Thank you all for your input.
Here is my review for anyone interested.
I decided to go with the X1slim. I tried several local companies listed on the web page as dealers, but they either had no real world information or input for me, one company did not seem interested in selling this particular brand for some reason and did not even suggest an alternative, but I had already made up my mind, so I contacted their sales department to figure out just how to go about purchasing the units. They made life easy and sold directly to me (at a lower than list price
). I ordered 5 Chatterbox X1slim units (and a few additional accessories). They were delivered within 7 days.
I installed mine in a modular helmet, took me about and hour (I am kinda particular) following the youtube video's (Diesel TX is right, very poor directions in the instruction book). Over the next week, my friends picked theirs up and installed them also. We sat around the kitchen table with our helmets on (looking like real idiots I am sure) and familiarized ourselves with them. Our first real test was so, so, some could not hear, others could not speak and so on. We worked out most of the bugs and now everything is pretty good.
Our only real distance test was good for about 3 miles, not too shabby, Beyond that and I can hear them speak, but cannot really understand what they are saying (might be me). We really do not get separated by that much but it does come in handy, as we found out, when separated by a tractor trailer. We had a turn coming up and the bike behind the tractor (about 1/2 mile behind us) was able to know where we were going.
Bluetoothe works fine, easy to pair.
Distance seems pretty good, you never get what is promised (like MPG in a car, or political promises) but I feel it is pretty good. Keep in mind the unit transmits in FRS and GMRS frequencies. GMRS channels is where the 5 mile distance would be and are between 8 and 15. So pick a channel and sub channel in that range.
The FM radio works well.
Hard to press buttons on the side of your head while ridding (especially with gloves), but if you set it up prior to leaving, there is little adjustment to be made.
The speakers were originally the biggest complaint I had, but I realized I had mounted them too high, I lowered them closer to my ear canal and WOW what a difference. I always thought I knew where my ears were, but I guess I was wrong.
So far I am pleased with the unit and the price.
Biggest complaint now is the instruction manual, you really have to read between the lines to figure out how to exactly set it up, again, that may just be me. If I figured it out, anyone can.
Thanks for reading this LOOOONG post, hope it helps.
Bob
