Cardo packs a whole lot of features into a tiny one-button headset. But how did it sound?
Review summary of the Cardo Scala 700 LX:
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 Cardo's Scala 700 LX headset suffers the same fate that many gadgets suffer; it tries to do too many things, but ends up doing few of them well. The main point of a Bluetooth headset is to make handsfree calls, and while the 700 LX can help you find it among the couch cushions, store your last call and tell you when you missed one, the calling experience left much to be desired. Aside from our initial frustration with the pairing process, once connected the sound was considerably worse than with our handset. Ultimately, we found the headset serviceable, but we're not sure we'd recommend it. Release: March 2008. Price: $30.
Pros: Lots of extra features, small profile.
Cons: Poor voice quality, difficulty pairing with phone.
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Full Cardo Scala 700 LX Review:
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Design - Good
The Scala 700 LX looks pretty generic for a Bluetooth headset, but its smallish size sets it apart from some of the more garish offerings we've seen. We could do without the cheap, rubber ear loop, which was detachable and had a metal wire for better positioning around the ear. The speaker doesn't sit inside the ear, instead resting on top of it, making the ear loop necessary. It would have been nice to see a clip of some sort to give us another option for easy access when not wearing it. We're not sure why there is a little rubber piece surrounding the microphone, either, but we presume it's for helping with wind noise.
The spring-loaded volume switch performs many of the functions that the main button would on other Bluetooth sets, like turning it on and putting it in pairing mode. This frees up the main button for some of the auxiliary features of the 700 LX. The main button wasn't raised, so it wasn't easy to find with our finger, but didn't require precision to operate.
Sound - Good
We weren't at all impressed with the sound we got from the 700 LX. Static was minimal and distant, but voices sounded tinny and distant, even at the highest volume. This could be due to the design, which simply rests on the ear as opposed to going inside. Indoors we didn't have any problems hearing, but outdoors we almost always had to blast the volume, and even then we found ourselves asking our callers to repeat themselves. Overall, the sound was serviceable, but far from ideal.
Calling - Very Good
The 700 LX was not short on features. Its swap feature allows you to pair multiple phones at once, and then switch between them. When a call is missed, the headset flashes rapidly. The location buzzer feature lets you find the headset (if it's still paired with the device), by making a loud audible beeping noise.
That said, connecting with our phone was a bit problematic, as it took us about four tries before it was recognized. But once we were connected we never dropped a signal. Voice dialing, conference calls and regular voice calls all worked fine, and aside from the sound issues, we were very pleased.
Odds and ends
We liked the inclusion of both an AC charger and USB cable, but much like the Blue Ant device we tested earlier, we don't understand why it uses a proprietary connector instead of a standard mini-USB plug.
Price and availability
The Cardo Scala 700 LX will start selling for $30 () in March 2008.
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