Review of the Cardo S-800 Bluetooth headset

Cardo S-800

Cardo S-800

Cardo S-800

Cardo S-800
Weight	10.9g (.4 nz)
Body Size	42mm x 21mm x 25mm 1.7" x .8" x 1"
Talk Time	Up to 8 hours
Standby Time	Up to 7 days
Ear Loop	Over the ear
Left/Right Ear?	Both
LEDs	1, multicolor
Pairings	Multiple
Headset Sound	Great
Mic Sound	Muffled
Included Accessories	AC power, USB charging cord, neckstrap

The Cardo S-800 Bluetooth headset definitely has its own look, that much is true. This blocky, two-toned headset actually looks quite nice and modern, and it's incredibly lightweight. The larger backend of the S-800 is silver, while the smaller front portion is clad in a smoky blue color that is pleasing to the eye. The S-800 arrived with an AC power cord, a functional neck strap, and a handy USB charging cable. The neck strap has a special clip on the end that you can attach the S-800 to, but I'd be lying if I told you I used this accessory.

The Cardo S-800 is really small, at 42mm x 21mm x 25mm (1.7" x .8" x 1"), and only weighs 10.9g (.4oz). There is a large button on the front that takes up most of the silver area, with a dedicated power button located on the top side (when worn on your right ear). The volume wheel is located on the back of the headset, and allows you to simply 'flick' either up or down. You can also press this volume button, for advance features that we'll cover later. The proprietary charging port is located just beneath the volume wheel, and the multicolored LED notification light is at the other end of the headset, near the microphone.

The S-800 comes with only one soft eargel, which is rather disappointing, though it was comfortable and fit nicely. The eargel sits inside the outer portion of the ear, and does a decent job of muting outside noises. The over-the-ear loop is made of strong metal, and is large, though you can easily bend it smaller as it is quite flexible. This earhook also detaches and rotates, to make it easy to put on and also allows the S-800 to be worn comfortably on either your left or right ear.

To power the S-800 on, simply press and hold the small power button, located on the side of the headset. The LED notification light will flash blue to let you know that it's powered on. To enter pairing mode, continue holding the power button until the LED flashes red and blue. You can now pair the headset with your phone, and the LED notification light will begin flashing blue slowly, to confirm that it has paired successfully. When you turn the headset on in the future, it will automatically reconnect with the last phone it was connected to, or you can re-enter pairing mode.

To answer an incoming call on the S-800, you can simply press the large silver button on the front, also called the Control button. To end the call, press the Control button again. If your phone supports it, you can activate voice dial by pressing the Control button when you are not in an active phone call. If you wish to reject an incoming call, simply press and hold the Control button for 3 seconds.

The volume wheel on the Cardo S-800 can be used to adjust the volume while on a call. Simply flick the wheel up or down as needed, and when you hear a beep, you have reached the minimum/maximum volume. If you wish to mute the headset while you are on a phone call, you can simply press the volume wheel in to mute or unmute the headset's microphone. You can also re-orient the volume key, should you wish to wear the headset on your left ear, by turning the headset off, and then back on again, this time, holding both the power and Control button simultaneously. The LED notification light will show 3 blue flashes, followed by a single red and blue flash, to confirm the change.