Cardo Systems Scala 700 Bluetooth Headset review: Cardo Systems Scala 700 Bluetooth Headset

The Cardo Scala 700 is a great mini-headset from the makers of the Cardo Scala Rider, one of a few headsets made specifically for a motorcycle helmet. Though the Scala 700 won't help you chat clearly while riding your Harley, however, it'll work just fine when you're on your feet. The compact headset features noise-reduction technology as well as the ability to swap between two different mobile phones. The Scala 700 is available for $59.95--a very affordable price for such an excellent headset.

At 2 inches long by 1 inch wide by 0.75 inch thick, and just 0.41 ounce, the Scala 700 is very compact and lightweight. The headset is shaped like a teardrop and is cased in silver and black. A large control button with the company logo sits on the face of the headset, along with a status light. A slender rocker wheel sits at the top of the headset next to the charger jack. We found the control button easy to press, and while the wheel is small, it's sufficiently tactile--we had no problem rocking it back and forth or pressing it while wearing the headset.

On the back of the headset you'll find a contoured earpiece that rests against the ear, and a flexible ear loop that can be adjusted for either ear. The earpiece seemed a bit too large (at least for our ears) and fit awkwardly. What's more, the control wheel scratched our ears during testing.

One of the Scala 700's better tricks is its locating feature. If you misplace the headset, a few easy steps will locate it quickly. Once you place a call (with a cell phone that's paired to the headset), you have to press the volume controls on the phone up and down four times. At this signal, the headset will buzz loudly. This is a great feature if you're the type to misplace headsets easily; yet we did find it odd that you've got to actually make a call to find the headset.

Another cool feature of the Scala 700 is its swap technology. You can swap the headset between two phones just by pressing the control wheel twice. The wheel also acts as a volume rocker and allows you to adjust the direction of volume up or down depending on which side you prefer to wear the headset. Battery status is obtained by pressing the headset's control button for at least 7 seconds while the Scala 700 is on. The status light will flash blue when the headset is fully charged, red and blue for half-charged, and red for a weak charge. Other features include answering, rejecting, muting, redialing, or ending calls; voice dial; call waiting; conference call support; and locking or unlocking control buttons.

We tested the Scala 700 with the T-Mobile Sidekick 3 and the LG VX5300. The headset paired with both devices successfully, and we swapped the headset between the two phones without a hitch. Sound quality was good even on a crowded sidewalk--a nod to the headset's noise-reduction technology. Callers were able to hear us clearly as well.

The Cardo Scala 700 has a rated talk time of 10 hours and 10 days of standby time. The headset comes with a neoprene case, an AC adapter, and a USB cable.