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Cardo or Sena?

Thanks, I just checked into it. Too bad you need to buy direct from Cardo, and the discount is off of full retail. I have a price from a friend that has a shop and online store. His price is within a few dollars of the MOA discount from Cardo.

Can’t really have manufacturers undermine dealers. I have found it very typical to have direct specials close to dealer specials. Sorta has to be.
OM
 
So… maybe this is an important factor for your consideration:

As it turns out, the Sena 50 [really] isn’t waterproof… while the Cardo Pactalk Black is.

I got caught out in the rain on the MSF range last weekend, so I put the headset away in the charging pocket. The headset seemed to be fine on and after the ride home when we were caught in another squall, so I plugged it into its charger.

The next morning, I came back to the charger, and found the headset was extremely hot to the touch, and the USB C connector had started to deform.

Looking inside, it’s clear that the battery had failed overnight, clearly from the battery becoming wet.

I’ve owned my 50s for almost exactly one year. I’ll try to see if I can get a replacement, and report back either way, but I’m nearly certain my money is sunk.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have found comments on the Sena and not being water resistant and the Cardo Packtalk being much better in that regards.

I have a J&M CB radio on the bike, but it is giving me some problems and it is probably getting replaced with a Cardo Packtalk.
 
Follow-On: I’m getting full replacement, apparently!

The Sena Online Support Chat was awesome, and there was zero issues with asking for a replacement. They just wanted pics of the damage.

Sena has a 2-year warranty, and apparently this is covered… I forgot to ask if they are designed to be ‘waterproof’ as the Cardo claim, however.



One other thing I should mention about the Sena: I have nasty tinnitus, and so rely on my in-ear custom-formed ear plugs to save my hearing. Luckily, I was able to order them with good headphones molded in, so I can both keep out unwanted pressure waves, and pipe in good music.

The 50s and 30s use the Sena universal modular base, which has a killer-app feature: a headset Jack.

Their other killer-app feature for me is that those headsets are separable from my helmet, and so charging is a breeze.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Follow-On: I’m getting full replacement, apparently!

The Sena Online Support Chat was awesome, and there was zero issues with asking for a replacement. They just wanted pics of the damage.

Sena has a 2-year warranty, and apparently this is covered… I forgot to ask if they are designed to be ‘waterproof’ as the Cardo claim, however.



One other thing I should mention about the Sena: I have nasty tinnitus, and so rely on my in-ear custom-formed ear plugs to save my hearing. Luckily, I was able to order them with good headphones molded in, so I can both keep out unwanted pressure waves, and pipe in good music.

The 50s and 30s use the Sena universal modular base, which has a killer-app feature: a headset Jack.

Their other killer-app feature for me is that those headsets are separable from my helmet, and so charging is a breeze.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The Cardo Speaker lead has a standard 3mm jack which you can easily plug your headset into.
The Cardo is also easily removable from the headset mount for charging.
The Cardo IS Waterproof
 
Cardo and slightly off topic

I tried out Sena a couple years ago and now running two Packtalk bold on my RT.

The off topic portion is we are always struggling with comms on racing sailboats. The pactalk bold holds up to a Pounding in salt water ocean conditions for what its worth
 
Motorrad in Germany recently did a very comprehensive test on bluetooth comm units which included the top of the line Cardo and Sena units. They even dunk test the units.

https://www.motorradonline.de/zubeh...st-kommunikationssysteme-fuer-motorradfahrer/

The Google English translation is pretty decent. I was surprised to see the Sena 50s come out on top. I have one because my wife's comm unit in her Schuberth. I have actually been very pleased with the 50s. Audio quality is great, there are no glitches, no water intrusion, and the automatic firmware updates via the dongle is great. I have been through a few deluges with the unit and have had no problem. When I first got the unit, there were glitches, but they have disappeared with the updates. I have never used a Cardo so I can't speak to how it compares, but I am very satisfied with the 50s.
 
I had the Sena 20S and now the Cardo Packtalk Bold. Hands down the Cardo is better. The 20S never quite did the music-intercom swap very well. And it would drop riders in the group all the time. Maybe newer Senas are better. The Cardo uses Dynamic Mesh Communication vs Bluetooth for communication.
 
I had a pair of Sena 20s headsets - my pillion and I were riding in the rain when she screamed at me PULL OVER AND GET THIS HEADSET OFF OF ME!!!!
Water intrusion caused it to repeat "Say a command.. ..... CANCEL...." over and over at full volume.

Yanked them off hte helmets and got Cardo PackTalk Bold w/JBLs and haven't looked back.

Sena even said the 20s was water RESISTANT - Cardo on the other hand shows them running inside a container of water at motorcycle shows (back pre-covid anyway LOL)

Dave
 
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