My daughter and her hubby just bought two brand new Triumph scramblers and are wanting advice on some bluetooth communicators. I advised them to check out this thread. After reading most of it, it appears that the majority of posts favor the Cardo. They likely won't be doing any group rides and will only need to be talking to each other, as well as being connected to their cell phones and a Zumo. Any recommendations? Cost is not an issue for them.
While I'm at it, and not to hijack this thread, they also need to buy at least one GPS for duty in the mountains of the Seattle area. Any recommendations?
As I've said earlier, the 20S works well in this setting. After you pair the two units(*), one of you taps the big knob and you can chat away. Adding a phone takes a few steps, including telling the phone to accept the 20S. Adding the GPS is about the same as adding the phone (+)
One big warning about phones and GPS'. At least my Zumo 660 does not have a volume control in Bluetooth mode. It's going to blast away at 100%. Turn down the GPS, and the phone will be too faint. This is not Sena's fault - blame Apple, Samsung, whoever, and Garmin. I have recommended a built in sound mixer but have heard nothing back but crickets. My "fix" is a combination of music and Maps/Waze/Kurviger. I use the 660 as a general "moving map" that I can zoom in and out. Garmin's routing has made some amazing mistakes. I use it only if all else fails. With nothing coming from the 660, all phone volume issues are moot.
FWIW, I read the Cardo manual for
Packtalk Bold and I'm surprised at the similarities between the Bold and the
https://www.sena.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/UsersGuide_Sena_20S_v1.3_en_20141121.pdf. The biggest differences are voice processing and DMC. I don't have any complaints about 20S sound; usually it's a mic in the wind, or too far from the user. Given no helmet is quiet so plugs are needed (or buds), past some point, sound quality is overwhelmed by noise and plugs. IMHO it's a push. DMC versus 8 (or 9 if you follow Sena's logic on the matter) riders is a hands down winner. But for two-up or two or three riders, I see it as overkill.
Voice commands... compare the Cardo voice command table with the 20S table, and the commands are very close. Sena has three speed dial numbers, Cardo has one. Cardo has "Hey Siri", Sena doesn't. "OK Google" works but at least my Samsung was sometimes challenged to sort out the difference between OK Google for Google Assistant and Google Maps. Probably the biggest significant difference is "Hey Cardo" works all the time. Once the 20S is out of standby, "Hello Sena" doesn't get the 20S' attention. Tap the button on the bottom of the mount and... "say a command". There's an option to just tap the mount with a stiff finger to get "say a command". About the third or fourth time this happens by accident, be glad to know one of the options (use either the Sena app or built-in option changing mode) is to kill that response. Dead. Very dead. Tapping the button works fine after getting a bit of muscle memory.
AFAIK, Cardo doesn't have one IMHO very useful feature: ambient sound. That is, tap the button on the mount twice, and a built-in mic brings in whatever's going around you. Pull up to a gas pump and pop the button. Now if someone comes up to you and says "my uncle just died", you won't nod your head, smile, and say "you and your uncle have a nice ride, too." It's good for those moments where the gas attendant says, "New Jersey law says I have to pump for you - cash or credit". Just remember to turn it off before rolling again. The air noise will remind you, though... oh my yes it will...
As discussed above, sidetone is a deal-breaker for me. For some people, it's something they don't want. It's a toss-up here, but the 20S sidetone can be turned off and on.
"There's an app for that" of course. Pre-load speed dial, FM channels, and tweak the settings. It's all there. I assume Cardo has an app, too.
I'll be interested to hear your friends' reaction to Cardo v. Sena.
DISCLAIMER: I don't work for Sena or Cardo, I have no skin in the game beyond owning an SMH-10 and a 20S.
(*) Both riders push in on their big knob (AKA Jog Dial) until each rider hears "intercom pairing" and the LED on each unit turns red and blinks rapidly..
One rider (either rider can do it) pushes their big knob
once. The LED's will turn blue shortly after that and you'll hear the other rider. If the process doesn't "take", get to intercom pairing (both riders), and hold the big knob down a little longer. The process needs to be completed in a minute or less.
After pairing is complete, it is not required again, unless a new unit is added.
After that, when one or both units are turned off and turned back on, hold the big knob down for a second. The connection will be restored. Hold the big knob for two seconds and the connection is broken.
(+)Push the small, vertical button (AKA Phone Button) on the back off the 20S until "phone pairing" and multiple beeps are heard. The LED's will alternate between red and blue. On the phone, use settings (gear thing) to connections to Bluetooth. There should be a list of connections the phone knows about - radios, speakers, etc. Look for a new device, Sena 20S v1.7.7 (current version number). Tap it to start the phone pairing process. The phone may ask to confirm a PIN 0000. Choose whatever makes the phone happy. At the end of the process, the 20S will say "your headset is paired". Easy-peasy. When the 20S is turned on and the phone is on, you'll hear "phone connected" followed by "media connected". The first is (surprise) the telephone connection, the second is tunes, etc. Two units cannot connect directly to the phone. After three minutes, the 20S returns to standby. Start from holding down the phone button.
Adding the GPS: Go the Bluetooth connection screen on your GPS to avoid searching for it later. Hold the big button down for 6 seconds followed by the phone button for two seconds. You'll hear "second mobile phone pairing". Push the phone button, again, for two seconds. You'll hear "GPS pairing". Look for (new) devices on the GPS' Bluetooth page and select Sena 20S v1.7.7. Again you'll see PIN 0000. Do whatever the GPS wants to make it happy. The process ends with "You headset is paired". IIRC you'll hear "GPS connected" when the GPS is on and the 20S is turned on. After three minutes, the 20S returns to standby. Start from holding down the big button.
EDIT: Establishing an intercom instructions changed from "a couple of seconds" to "a second".
