cardo which version?

[eyeguy]

My 26 yo son and I will be riding this fall where no cellular service is available. He has a cardo spirit hd. Looking for the most easy pairing each day and after each break/lunch break... Dont want to have to go through to many steps each time we hop on or if we get far enough apart to loose signal. Does intercom work with no cellular reception? Is it bluetooth i guess? 

1. Just add a cardo spirit hd for my helmet. I have nothing now. or

2. Buy a duo packtalk neo or edge?

Thanks, Dean

[Jesse]

You should be able to buy any of the kits listed and pair them with your son's Spirit HD.  You don't need cellular service for it to work but it's not long-distance communication it's a Bluetooth-type connection say line-of-sight use. 

[eyeguy]

I notice some say 1 mile range and others .4 miles. If all blue tooth its surprising it varies that much. With mesh of course it can leapfrog from front to back guy if a big group.

[eyeguy]

The self healing if we get separated and loose signal for a bit is kind of a big deal. Will the spirit hd do that? 

By self healing i mean pick up the other cardo signal and communication is back functional without a stop and re pairing of the devices.

Edited April 3 by eyeguy

[Liquidape]

1 hour ago, eyeguy said:

The self healing if we get separated and loose signal for a bit is kind of a big deal. Will the spirit hd do that? 

By self healing i mean pick up the other cardo signal and communication is back functional without a stop and re pairing of the devices.

It may or may not reconnect automatically depending upon how long you are separated.  But you won’t need to repair if it doesn’t automatically reconnect.  You would just hit the intercom button to restart the communication. 
Typically however, it should auto reconnect to the last used group members. Even after a restart. 
The Cardo website should have user manuals on line that you can read to confirm how all the functions of the various models work and what functions work across models. 
 

I’ve had a Cardo Packtalk Edge for a few years and like it a LOT more than the 4 previous Sena communication setups I’ve had. Better noise cancellation, better voice controls, better audio, and simple to set up and use. Have also gotten it to work with Sena systems but not as easily as with other Cardos. 

[random1781]

Cardo has two types of intercom, Bluetooth and their Dynamic Mesh Communication (DMC). Neither of these requires cellular reception, and once you do the initial pairing for either, you don't have to go through those steps again unless you unpair them. Bluetooth is universal, but DMC is a proprietary technology to Cardo that uses a different radio to connect headsets together.

 

DMC is noticeably better in terms of audio quality, range, and how quickly the headsets reestablish connection. The audio quality in particular is a massive improvement, it's like going from a phone call twenty years ago to a Facetime call. But regardless, DMC is their relatively new standard/baseline that they're building all their new devices around, so an Edge/Neo/Custom future-proofs you for a long time, and in a rare show of solidarity, it's compatible with Sena's mesh.

 

You will rarely if ever get the full range that any company advertises for any type of radio.

 

The only difference between the Edge and Neo is that the Edge magnetically indexes and snaps into the mount and I think has a longer warranty.

 

The Spirit is mainly for people who just want to Bluetooth to their phone for music/calls or maybe for comms between a rider and passenger. It's a huge jump in cost, but it sounds like you would probably appreciate the Packtalk.

[eyeguy]

Thanks for the responses guys! Now I know the spirit hd is an option just do I want to spend the extra $$ for the mesh and new features...?  Still not sure which way I want to go.

[Forza]

DMC for me was a game changer regarding audio quality, latency and range. Soooo much better than Bluetooth, however the people you connect to must have Cardo/DMC as well.

 

So if a duo pack Neo/Edge for you and your son is an option, you won't regret it.

 

(I've been using a Packtalk Slim for ~5 years now, works great!)

[eyeguy]

Decided the sound quality of the dynamic mesh was worth it. Went with the neo dual pack. Thanks to all for your help.

[motonap]

If you are one of those who need to listen to music when you ride, the recommendaton is to upgrade the speakers for better quality sound.

I personally found the iAsus X3 Sound speakers.