[VW2010]

C50 PRO - Bluetooth intercom system with features packed into a small device.

(Bluarmor C50 Pro Bluetooth intercom launched at Rs 25,000)
Team BHP news and Thread

Post their first product c30, what are the expectations -From my close circles the biggest complaint has been the inability to use mesh.

• Match audio quality and Noise cancellation at the least
• Better mesh network (As c30 was unable to support beyond 100-200meters and users experienced constant dropping of mesh)
• Lighter and compact
• Comparison with Sena on connectivity and reliability of mesh will be inevitable.

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Early Pros and Cons - This session will see constant updates based on Usage over the next 3 months. Most features will be released over time via firmware.
Pros

• The main device build is excellent
• Takes a wacky and innovative approach to design and device placement
• Feature-rich in paper to start with. The early-stage features that are available for pre-orders are limited (A lot of features are expected via firmware updates)
• Most modular setup one can get (Advantage is during replacement of parts)
• Good customer support
• The software is fairly well-built
• New speakers are expected to deliver better sound (time will tell)
• Two mics are supplied based on user needs. Most will prefer the boom mic while others like me like the smaller one.
• A lot of additional parts are provided for future replacement or repair
• Magnetic mount and USB C mount make it easy to charge and compatible.
• RideAuro is an excellent idea. This will increase your visibility in your rides.

Cons

• Compatibility with C30 will be compromised as C30 cannot use the more advanced ridegrid that is available with C50. This means the issue with mesh may continue to exist and needs to be time-tested to update this comment.
• Some feel it is rushed to the market without clearing the quirks and issues.
• Too modular - There are some disadvantages to this approach. Adds weight due to additional components required to mount, separate switch to manage etc.
• Losing the device(Explained later)
• The quality of products at this price point is below the price points of established products in some areas. (Explained more later)
• Speakers have taken a different route from JBL. This can be a tightrope to walk for the brand as C30 did have a good review of its speakers (Also Personal)
• Lack of detailed documentation on features/parts/setup/Installation.
• The thumb control is also easy to lose.
• Android App lacks features
• Weight of the entire package.

Opportunity - Quick wins

• Better guides and videos for installation and explanation of each part. A complete and detailed user/instruction manual is a must.
• Multi helmet - A single device package can help sell accessories while making this easy to port between helmets.

Recommendation

The product has the potential to be a good alternative to Sena or Cardo. A few things to take care of include the following:-

- Improve the feel of the product with a better finish of components.
- The interface wire is long while the interior component wires are very conservative in length
- Dock material feels more Chinese than a solid product.
- Skin or some color options to select for helmet colors.
- The connectors between the wires make them look cheap or Chinese. This area has to improve in the second version. (Positive - The Wires are similar to the competition. They are supposed to be thin and flexible to fit inside the helmet.)
- The packaging looks good, but the materials used feel rather cheap. The cardboard is very flimsy. It may be because of the eco-friendly approach.
- Instructions or rather lack of instruction in both physical or digital format is not acceptable for a product

[VW2010]

Product pictures, Weight and Docking mechanism

Packaging and product presentation:- I would say it is a well-presented package and effort is taken to make this look like a nice gift box. The last time I had a similar box was a gift set of Johny Walker collections (4 sets).







Moving to the side boxes. Two side boxes contain the speakers, Microphone, boom microphone (Useful in a modular helmet), mounting dock, Mounting dock base plate, Tstick, Clickdock, Side button with magnetic base and connected wire, and accessories that are numbered in small recyclable (Eco friendly) covers from 1 to 8.




Additional Accessories numbered 1 to 8

1. Harness - This is the main cable to connect speakers, and mic with the main system
2. Clickdock Cable - This cable is needed to connect to the device if you want to use clickdock instead of magnetic dock.
3. Speaker spacers and Foams - Additional spacers and speaker foams.
4. Magdock and Rear Flap - I haven't figured out what it is for.
5. Tstick Strap Mount - The Tstick strap that is needed to attach the Tstick to the handlebar
6. TStick Velcro - Additional Velcro for future
7. Charging Kit - Simple USB C to USB C wire, A USB to Magnetic connector converter, and a second USB C to magnetic tip pin (Magnetic pin comes default attached with Device and this pin is a second additional pin)

The complete list of items in the box

The first picture is the converter for the magnetic pin. One end connects to the magnetic connector and the other end to USB C.


The magnetic dock with the actual device. The dock has a fixed wire that will be used to connect the speakers, mic, and button cable to the main device.


More pictures of the magnetic doc with the interface cable connected.



These are the additional dock (click dock), side mount switches to operate the device while riding, and the Tstick

Clickdock - This is a dock without the LED for RideAuro setup.
Sidemount switch - Connects to the main device and is used for accessing calls, music, ridegrid, and more
TStick - Handlebar mount for the switch to avoid taking hands out of the handlebar to access the switches (Functional and a welcome addition)



Additional pouch to carry these accessories



Speakers and mic - Closer look.


The entire list of items from the box.




Let us move to the product's weight. I never felt the weight of this device on the helmet, and the proof is in the pictures below. I believe the device, switches, and wires get counterbalanced based on where you mount them; hence, the helmet did not feel any different with or without the equipment. There will be minor differences as the wires sometimes are away from the scale, but you will get a good understanding of the weight.

All these weights are approximate and give or take some based on how I weighed them.

Just the base - 1.94 Grams
Two Speaker - 26-28 Grams
Device - 48 Grams (~60 as per blue armor)
Device with Dock and wire - 85 Grams (Other products range from 40 to 70 grams - The Dock with Auro LED lights adds 25 grams more)
Dock with wire - 33 grams
Side switch - 18 Grams
Harness and Connecting wires - 20 grams
Clickdock - 18-20grams

If we include the mic, the total weight to get this setup going is around ~150 grams (device, dock, switch, speaker, and wires). We can round it up to 175 grams as the maximum weight of this device (Adding that 10% data error)

175 grams is high as most helmets are around 1.6 to 1.8 kg. You are looking at tipping the helmet weight to close to 1.8-2Kgs now.

Device, Dock, Device + Dock


Device mount plastic, Side Switch


Speakers


Device finally attached to the Helmet



Speakers - Speakers are sized appropriately. there are few speaker spacers provided. This allows you to place the speaker closer to your ears. My helmet is a Scorpion R1 and it comes with a built-in space for speakers.

The speakers fit spot on and I didn't even have to use the double-sided tape to keep it in place. There is also a small grove to run the wires and the speaker wires fit in perfectly.

First picture - Helmet grove for speakers


With Speakers


Final two pictures to show the switch and docking mechanism and system start.





Details of connectors and chargers.

RideAuro Dock - Proprietary Magnetic pin connector to Device

Main Device - USB C Connector with a converter pin to attach to the magnetic Doc.





Charing the device - Directly via USB C or use the magnetic adapter to charge via the magnetic pin.



Click Dock - This is a USB-only Dock as the dock has space only to use a direct USB Connector. The magnetic pin is only required for the Ride Auro. One theory is that bluarmor wanted to make the dock a special proprietary part of this product. Common sense says this could have been a simple USB C connector in both.

[VW2010]

Versions, Pricing, Value, Installation, Functionality, User Experience and the last details

Versions

On Dec 8th BluArmor announced 3 variants at different prices for this device.

C50 PRO
C50 Plus
C50

C50 Pro - Has everything from above and is the top-of-their-range package
C50 Plus - C50 Pro minus Magdock, RideAuro, Modular Speaker
C50 - C50Plus - Minus TStick

Personal Opinion - If they had released all 3 as a package in the first launch 99% would have chosen the C50 as the additional components are fun to have and not necessary to have.

Pricing (INR)

C50 PRO - 24999, C50Plus - 18999, C50 - 14999 (MRP)
C50 PRO - 18000, C50Plus - 14000, C50 - 12000 (MRP)

Original C50 Pro Trailblazer price - 11000


The best value was if you picked it up at 11K during the launch. It is a great value for money at that price for me.

Value for Money

It is very subjective but at 25K the C50 Pro is competing with the Sena 50S and Sena 60S (if u consider US Pricing which most of us will end up picking from via friends and family). Cardo has Spirit, Spirit HD, Freecom 4X, and more. Add to this various Helmet manufacturers have their own units some in collaboration with Sena like XComm3 and their own communication units like Schuberth and more.

At 12000 as part of the new pre-order, the C50 is the best value for money and the additional component or losing modularity is not important as the value of this product is in the main product itself.

Value comes into question as the competition offers pro speakers and established software experience. To break away from the value perception means nailing the customer service experience and continuously working on the software with active feedback from users. The loyal fans will not leave Blu Armor if they get first dibs on features and the company can make it like a whole developer community.

Rough roads ahead or let us say a big task in hand for bluarmor as a product, as it is not easy to establish in this market as a genuine competition, especially in India where cost is one of the critical factors for product success and the current segmentation appears to be with buyers who will look for brand value at these retail price points.


Installation difficulty - Low to Medium

Low—If the helmet is made to support additional speakers and has proper space and wiring options inside, users should also have no issues removing and replacing the inner liners.
Medium - If you have no experience removing the inner liner or installing wires inside, you will need to watch a few videos, practice the installation of liners first, and then proceed to the installation of the device.

The device installation is straightforward for those who regularly clean or wash the helmet liner. The major skill needed is to remove the helmet liner and put it back in proper order and fitment. The major work is managing this part of the activity.

I am skipping the installation details. Refer to the below playlist for installation or ask me any specific questions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jTN...StAt2EORGl6lyK

It is a straightforward installation. Speakers need to be aligned to your years. One way is to figure out where your ears line up with the inner liner of the helmet and adjust the speaker installation.

There are enough accessories or additional components that come with the package. Nexx helmets are famous to send additional screws and accessories along with their helmet package that helps customers swap almost one set of components without having to buy additional parts.

The inherent fear of the design

The fear I have in this design is losing 2 parts. The main device and the TStick. This is my fear and a theory and not an experience I have encountered.

Main device - The main device sits on a magnetic dock and is held in its place by a very thin plastic lock on the dock. The fresh install felt a little solid on the lock mechanism but I am starting to see repeated usage is relaxing this solidity. Removing the device is very easy irrespective of the lock. I would prefer a better-locking mechanism or an outer cover that sits flush on the dock for this arrangement. My confidence level is low on keeping the device in the helmet in the long run without using a zip tie to prevent it from falling while riding or getting flicked from the back.

TStick- Tstick is just a velcro mount and the mount is a simple velcro strap. This will 100% be flicked in the parking lot. You will have to always remove and carry this all the time or be ready to lose this.

Functionality - This session will be continuously updated as more features are released.

The basic functionality of calls, music, and assistants works seamlessly. I honestly do not expect anything from any brands on this part. The device connects super fast, there are no connection drops even some integrated communication systems are based on the eyesight of the phone.

Calls - Calls are clear for the party on the other end. But one feedback I heard was the voice sounded a little bit soft. Noise cancellation was excellent as none of them were able to hear traffic or the inline 4 screaming. The softness is probably due to aggressive noise cancellation. Secondly, I am not using the boom mic. The calls are clear inside the helmet.

Buttons - Buttons are easy to use with naked hands or gloves. Spaced well. The number of functionality and the variety of combinations is a little getting used to and will take some time. (For first-timers the combination functionality is not specific to only bluarmor but to most brands). Understanding and learning these options will take time and real-world usage only.

Speakers - For audiophiles, please do your testing as I have never been able to feel the difference between a flac and a decent MP3. For normal people like me who like the boom boom while listening to songs, Speakers sound a little biased towards higher frequency. The first impression may sound like only a tweeter is operating inside your head. Once you adjust the volume of the device and your source you hear a wider spectrum. The bass and sub-bass are very subtle and this amplifies the tweeter feel. There are enough details in the mid-range. I use an Oto music player and just made some changes in the equalizer there which is not what I would have liked to do, but that helped me with getting a slightly better curve at the cost of losing some details that are discernable for a normal listener like me. For 99% a simple source-level equivalizer is enough. In terms of volume level, the speakers are maxed out and it feels it has 4-5 more levels but is restricted below that while that is not inadequate. Did not see an issue with calls or music.

Yet to test - Mesh and group riding functionality. This will be updated later.

Overall - For the 11K that I paid, I see this as a solid device and a local alternative to the other brands. There is excitement in being part of a project that will continue to develop and grow. Feedback is welcome from the company and they are trying hard to meet all the demands. I have connected with PK and there is work going on to keep pushing features. The product is not without flaws and is yet to claim the fame to match the asking price demand. However, I am confident they will be able to compete as this company runs with the humility to take feedback and continue to work on the same.

I did not even try the C30 but based on feedback and user experience there were enough enhancements including size and shape that got me interested to try the C50 Pro. I see this in Fujifilm cameras where one always has this expectation of features coming via firmware updates.

Wishing all the best to PK and the team. I will update the pros/cons as I continue to explore a potential firmware update available this week.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[VW2010]

Update with new firmware 1.0.0.4

https://thebluarmor.com/pages/c50profirmware

Blu armor released a new firmware unleashing some of the promised features.

• Ridegrid
• ERidegrid
• Equalizer Presets-5
• General improvements

Mistake made - And the surprise change

I installed the speakers without the spacers as I had a nice slot in the helmet. The sound quality and signature were not up to satisfaction. I reached out to BluArmor and they requested if I can try it once with the spacers and getting the speakers close to the ears. This changed everything I assumed about the quality. The speakers now are one of the best I have used but my comparison is also very limited. To me I would happily take this set up for long distance to hear to music all day.


The firmware upgrade required new apk which they directly shared while working with Android and Apple ecosystem to make it available via stores.

The process is straightforward; all you have to do is use the new apk, connect the device, and upgrade.

The following images show the overall changes

Custom Volume setting based on type of connection. This is good to avoid adjusting speakers based on different functionality while riding.



Set Emergency Contact and Speed Dial


Another important addition based on inputs is Audio gain. In two steps. This is for those who have been complaining that the volume is low at cruising speeds.



Preset Equivalizer



Ridegrid and other features





Ride Auro - Auto lighting profile based on Braking and Hazard.



All other pictures for reference





Recommendation for users

• Use the speaker spacers. The difference between with and without spacers is extreme. With the spacers and closer to one's ears the speakers come to life like any other speakers.
• Try to position speakers aligned to one's ears. Some helmets have slots that are designed to align but are usually not. The sound signature drastically changes if you can get the speakers parallel to one's ears.
• Audio gain is a very good addition. But once I used the spacers and angled the speakers correctly the volume is plenty enough that I use it at 60%
• The equivalizers are subtle but deliver what they mean.
• The speakers are very detailed. My comparison is with my Nexx Xomm.2 and these speakers are way better than the NExx XComm speakers. The neutral equalizer preset delivers excellent details.
• The speaker is sensitive to high frequency is my take but they deliver excellent audio quality.
• The secondary device is an excellent ad. I use my phone as primary and use a Sony Hifi player as secondary. I may swap the order as well to keep the phone only for calls or map audio.

Yet to test - Using a insta or gopro and recording the audio and ridegrid.

Overall I am starting to like this set up and the promised updates on Firmwares.