Any Cardo Packtalk Bold issues?

[DanY]

I have a 2016 RT Limited with the CB harness added. My buddy has the same year bike and CB harness. We also ride a lot with a 2018 Goldwing that uses the Sena 20s EVO headset as well as CB. CB has worked well for us over the years especially since my buddy and I bought the J&M Corp 801 series headsets for our Spyders. Far better than any other wired setup out there.

Fast forward, my Spyder buddy is awaiting delivery of a 2020 RT Limited which doesn't have the CB harness anymore. My Goldwing buddy isn't enamored with his Sena 20s EVO. Helmet speakers suck so he uses earbuds.

Since we are now having to switch to Bluetooth, we've been researching for the best headsets to use. None of us use the bike speakers, everything plays through helmet speakers or earbuds; phone, GPS and CB.

The more I look at it, it seems the Cardo Packtalk Bold with the JBL helmet speakers seem to check the boxes needed but it seems like the majority on the forum prefer the Sena.

Anybody that presently use the Cardo Packtalk have any issues with them? I know they are higher priced than some of the others but anything that reduces the frustration factor while riding is money well spent.

 

[timd35]

My wife and I use the Cardo Packtalk Bold with the JBL speakers. They have worked great for us and have had no issues with them. We connect them to our phones with no issues. The only thing my wife has noticed is the phone tends to disconnect / reconnect multiple times to the Cardo when she has the phone in her pocket. When it is in the holder on the handle bars it does not seem to happen. That is the only thing we have noticed. We like them.

 

[stevencovert]

We have the Freedom4 from Cardo, they are great. We also are thinking about the PackTalk, since they will re-connect and daisy chain. Please post your experience if you get them! They are pricey, so I'd like to see how other fair

 

[spyderbear]

We also have the Freedom4 great sound from the JBL speakers , only problem can't figure out how to send music to both driver and passenger and use intercom at same time .

 

[imfleck]

My wife and I communicate through our Sena's. We replaced the cheap speakers the Sena's came with and life has been grand since.

 

[Pirate looks at --]

I think you have hit on the right combination. They work great for us, and the ability to have other riders join in without having to pair them up every time will be great for you. The JBls really make a difference. The only issue we have is the controls are a bit clunky with two buttons that need to be used to turn off and on.

 

[wiggy1]

We use the cardo pack talk for the last two years. They have worked great for us. No CB but they do really well bike to bike within a half a mile line of sight. The DMC mode is excellent. I have looked at Bluetooth adaptors for handheld CB units, but haven’t bought one because the Bluetooth only supports two simultaneous connections which I use that for my GPS and phone.

 

[Hypurone]

Packtalk Slim JBL here and we absolutely LOVE them. Very low profile and bigger buttons which are hardly used because the voice commands are AWESOME!!

 

[Jsmith8695]

I have the freedom 2 for my wife and myself. It works well with the standard speakers (though limited to only 2 riders). Bought the extra mounting / speaker set for each of us so we can easily swap the units between our 3/4-full face helmets as needed. The Cardo units seem to score above the Sena units now.

 

[Arion]

My wife and I communicate through our Sena's. We replaced the cheap speakers the Sena's came with and life has been grand since.

What speakers did you replace the Sena ones with? I would very much like to do the same thing.

 

[imfleck]

Speakers: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006B486K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just ripped off the pieces that go around the ear. They fit in the helmet ear holes pretty well. You can use any speakers like those.
You'll also need:

Sena adapter: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DSOUFTG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Pirate looks at --]

The JBL speakers from Cardo should work with your Cena.

 

[DanY]

Well, I guess it's time to take the plunge. It seems the Packtalk Bold checks the boxes needed. I came over from owning a Wing for several years with a great sound system and CB. The migration to the Spyder has been a bit of a learning curve because the infotainment portion of the Wing, clear audio, great readable screen for GPS, and no-problems CB is far superior to the Spyder. Don't get me wrong, I love my Spyder and what it can do but there are always tradeoffs when changing machines.

I hope the Bold does what it is supposed to do. If so, I think I'll be happy.

 

[CentralCoastCA]

FYI, the Cardo does not work well with iPhones. Everything worked with Android, but not my iPhone X, so we went back to Sena’s within 2 months.

 

[Hypurone]

FYI, the Cardo does not work well with iPhones. Everything worked with Android, but not my iPhone X, so we went back to Sena’s within 2 months.

Not true... My wingman has a iPhone X and uses a Packtalk Slim JBL without issue... Maybe you needed to upgrade the firmware....

 

[timd35]

My wife has no issues with her iPhone X nor I with iPhone 8

 

[DanY]

I have an iphone 8.

Hope it works!!!!!!!!!

 

[dklehman]

i love my pack talk bold no issues.

 

[KX5062]

Not true... My wingman has a iPhone X and uses a Packtalk Slim JBL without issue... Maybe you needed to upgrade the firmware....

Sorry, it is true. For the Freecom 4, maybe not for the Packtalk, which is a different product and one I've never tried so I can't comment on it.

I also tried the Freecom 4+ and found many of the advertised features do not work with the iPhone, all newest and latest firmware updates. I called the Cardo tech assistance line and they told me that they will not ever be fully functional with Apple products because Apple doesn't share their programming information. All Android products are open source, so they will integrate as advertised.

 

[DanY]

I installed the PackTalk Slim as well as two of my buddies I ride quite a bit with. One buddy and myself have 2016 RTLs with CB installed and one rides a 2018 GW that has CB installed and used Sena 20s EVO in his helmet. All of us have iPhone 8 or higher.

OMG!!!! The DMC mesh communication is just flat out awesome. Clarity is great - like you're having a conversation in one's living room. After tweaking the mic position inside my Shoei helmet the Cardo voice command and Siri commands are 98.5% reliable, meaning I virtually never have to repeat myself giving commands. Your hands never have to leave the handlebars. My Goldwing buddy was very pleased promptly sold his and his wife's Sena units and replaced both with the PT Slim. He can communicate with us and also tie in to his CB to talk with other CB riders without any additional hardware.

Communication distance is probably 500-800 yards apart but double that with DMC mesh if three or more riders tied in the the group because you're daisy chained together. And it's self healing so if one person gets completely out of range, when he gets back within distance the communication is back as it was.

The other great thing is the upgraded JBL speakers are good enough to shed the earphones I needed with the Spyder infotainment system to hear well. My phone and the Garmin 660 are both tied to the PT Slim and can hear music from my phone and directions from the GPS very well.

I'm a happy camper now!