Background
We first started reviewing
Bluetooth intercoms for
motorcycle use about 3 years ago. The
technology in 2006 was definitely less evolved and the
limited number of Bluetooth systems available were
rather quirky.
Since then, a rough count reveals that we've reviewed
25 or so different types of Bluetooth-enabled devices
for motorcycle use, which surely must be one of the
largest databases of detailed reviews available.
The good news is that technology and the systems have
rapidly evolved and it seems like each week brings a new
Bluetooth intercom system announcement, proclaiming "new
and improved".
The
original Interphone Bluetooth intercom
(review) was and
still is one of our all-time favorites, because it's
easy to use, its portability means it can be moved from
helmet to helmet without much fuss, and it works.
But, many new intercom systems have been released since
then, so it was time for Interphone to evolve the system, and the new Interphone F4 improves on the basic
goodness of the original Interphone Bluetooth intercom
and everyone who has tried it has been impressed.
One thing I should mention is that it's difficult to
directly compare all of the motorcycle intercom systems
we've reviewed. The reviewers are located in
different countries, the reviews were published at
different times and we no longer have access to some of
the systems.
So while we may not be able to
compare the Interphone F4 with every single intercom
from the past, we can definitely say one thing: the F4
is an outstanding communications system that is
definitely a new favorite around here!
A Note About Interphone and BlueAnt
The origins of the Interphone F4 and their other
products can be a bit confusing, but an email to BlueAnt
Wireless, the distributor, generated this response,
which may clear up the matter:
BlueAnt Wireless is
headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, with offices
in Santa Clara, CA and London, England.
BlueAnt Wireless is a
manufacturer of cell phone headsets and speakerphone
car kits, with numerous technology awards for our
products.
Santa Clara, California
is the USA operations for all BlueAnt products,
including the Interphone F4 for the USA.
BlueAnt Wireless-USA is
the exclusive distribution channel for the
Interphone product line.
The Interphone is
manufactured by Cellular Line in Italy.
The Interphone F4 Motorcycle
Bluetooth Intercom Where, you may ask, did the "F4" designation come from?
What happened to F1 to F3? Well, I haven't asked
the Interphone folks directly, but I do know that we
reviewed two versions of the original Interphone, which
perhaps can be considered as the F1 and F2 versions.
The first
Interphone Bluetooth intercom we reviewed was a
single-speaker unit. It worked very well but it
had some problems with the design of the microphone;
specifically the method used to connect the microphone
to the speaker to form the headset unit.
A second version of the Interphone system was
developed, with a stronger connector and a second
speaker. This design proved to be successful and
the family resemblance can be seen in the F4, which
builds on the earlier technology.
This brings us to the Interphone F3, which is a new
system that appears identical to the F4 shown here.
The F3 is a rider-to-passenger Bluetooth intercom that
can connect to a cell phone, GPS or Bluetooth-enabled
music system but does not include the bike-to-bike
functionality of the F4.
The current Interphone F4 system includes all of the
previous connectivity features
plus an incredible 500 meter (claimed) bike-to-bike
communications capability. We didn't break out a
measuring tape, but I can easily say that the F4
definitely has the farthest-reaching bike-to-bike
capability of any system we've tried (to date) here at HQ.
But the most outstanding feature of the Interphone F4
is the sound quality, which is, I think, excellent.
It's loud enough, clear enough and has a Digital Signal
Processing (DSP) function, along with A2DP stereo
capability which works very nicely with any of the
stereo Bluetooth-enabled music and other devices we've
thrown at it.
It's also even easier to use than the original and
the F4 quickly and seamlessly connected with every
Bluetooth device we tried -- including the older
Interphone systems.
Interphone F4 "Pocket Guide" or cheat sheet. Can
you figure it out?
Features Bluetooth intercom systems have evolved to a
point where there are standard procedures for pairing
with other Bluetooth devices, connecting in intercom
mode, pairing and even for turning the systems on and
off.
The F4 is very easy to use and the instructions,
while not perfectly clear, are easy to understand and,
unlike many of the earlier Bluetooth intercom systems we
reviewed, everything worked on first try.
Some of the features of the Interphone F4 include:
Full duplex
communications with Digital Signal Processing (DSP).
Stereo speakers with
automatic "speed noise" compensation.
Ability to pair with up
to 8 different Bluetooth devices (i.e., store up to
8 device pairings in memory; the system will not
simultaneously communicate with that many devices).
Can pair to two cell
phones during any given session.
A pair of active F4
intercoms can carry on simultaneous cell phone
conversations (e.g., rider and passenger).
Pairs with
Bluetooth-enabled GPS, cell phones, music devices,
etc.
Pairs with other earlier
Interphone Bluetooth intercoms.
Claimed 10 hours of talk
time and 700 hour standby time (battery not
removable).
Distributed in the U.S.
by BlueAnt and covered by their two-year warranty.
Meets excellent IP-67 waterproof
and dustproof standards (More
on IP standards). IP 6 = Dust Tight; 7 =
Immersion up to 1 m.
Functions We mostly use intercoms for
rider-to-passenger communications with occasional
bike-to-bike use when evaluating new products.
Other than for evaluation, I have never made or received
a cell phone communication while riding a motorcycle and
don't plan on it any time soon.
I have, however, pulled over off the road in a safe spot to make
or receive a call, which is distracting enough in
itself. As mentioned above, the F4 will pair with
two cell phones if anyone is so inclined to do such a
thing. But the capability is
there, although we did not evaluate it.
Besides Bluetooth pairing with two cell phones per F4
module, both the rider and the
passenger can independently pair their units with their
own cell phones. I'm not sure I want to see a pair
of people on a motorcycle, each talking on their own
cell phone conversation through the F4, so be careful
out there!
We did confirm that a rider and passenger F4 system
can indeed connect individually to separate cell phones
and receive and make independent phone calls. I
guess if you really want to get wacky, the rider could
use his or her cell phone to call the passenger on that
cell phone, but that's near insanity!
The system also supports voice calling and
answering, which worked without problems on a couple of
cell phones we tried. To activate the system, the
main button on the F4 is pressed once and if it's paired
with a cell phone, the cell phone voice instructions
will be heard in the F4 speakers.
We also paired the F4 with no problems to cell
phones, MP3 players and a GPS system using the separate
Sony Bluetooth adapter that turns any device with an
output jack into a Bluetooth-enabled device.
If the F4 is in intercom mode, the discussion will be
interrupted for a cell phone alert or GPS instructions
(if the GPS uses the telephone-style pairing mode
profile; most GPS systems with built-in Bluetooth use
this profile).
If the system is streaming music, it will be
interrupted also for the cell phone alert or GPS
instructions and will return to the music when the call
is complete.
The sound quality is excellent to outstanding and the volume can
be raised very loud. The speakers are
approximately 8 mm thick, which is slightly thicker than
other motorcycle intercom systems, but which probably
accounts for the excellent sound qualities.
We realized that placing the speakers as close to the
ear as possible is important for a motorcycle
communications system, so some helmets with deep ear
pockets may actually not be the best solution for
mounting speakers. An AGV K3 helmet, with very
shallow ear pockets, was better than the older Arai
Quantum II because the AGV held the speakers closer to
the ear.
The Interphone F4 can also remotely control the MP3
player, depending upon capabilities of the player
itself. The system also supports the A2DP
(Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) and AVRCP
(Audio/Video Remote Control Profile) profiles, although
from my non-electronics background perspective, other
than hearing good-sounding stereo, I wouldn't know one
from another. Everything just works, and I believe
that's what most riders will care about.
GET YOUR GEAR with this link to BMG and help support
webBikeWorld!
Package
The Interphone F4 is sold as either an individual unit
or a twin pack. We have two individual units, and
of course two units are required for rider-to-passenger
or bike-to-bike communications.
The package includes the F4 intercom module; the
headset (microphone and two speakers); two different
mounting clips, a screwdriver and a couple of spare
parts; an extra foam microphone anti-wind cover a pair
of extra helmet speaker mounts; a small battery charger
(110V in North America) with a dual connector to charge
two F4 modules at once with a single wall plug; and the
instruction manual with a separate pocket guide.
Instruction Manual
The 143-page manual is divided into 12 sections of
roughly 10 pages each. Each 10-page section is
printed in a different language, including Italian,
English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Dutch,
Russian, Polish, Swedish, Finnish and Japanese, in that
order.
I folded over the corner of the English section and
it's easy to open the book to refer to that section if
needed. Interphone includes a small index "cheat
sheet" card (called the Pocket Guide, photo above) that
I haven't been able to decipher but the system is easy
enough to learn, so not being able to figure out what
the card is telling me hasn't been a problem.
Initial Charging
The first thing a new intercom owner must do is to give
the system its initial charge. The 110V dual
connector outlet provided in each single unit box is a
compact unit and it took about two hours to charge the
pair.
An interesting note about the charger is that the
prongs are on the back of the head, but the head is so
small it fits between other electrical outlets in a
surge strip, rather than taking up the space of two or
three outlets on the surge strip, which often happens
with electronic gear.
The LED on the module glows steady red when charging
and then turns green when the charge is complete
(corrected from original version which stated there was
no green light).
Initial Pairing The Interphone F4 pairs with what is now
pretty much the standard procedure: when the system is
off, press and hold the on/off button for about 8
seconds. The small LED will flash red/blue and the
system is in pairing mode. Do the same for the
other Bluetooth device and when that device is in
pairing mode, simply wait until the quick flashing
lights go out and the systems are paired.
The F4 paired quickly and easily with every Bluetooth
device we tried, including an MP3 player and GPS using
the Sony Bluetooth adapter. It does take about 35
seconds to initially pair the two F4 units however, so
be patient! Various pairings are illustrated in
the video below.
Intercom Function
Once the two F4 units are paired, one can "call" the
other by pressing and holding the large main button for
about 3 seconds. A tone will be heard in the
speakers (illustrated in the video) and then full-duplex
communications are enabled.
The minus and plus buttons are pushed to raise or
lower the volume (or to control the MP3 player).
Our system volume was set to mid-point, which we didn't
realize at first, but pressing the "+" button will raise
the volume by degrees until it's raised to its limit,
when another tone will be heard in the speakers,
indicating that the maximum volume has been reached.
Whether paired with another unit or not, the F4 is
turned on by pressing and holding the main button for
about three seconds.
Pairing With a Cell Phone
The same pairing procedure as described above is used to
pair the F4 with a cell phone. Most cell phones
(and the F4) will "remember" the pairing and when it is
turned on, the F4 paired almost instantly with my LG
Glance after they were initially paired, as illustrated
in the video.
Other Features
The F4 instruction manual clearly describes how to use
all of the functions, so I won't duplicate it, but
here's a quick overview of what the Interphone F4 can
do:
Cell Phone - Answer the call, end the
call, refuse a call (press and hold the main button for
4 seconds), use the cell phone's VOX instructions
function (if available on the cell phone), volume
adjustment.
Intercom - Enable, disable, volume
adjustment. If paired with an active cell phone, a
cell phone call (ring tone) will take priority (same
when listening to music).
Stereo A2DP - Pairs with MP3 players,
cell phones with music capability, etc. Volume
controlled by +/- keys on F4. MP3 device can be
remotely controlled if available on the player.
UPDATE - More on A2DP Pairing:
Several readers asked if the F4 will simultaneously pair
with an MP3 player, phone and GPS. It can hold up
to 8 Bluetooth pairing connections in memory
This is described in Section 3.6 of the instruction
manual under the “N.B." note: "In telephones
equipped with musical players, and therefore which
include a stereo (A2DP) profile, the telephone + stereo
(A2DP) function coincides. As such, it may not be
possible to connect a further Stereo (A2DP) player.”
Since A2DP is uni-directional, only one A2DP device
will work at a time. For example, if the GPS has
A2DP and the cell phone has A2DP, they may not function
together. This is also true for a cell phone and
an MP3 player. This is a drawback of the A2DP
protocol.
We did not have access to a GPS that can pair with a
cell phone, so we're not sure how it might work with
various GPS units. If any F4 owners can enlighten
us on this, it would be appreciated.
Other Functions - Note that the
instruction manual, in sections 3.5 through 3.10,
describes different combinations of cell phone, intercom
and music listening procedures as follows: Telephone; Intercom; Stereo; Remote Control;
Telephone + Intercom; Telephone + Stereo; Intercom +
Stereo; Telephone + Stereo + Intercom; Telephone +
Telephone; Telephone + Stereo + Telephone; Voice
Response; Voice Calling.
Apple iPhone and iPod - Interphone also
has a Bluetooth adapter specifically designed for the
Apple iPod and iPhone; it's called the iLink Stereo and
it allows Bluetooth streaming to the F4.
What these sections really describe in general is the
rule that the system doesn't allow a simultaneous
intercom communication with music in the background
while taking a cell phone call!
Interphone F4 intercom mounting kit. Components at
the bottom are supplied for each intercom.
Sound Level Comparison: Interphone F4
vs. Scala Teamset
.MP3 Recording: Comparison of the Interphone F4
vs. Scala Teamset Sound Levels
UPDATE: This is a sound volume level comparison of
the original
Scala Teamset intercom
communications system we reviewed in December of 2006 and the Interphone F4.
The .MP3 file can be heard by
playing the 1:41 minute .MP3 file in the player above.
Constants: Both intercom
systems were set at their maximum volume. The microphones
were then set at the same distance from the Zoom
H2 stereo recorder we use for our video voiceovers.
I then stood at the same distance away from the recorder
to speak into the intercom for each recording.
The sound volume difference between the low volume of
the Scala system and the high volume of the Interphone
F4, both set at maximum, is so great that we couldn't
find an input level on the Zoom H2 where the Scala
system could be heard without distorting the volume of
the Interphone.
So the compromise was to set the Zoom recorder was at 60% volume input
level to prevent clipping from the Interphone. At
that level, the Scala system can barely be
heard. The F4 can produce a very loud volume (relative
to Bluetooth motorcycle intercom systems) and the sound
quality is actually better than is heard on the .MP3
file when the volume is set lower.
By the way, at about 15 feet away, the Scala system
lost its Bluetooth connection, while the Interphone F4
still worked at a much greater distance without any loss
in volume or sound quality, as can be seen in the video
below.
Mounting the Interphone F4 System Bluetooth intercom technology has evolved to
a point where attaching the devices to the helmet is the
most time-consuming part of the process -- which is
actually good news. It used
to be that deciphering the instruction manuals and
actually getting the systems to pair with each other or
anything else took hours!
The mounting system used on the F4 is similar to the
system used in previous versions of the Interphone.
The intercom module clips on to a base, seen in
the photo above. Two bases are supplied with each
module; one has double-sided tape and can be mounted
directly on the helmet, while the other has an
expandable clip that can be slipped inside the helmet,
between the liner and the shell.
Some helmets, like the Arai Quantum II we used for
part of the evaluation, have a gap between the liner and
the shell, so the clip can be used. Other helmets,
like the AGV K3, have the liner attached to the shell in
a way that will not allow the clip to slide up between
the two, so the stick-on module must be used instead.
Care should be taken to make sure the adhesive sticks
to the surface of the helmet and that the helmet has a
curvature that will support the F4 module for its entire
length.
Depending upon the helmet and the liner, the
microphone and left ear speaker can be located under the
liner or cheek pads. By the way, for Bluetooth
intercom newbies, the microphone
and module are usually mounted on the left to allow the
left hand to operate the controls whilst riding.
The right speaker of the F4 is attached to a long thin wire, which
can usually be threaded up through the helmet liner and
to the right ear. Each helmet is different and
owners may want to or need to cut a small hole in the
lining to feed the speaker or wires through, depending
upon their preference.
We often switch intercoms among the helmets we're
evaluating, so most of our installations are temporary,
using the clip.
But if you plan on keeping the F4 installed on a helmet,
we suggest taking the time to get all the wires nicely
hidden and secured.
Front and side views of the Interphone F4 mounted on an
Arai Quantum II helmet.
Interphone F4 intercom speaker (L) and connector for
headset and charging (R).
(L) Interphone F4 intercom speaker wire connector,
improved from original Interphone.
(R) Instruction manual.
Using the Interphone F4
Communications System The system works so well and is so easy to use that
there isn't a lot to say. The range and the
sound quality are excellent; better than any other
intercom communications system that Burn, Bill and I
have used so far.
Again, I can't compare it to the other systems that
we did not review here at "headquarters", but there is
no hesitancy in recommending the Interphone F4,
especially to riders like me, who don't know or don't
care to know all that much about the electronics
technology and just want a simple system that works.
With regards to battery life, we did not verify the
Interphone claims of 10 hours of talk time and 700 hours
of standby time, because I probably don't talk 10 hours
on a phone in a year's time! Let's just say that
we've been using both units in a variety of situations
and for many on/off, pairing and other experiments for
several weeks and the modules are still running strong
on the initial charge.
Update on battery life: I fully charged one battery and left
the other as it was, partially discharged after using it
in our evaluations. I put them into intercom mode
and left them sitting, it's now 10 hours and 15 minutes
later and they're both still on, still in intercom mode.
I'm not sure if continuous talking would discharge the
batteries faster, but I'm not going to sit here talking
for 10 hours! Note: 13 hours later I noticed that
the unit that wasn't fully charged was off, the other is
still on... Remember that this may not at all be
an indication of the battery life you will receive under
different conditions.
We developed an extended video by adding some
"outtakes" or clips showing different aspects of the
Interphone F4. We planned on trying to video a
bike-to-bike demonstration to illustrate the
communications range of the F4, but the distance is so
great we couldn't find a road that was long enough,
straight enough and flat enough to show the end point.
So we included a brief clip in the video that we used
during an experiment that shows me walking away from the
video camera while talking on the F4. You can see
me disappear into the distance, but that distance is
only about 1/3 of the actual range of the F4!
wBW
Video: Interphone F4 Bluetooth Intercom.
Includes extra clips at end illustrating some features.
Motorcycle Bluetooth Intercom Wish
List
OK, so the Bluetooth intercom manufacturers have
pretty much met all of our previous requests for
improving these devices. Here are some ideas to
take it to the next level: Rather than having
various tones and beeps and flashing lights to indicate
the different modes, how about a voice on a chip that
speaks real words?
Press the button to turn on the intercom and hear
"Intercom On". Or how about "Incoming telephone
call: receive or reject?". Different sound chips
could be sold in different languages that would plug
into the intercom.
Then, of course, the next step after that would be
for the rider to control the device hands-free, by
voice. "Turn on MP3" or "Intercom On". I
have this feature in my car, why not in an intercom
system?
Something else that many webBikeWorld readers have
asked for is a separate battery, to allow longer usage
when on a tour. While that may be difficult, it
shouldn't be too difficult to add an accessory wire that
might allow the intercom to be plugged in to an adapter
on the motorcycle if necessary to recharge the battery
while riding.
The distances in Europe may not require something
like this, but in North America, you can ride for 8
hours and not even cross into the next state or
province, so longer-lasting batteries are always
desirable.
Here's another one: wouldn't it be nice if the helmet
manufacturers got together with the Bluetooth intercom
manufacturers and developed a standardized mounting
system for external (not built-in) communications
systems? For example, suppose there was a system
where the helmet had a receiver for the "clip" shown on
the F4, so the F4 or any other intercom could
immediately attach to the helmet and then be switched to
another helmet if desired?
And finally, how about a "hub" that could allow
multiple Bluetooth intercoms to connect, so
multiple-bike rider-to-rider simultaneous communications
are made possible?
Remember 4 years ago when we requested some new
Bluetooth features and the engineers said "Impossible!".
Well, here we are and now we have them, so I don't
believe my wish list can't also come true!
Here's a quick survey, this time in multiple choice
so you can pick more than one wish, or add yours to the
"Other" category:
Conclusion
The Interphone F4 system is
very easy to use; everything works exactly as described
(unlike the first motorcycle Bluetooth systems we
reviewed); the sound quality is excellent and loud
enough to be heard even when not at maximum; and the F4 almost
instantly pairs with everything we've tried. Also,
the price is right and the two-year warranty (on the
U.S. units anyway) is excellent.
At this point, the only advantages a wired system
might have are longer talk time and ability to connect
with multiple users, but once the Bluetooth folks figure
that one out, I wouldn't want to be selling wired units.
If you're looking for a motorcycle Bluetooth intercom
system, you definitely should check out the new
Interphone F4.
NOTE: The webBikeWorld intercom evaluators always wear properly fitted ear
plugs while riding during the intercom evaluations and this is reflected in their opinions on sound quality and speaker volume.
Your experience may and probably will differ. Always wear high-quality,
correctly fitted ear plugs when riding a motorcycle (more).
Please
send
comments to
Comments are ordered from most recent to oldest.
Not all comments will be published (details). Comments may be edited for
clarity prior to publication.
From "H.L." (6/10): "After reading
the reviews on this site of the F4, Scala, and Sena, I
bought the F4, primarily for my spouse and myself.
But a 2,200 ride from New York to Georgia came up and I
used it with another rider the whole time. I
haven't taken the time to fully learn the system, but
bike to bike it worked great, including in lots of rain.
The range seems is less than hoped for, especially in
twisty riding, but the sound is loud and clear.
When a disconnect occurs, you just hit the button on one
helmet when near the other helmet (yards) and it
reconnects.
We mounted it with the clamp to a Shoei RF1100 and an
HJC full face that's a couple years old.
Installation is easy once you learn how to disassemble
your helmet.
The battery lasted all day, eight hours, and the two on
one charger is very convenient. So far, so good."
From "N.W." (4/10): "I did get the
Interphone F4 after sending back the Scala G4. I
must say I like the F4 is much better than the G4.
When I am using the F4 I feel like I am still using the
(Scala Rider) Q2, because to me they operate almost the
same. There are a few differences like the helmet
clamp, the place of the volume buttons, the more
advanced speakers, and the AD2P technology. To me
the F4 is just an upgraded Q2 and I love it.
The only thing it does not have is an FM tuner, but I
can just use my HTC Incredible which has a FM tuner,
when it finally comes out. Everything I have tried
to pair up to it has worked with no problems. Zumo
550 still sounds terrible because the unit does not
support the AD2P technology but that is ok, I mostly
just use my cell phone or iPod touch for music.
Both cell phone and iPod work well together, both
connect to the F4 at the same time as promised so I am
happy about that.
I don't have a problem finding the volume buttons with
my gloves on and riding. I started wearing earplugs and
I can still hear the music if I have the volume all the
way up. I have not had a chance to try the bike to
bike communication yet but I am sure it will work well.
This unit performs the way I hoped the G4 would have."
From "XX" (3/10): "Thanks for the
thorough review as always. I ordered this product
and can't find a way to install it on my Shoei X-11.
The helmet seems to have no extra space. Inserting the
speakers by the ears (where there is no padding)
intrudes on ear space to the point that I can't
comfortably wear the helmet.
I installed it on an old Arai that has speaker
indentations in the cheek pads and noticed that the
volume was low (due to the Styrofoam cheek pads
probably).
Has anyone mounted this on a Shoei X-11?"
Editor's Reply: As we noted, the
mounting system on the F4, the Sena SMH10 and the new
Scala Rider G4 are all pretty sturdy, which means thick,
which means they won't fit between the liner and shell
on many helmets. Each intercom comes with a
stick-on mount to attach the headset to the outside of
the helmet. Not sure if that is the best solution
either, so I think the manufacturers are going to have
to come up with better solutions.
From "J.O." (2/10): "Greetings...
upon receipt (of the Interphone F4 system), I charged
the units and mounted them. All straight forward
as per webBikeWorld and the F4 manual. So...these
f 4 units are new out of the box, on initial full
charge, paired in rider passenger intercom mode.
Battery Life Test:
Enabled the intercom at 6am. Disabled the
intercom it at 9pm. It was still strong with
no signs of low battery. That's 15 hours on,
jabbering most the time except for 1-1/2 hours at
lunch. So, I'm thinking 13-1/2 + hours in full
duplex mode anyway, on a new battery on a full
charge of course.
Cell Phone Test:
Bluetooth Motorola paired instantly, worked as
advertised.
GPS Test:
Are you kidding? I ain'ts gots no stinking
GPS...
Sound Level:KBC FFR
helmet (review) with rider wearing 30dB earplugs
and
HJC SyMax helmet (review) with passenger wearing
32dB earplugs, good to at least 100mph...probably
faster than that but we only bumped to 100 just to
see if the sound was compromised. The volume
was never an issue; we had every bit of volume we
wanted.
Sound Quality:
Same helmets and earplugs, perfect sound level and
quality... wow... better than anticipated.
With visors down the intercom is crystal clear and
the cell phone is crystal clear and the music is
stereo quality. With visors up the wind noise
made it hard to hear above 30mph. With visors
down, perfect so far. I'm thinking if we were
using open face helmets we would be sending these
back because of the wind noise from the mic with the
visor up. But since we ride with closed face
helmets with the visors down...yeeeeeehaaaaa!
Distance Test:
In hindsight I should have clicked off the tenths on
the odo. O well, gut feeling -- it was at
least 3/8 mile unobstructed and it had more distance
to go because we didn't loose pairing.
Just a note... the KBC FFR is an XXL so not much room
for speakers. I used the supplied Velcro to mount
the speakers and mic. I had to fuss with it to get
the speakers lined up to the ear canals. Seems the
speakers needed to be mounted right on top of the chin
strap screw.
The HJC SyMax is XS so there is a deep gap between
the ear and the helmet shell. I used Armaflex foam
tape to build up the speaker holes to move the speaker
close to the ear canals. Then I used the supplied
Velcro to mount the speakers and mic. It took some
doing to get the speaker location right but since we
used these helmets for intercom (anyway), we had a hand
up on 1st time installers.
The next day I mounted the interphone on a XS
Shoei
Multitec (review). Very easy and fast.
Used Velcro, everything lined up on the 1st try.
The kit components seemed to be quality, even a spare
mic wind sock was supplied.
There you go -- thanks to webBikeWorld. I was
not for webBikeWorld, I would not be broke!"
From "D.B." (2/10): "I've been a fan
of webBikeWorld for years and have always found the
reviews informative and have based many purchase
decisions on them. The Interphone F4 was one of
these decisions based on the glowing recommendations in
the review.
Prior to ordering the product, I did contact BlueAnt
to specifically ask about mounting the speakers in my
Shoei Syncrotec helmet since the helmet has indentations
on both sides to accommodate the movable chin guard
locking mechanism.
In several correspondences withBlueAnt's sales
manager, he was fairly certain that the system would
install in my helmet and if there was a problem, there
was a 2 year no questions asked guaranty. Based on that
assurance, I went ahead and ordered the system.
To make a long story short, the way my helmet is
configured and with the glued in cheek pieces, there is
no way I can comfortably mount the system, which I
passed on to (the BlueAnt representative) and asked to
return the product.
(Snipped D.B.'s narrative on problems dealing with
BlueAnt customer service when trying to return the
product - Editor).
Advise readers that how the speakers are installed,
especially with the mike boom attached to one of the
speakers, is critical to the type of helmet you're
wearing.
I am a current user of the Scala rider and have been
for several years. Cardo does take customer support
seriously, replacing several components that have failed
over my years using the product without even having to
return the broken piece first.
I think you guys provide a valuable resource and I
would have, based on your review, been happy with the
product if I could have actually used it."
Editor's Reply: My advice is to
purchase gear through one of our affiliates, who have
excellent return policies and procedures.
From "K.E." (1/10): "If you use an
iPhone 3GS, you can voice control music and calls once
you activate the main button on the F4. I agree
with you that a universal mounting system on helmets
would encourage more Bluetooth use – especially if it
made the unit look more integrated to the helmet.
Lastly, a clamp on remote for your bike instead of
touching your helmet would be desirable so you can keep
your hands on the bars where they belong. Parrot
has the remote idea in their system."
