VIDEO: Phoenix9 and Andy Review the Cardo Systems Scala Rider G4
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How much?
When i use my Q 2 i have had great results with it. On the 3000 mile trip Mark refered to, mine worked great with no speaker issues at all. Is it worth the upgrade when the one i have seems to work fine?
Mark are the speakers just much louder?
When i use my Q 2 i have had great results with it. On the 3000 mile trip Mark refered to, mine worked great with no speaker issues at all. Is it worth the upgrade when the one i have seems to work fine?
Mark are the speakers just much louder?
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Compared to the Q2 I had, the G4 seems to have a better sound quality.
Like Phoenix9 stated in the video, on the Q2, I had to have the speaker in an exact spot to hear it. With the G4, this is not an issue.
The prices are around $220 for a single unit or $350 for matched pair (Powerset).
Like Phoenix9 stated in the video, on the Q2, I had to have the speaker in an exact spot to hear it. With the G4, this is not an issue.
The prices are around $220 for a single unit or $350 for matched pair (Powerset).
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Neither of you said how much distance you did get before losing connectivity, but having used this system myself and in the Great Smoky Mtns, I can tell you two things. First, you really need both antennas up. Second, the advertised range of "up to 1 mile" is overly optimistic, but you should get about 1/2 mile even on winding mountain roads. At least that was my experience this past May. And again, having an antenna down will affect performance - ask me how I know.
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Don I mostly agree, but when we had the pair on the way to the keys last year it was real nice communicating a few things. Needs to stop etc. And in the rain it was good to know when you lost sight of the other, they were still there and uptight.dsjr70 said:
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Be Careful DSJR...dsjr70 said:
I could be bringing the Camcorder your way in the near future!
To answer some of the questions:
We had two disconnects while riding. I'm not sure why, but all of a sudden, the intercom sound went silent. (I don't think Phoenix9 was giving me the Silent Treatment!). The individual units had to be re-started or reset to begin communicating. When the disconnects happened, we were within sight range of each other.
There's a chance there could be a firmware update for the modules and to be perfectly honest, I didn't check to see if there was prior to heading to Colorado. One of the good things about the G4 is that you don't need to send it in to have the firmware upgraded... just connect it to a computer with the included USB cable and go to the factory site.
The only time we intentionally attempted to check out the range was at the end of the ride when Phoenix peeled off to the Hotel and I continued on to return the rental. We heard some static and then it was one of those "Can You Hear Me Now" moments...and we couldn't.
As stated in the video, his antenna was up and my was not as my helmet cam mount was in the way. So, that might have fixed this situation.
After a lifetime of reviewing products, it's difficult to properly evaluate anything after a single days usage as many times the issues can be related to the user. But I can say that the sound quality seemed to be superior to the Q2. When we were connected (which was during the vast majority of the ride) the sound quality was excellent. Yes, we were jabbering back and forth and YES, Phoenix could get a word in edge-wise! Since both of us were in unfamiliar territory, we were basically marveling at the scenery.
Since we had a tour guide, we weren't paying as much attention to where we were going, just having fun that we were going onwards and upwards!
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Dean,Clubford00 said:
The speakers are just plain clearer.
If I had the Q2, would I get rid of it to upgrade to the G4? No.
If I didn't have any intercom system would I pay the extra $100 or so bucks for the G4 multi-set? Absolutely. It is worth the extra cash but not worth sh-t-canning the Q2.
Also, if you regularly rode with a group of riders it does give you the ability to link more than 2 riders together. Obviously, Andy and I could not test that as there were only 2 units.
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Okay, my first serious question on this topic... Since going back to a bike without a stereo I really miss it. I tried earbuds(and different versions)but I really dont like riding with two things stuck in my ear. When I road with one ear bud in I lost the stereo sound and it sounded like I was missing half the song. These Cardo units mount to the helmet and no part of it actually sticks in your ear, correct? Also, I am not sure if it was Mark or Andy mention stereo sound. Are there two earpieces with this or one that is capable of stereo sound?
Don
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Don,dsjr70 said:
The G4 has 2 speakers that mount via velcro pads into the liner of your helmet. The 2 speakers give you stereo sound that is significantly improved compared to the Q2. Andy was listening to music in his helmet so I'll leave the sound quality to him. If you are interested in an intercom system that will also double as a radio or MP3 player this would be my choice. The other thing I like about the Cardo system is how easy it has been to pair the unit to other devices. I will be testing the pairing of the G4 to my Q2 here in the next week and I am hoping that it will be as easy as I expect.
The G4 (and the Q2) will not mount to a half helmet...you will need either a full face helmet or a 3/4 helmet and they are very easy to install. I uninstalled my Q2 and installed the G4 in less than 10 minutes...Very simple. 2 Allen bolts to clamp it to the helmet, put the speakers in, then hide the wires between the liner and the shell.
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Thanks Mark, not really interested in the intercom but like that it can be paired up easily with my phone so I can get some tunes. All the stereo only product I have seen go inside your ear and I hate that feeling plus with my limited hearing ability I dont feel safe with something jammed in my ear.phoenix9 said:
Don
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$323.95 per set if still avail.:Clubford00 said:
http://www.powersportsuperstore.com/Scala-Rider-G4-POWERSET-p/tr21-0094.htm
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I know you are not a big intercom fan, but it really is a feature that is pretty damn useful. When I'm riding I just want to look around and ride, but the ability to communicate is nice.
Remember on our ride when you left the side zipper down on your travel bag and you almost lost your stuff? I saw it but couldn't tell you about it....and it is nice on longer trips to make decisions on a route, or when to stop, or if you are riding in city traffic and you get separated by a light. Not gonna fill up my ride talking, but the ability to communicate is helpful.
Remember on our ride when you left the side zipper down on your travel bag and you almost lost your stuff? I saw it but couldn't tell you about it....and it is nice on longer trips to make decisions on a route, or when to stop, or if you are riding in city traffic and you get separated by a light. Not gonna fill up my ride talking, but the ability to communicate is helpful.
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