INTRODUCTION

   Thanks to movies like the entire range of Smokey and the Bandit series one of the things that i wanted to own as a kid growing up in the 80's was a CB radio. Little did i know that even if i did own a CB radio things just wouldn't be anywhere near as exciting as the Bandit talking and enlisting the help of truckers to evade the police but yes, this communication equipment was something that had piqued my interest. Well time went by and even though i never did get to own a CB radio (it was also illegal to mount one on a personal vehicle when i first got my license) i did own a few long range walkies/radios which i used while on road trips to communicate with friends who came along. This is also why till this day communication systems are of interest to me and since i have many friends who i ride bikes with today I’m testing yet another such device and more specifically the PackTalk Edge Duo Mesh & Bluetooth Communication System by Cardo.

   Cardo Systems specializes in the design, development, manufacturing and sale of state-of-the-art wireless communication and entertainment systems for motorcycle riders. Since inception in 2004, Cardo has pioneered the vast majority of innovations for Bluetooth motorcycle communication systems. The company’s products, now available in over 100 countries, are the world’s leading communication devices for the motorcycle industry.

   Just like with my previous communication system reviews the PackTalk Edge Duo includes two intercom devices (single version also available) for use with two helmets (i always test pairs to know exactly what each model offers, using one model with a different one would obviously produce inaccurate results). The Edge Duo sports a tough waterproof design (strangely enough it's not IP certified like the Bold) and each unit comes ready with two 40mm JBL HD stereo speakers and two microphones, ah compact one for closed/full face type helmets and a long flexible noise-cancelling boom microphone complete with a wind screen for open/flip-up type ones. It also features Bluetooth v5.2 connectivity, automatic volume (based on ambient noise), natural voice support (just say hey cardo followed by various commands), over the air firmware update, 900mAh lithium-polymer battery pack (up to 13+ hours) and since it's Cardo's 2nd generation dynamic mesh model it can also be paired with up to 15 other units (DMC mode) and has a maximum optimal range of up to 1600 meters (1 mile). Needless to say, you can use the PackTalk Edge for a variety of functions including answering/ending calls, merge calls with the intercom (so others can participate), create private intercom channels, share your music with everyone else (via your smartphone), listen to FM radio stations (RDS is supported), control your standalone GPS device and more (most commands are voice, button and app controlled). On paper the PackTalk Edge sure sounds impressive, let's see if that's really the case.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The PackTalk Edge Duo arrived inside a black box that has a product picture right in front of a bike and above the main product features.

A product description in 7 languages is placed on the right side of the box just under the product serial number and barcodes.

Turning the box around we find the product features in 7 languages.

Removing the paper cover reveals the main black box with the company logo on it.

Both PackTalk Edge devices are safely placed inside a formed piece of plastic.

Aside the two PackTalk Edge units contained inside the box are the two main mounts with microphone and speaker connectors, 4 plastic mounts, 4 JBL speakers, 4 speaker covers, 2 boom microphones, 8 tape mounts, 2 alcohol cleaning pads, 2 USBA to USB-C cables, two company stickers, cardo app paper, installation guide, 2 warranty information and compliance papers and 2 pocket guides.

THE PACKTALK EDGE DUO

The PackTalk Edge units are made primarily out of plastic and measure 84mm in length, 46mm in height, 23mm in thickness (they weigh just 47g each).

At the front each PackTalk Edge unit has three buttons (media, mobile/bluetooth pairing and intercom) and an LED indicator.

The multi-function roller/control wheel at the rear is an improvement over the one used with the Bold model (can be used to increase/decrease volume, answer/ignore/end calls, stop radio and music streaming and mute/unmute the DMC group).

At the far right under a rubber cap we find the USB-C charging port.

Typically, the activity LED at the front changes color according to battery charge, connection status and bluetooth pairing.

For anyone wondering just the 5 gold plated connectors are placed at the rear.

This is the 2nd time I’ve used an Intercom with the 40mm JBL speakers so i already know they are probably the best at their job currently.

The long flexible boom microphone seems identical to that used with the Bold series and again it does a very good job.

Once again, the main helmet mount is made out of plastic.

To mount the PackTalk Edge onto its base you just need to slide it in (to remove you just need to push down the front and slide it out).

Here you can see how the PackTalk Edge looks when attached onto a helmet.

CARDO CONNECT APP

Pairing the PackTalk Bold Duo to your smartphone is easy, just download the Cardo Connect app, start it, choose your model and press and hold the media/play and phone key until the activity LED starts blinking.

After that you will need to choose the language and name your unit.

An online firmware update is performed afterwards if a new version is found (for this review i used both v2.6 and v2.7).

You can access the settings menu from the top left corner of the main tab and in here you can adjust everything from the volume levels and automatic volume, audio profiles, microphone and voice control sensitivity to Bluetooth audio mixing, audio priority and intelligent noise block.

As for the functions themselves you can use the app to make calls, create intercom/bluetooth groups, play music (can choose the player later on) and listen to radio (you can also change the app look depending on the time of day, automatically or manually).

CONCLUSION

   As expected i made a direct comparison between the Bold JBL and Edge Duo intercoms for this review and so right off the bat it's easy to see that the latter is not only a step up in terms of design and build/material quality but it also has a more responsive roller and for various reasons the USB-C port (fast charging) is also a plus. Thanks to its magnets the Edge model is also easier to mount/dismount and even though it doesn't have an external antenna like the Bold series it actually produces just as good radio quality (if not better). Now in terms of audio quality since both the Bold JBL and Edge series use almost identical 40mm drivers/speakers there was no noticeable difference on my end. Still when it comes to the microphone both myself and the person on the other end noticed some improvement, not huge by any means but still the Edge model did better than the Bold JBL. Voice control and audio feedback/messages (for example the battery status/charge level notification when you turn the device off) are also a tad better compared to the Bold JBL as is battery life since i recorded up to just over 13 hours with the Edge (as opposed to the roughly 12 hours of the Bold JBL). Firmware update via the app was something Ι asked Cardo when i started testing their PackTalk Bold devices so i was glad to see this is the case with the PackTalk Edge. Still not all was perfect during my tests and so i did encounter difficulty in connecting the Edge Duo as intercom not only with the Sena 5S but a few other brand models as well. Things got even worse when i tried to connect the Edge Duo to other brand models for music sharing since i was getting continuous audio time outs (in the end i just gave up).

   Currently consumers can get their hands on the PackTalk Edge Duo by Card for USD515 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 662.72Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) so yes, it’s not what I’d call cost-effective. Still the PackTalk Edge is probably the best communications system for bikes one can buy today and that says a lot. Yes, it may not “play” well with other brands in terms of connecting with each other (this will probably get fixed via new firmware at some point) but it excels in everything else (it’s also a clear upgrade over the Bold model) and for that it obviously deserves the Platinum Award.

PROS

- Excellent Build Quality
- Crystal Clear Audio (Both Ends)
- Impressive Volume Levels
- Detailed Voice Prompts
- Voice Controlled
- Bundle (4 JBL Speakers & 4 Microphones)
- Battery Life (Up To Over 13 Hours)
- Features (Intercom/FM Radio/Mixing/GPS Control/Natural Voice/Calls, Music & FM Radio Sharing)
- Range (1600 Meters Max)
- Easy To Use
- Fast Installation
- Cardo Connect App

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Incompatibility With Other Brands (Music Sharing)