Cardo & Sena Communicators

[globalrider]

The thought never crossed my mind, but if you are riding in a group of 2 or more riders where some have a Sena and others have a Cardo, can they all communicate with each other no matter which system they have?

And since my Shoei Neotec is now 7 years old, I might consider buying a new Shoei, possibly a GT Air II this time that takes a Sena SRL2 Communication System. I talked to my friend who has one and before I dump a bunch of money into another Sena, I asked how useable it was at 75 mph. Not at all according to him but good till 50 mph and if you are lucky, 60 mph. BTW, I also wear foam ear plugs...all the time.

Speaker options that are plug 'n play?

And does anyone have that particular helmet and communication system?

Purpose: GPS, music and radio. I do not use it with my cell phone to yap unless I can call up music from it.

 

[gan1hck]

Shoei Neotec II

I have a Shoei Neotec II with the SENA system. I just finished a ride from Huntsville, AL to Las Vegas and back on my R1250GSA.

I spent a fair amount of time cruising at 80 mph, and the system worked fine for music, calls, and navigation.

I was wearing Earpeace ear plugs with the red inserts.

 

[bigjohnsd]

The answer to your question

if you are riding in a group of 2 or more riders where some have a Sena and others have a Cardo, can they all communicate with each other no matter which system they have?

is It Depends

It all depends upon the combination of the various communicators. Cardo's latest generation communicators have the ability to pair with most if not all Sena communicators using their Blue Tooth pairing mode.

Cardo intercom systems come with universal connectivity.
It will pair with any other Bluetooth communication system by Cardo or by other leading brands.
With Midland, Uclear and Sena latest generations communicators, the Bluetooth pairing will be identical as pairing to another Cardo unit.

In order to pair your unit with a non-Cardo headset please do the following:

Start intercom pairing on your unit (please refer to your pocket guide or user manual on how to do it)
On the other unit start universal pairing(if supported) or mobile phone pairing(if universal pairing is not supported)
Wait For the pairing to complete

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTEpjU7tdVM

There are ways to bring Sena Communicators into a Cardo Mesh group through "Bridging".
The unit acting as the bridge needs to be a gen2 Packtalk (Edge, Neo, Custom) but the Cardo DMC mesh group can be comprised of any Cardo DMC headset, so Packtalk Bold, Black, Slim, etc. can all be part of the conversation, they just can't act as the bridge unit.

 

[globalrider]

I have a Shoei Neotec II with the SENA system.

I have the Shoei Neotec with the Sena 10R meant for the helmet. The speakers are in the speaker pockets as they are meant to be and they are useless. I have gone over this before in the past. The Sena on my helmet is just for show.

Where are your speakers mounted and are they installed as per the Sena instructions or did you relocate them?

I was wearing Earpeace ear plugs with the red inserts.

Would those be the Moto Pro model?

 

[globalrider]

The answer to your question is It Depends

Cardo's latest generation communicators have the ability to pair with most if not all Sena communicators using their Blue Tooth pairing mode.

I meant bike to bike, not rider to passenger. BT is good for 10m or 33 feet.

 

[Paul_F]

I have a GT Air II (even quieter than my GT Air I) with the Sena SRL2 Communication System. I also always wear ear earplugs. The music from the phone is very listenable, including classical music. There are times that I would prefer the top volume to be a bit louder. On extremely gusty rides, the wind is too much to enjoy music. I take calls from my wife and communication is absolutely crystal clear in both directions. I have not hooked up with other riders so I have no input with bike to bike communications. I find the up volume easy to adjust but my fingers seem to fumble with the down volume control.

Why are you switching from the Neotec to the GT Air II? I have read that the latest version of the Neotec is very quiet.

 

[brownie0486]

My brother and I have run Cardo PT Bolds for 3 years now with the larger JBL headsets. Crystal clear communications, he listens to his phone music, I'm using an mp3. I've connected with other Cardo's on group rides, but not been able to connect to my Sena 20s with any success [ need to upgrade to the edge which I'm considering presently.

Our cardos can stay connected for a distance of about 1/2 mile line of sight straight road best scenario conditions. I can listen to the music at 80 well enough, just need to raise the screen a little to keep the wind noise from interfering at that speed.

 

[globalrider]

Why are you switching from the Neotec to the GT Air II? I have read that the latest version of the Neotec is very quiet.

Thanks for the feedback.

I have always used a one-piece helmet and my 2016 Shoei Neotec is my first long term flip-up (had a Schuberth C2 for a few months). My friend that I was riding with last month has the Shoei GT Air II. A flip-up has more open edges to generate turbulence and noise.The best thing is to drop by my local shop, have a look at them and try both of them for fit. I believe the Shoei Neotec is coming out with a new model.

If helmets were quiet, none of us would be wearing ear plugs. I gotta love reading about "quiet" in magazine reviews; the journalists must all be deaf.

 

[globalrider]

Our cardos can stay connected for a distance of about 1/2 mile line of sight...

That is plenty and I do not need the Cardo or Sena advertized distances that they claim. Besides, I'll slow down for them to catch up.

I am way out of touch on the latest tech (WTF is mesh, etc) as I am not into listening into someone blab on these things as I ride mostly alone. Just want my Navigator V giving me instructions and some relaxing music the odd time.

 

[Paul_F]

Thanks for the feedback.

A flip-up has more open edges to generate turbulence and noise. The best thing is to drop by my local shop, have a look at them and try both of them for fit.

Had a Schuberth flip up back at the turn of the century; much too noisy for me.

I ordered GT Air II from a shop in the Toronto area as there were none available locally. Once trying it on, I had to order a different set of cheek pads to get the right fit.

Two different shops in the past twenty or so years allowed me to not only try helmets for the fit, but also allowed me to ride with prospective helmets to test for noise levels. I wish more shops would permit that

 

[globalrider]

I ordered GT Air II from a shop in the Toronto area as there were none available locally. Once trying it on, I had to order a different set of cheek pads to get the right fit.

Did the cheek pads come from Shoei? BTW, GP Bikes?

Two different shops in the past twenty or so years allowed me to not only try helmets for the fit, but also allowed me to ride with prospective helmets to test for noise levels. I wish more shops would permit that

I wish more of them did that along with trying out communicators. The $300+ I spent on the Sena 10R I'd sooner spend on gas.

 

[bigjohnsd]

I meant bike to bike, not rider to passenger. BT is good for 10m or 33 feet.

This is Bike to Bike - My experience with BT Intercom is that bike to bike ranges approach 1KM/.5 Mile, the "Mesh" systems have a little bit better range.

You are correct that Phone BT pairing has a very short range. The communicator systems are different.

Your friend is correct about effective communication at speeds using speakers and earplugs. My solution has been to use FUZE custom molded Earplugs with integral speakers - https://earfuze.com/collections/all-products/products/short-fuze-short-cord?variant=7541891530803 they work for me reducing wind and mechanical noise while providing great communication.

 

[globalrider]

This is Bike to Bike - My experience with BT Intercom is that bike to bike ranges approach 1KM/.5 Mile, the "Mesh" systems have a little bit better range.

You are correct that Phone BT pairing has a very short range. The communicator systems are different.

News to me. I am going to have to read up on this (Mesh) and also check some YouTube videos. I have all winter to do so.

For example using BT, all I know is my BM2 battery monitor on my vehicles has a very short BT range...about 33 feet in free air to my mobile app but from where I want to monitor it all from within my home, impossible due to home walls and steel hoods. If I am going to stand next to my vehicles to monitor voltage, I might as well pop the hood and use a DMM. Another useless gimmick!

Your friend is correct about effective communication at speeds using speakers and earplugs. My solution has been to use FUZE custom molded Earplugs with integral speakers - https://earfuze.com/collections/all-products/products/short-fuze-short-cord?variant=7541891530803 they work for me reducing wind and mechanical noise while providing great communication.

That would be the best solution but I assume those are wired and not BT (I see that they are wired). I've looked at BT ear buds but they are made for people that are walking with no background noise attenuation.

This would be my second and last attempt at communicators. They just need to make them louder to overcome the ear plug attenuation.

Thanks for all the feedback & comments.

 

[gan1hck]

I have the Shoei Neotec with the Sena 10R meant for the helmet. The speakers are in the speaker pockets as they are meant to be and they are useless. I have gone over this before in the past. The Sena on my helmet is just for show.

Where are your speakers mounted and are they installed as per the Sena instructions or did you relocate them?




Would those be the Moto Pro model?

Speakers in standard location...and yes...moto pro model

 

[bkkjack]

You should have no issues pairing with other brand communicators. I ran a Cardo for a time in an HJC and was able to connect to my two buddies Sena units with universal intercom pairing.

I had a GT Air II with the Sena SRL2 comms and had no issue hearing music when "cruising" in the 85+ range. Just make sure you select audio boost in the settings. I got another GT Air II, because I wanted to and got the SRL Mesh for it. Even with the audio boost selected, I couldn't hear anything above about 75 mph. So, I got another SRL2 to put into it, and I'm back to being able to hear my music on my commute.

Mesh technology basically makes every node (helmet comm) on a network a repeater. For example, you have 3 riders in a group spread out to the point where rider C would be out of range of rider A. Rider B is in the middle and in range of both. Rider B's comms would receive and repeat the transmissions from A to C. The more riders and more nodes, the longer the ranges you could communicate. With a big enough group, you could theoretically talk to another rider miles away.

I didn't need the mesh, so it's sitting in it's box by my desk and the SRL2 is in the helmet. I also always wear foam earplugs.

 

[Paul_F]

Did the cheek pads come from Shoei? BTW, GP Bikes?

Shoei cheek pads from GP Bikes.

And I was wrong about two two dealers allowing to ride test helmets; it was three. Most retailers have said no to a helmet ride test.

 

[globalrider]

Mesh technology basically makes every node (helmet comm) on a network a repeater.

Absolutely clear now, a big thanks! A group of two, me and another are all the riders I would want or else we are stopping for smoke breaks, pee breaks and lunch breaks all the time. Do that and hell, I'll never get there. LOL I often get s**t for only stopping when the gas tank runs near empty. Still trying to talk my friend into a GSA.

I'll be stopping in at my local dealer this week to check out the GT Air II and the Neotec II and who knows what else they have I might not know about.

Also a thanks to those who responded.

 

[bigjohnsd]

News to me. I am going to have to read up on this (Mesh) and also check some YouTube videos. I have all winter to do so.

For example using BT, all I know is my BM2 battery monitor on my vehicles has a very short BT range...about 33 feet in free air to my mobile app but from where I want to monitor it all from within my home, impossible due to home walls and steel hoods. If I am going to stand next to my vehicles to monitor voltage, I might as well pop the hood and use a DMM. Another useless gimmick!



That would be the best solution but I assume those are wired and not BT (I see that they are wired). I've looked at BT ear buds but they are made for people that are walking with no background noise attenuation.

This would be my second and last attempt at communicators. They just need to make them louder to overcome the ear plug attenuation.

Thanks for all the feedback & comments.

The Fuze Earbuds plug into your communicator's 3.5mm jack, and the communicator pairs to your phone for Music, and your GPS for directions (if you don't use your phone for GPS).

 

[freddy]

Neotec II with Sena Mesh

Hi,

Just to add my two cents. Last Christmas I splurged for the new Neotec II with the built in Sena Mesh system. I had been using the Cardo system with my older Neotec.

I like the way it all goes together, but as others have commented, the radio is useless. Essentially I can hear it in town, but once I am out of the 50Km/hour zone, the volume is too low. I do wear earplugs, as I did with the Cardo system. I am told that if I play music through my phone/bluetooth rather than using the built in radio, the volume is fine. I will have to give that a try. I often ride alone and I liked having the radio playing, so far I am out of luck with the new system.

 

[kbasa]

Did the cheek pads come from Shoei? BTW, GP Bikes?



I wish more of them did that along with trying out communicators. The $300+ I spent on the Sena 10R I'd sooner spend on gas.

Weird. I have the same setup and while the audio isn't audiophile quality, I have no problem hearing it or directions from nav tools.

You know you have to have the sound on your phone up all the way? If not, you'll top out the Sena's little amp and still not hear it well, but with tons of distortion. I can listen to a podcast pretty easily and phone calls are no problem, if I ever pick them up. Kinda surprised it doesn't work for you. This is my second Shoei with the Sena system. This one is different than the one that was in my Neotech 1.

Even at highway speeds and "extralegal, you're probably gonna go to jail" speeds I have no issue with hearing the audio output. But I do have to remember to turn my phone's sound up all the way before I leave or I won't be able to hear it.