The BluArmor C20 is BluArmor’s latest and most affordable offering. We’ve been using it for the past few weeks and here are our thoughts on this system so far.
The C20 is based on the same architecture as BluArmor’s flagship C50, which is why the shape and dimensions of the primary unit of both are the same. The C20 therefore also retains the rear-mounted orientation that the C50 debuted with. The visual distinguishing factor between both are the graphics used; the C20 gets a rather nice carbon-fibre finish with prominent ‘C20’ branding.
We decided to fit the BluArmor C20 onto a KYT TT Revo helmet; since the wire has to be routed through the back of the helmet, the curvature of the rear portion of the helmet and the space required for the wire to flex and enter the helmet needs to be carefully calculated before the adhesive mount is placed. Since the connection cable needs to go into the click-dock from underneath in order to plug-in to the main unit, sufficient clearance also needs to be maintained to be able to remove the cable from the click-dock since the primary unit needs to be taken off of the helmet in order to charge it. BluArmour provide two types of adhesive mounts, one is a wing mount which accounts for the helmet’s curvature fairly well, onto which you can snap the click-dock, and the other is simply the click-dock itself with adhesive patches on it. While attaching the click-dock to the wing mount, a small plastic component snapped off very easily due to which we had to remove it and use the other mount. While the mounting system is fairly seamless and mounting and unmounting is simple once the initial fitment is done, we feel the plastics used for the mounts could have been of better and more robust quality. Another point to be noted is that I’ve used the wing mount to mount the BluArmor C50 Pro via the magdock without issue prior to attempting the same on the C20, and after a month of usage the adhesive on one side seems to be losing some of its strength. Whereas quite a few intercom systems employ clip-on mechanisms for the side of the helmet, BluArmor rely solely on adhesives, both for the rear unit as well as the button module on the side, so the effectiveness of these adhesives is critical. Also, whereas the side surface of any helmet is generally a fairly flat surface, there’s quite a lot of variation in the curvature at the rear across different helmet models, so the degree of how easy the fitting process is can vary accordingly.
Another benefit that BluArmor talked about is that C50 accessories like the T-stick and magdock are compatible with the C20. However, the ease at which these accessories can be acquired is yet to be streamlined. The T-stick handlebar controller is not currently listed as a spare on their site, and while the magdock is, there’s a catch. It’s listed as a Magdock AHK (Additional Helmet Kit) for the C50, which also includes the speaker and mic internals of the C50, therefore this kit costs Rs 8,000 even if you just want the magdock. However I think it’s fair to assume that BluArmor will diversify the SKUs in such a way that these accessories will be individually acquirable for both C20 and C50 owners in the future.
Once all connections and fitments have been made, this is a very good intercom system overall, more so when you consider the introductory price that it was initially offered at. While the MRP is Rs 10,000, for the first couple of weeks it was available for a discounted price of Rs 7,000, both of which are great prices for a system of this capability.
The sound quality is great considering the type of product it is, ie an intercom system and not a proper set of earphones. The microphone works well and the noise filter does an exceptional job of filtering any background noise while you’re on calls. Connection between the phone and the system is seamless as are the controls on the button module. There are few buttons but they control multiple things depending on what mode you’re in which takes some getting used to. I found the voice assistant function to be a little glitchy and had some trouble bringing up Siri while I was riding. The equalizer helps in changing the sound profile of music and the audio balance function is certainly useful when you have two streams of audio coming in simultaneously, for example if you’re listening to Google Maps audio directions while also listening to music.
We tested BluArmor’s RideGrid mesh intercom system quite a bit as well, since I’ve been using their C50 Pro as well. Both systems work very well together and the audio clarity from both ends as well as usable range is very good. Intercom while listening to music also works seamlessly, with the music volume systematically dropping down a correct amount when the other rider is talking. I have had some trouble getting the universal intercom function to work while trying to pair up with friends who use intercom systems from other brands, so that’s still a work in progress.
All in all, BluArmor’s C20 intercom system is a well-rounded and very capable intercom system for the price it’s at.There are a few niggles here and there but in our experience, BluArmor have very good customer support so getting any assistance or parts should not be an issue.
Leave a Reply