How to fit a Bluetooth headset

PRODUCT TEST INTERCOMS
THE
PRODUCT TEST
Intercoms
Want to talk to your pillion, listen to your sat nav,
music or a radio? Which intercom is best for you?
By Matt Hull
NTERCOMS CAN ADD another dimension
to riding. Fit two earphones and a
microphone into your helmet and you can
connect to your sat nav for directions, your
phone for conversations, an MP3 player for
music and you can talk to your pillion or even
another rider (or riders) using the same kit. A
unit mounts to the side of your helmet so you
can control it, housing the workings and battery.
I
How do they work?
Most helmet intercoms now work via Bluetooth,
a short-range radio frequency technology that
was designed to replace wires between two
devices. Bluetooth has different levels - 2.0 is old
and basic while 4.1 is the latest and capable of
much more. A2DP means it is optimised for
stereo and EDR is Enhanced Dynamic Range and
shows an older Bluetooth system has been
optimised for music or speech.
Bluetooth works by pairing two devices,
keeping the link secure. Working distances vary
between 100 and 800m – some claim more, but
don’t believe them – and they always need line
of sight. Most Bluetooth headsets are irritatingly
programmed to not pair with other makes of
headset. The latest systems can perform basic
functions with a different make, but if you have a
friend you want to talk with, it’s best if you have
the same make of headset.
The most basic kits allow you to listen to no
more than two devices, for example a phone and
a pillion. If you have a sat nav you could pair
your phone to the sat nav, then pair the sat nav to
the intercom. More comprehensive systems will
allow you to pair with multiple devices and up to
eight riders and some headsets have an FM radio.
A downside of the more comprehensive
intercoms is that they become very tricky to use,
as you’re trying to toggle between different
functions with only a few buttons. So before
buying, think carefully about what you want
and whether you need all the whistles and bells.
How we tested them
We fitted each headset to a variety of helmets,
and paired them to another headset, a sat nav
and a smartphone. We tested music, chat and
phone calls at speed, used earplugs, and tried
range both with line of sight and without.
How to fit a Bluetooth headset
Kits come with an assortment of wires, pads, foam
covers, mics, fixings and control units. It can all look
a bit daunting, especially if you haven’t pulled your
helmet apart before. The quality of the instructions
varies wildly. Get the speakers as close to your ear
canal as possible, the mic as close to your mouth as
possible and the wires and plugs hidden away so you
can’t feel them. The mic needs to face your mouth.
Work out where your ear canal sits in the helmet.
Some helmets are made with a recess for speakers
but this may not be right for you. You may need a little
ingenuity to sort this – if in doubt see your dealer.
To get the best fit you may need to cut a little part
of your helmet neck curtain for the wires to poke out
to the device body. This will not affect safety but it’s
best to make the cut as small as possible.
Some devices come with clamps, others with
80 |
MAY 2016
You don’t have to strip the helmet, but it helps
stick-on mounts. The stick-on clamps are very strong
and could ruin the paint finish if you later have to peel
it off your helmet, so use clamps if you can.
BUYING CHECKLIST
Five things
to look for
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
1 If you just want to listen to your sat nav
and answer a phone call then you don’t
need to worry about all the whistles and bells.
But will you miss those other functions?
WILL IT FIT?
2 Some of the systems tested are
designed to fit certain helmets, which
make them more discreet and slightly quicker
to fit – but you pay for the privilege.
WHICH BLUETOOTH?
3 Bluetooth 2.0 is the most basic chip
nowadays, whereas Bluetooth 4.1
allows more connectivity, better battery life
and more functions.
WORKING WITH
ANOTHER MAKE
4 If you want to talk to someone who
already has a system, chances are you’ll need
to buy a headset of the same make, as many
don’t work with other manufacturers’ kit.
MICROPHONES
Either come on a boom like this
one – essential for a flip-front
or open-face helmet – or on a
wire, to be stuck in the chin
bar of a full-face helmet.
MULTIPLE RIDERS
5 Some systems claim to be able to
connect up to eight other users –
though we didn’t test these claims as most
people just use their headsets to talk
rider-to-rider, or rider-to-pillion.
FITTING THE SYSTEM
Most fit on the side of the
helmet, but some tailored sets
fit in the neck curtain at the
bottom of the helmet.
MAY 2016
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PRODUCT TEST INTERCOMS
The best by a
mile. All you
could want in
an intercom
Interphone F5MC Single £199, twin £339
Bluetooth version 4.1, A2DP Boom/wire Boom or wired mic
FM radio Yes Details www.nevis.uk.com
The F5 does it all. Its large buttons
are easy to find. Fitting is easy, with
a choice of clamp or sticky mount.
Usefully the twin pack comes with a
twin-unit charger so you can charge
both from one lead.
Pairing with anything is the easiest
on test, even third-party systems.
Sound quality is almost as good as
Autocom. The voice prompts make
the F5 so good to use: as you press a
button, it tells you what the choices
are. It streams music to both kits and
identifies phone contacts who call.
Does everything and easy to use
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Ease of fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54/60
Interphone F3MC Single £110, twin £180
Bluetooth version 3.0, A2DP Boom/wire Boom or wired mic
FM radio No Details www.nevis.uk.com
Fitting, build quality, excellent
instructions and design are identical
to the F5MC. What the F3MC does
without is conference intercom for
multiple users and no FM radio. But
you still get the voice prompts telling
you what buttons you have to press
to perform a task, which makes
using it so much easier. And you get
the same high-quality sound as the
F5MC, the music streaming so that
both can listen to one music input.
Will pair with third-party devices.
No radio, but otherwise extremely
good for the money
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Ease of fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52/60
Sound quality,
voice prompts and
music streaming:
superb for money
Bikecomm Aloha Single £110, twin £190
Good quality
and lots of
features but
expensive
Bluetooth version 2.1+EDR, A2DP Boom/wire Boom or wired mic
FM radio No Details www.bikecomm.co.uk
Easy to fit, thanks to a metal spring
clip so it can quickly be put away if
needed. Takes some time to charge
but gives a good battery life.
Speakers come with cushioning to
help minimise ambient noise but this
does mean exact fit is essential. The
sound has good loudness but not
great quality at high level. The
buttons aren’t the easiest to find.
Voice operation (VOX) works well.
Intercom function works well, though
range seems to be much less than
claimed – but still a good performer.
VOX and FM radio at a good price
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Ease of fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48/60
Sena 20S Single £230, twin £420
Bluetooth version 4.0, A2DP Boom/wire Boom
FM radio Yes Details www.sena.com
Low price for
so many features
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MAY 2016
The most expensive on test – but
feels top-drawer. Easy to use, with a
large multifunction wheel that also
rocks – though this isn’t as easy to
use as some. Fitting is very simple as
the mic comes from the device body,
though this means the boom is often
moved or even caught with flip-ups.
Sound quality is excellent, there is
a radio, and music streams between
both headsets. Phone use is good.
Range is one of the best here and it
pairs with other systems reliably.
Does everything – if you’re
prepared to pay for it
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Ease of fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45/60
Intaride D8 Single £138, twin £269
Bluetooth version 2.1+EDR, A2DP Boom/wire Boom or wired mic
FM radio Yes Details www.intaride.co.uk
Comes with a handlebar remote
control as standard, which works
very well. Pairing is easy – though
instructions could be a lot better and the mic comes out of the left
speaker, making it tricky to fit on
some helmets. Buttons are OK but a
little tricky to distinguish with winter
gloves on: the remote makes it so
much easier. Sound quality is above
average, FM radio is good, range is
very good and so is battery life.
A good system at a good price,
with radio and remote control,
but needs better instructions
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/10
Ease of fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50/60
Autocom Atom Single £159, twin £299
Bluetooth version 2.1+EDR, A2DP Boom/wire Boom
FM radio No Details www.autocom.co.uk
Good intercom
and remote
control for
the price
A neat, small device but fitting took
a while as the chunky mic boom
comes from the left speaker so if
your helmet has a speaker recess, it
needs modifying. On top of which the
mic boom is short. You operate it
with a remote control. It’s a brilliant
system, especially as each headset
has its own remote. Sound quality is
by far the best on test, with superb
tonal range and no distortion. You
can use this system with the quietest
earplugs. Range is good too.
Amazing sound and excellent
remote control but lacks a radio
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Ease of fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49/60
Schuberth SRC (S2 fitment) Single £299
Unobtrusive
and works well
but pricey for
what it is
Bluetooth version 2.0, A2DP Boom/wire Wired mic
FM radio Yes Details www.tranam.co.uk
Vertix Raptor– i Single £169, twin £299
Bluetooth version 2.0, A2DP Boom/wire Boom or wired mic
FM radio Yes Details www.motohaus.com
The easiest to fit with just a sturdy
hook-and-loop mount. This means
you can easily take it off, tuck the
lead away and your intercom has
gone. Four large buttons make using
it incredibly easy with gloves on and
it is quite intuitive after a while.
Performance is good, with a better
than average range for rider-to-rider.
Speakers have a good tonal range
and volume. Can be specified with
mic boom or wire, but not both. You
can also choose an optional remote
control. FM radio works well.
Good kit, but no stand-out features
Best sound
quality on test:
the one for
music lovers
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Ease of fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43/60
If you have a Schuberth S2 or C3
this is a very neat system. These
helmets were designed with the SRC
in mind and come prefitted with an
aerial inside for excellent FM and
intercom range. Fitting is a doddle,
sound quality is good, the only
downsides are the neck curtain
contains all the gubbins, so makes
the aperture a little smaller when
putting the helmet on. Finding the
buttons with winter gear on can be
tricky. It only fits Schuberth helmets
and, for us, £299 is just too much.
Good but basic and overpriced
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Ease of fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43/60
Integrates well
with S2 or C3,
but at a price
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PRODUCT TEST INTERCOMS
Shark Sharktooth Single £220
If you want a
system that is
invisible this is
the one
Bluetooth version 2.1, A2DP Boom/wire Boom
FM radio No Details www.nevis.uk.com
Autocom Air Single £189, twin £349
Bluetooth version 2.0+EDR, A2DP Boom/wire Boom
FM radio No Details www.autocom.co.uk
A tiny system that fits inside and
underneath the helmet. It is very
low-key, with just three easy-to-feel
buttons on show. Even the battery is
tiny, though the wire between the
speakers is a bit too short.
A simple no-frills intercom and the
size means it doesn’t have a great
range – 100-150m – so best as a rider
to pillion intercom. It will pair to two
devices, so another Air and a phone,
or sat nav. Charging is quick but the
system won’t last all day.
Easy to use and great for those
who don’t want to be obvious
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Ease of fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40/60
The separate battery is huge, as
it’s NiCad not lithium – but it sits in
a ready-made hole in Shark helmets.
Range is average, so it’s best for
phone/sat nav and rider-to-pillion
use. It is very neat and small – and
so easy to fit to a Shark helmet. The
three buttons are easily found even
with winter gloves. The only issue we
had was the holes for the speakers
didn’t line up with our ears, so sound
quality could have been better.
Only for Shark helmets. Easy
to use but there are better
systems around for less money
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Ease of fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40/60
Only for Shark
helmets and basic
but easy to use
Cardo SHO-1 Single £299
Bluetooth version 2.0, A2DP Boom/wire Boom or wired mic
FM radio Yes Details www.shoeiassured.co.uk
If you own a Shoei, the SHO-1 fits
nicely under the neck curtain, with
the battery on one side and the
controls on the other. The separate
battery means you could take a
spare on a long journey. Sound
quality is fine and pairing easy.
While the design is neat, it makes
finding the buttons trickier than other
systems – especially with winter
layers and thick gloves on. It’s also
very expensive for what you get.
Good system and fits neatly,
but at this price there are
plenty of better-value systems
Locates under the
neck curtain but more
bulky than Schuberth
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MAY 2016
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Ease of fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36/60
Small and
lightweight for
city riders
BT Midland City Single £130, twin £229
Bluetooth version 2.0, A2DP Boom/wire Boom or wired mic
FM radio No Details www.midlandeurope.com
The Midland City is a small device
that could be great for an open face
helmet. Range seems to be almost
non-existent so it only works for
rider-to-pillion, but for that it works
well and offers an FM radio – though
as you only use the one button it is
easy to get muddled. VOX operation
works well with flip up helmet. The
speakers aren’t loud enough to use
with earplugs and, despite its size, it
offers no benefits over rival systems.
Comes with a European plug only and
useless instructions.
Disappointing
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/10
Ease of fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35/60
BMW communication system Twin £325 + fitting
Bluetooth version 2.1, A2DP Boom/wire Boom
FM radio No Details www.bmw-motorrad.com
Designed purely to fit the BMW
System 5, 6, 6 Evo and Sport
helmets, you’d be hard pressed to
get this system to fit yourself: it’s
recommended that it’s fitted by a
BMW dealer, adding to the price.
Being bespoke, it is subtle with the
battery hidden away in the EPS of
the helmet. The buttons are easy to
find and sound quality is good, with
a decent level. As the helmet is quiet,
it’s great for phone use. Battery life
is above average but range is low,
and it’s hard to pair to non-BMW kit.
Discreet but expensive
It’s cheap
but you don’t
get much for
your money
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Ease of fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39/60
BT Midland Next Single £220, twin £400
Bluetooth version 3.0, A2DP Boom/wire Boom or wired mic
FM radio Yes Details www.midlandeurope.com
Fitment by
dealer only.
Costly for what it
is and range poor
Comes with rubbish instructions
and a European plug, so had to
charge via USB. Fitting to helmets is
simple and it’s easy to get the slim
speakers in just the right place. The
FM radio has good reception thanks
to a fold-out aerial, but the intercom
doesn’t – around 250m, which is less
than we’d like for rider-to-rider use.
Small, low-profile buttons can be
difficult to find with gloves on (not
just winter ones). In fact, considering
the price the Next is disappointing.
Unless your mates have one,
there are better systems
THE
Do you get what
you pay for? It’s worth
spending more…
Oxford Chatterbox Single £99
Bluetooth version 2.0, A2DP Boom/wire Boom mic
FM radio No Details www.oxfordproducts.com
This is the least expensive unit
here. The instructions are OK and the
device is not too big. Its range is also
better than it says – Oxford Products
say 100m but we had good comms
over 250m. However, the build
quality shows why the price is so
low – both microphones and one
speaker fell apart while fitting in one
helmet, though they still worked. The
buttons are small and hard to find,
especially with winter gloves on.
Cheapest here but spend a little
more and get much better system
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Ease of fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34/60
SCORES
Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/10
Ease of fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7/10
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10
Battery life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Ease of use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
Value for money . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36/60
VERDICT
THE INSTRUCTIONS IN most of these sets were rubbish.
Rider-to-rider range is often poor and only works if there’s
line of sight – if you want more, you should really look into
the radio-based systems. Phone conversations at anything
over 50mph are often hit-and-miss with earplugs.
Our Best Buy triangle goes to the top-performing
Interphone F5MC as it’s fairly priced for a fully featured unit
that is easy to learn, with good instructions and good
range, and the voice prompts are so useful on a complex
system. The Interphone F3MC gets a Recommended
triangle because, even though we regard the lack of an FM
radio as a serious omission, it’s just as reliable and easy to
use as its more fully featured labelmate.
Another Recommended triangle goes to the Intaride D8.
Average in some aspects, it scores highly by offering a
remote control, FM radio and good battery life for a very
good price. Special mention must also go to the two
Autocom systems, the Air and Atom. While quite basic,
they had by far the best sound quality of any system.
Interphone F5MC
Single £199
Twin £339
Intaride D8
Single £138
Twin £269
Interphone F3MC
Single £110
Twin £180
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