Chatterbox XBi2

[Anonymous]

#3603

About a year ago I bought a pair of XBi2 intercoms after reading the reviews on http://www.webbikeworld.com and they have performed well enough until recently when one of them fried a component while charging. I sent an email with photos to Chatterbox USA and had a reply from a helpful sounding Sales Manager.  I posted the failed unit to him for examination about a month ago but no response as yet.  These units had about 20 hours on them, and I am hopeful the unit will be replaced under warranty.Has anyone else had any faults with these units?  I see these are now available on Trade Me from the Gadget Guys, I might contact them to hear if they have anything interesting to say about warranties.

[Anonymous]

#14924

The update is that Mr Balediata from Chatterbox replied after my second email and requested proof that I actually posted the unit back to the USA for inspection; was it lost in transit? I emailed the NZ Post receipt and received the response that they will replace the unit which presumably is in transit. I think that is a satisfactory response. I am interested in user opinions of the Sena SMH10 or Cardo Scala G4 units if anyone has tried them. The XBi2 works well but noise vs. amplification becomes an issue for me at 100 kph. Cheers

[Anonymous]

#14925

Greetings Doughixon,The Baron's currently use the SMH10. I think we may have had more success with vox if we owned flip up helmets and used boom microphones but the system works well for us just as an intercom. The large jog dial is simple to use and very glove friendly. Plenty of volume but in excessive wind and at 100kmh you probably would be better off behind a barn door ie: R1150RT etc. The system has plenty of features that at our age we have no need. Talking on a cell phone on a bike to me is asking for trouble however there may be some benefit for the quicker guys to link their radar detector. Another huge plus is the pairing of the units. Brilliant, set a pair up once and that's it. Never need to do it again. I found when Frau Baron pillioned with Uncamoose the system worked particularly well and I could still here Frau up to a 1km split and probably a little less through the twisty gravelly bits around Whangamomona. I understand the system can run four units at once so from my limited knowledge I would presume the SMH10 would cope quite capably.Cheers,Herr and Frau Baron

[Anonymous]

#14926

Greetings Doughixon,The Baron's currently use the SMH10. I think we may have had more success with vox if we owned flip up helmets and used boom microphones but the system works well for us just as an intercom. The large jog dial is simple to use and very glove friendly. Plenty of volume but in excessive wind and at 100kmh you probably would be better off behind a barn door ie: R1150RT etc. The system has plenty of features that at our age we have no need. Talking on a cell phone on a bike to me is asking for trouble however there may be some benefit for the quicker guys to link their radar detector. Another huge plus is the pairing of the units. Brilliant, set a pair up once and that's it. Never need to do it again. I found when Frau Baron pillioned with Uncamoose the system worked particularly well and I could still here Frau up to a 1km split and probably a little less through the twisty gravelly bits around Whangamomona. I understand the system can run four units at once so from my limited knowledge I would presume the SMH10 would cope quite capably.Cheers,Herr and Frau Baron

Personally I enjoy the peace and quiet myself,but don't tell Babzee.......

[Anonymous]

#14927

It is not the silence of the long distance rider alone that is enjoyable , but also the lack of helpful short cuts (I ain't got all day)and riding hints (yes! backseat type observations that are correct, but who isn't incorrect occasionally). I don't need an over observant and correctly cautious learner poking holes in my riding. I need all my concentration to navigate the black bus at the best of times, so a lovely set of Sena SMH10, 3rd generation longer range blue tooth intercoms, have remain boxed for the same period Herr and Frau Barons identical set up have been unboxed (we bought them at the same time). They were to be used for bike to bike communications as the boss was learning, but I suspect she heard my yelling on the odd occasion, without intercom. Remarkably she has learnt to ride quite well and is continuing to improve, despite a long break, without continuous communications. I don't know if the lack, has helped more than if we were connected. My lack of patience may have discouraged her if she could have heard me all the time. How did everyone else learn to ride before all these gadgets? They are great, as we have experienced with the Nolan wired system that we used when on the same bike. Conversation floods and ebbs as in any environment and it is convenient to emphasise scenic high lights or chilly silences. I suspect Herr Baron is correct in his observation that high levels of background wind noise can cause VOX activation problems. Certainly, behind the barn door of the R1150RT, we sit in a cocoon of silent still air, which is less fatiguing, requires no ear plugs, but causes overheating in summer when you want the breeze on you. But hey, the voice activation works swell.From the tests I read, the Sena's superior volume, range and ability to remain clear when travelling quickly, were major points in selecting them.

[Anonymous]

#14928

Good thoughts, thank you.  I received the replacement unit and as soon as we were underway I was reminded of the limitations of conversation while riding at highway speeds.  But then we don't converse all that much on the highway, more when riding at slower speeds and there are more distractions. It helps to reduce internal noise when I wear a scarf or use a neoprene collar.  An intercom is quite useful when riding with my son, if I get past a truck I can relay info about when it is safe for him to overtake as the R60 doesn't have the grunt of the Rockster. I read that the Cardo G4 is the only one that can handle 4 up simultaneously. Great if there was a toy library for motorcyclists to check out what really works, next best are the reviews on the webbikeworld website. These shorter days are already boring, why not pass a law that allows you to finish work an hour earlier?

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