they perform? In short, rather well for most functions, and so-so for a few others.
Let me elaborate.
First off, installing the units is easy, and requires clamping or sticking a mounting piece to your helmet(s), and routing two earpiece speakers and a mic beneath the helmet liner. Unlike the Midland BT2 system which attaches to its base with a wire connector, the Cardos slide in and mate via a contact point. Very handy. The Cardos also use an ergonomically simpler setup; they have just two large function buttons and two volume selectors at the rear.
Mating to my BlackBerry 8830 was easy, as was establishing a bluetooth connection between two helmets. The Cardo units excel in functionality here; verbal sound quality is great, and battery life is excellent, with a claimed eight hours of talk time and ten days in standby mode (though I was unable to verify this firsthand.) The system can also be configured for up to three bike-to-bike connections. While a battery-saving measure doesn't initiate communication until a voice-activated sensor is triggered, an "always on" feature can be set by pushing the "MC button" that sits aft of the "CTRL button."
Less impressive is the Cardo's music functionality. For starters, hard wiring in an MP3 player forces you to abandon volume control. Unless you have a way to remotely adjust the volume of your iPod or MP3 player, you'll have to settle for whatever the output setting happens to be on your player-- which could leave you straining to hear quiet songs, and enduring punishingly high volume settings on others. Music sound quality feels a bit hollow, and the built-in FM receiver seems like a great idea on paper, but the tuner is almost incapable of pulling in a decent signal. Likewise, it's all too easy to accidentally boost the volume while seeking through radio frequencies, since the volume buttons also serve as up/down tuners. Incidentally, adjusting the volume requires more pressure than it should, though there is some automatic volume compensation built-in.
However, in the realm of helmet-to-helmet communications the Cardo Scala Rider Q2 Multisets satisfy with easy use and clear sound. They recharge using a small power cord that packs easily, and their waterproof construction offers peace of mind when the weather gets inclement. The Cardos do have their flaws, but with a retail price of around $400 these units offer a great way to communicate when you're putting on the miles.
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