Good lightweight Comms - 100-200$ range?

[daishi]

The very few reviews about it are from people who were probably PAID to say it was good.

It looks promising, but I'm waiting for someone to post a review on it. Code red claims its selling out like crazy....but there's hardly any info. Hate when people get a new product then keep it to themselves.

[MultipleParadox]

Originally Posted by daishi

The very few reviews about it are from people who were probably PAID to say it was good.

It looks promising, but I'm waiting for someone to post a review on it. Code red claims its selling out like crazy....but there's hardly any info. Hate when people get a new product then keep it to themselves.

Yeah after searching white a bit I havent seen any real reviews
I doubt that at 100$ it's gonna provide a performance close to their pro counterpart at close to 400$...

But I am curious about them and the fact of having both ears uncovered is quite tempting. So anyways, I decided to take one for the team and will let you know once I tried it on the field

I don't have great expectations but who knows.

Will contact CanComm and see what they propose to go with my PTT too

Daishi: If I ever decide not to get a new McKay earpiece, you want a second PTT for a good price maybe?

[Enthusiast]

I cannot understand how you put 200 $ on mike for a baofeng radio ?

The cops I know have P25 digital radio worth from 4000 to 7000 $ and they use 200 $ value mic. But on a cheap chineese radio It dont make sens to me.

I would get a better radio instead with an external no ground antenna.

[ThunderCactus]

Because a $20 headset is absolute fucking garbage.
Until you've had people you NEED to talk to on comms sound like they're chewing on their mic, or all you hear is wind, or they're coming through like a fucking air horn, you're not allowed to critisize how much we spend on comms =p
not having good comms is extremely frustration, not just for you, but for everyone you're trying to talk to.

And just because our radios dont talk with aircraft, or transmit on police bands, or on FM bands, doesnt mean we have to cheap out on the headset. The radios are under $200 because a sub $200 radio does everything we NEED it to do. We spend more than $200 on a headset because thats what a headset that we NEED costs lol

[Enthusiast]

I understand that you want clear com. It's just that a mike has no complex electronic parts in it, not patent involved (contrary to a the radio transceiver) and should cost less than the walkie talkie you plug it in...

PS: P25 radios dont communicate with airplane and the radio you use are FM (modulation) radios.

[ThunderCactus]

Have you ever used a set of $200+ comms?

[daishi]

The difference between my ztactical sub $100 setup and my current 210ish dollar in ear bone mic is amazing. I can only imagine what a 400 dollar setup would be like...but I'm not sure I would ever need something like that.

I mean sure, I could go and buy a thousand dollar radio to talk to aliens and a 1500 dollar comms setup...but why would I? I'm not a super l33t operator, just a guy playing with toys.


Also MP, my cancom setup has an inline PTT, it has a Hirose Pigtail disconnect, so I cant really swap out the PTT if it breaks TBH I'm not really sure I got what I ordered...but it works.

[DipTwit]

... and just like that, the FedEx guy brought me my latest bundle of joy...

The Code Red set does work pretty well, so far just initial testing in the house, but the only thing that would be nice is maybe a little more top-end volume. I generally like it with the radio's volume all the way up. I will play with positioning it differently to see if that helps.

One good thing, it doesn't appear to need any batteries. One less-good thing is that it doesn't use the U94 connector so I don't know if you could adapt these to work with your personal favorite PTT. It'll depend on whether they've had to customize the wiring at all - I may play around with that after getting used to them the way they are.

I ordered two Kenwood-plug units, plus a secondary cable for Motorolla talkabout. Everything seems to work just as they should, and it's nice to have both options, although the extra cable cost more than a cheap Z-tac PTT so it's not really a cost saving thing.

I'll test them out a bit while camping this weekend, and Thundercactus if there's a game at the Yard next Thursday I'll have them there if you want to take a look.

[daishi]

God yes please test them and provide a review.

Specifically interested in the volume issue.

My cancom headset has that issue, I cant seem to make it loud...I can turn my radio all the way up but the volume tops out at a regular talking level... not sure if it will hold up in a loud situation...but it is in my ear so who knows.

[MultipleParadox]

Daishi
What radio are you using?
The McKay I had could be way too fucking loud on my wouxun, and seeing how you got practically the same thing I'm a bit surprised

[Amoki]

Originally Posted by Enthusiast

I cannot understand how you put 200 $ on mike for a baofeng radio ?

The cops I know have P25 digital radio worth from 4000 to 7000 $ and they use 200 $ value mic. But on a cheap chineese radio It dont make sens to me.

I would get a better radio instead with an external no ground antenna.

Because you pay for the function and what market supply-and-demand dictates.

A $50 radio that can broadcast on CB is commonplace, not to mention significantly less intricate than a $4000 radio capable of encryption and all that fancy stuff.

A $200-400 bone mic? Not only is it uncommon, the complexity of a bone mic that can work under abuse and still transmit and receive clearly requires robust engineering.

[SawBone]

Originally Posted by DipTwit

... and just like that, the FedEx guy brought me my latest bundle of joy...

The Code Red set does work pretty well, so far just initial testing in the house, but the only thing that would be nice is maybe a little more top-end volume. I generally like it with the radio's volume all the way up. I will play with positioning it differently to see if that helps.

One good thing, it doesn't appear to need any batteries. One less-good thing is that it doesn't use the U94 connector so I don't know if you could adapt these to work with your personal favorite PTT. It'll depend on whether they've had to customize the wiring at all - I may play around with that after getting used to them the way they are.

I ordered two Kenwood-plug units, plus a secondary cable for Motorolla talkabout. Everything seems to work just as they should, and it's nice to have both options, although the extra cable cost more than a cheap Z-tac PTT so it's not really a cost saving thing.

I'll test them out a bit while camping this weekend, and Thundercactus if there's a game at the Yard next Thursday I'll have them there if you want to take a look.

Originally Posted by daishi

God yes please test them and provide a review.

I'd be interested in a small review as well. I can only find one that doesn't seem biased (here, for those interested), and I'd love to read a second opinion on them.

[ThunderCactus]

mwahahahahahaaaaa
updated software
active background noise reduction
TRIPLE radio capability with THREE ptt buttons
lower profile ear buds
molle compatible mounting bracket
and all the cables going out one goddamn side.

[MultipleParadox]

Holy shmolly!
Nice piece of kit that is!

But certainly was waaayyyy over budget Haha!

[DipTwit]

Originally Posted by SawBone

I'd be interested in a small review as well. I can only find one that doesn't seem biased (here, for those interested), and I'd love to read a second opinion on them.

OK so... I'm no professional writer, and you've read the reviews elsewhere that tell you what it does & how, so all I could really add here is *how well* they do it.

So far the only questions in my mind when purchasing were:

1) Is it hype/crap comparable to Z-Tac quality?

Absolutely not. They seem well built, weather sealing looks solid, fit on various people's heads, sound good. Only quality issue is that they have a rubber strap at the back, presumably to keep it pulled back snug over your ears - on one of my units the strap broke pretty quickly. I will check with the Code Red people but I honestly don't need that strap, they stay on perfectly, especially once you have glasses/goggles/helmet keeping it in place.

2) Are volume levels enough?

I mentioned I generally keep my radio volume all the way up. After using it some more, I'm ok with volume partway up, but just realize that, without any amplification, there is a limit to how loud they can sound. My guess is if they designed them to be any louder they would be audible to people around you, which you wouldn't want.

3) How is the sound quality, especially of the microphone?

Listening to transmissions from others sounds as clear as, in my experience, listening through my Sordins. It's *different* mind you, as the sound isn't being pumped into your ear. To me the acoustic isolation of Sordins makes them sound amplified, even though they're not (they sound the same when the environmental circuit is turned off) With the Code Reds it was still just as easy to understand what people are saying, but the way your ear mixes your environment and the transmissions is just different.

The microphone isn't muddy like throat mics at all. I need to use them with more people talking to really compare their sound to that of people using regular mics, but I had no problem hearing and understanding what my buddy (using my second pair of Code Reds) was saying.

4) Would I recommend everybody run out and buy them?

This one's tougher. I kinda like the fact that Sordins will stop me from getting shot in the ear, amplify footsteps around me, protect me from thunder b's, work with various PTTs and since mine are duals, hook up to multiple radios. If some of those are must-haves, stick with cans or, like me, mount cans on your helmet for milsims, and keep these for when you're running a lightweight rig with a hat.

If you don't care much for the above points though, these could certainly be your one-and-only headset. The included PTT is great and I like not having a mic boom to get tangled as you move your head around.


Hope that helps, guys, if you have any specific questions ask away.

DipTwit
(Juggler on other forums)