Cardo Packtalk Bold Review - Music

[dern]

This is just a review for listening to music on one of these things, I haven't tried the coms. If I ever do I'll add to this.

I installed this thing in the scorpion exo-1400 lid I have and the installation was very easy, as was pairing with my iphone. I'm going to have to take the whole thing out though and reinstall it as installing it on the right hand side made sense while sat at home but the stupidity of this became apparent within ten minutes of riding... what a numbnuts.

I tried it at home with my usual laser light earplugs and the volume really wasn't great at all even at full blast. They are extremely effective earplugs for me though so I though I'd buy some other that allow some noise through and bought some AURITECH Biker Earplugs that are supposed to effectively reduce volume but allow you to hear the noises you want to hear.

So I rode to Lancaster and back with these over the weekend which is 400 miles in total and due to it being Lancaster meant riding through torrential rain on the M6 for an hour.

Anyway, I'm glad I bought it as having music on definitely made the 6 hour journey up (much filtering) and 4 hour journey back much more tolerable. I don't mind riding for that long on twisties but when you're staring at mile after mile of motorway it gets dull. You can hear the music pretty well and you don't have to have it so loud you'll knacker your hearing. That said if you ride much above the speed limit you'll find that the wind noise will start to get intrusive with those earplugs and it'll all start to get a bit irritating.

On balance a good system and far better combination with earplugs than 'isolating' earphones. I used to have some shure isolating headphones for the same journey and felt like I'd been shouted at for the duration and often had to take them out half way. This is nothing like that but if you like 'silence' and much reduced wind noise this isn't the answer.

The next time I go out I'll try the system with the laser light plugs and report back.

[MrLongbeard]

Thanks for that, wifey is looking at getting a bike soon so these are on a short list so she can nag at me whilst riding, I may stump up for the packtalk black for me with the larger JBL speakers.

[dern]

I looked at the larger speakers but found that the recesses that were in my helmet fitted the smaller ones and I wasn't prepared to carve out a bigger hole. If you have space the larger ones will probably be better.

[Rockburner]

I've got the older "Packtalk" unit and find that placing the speakers is really important. If they're not absolutely in line with your ears then the volume you get is greatly reduced.

In an Arai it's easy to move the speakers around in the padding because there isn't really a defined depression for the speaker to slot into. However in my new Shoei there is a depression for the speaker but I'm not convinced it's in the right place for me. So I'm getting a lower volume and struggle to hear anything anyone says. Never had that problem in the Arai

[ChrisW]

The next time I go out I'll try the system with the laser light plugs and report back.

If the new plugs don't cut it I can recommend Alpine Musicsafe Pro plugs - I've got a Cardo too (Packtalk Slim) and they work great with it.

[MrLongbeard]

However in my new Shoei there is a depression for the speaker but I'm not convinced it's in the right place for me.

I should be OK with my Shoei as the Sena I've got now is plenty loud enough I I don't imagine Cardo have any less volume.

[Rockburner]

However in my new Shoei there is a depression for the speaker but I'm not convinced it's in the right place for me.

I should be OK with my Shoei as the Sena I've got now is plenty loud enough I I don't imagine Cardo have any less volume.

I've also found that you need to have the phone itself at full volume.

[MrLongbeard]

However in my new Shoei there is a depression for the speaker but I'm not convinced it's in the right place for me.

I should be OK with my Shoei as the Sena I've got now is plenty loud enough I I don't imagine Cardo have any less volume.

I've also found that you need to have the phone itself at full volume.

That's true for any bluetooth connection

[Alan PBTD]

Just picked up a new Cardo PT ''Edge'' - initially it's very good - as my old PT had expired after 5 years ( battery and Bluetooth connection u/s. Going have a play with it tomorrow and then proper with a 5 day trip to Ireland over Jubilee BH weekend. Will see what it's like with the JBL speakers and my ear plugs ( with built in speakers ). Phone App works well.

Will be 6/ 7 others on trip with Packtalks so we'll see what happens.

[dern]

The only irritating thing to watch with these if you're using an iphone is that sometime when you stop for fuel and restart the iphone will have complained about the volume and dropped its volume to a 'safe' level. It's only a problem if you're listening to music or using it for calls/directions.

[dern]

I've started using these with standard foam earplugs. It's not as loud obviously but you can hear the music at much higher speeds and it sounds a lot more consistent. You do need more modern recordings though with some punch, quiet albums or audiobooks are a dead loss at motorway speeds.

[Taff]

I couldn't get on with the in helmet speakers and ear buds so I've been using Shure ear buds with my G9 for quite a few years for commuting and find them perfect for radio / podcasts at motorway speed.

[Dodgy69]

Bought the twin pack last December. I found it far too complicated, too much button sequencing and I forget which buttons do what.

Did work well connected to phone for navigation but connecting with another rider, always been shite. It would work a bit, stop a bit, interference, crackle and pop.

My mate bought the same set and he ain't happy either. Always used cheapos before and worked well, but they stopped working after about 3 years. So today they're being returned, SBS.

Now, I ain't paying silly money again and when the cash comes back, i think I'll try cardo again but the Spirit or Spirit HD. It's only me or me and one mate so don't need multi bike connections. Reviews seem good.

Cardo packtalk bold is now discontinued and reading some stories, no wonder.

[MrLongbeard]

Thanks for that, wifey is looking at getting a bike soon so these are on a short list so she can nag at me whilst riding, I may stump up for the packtalk black for me with the larger JBL speakers.

Well we went with the Cardo Packtalk Black's in the end, had em just shy of a year.
Surprisingly for music there is a touch less volume than the Senna I came from, but oddly the sound sort of fills the helmet and the Cardo sound better (using custom moulded earplugs) at any speed.

Connection is instant and flawless between units, sat nav and phones, if you walk out of range of a device it instantly reconnects, the 'self healing' mesh for chat comms works as advertised.

Buttons are a little small and fiddly, but I'm comparing to the Senna remote I could see on my handlebars so to be expected, it's a small issue though as the voice activated controls work perfectly 90% of the time, although they it does struggle on the M-Way

[Dodgy69]

Some folk do seem to have no probs. Bit hit and miss i reckon. The Spirit hd only has 600 metres range but that's fine with me, standard Spirit 400m. Most of our chat is pretty cozy and well within that.

Return label applied and new purchase imminent.

[Rockburner]

Some folk do seem to have no probs. Bit hit and miss i reckon. The Spirit hd only has 600 metres range but that's fine with me, standard Spirit 400m. Most of our chat is pretty cozy and well within that.

Return label applied and new purchase imminent.

Updating the software "can" help (sometimes they get something wrong and it doesn't, but mostly any update is an improvement*)





" Kinda like Microsoft Windows patches - sometimes they work, sometimes they cause a weeks worth of utter frustration.

[MrLongbeard]

The only problem I have is trying to get the wife to understand that it's VOX so one or two word answers don't work and I get nothing


Hmmmmmmm, maybe I should just drop the issue and not mention it again

[MrLongbeard]

Thanks for that, wifey is looking at getting a bike soon so these are on a short list so she can nag at me whilst riding, I may stump up for the packtalk black for me with the larger JBL speakers.

Well we went with the Cardo Packtalk Black's in the end, had em just shy of a year.
Surprisingly for music there is a touch less volume than the Senna I came from, but oddly the sound sort of fills the helmet and the Cardo sound better (using custom moulded earplugs) at any speed.

Connection is instant and flawless between units, sat nav and phones, if you walk out of range of a device it instantly reconnects, the 'self healing' mesh for chat comms works as advertised.

Buttons are a little small and fiddly, but I'm comparing to the Senna remote I could see on my handlebars so to be expected, it's a small issue though as the voice activated controls work perfectly 90% of the time, although they it does struggle on the M-Way

There's been an app and firmware update since I wrote that.
Definity more volume now, maybe a touch too much as it can distort at full volume, not so much a problem as knock it down a notch or 2 and it's still loud enough for speeds that'd cost you your license.

Found out the batteries are good too, a full week away with 3 odd hours riding a day, me with music playing her without and they didn't get a charge before getting back home.

[Rockburner]

Thanks for that, wifey is looking at getting a bike soon so these are on a short list so she can nag at me whilst riding, I may stump up for the packtalk black for me with the larger JBL speakers.

Well we went with the Cardo Packtalk Black's in the end, had em just shy of a year.
Surprisingly for music there is a touch less volume than the Senna I came from, but oddly the sound sort of fills the helmet and the Cardo sound better (using custom moulded earplugs) at any speed.

Connection is instant and flawless between units, sat nav and phones, if you walk out of range of a device it instantly reconnects, the 'self healing' mesh for chat comms works as advertised.

Buttons are a little small and fiddly, but I'm comparing to the Senna remote I could see on my handlebars so to be expected, it's a small issue though as the voice activated controls work perfectly 90% of the time, although they it does struggle on the M-Way

There's been an app and firmware update since I wrote that.
Definity more volume now, maybe a touch too much as it can distort at full volume, not so much a problem as knock it down a notch or 2 and it's still loud enough for speeds that'd cost you your license.

Found out the batteries are good too, a full week away with 3 odd hours riding a day, me with music playing her without and they didn't get a charge before getting back home.

Thanks for reminding me, I need to update ours before we go to France. Been meaning to check for updates all year.

[Dodgy69]

My packtalk bold went back. Stickon microphone didn't work, connecting to a mate didn't work. Was hoping for refund then buy something else, but they had it fixed and now working well, happy.