In addition to being cheap, the Fodsports fx6s bluetooth motorcycle group intercom system offers another important advantage to group riders – it does the one thing that really counts for group rides, and that is it provides a way for a group of six riders to communicate with each other. The fx6s allows you to talk to your group mates for an extended period of time, and it does so at a price that is less than one-third of the price of a high-quality mesh system. In fact, when you consider the cost of this system compared to mesh systems, the fx6s is truly a budget-priced option.
The fx6s is a bluetooth 5.0 device, and it has A2DP and EDR capabilities. Bluetooth 5.0 is roughly 2 generations older than the latest chips available today, however, it has been proven effective for the application of a group intercom system. The maximum distance stated by Fodsports is approximately 1000 meters (0.62 miles). As far as individual conversations go, you can achieve longer ranges in open environments, roughly 656 feet. Realistically, when you're riding down a busy road with trees and cars in the middle, you'll never be able to achieve anything close to those numbers. All intercoms fall victim to this problem. There's nothing wrong with the fx6s here.
The battery on the fx6s lasts around ten hours for either talking on the intercom or playing music on it. Ten hours is right in the middle of the road in terms of battery longevity for intercoms. Another benefit of the fx6s is that you can plug it into a USB battery pack and continue using it while it charges. This feature is absent in almost all budget units we've reviewed.
As mentioned before, the user interface of the fx6s is top-notch. Instead of having to mess around with small buttons on the side of your helmet, you have a huge integrated jog wheel and a dedicated button that allow you to easily change the volume or advance tracks while wearing gloves and riding. You can quickly pull up to your helmet, turn the jog wheel and raise/lower the volume. You can even skip tracks while wearing gloves and riding. That doesn't seem like a big deal until you're doing it at speed during a torrential downpour. At 100g, the fx6s is light enough to basically forget it's attached to your helmet. The gray color blends well with most helmets. see more details on amazon.
Audio and Microphone performance
The 40mm speaker used in the fx6s produce a lot more Bass than you'd ever see from lower-cost intercoms due to the slightly larger speaker drivers. Low-end Bass isn't weak at all in this intercom. While you'll still have to crank up the volume on highways, this intercom puts up with highway speeds quite nicely -- certainly comparable to higher-priced units.
Noise suppression is provided by CSR cvc technology claiming 30 db of noise cancellation, along with a professional-grade wind-resistant microphone. Essentially, this means the person you're calling will hear your voice rather than the screaming wind rushing past your helmet. The dual-mic design provides multiple configurations based upon your helmet style. Use the boom mic for 3/4 open-face, flip-up or modular-style helmets where you want the mic closer to your mouth. Use the soft-wired mic for full-face helmets where you can tuck it inside the chin bar for better voice pickup. Again, this is how the major brands approach it, and provides adequate voice capture for most helmet designs.
You also get an fm radio and voice-dial capability built-in to listen to local traffic reports or answer/make a phone call without removing your hand from your handlebars. None of these will blow away premium mesh systems -- but for 80, dollars this is an impressive Audio package. buy the fx6s on amazon.
What Do Amazon Buyers Think About This Product?
With 14 reviews averaging 4.4 stars out of five, buyers are generally pleased with the performance of the fx6s. Riders were looking for a affordable solution for group communications -- and were pleasantly surprised with the overall product.
Joe summarizes his value-based purchase decision stating "i love it" and "it makes listening to music easy." Not rocket science. Joe was simply trying to enjoy music while riding.
However, there's a legitimate criticism here as well, and we believe it merits discussion. Jason Magda gave this product a rating of two stars citing "sync issues". He purchased four units. two of them worked flawlessly as expected, however on his next outing, one of them refused to sync properly and continued to drop connection after connection. He attempted several times to re-sync with no success. Connectivity problems like this can wreak havoc on group rides, especially when purchasing products intended to provide multi-unit connectivity.
What we've learned from buyer comments is what we've seen time-and-time again from budget-intercom purchases: most people receive exactly what they pay for and leave satisfied. A few more experience connectivity issues with their units' ability to sync properly.
We encourage readers to check out the relatively-recent reviews for additional insight into potential quality-control issues as well as maintain the return-window timeframe when making their purchase decision. more buyer opinions on amazon.
Who Should Buy This Intercom?
This intercom was clearly made for two types of motorcyclists:
First, group riders who want all members of their riding party connected via a single channel -- without breaking the bank. Buying four or five units of this product would cost you one-fifth to one-third of what it would cost you to equip the same amount of riders with a high-dollar mesh system. From that perspective alone, it's difficult to disagree with the value proposition presented by this product.
Second, budget-conscious motorcyclists who simply want reliable music playback and occasional phone-calls while riding in their helmet. If you typically ride solo or rarely ride with more than one or two friends, this product provides both services adequately and at an extremely-low price point.
One trade-off for group-rider applications, is that there is always a risk that syncing failures could occur -- especially when you're spending such minimal amounts of money. The reason why higher-end brands charge what they do is largely predicated on the reliability of connectivity among their various models. If an unsynced failure during a group ride would cause you significant distress -- perhaps you should invest in something pricier.
Finally, the fx6s is waterproof -- providing protection from rain throughout your regular commute. It utilizes universal bluetooth-pairing allowing compatibility with most intercom brands for simple two-way communication if needed by your riding group. review comparison: compare budget intercoms | other intercom reviews on our blog.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many People Can Ride Together Using the Fx6s?
The fx6s can connect up to six riders on a single channel (group) but it seems to function best as a 4-person channel. Beyond 4 persons, bluetooth becomes increasingly unreliable and voice quality suffers greatly -- so plan your groups accordingly.
How Far Can You Ride Before Losing Contact Between Units?
While Fodsports claims the range is up to 1000 meters (or .62 miles), actual achievable distances vary greatly depending upon whether you're engaging in individual or group conversation in an open environment (approximately 656 feet). On a typical city street with hills, trees & vehicles between riders -- you'll likely never come near achieving anywhere near those values.
How Long Will My battery Last?
The battery on the fx6s will run around 10 hours continuously while either playing music or engaging in conversation (for talking). Ten hours is smack dab in the middle of average battery life for intercom devices. One additional note-worthy aspect of this product is that you can charge it from a USB power bank simultaneously while using it. That will definitely extend your ride-day.
Can I Connect Other Brands of Intercom Systems to This Unit?
Yes -- the fx6s utilizes universal bluetooth pairing enabling basic two-way communication with virtually all other brand-intercoms out there. However -- please remember that in order to utilize advanced functionality within groups (ie. Connecting multiple units) you'll need all riders equipped with an fx6s.
Which Mic Should I Choose?
Use the boom mic when using 3/4 open face (flip-up) modular helmets where you require a shorter distance from your mouth to the mic input area. Use soft-wire mic for full face helmets where you can place it under the chin-bar for optimal voice pickup.
Is This Device Waterproof?
Yes -- the fx6s has ipx7 water-resistance ratings, thus providing adequate protection from rain throughout your daily commutes.
Am I Able to Control Volume/music Functions with Gloves On?
Yes -- the large jog wheel and separate button provide an ideal interface for controlling functions blindly while wearing gloves and riding