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View Full Version : The Gadgeteer Reviews the Cardo Systems Scala-500 Bluetooth Headset


Ekkie Tepsupornchai
07-31-2006, 10:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review/cardo_scala_500_bluetooth_headset' target='_blank'>http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review...uetooth_headset</a><br /><br /></div><i>"My search for a comfortable, easy to use, good sounding Bluetooth headset to pair with my Treo 650, may have come to a quick end. At least until something else comes along... After reviewing 4 headsets in the last few months, I recently learned about the Cardo Systems scala-500 from one of my gadget buddies at my day job... He highly recommended it, so I decided to test one out for myself. "</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/ekkie_gadgeteer_cardo-scala500-8_200607.jpg" /><br /><br />The most comfortable headset available? I'm all for that. Interestingly enough, this one comes with two different methods of attachement: the traditional earloop or an eyeglass attachement for those who find the earloop too uncomfortable with your frames. Anyway, check out the review and if anyone has tried these, give us your assessment!

Marcel_Proust
07-31-2006, 11:23 PM
isn't this a bit NOT cutting edge for this site? i think this headset was introduced about 2 years ago.
i've tried it and returned. a decent, middling, well priced headset. nothing to write home about. even when it came out. and definitely not now with some of the newer offerings.

usually jule at the gadgeteer is better.

haesslich
08-01-2006, 12:20 AM
She's had some of the newer offerings on her site - check out the Tekkeon review with the OLED display, for one. However, I do have to agree it's a good headset for the price, with decent sound quality... but there are better ones out there, provided you're willing to shell out a few more dollars.

lapchinj
08-01-2006, 03:36 AM
...The most comfortable headset available?...
Yeah, I agree with that. A friend of mine who does service work bought four of them because he tends to loose them. He offered me one to try out and he definitely lost this one also. Very, very comfortable. doesn't squeeze the juice out of the ear which makes it wearable for the whole day without pain.

The sound quality is really great with no real pickup of background noise (wind from the car window). I keep asking everyone I speak to if they can hear me OK and they alway answer yes. My son drives a school bus and always calls me when the kids are going up onto the bus or going off. The noise was always unbearable with his other BT headsets and I used to cut the conversation short. He took my Cardo and the conversation went on with no really distracting background noise. He loved it and asked me where I got it so I sent him to my friend :devilboy: .

...Interestingly enough, this one comes with two different methods of attachement:...
It also comes with a necklace so if it falls off your ear it won't go to far (not very likely if it is put on properly) or if you just want it out of your ear you just let it hang there and a belt clip which I don't understand.

I've also stopped looking for a BT headset. The Cardo is small, not expensive (if bought in a store :wink: ), has great sound quality and picks up very little background noise.

Jeff-

Marcel_Proust
08-01-2006, 03:45 AM
...The most comfortable headset available?...
Yeah, I agree with that. A friend of mine who does service work bought four of them because he tends to loose them. He offered me one to try out and he definitely lost this one also. Very, very comfortable. doesn't squeeze the juice out of the ear which makes it wearable for the whole day without pain.

The sound quality is really great with no real pickup of background noise (wind from the car window). I keep asking everyone I speak to if they can hear me OK and they alway answer yes. My son drives a school bus and always calls me when the kids are going up onto the bus or going off. The noise was always unbearable with his other BT headsets and I used to cut the conversation short. He took my Cardo and the conversation went on with no really distracting background noise. He loved it and asked me where I got it so I sent him to my friend :devilboy: .

...Interestingly enough, this one comes with two different methods of attachement:...
It also comes with a necklace so if it falls off your ear it won't go to far (not very likely if it is put on properly) or if you just want it out of your ear you just let it hang there and a belt clip which I don't understand.

I've also stopped looking for a BT headset. The Cardo is small, not expensive (if bought in a store :wink: ), has great sound quality and picks up very little background noise.

Jeff-

No disrespect meant. But this headset is so 2 years ago. Have you guys looked at some of the latest offerings from Plantronics, Erricson and others that have come out recently. Beats this easily for comfort, sound quality, everything. It's also quite a large headset these days. This is a cheap and solid bargain priced but not great headset.
In any case, this is a pocketpc site, so I'll shut up now.

lapchinj
08-01-2006, 03:56 AM
... but there are better ones out there, provided you're willing to shell out a few more dollars.
I bought one BT headset and it was for more than $100 and it was really bad. The background noise was horrible. I was able to send it back but it was a hassle. The problem I find is that unless you have a friend that's willing to lend you his or her greatest find I can't see shelling out that kind of money again without a trial (like the 30 days you get with software 8) ). The Cardo really meets my needs as far as sound, lack of background noise and it can be had for only $30. That's a nice combination.

There might be better ones out there but for the price and quality it's a bargain. I don't think that I'm settling for something I wouldn't normally buy if I only had a little more money to spend. Besides if I lost or broke it I wouldn't cry too much and I wouldn't have to wait until my birthday to get another one.

Jeff-

lapchinj
08-01-2006, 04:08 AM
...No disrespect meant. But this headset is so 2 years ago. Have you guys looked at some of the latest offerings from Plantronics, Erricson and others that have come out recently. Beats this easily for comfort, sound quality, everything. It's also quite a large headset these days. This is a cheap and solid bargain priced but not great headset.
In any case, this is a pocketpc site, so I'll shut up now.
No I haven't looked since this one works quite well. But not so much because I'm happy with the Cardo it's mainly because there is really no way to try one out without first buying it. That's why I never got another one until my friend gave me this one.

Yeah this is a PPC site and there are probably many people who are interested in your views (as I am). If I had a way to try out some of the headset you mentioned (without having to through the hassle of buying them and then returning the ones I didn't want) I would do it in a heartbeat.

Jeff-

weisco
08-01-2006, 02:27 PM
I bought this headset about two years ago--still have it but very rarely use it. I didn't find it comfortable. Whenever I moved my head the Cardo seemed to flop around.

Sound quality OK but not stellar. Battery life is good.

For someone interested in this headset, I think CompUsa has it for only $10 after some rebates this week--for that price it becomes much more interesting. Probably nicer than most other headsets less than $40.

Fergman
08-01-2006, 03:04 PM
Hi all, just for those interested, this headset is available this week at CompUSA for 9.99 after rebate.

Ekkie Tepsupornchai
08-01-2006, 04:38 PM
No disrespect meant. But this headset is so 2 years ago. Have you guys looked at some of the latest offerings from Plantronics, Erricson and others that have come out recently. Beats this easily for comfort, sound quality, everything.
Well I think Lapchinj made a great point in that a lot of us don't know about all the headsets b/c we don't get to easily try them before we buy. That was obviously the case with Julie at the Gadgeteer as well. While she's tried out a number of headsets (and made a point of saying she was on a hunt for the most comfortable one), she just put up a review raving about this one. Perhaps she's behind the times, but I felt the review would at least be of interest to those who weren't familiar with or have never tried this headset... and I think you'll agree that Julie's opinion is respected amongst most of us.

I personally find that BT headsets are really left highly to individual tastes. We have Lapchinj who agrees its the most comfortable he's tried and another he claims it's not comfortable and that it flops around.

That said, I think we'd all love to hear what you're using right now and what others you've found to be better based on your experiences.

Marcel_Proust
08-01-2006, 04:49 PM
Firstly, I can appreciate everything that's been said, and it's not a bad headphone, but just nto sure if a newsworthy one. There are many review resources on the net that have already covered it.
It's harder if you can't test it out first. I've returned a number of headphones to my local Best Buys, Future Shops, and Radio Shacks. Usually I don't buy from them, unless it's things I may return, as it's much harder to return online purchases. And I agree bluetooth headphones are very personal when it comes to preferences, and reviews are not as useful as for other things.
I've used a number in the past, a bit of a bluetooth headset junkie. My favourite right now is the Jabra JX10.

Ekkie Tepsupornchai
08-01-2006, 06:08 PM
My favourite right now is the Jabra JX10.
I've heard a lot of good things about that headset. I've actually been eying that as my next potential headset, though I'm not sure that the headset is as important to me now that I have a new car with the built-in BT capabilities! ;)

Phoenix
08-01-2006, 11:44 PM
My favourite right now is the Jabra JX10.

I have to agree here. I've used quite a few BT earpieces in the past as well, and the Jabra is my favorite for looks and durability, size and weight, performance and interface - just the overall design. It's also one of the few that has a matching desktop charger which I also highly appreciate. And for $100 street, it's not bad on price - a little higher than average, but not bad at all.

Along with one of Nextlink's soft earsprings (which just happens to fit the Jabra perfectly), it can't be beat, IMO. The earspring allows the JX-10 to stay put and doesn't wrap around the ear. I love it.

lapchinj
08-02-2006, 02:12 AM
For me I see this thread accomplishing a few things. How good/bad is the Cardo with respect to the review. How users (past/present) felt about the Cardo and how the Cardo stands up against other BT headsets. I don't think that how old the technology is really matters. All-in-all it seems that the Cardo is a very decent headset. There seems to others worth trying but until I find a way to do that I still have a very decent BT headset.

The point I'm trying to make is that I'm always in the market for something better but at least I don't have to keep looking for something because mine is not preforming.

Jeff-