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[porthole]

The Cardo can pair to a BT phone, BT GPS and I think 1 additional BT, plus the primary and secondary headsets.

The unit is mono with two speakers. I believe the speakers are really made to work well with spoken "voice. Not sure how well they would work with music.

As Bob said there will be options, there should be a mini jack option on the headset fairly soon, which would be a relatively "light" upgrade. The main brain is removable from the headset.

[Garznhogs]

Curious, when your using the bluetooth connection to interocm and if you get out of range, do you have to re-pair the two devices? or will they they do this on there own?

Sorry for the delay Gordy, but Porthole answered the way I would have anyway. Yes, it was Bluetooth, and I don't remember being out of range at any time.  The only problem we had on our maiden voyage with the Q2 was finding the buttons with gloves on, which became easier by the minute, and then remembering what you were supposed to do with the buttons. We only got about 100 miles on the set, and then the wife went in for minor hand surgery, so no riding for couple of weeks.
With the little we've used 'em, I love 'em!  I have the Nolan N42(?) N-comm that I bought for the communications, but ended up with the Q2 because it works with any helmet and had more features and more range.
I'm glad we got the Q2... now if we could just ride and USE them...
:-Jerry

[BIGDOG]

Sorry for the delay in reporting back on how the Q2 works. Finley got a chance to use them and they work great! I had a bit of trouble getting them set up for voice activation in that when I would talk normal nothing would connect. Found that you need to shout fairly loud to make them hook up , then you can talk normal. the other option is to push the mike button when you want it on and push it again when you want it off. As long as the mike sleeve is just touching your lips the volume is great. We separated about a city block and still were able to communicate. on a scale of 1 to 10 I give them a 9.5. Will be interesting to see how the work on our trip to California.

[sportygordy]

Sorry for the delay in reporting back on how the Q2 works. Finley got a chance to use them and they work great! I had a bit of trouble getting them set up for voice activation in that when I would talk normal nothing would connect. Found that you need to shout fairly loud to make them hook up , then you can talk normal. the other option is to push the mike button when you want it on and push it again when you want it off. As long as the mike sleeve is just touching your lips the volume is great. We separated about a city block and still were able to communicate. on a scale of 1 to 10 I give them a 9.5. Will be interesting to see how the work on our trip to California.

Hey BigDog,,

thanks for the Q2 update. Don't know if your are aware but Harley discontinued their Bluetooth module, so many of us including me are looking for alternatives. Since my wife and i ride our own, bike to bike communications is top on my list. Your 9.5 rating is pretty darn good. Did you measure both ease of operation and voice quality? I'm assuming you were happy at freeway speeds? Also does the paring mode between bike-to-bike and cell phone and or GPS happen hands free? In other words once you pair everything, does the system switch between devices automatically?
thanks for your input.. real helpfull. At least for me.

[porthole]

Hey BigDog,,

thanks for the Q2 update. Don't know if your are aware but Harley discontinued their Bluetooth module, so many of us including me are looking for alternatives. Since my wife and i ride our own, bike to bike communications is top on my list. Your 9.5 rating is pretty darn good. Did you measure both ease of operation and voice quality? I'm assuming you were happy at freeway speeds? Also does the paring mode between bike-to-bike and cell phone and or GPS happen hands free? In other words once you pair everything, does the system switch between devices automatically?
thanks for your input.. real helpfull. At least for me.

Yes to all.

On occasion you might have to initiate pairing with your cell phone etc. For the most part though the phone stays paired while in range. The intercom units will "re-pair" to each other if the range is great enough that they stopped working (over 1/4 mile typical)

They seem to take a little longer to re-connect when you go out of range then when first turning on, but it really is no big deal.

As to opening the vox circuit, I found that when you want to talk just have the foam from the boom mike just touching your lip, this seems to open up the circuit with just a "hey" or calling the name of the other rider just slightly louder then normal conversation.

The units do not work that great on 1/2 helmets, the boom mike is not really long enough to reach your mouth and the speakers need to be close to your ears.

I have used a 1/2 helmet successfully, but as you exceed 50 mph it does not work quite as well.

[sawyerghost]

I have used the Chatterbox system with R.K. Classic, before going to the SEUC.
Was very pleased.
They have several models, so make sure to get the best which is what I used.
Range was better than our C.B.'s on Ultra's

If interested, I can inquire if my friend has the system that I sold him, he also has since purchased a new Ultra.

[BIGDOG]

We have used the Q2's more and I have got to say I am very happy. They seem to pick up road noise and stay on allot , but no big deal. we do have to speak loud to switch them on even with the mike touching our lips. I had some confusion with talk to activate or push button to talk , but we were making it harder than it needed to be ,just watch flashing lights when turning on. Sound quality is very good ,easy to hear what is being said. I highly recommend ,it has been nice to give a heads up when need be or just to point out something we see. We are using them on 3/4 helmets ,I can see how a 1/2 helmet would be a challenge.

[porthole]

I noticed mine would kick on once in awhile with wind noise too, not a big deal though. Make sure you have the mic facing the right way too. I know there is a piece of tape that faces you mouth, but .... pull the sponge off and look at the mic, you can see a difference. And it makes a difference - go ahead - ask me how I know!

[SCRM-R]

Here is another review of the Q2's.  I've been using them on 3/4 helmets with flip-up shield for about two months now.
* Bike to bike range is every bit as good as they say it is...maybe even better.  When in sight of each other, we get about 1/2 mile apart before they drop out.

* Sound quality is mono, and is marginal at best.  I ride a road king, so there might be more wind noise than on a full dresser, but above about 65 mph it is very difficult to hear what is said.  At about 75 mph they become virtually useless.

* At highway speeds the wind noise keeps them on almost all the time, which renders the FM radio virtually useless, since the intercom interrupts the radio.

Summary: As a rider to passenger intercom they are pretty good.  Also pretty good as a bike to bike intercom.  Don't get them for the radio...you will be disappointed.  I don't have bluetooth on my GPS (yet!), so I haven't tried that.  I'd give them a 7 out of 10 on the functions that I have been able to test.

[porthole]

Here is another review of the Q2's.  I've been using them on 3/4 helmets with flip-up shield for about two months now.
* Bike to bike range is every bit as good as they say it is...maybe even better.  When in sight of each other, we get about 1/2 mile apart before they drop out.

* Sound quality is mono, and is marginal at best.  I ride a road king, so there might be more wind noise than on a full dresser, but above about 65 mph it is very difficult to hear what is said.  At about 75 mph they become virtually useless.

* At highway speeds the wind noise keeps them on almost all the time, which renders the FM radio virtually useless, since the intercom interrupts the radio.

Summary: As a rider to passenger intercom they are pretty good.  Also pretty good as a bike to bike intercom.  Don't get them for the radio...you will be disappointed.  I don't have bluetooth on my GPS (yet!), so I haven't tried that.  I'd give them a 7 out of 10 on the functions that I have been able to test.

I have found, depending on your helmet, that speaker placement is critical. My helmet fits very close to me ears and I have had to play with the adjustment to get proper sound levels. Once the speaker is in the right place I have no problem hearing the intercom at any speed. Granted, I have only tried this with my full face (I reported earlier on the 1/2 helmet). On my setup full volume is too loud at any speed.

I think the speakers were designed for voice quality, and at that I think work very well. The FM radio is useless in my opinion though.

[SCRM-R]

I have found, depending on your helmet, that speaker placement is critical. My helmet fits very close to me ears and I have had to play with the adjustment to get proper sound levels. Once the speaker is in the right place I have no problem hearing the intercom at any speed. Granted, I have only tried this with my full face (I reported earlier on the 1/2 helmet). On my setup full volume is too loud at any speed.
I think the speakers were designed for voice quality, and at that I think work very well. The FM radio is useless in my opinion though.

And on mine, wind noise in the helmet is such that I have to keep the volume on high to hear well.  Absolutely agree about the radio.  I don't listen to it anyway, but my wife is disappointed...she was looking forward to the radio.  Oh well, it's worth it just for the intercom...and the bluetooth for GPS if it works at least as well as the intercom.

[BIGDOG]

And on mine, wind noise in the helmet is such that I have to keep the volume on high to hear well.  Absolutely agree about the radio.  I don't listen to it anyway, but my wife is disappointed...she was looking forward to the radio.  Oh well, it's worth it just for the intercom...and the bluetooth for GPS if it works at least as well as the intercom.

If you switch from voice activated to manual [ just push mic. button ] the raido should work for her.

[SCRM-R]

If you switch from voice activated to manual [ just push mic. button ] the raido should work for her.

Good idea!  I'll see if she likes it in manual talk mode...Maybe she won't talk as much if it's manual

[tlr]

I just bought the Cardo Q2 for my trip to the 105th.  Same issue as others as I have a 1/2 helmet.  I was thinking of soldering some wire to the board inside the unit and connect a female plug that would connect to my ear buds (Shure 530's).  has anyone tried something like this.  The Shure's are 36 ohm and the Q2's are something around 8 ohm.  does this matter.  Thanks all.

[porthole]

....and the bluetooth for GPS if it works at least as well as the intercom.

The bluetooth for the phone works excellent.