See what CNET Editors have to say
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Average user rating:
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
4.0 stars
"Better Than Most"
Pros: Light and convenient; with good controls and a two-color display
Cons: No better than average for ergonomics; performance, and incoming sound quality
Summary: I bought the Scala 600 to overcome a nagging problem I was having with my Motorolla H500: it kept dialing people on its own.
The problem (which is not unique to the H500) is that the main control button is not recessed, and is used to both turn on the headset and redial the last number. Every time I tried to put the H500 in my pocket or a backpack - and sometimes if I just bumped it the wrong way while it sat on a table- it would turn itself on and redial.
The Scala 600 overcomes this proplem by seperating the on/off and redial functions from the main control button. Instead you have to hold down the volume rocker to access these functions, wich is very difficult to do by accident. That alone made it a good buy for me.
As noted in the editor's review, the Scala 600 essentially identical to the Scala 700 except that the latter has some additional features. IMHO none of those features are particularly useful - they just add clutter. I would strongly recommend saving a few dollars and getting this model instead.
Both the 600 and 700 are small and light and use a hanger to rest on the outside of the ear canal. Although it is lighter, I find that the Scala is not quite as comfortable as the H500, and sometimes you have to fiddle with the angle to prevent the microphone from being too close or too far from your cheak. You can hear the speaker regardless of the angle, but I am told it effects what others here when they talk to you.
Dispite Cardo's supposedly "superior" noise reduction software, I have found that incomming calls are oftern slightly noisier than they would be with the H500. My wife says that outgoing calls are slightly softer, but clearer with the Scala than with the Motorolla, but as noted above, that can deteriorate if the microphone isn't at a good angle. Overall I think the performance is good, but you don't get the clear, natural tone quality from the speaker that you do with the Motorolla. Likewise the beeps and tones used by the Scala 600 are not nearly as musical and appealing as those used by the H500. The same can be said of the external syling and materials, which are equally functional in the Scala, but more aestheically pleasing in the Motorolla.
One area where the Scala 600 has the H500 beat, however is in the function of its controls and displays. The volume rocker is easier to use and find than the tiny flush buttons in the H500, and the larger display flashes red instead of blue when the battery charge is low.
The bottom line is that the Scala 600 is simple, practical, and devoid of any major problems. When I am not wearing it, I can simply put it in my pocket, and I don't have to worry about the cat stepping on it at 3 AM and calling my Mother. (Yes that really happened with the H500!!!)
Overall this is a very good product.
Where to buy
Cardo Scala 600 Bluetooth headset:
$6.69 - $34.99
| store | price | in stock? | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
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Unbeatablesale.com
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$34.99 | No |
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eBay
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$6.69 | Yes |
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