Ok lets make sure that I usnderstand this - and if I do, then explain it to anyone else finding the post in the future.twowheelstom wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 12:20 pmGreetings jfheath,
thanks for your post, and I did research just now on the Cardo Packtalk Edge, super great unit, and maybe you might know if a Cardo Spirit basic unit tucked into my jacket riding pocket with my 3.5mm earbuds connected and the Spirit microphone unplugged and removed would work? I mean, in your opinion would my Zumo 396 bluetooth be able to reach the Spirit unit when it's in my front riding jacket pocket?
If yes then I might not install any headset unit directly clipped onto my half-helmet and just have wired earbuds under my helmet just like using my cheap ugreen bluetooth receiver, .....
A Picture - this is an internet find of some of the Cardo Spirit components:
- Cardo Spirit parts.jpg (101.64 KiB) Viewed 727 times
Ok -
Top left is a cradle attaches to the lower part of the left side of the helmet just behind where your ear would be. The cradle has wires coming out of it - one wire has a special mini connector into which the microphone lead is plugged. The other wire is a 3 core wire for stereo sound to the speakers / earbuds. That terminates in a standard 3 pole 3mm headphone socket.
Top right is the Cardo Spirit Intercom unit. This clips into the cradle somehow. My Edge has a powerful magnet which causes it to jump out of my hand into the cradle and locks itself into position with a sprung clip.
Bottom left is the microphone with a lead which mates with the special (non standard) connector for the mic lead.
Bottom right are the supplied headphones which have a male 3 pole 3.5mm plug of the type that are supplied with many devices. Note that 4 pole versions of this exist - which are common for phones where 1 pole is required for each of the mic, left speaker and right speaker and a common ground. The one that is required is a 3 pole version.
So I think that the question is
Can you put the cardo Spirit into its cradle, not have a microphone atatched to the mic lead and plug your own simple earplugs into the speaker socket - the 3.5mm 3pole socket :
Will it have the range to pick up from the Zumo ?
Will it work without the microphone ?
Answer.
I don't know !
BUT I have just delved inside the lining of my helmet and found the connector for the microphone and the 3.5mm connectors for the speakers. I detached the mic. I separated the 3.5mm connector and plugged my own earbuds into the socket.
And yes that works perfectly well getting the sound from my Zumo XT to the plugged in headphones. I can only guess that the Cardo Spirit will work in a very similar way to the Edge in that respect. But that info may give you what you need to know.
BT range is not a problem. I walked throught to the other room in the house and it was still working OK. I often have my phone charging in a USB connector in the top box of my bike, with the XT at the front of the bike. It isn't an issue.
Beware buying a set of headphones that include a microphone. They will have a 4 pole 3.5mm jack plug, not a 3 pole. They may be designed to be compatible, but I certainly wouldn't try it without knowing for sure and definitely not on something expensive.
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I would utter a word of caution. The leads that come out of the cradle are very fragile. flexible leads that emerge from solid objects tend to flap around and eventually the plastic outer coating splits, exposing the wires. The wires then fray and eventually break. When I first saw it I thought that it was a really stupid idea having leads like that. So mine has a sticky foam pad support arrnagement - so that the wires cannot vibrate near the cradle.
A similar thing will happen in your pocket. Find a way to make sore that when the Spirit moves in your pocket, the cables move with it.
Hope that helps.
Now - how do these wires go in my helmet ??
and thanks for helping
