Parrot PMK5800 Review

Introduction:

There is a theory that every tape, which has remained in a car stereo for a longer period, starts sounding worse and worse as time passes… Ever wondered what happens with the CD’s, which share the same fate?

Let aside the sci-fi ideas, storing your favorite music in a car is not very convenient. The same goes for talking while driving. If you are looking for a solution for those problems, Parrot offers you PMK5800.

Installation is easy and is done with no physical connection to the car stereo, but the device still uses the built-in vehicle speakers, connecting via the FM frequencies. By using Bluetooth, it combines your phone with the car stereo, so you can listen to music or talk hands-free. You can also use a cable connection via the 3,5 mm jack if your phone does not support audio streaming or if you want to use a music player. The best part is that the Parrot is compatible with your car lighter(12V), so you can easily transfer it to another vehicle if you have/want to.

In the box you will find:

• Parrot PMK5800
• miniUSB cable with 3.5 mm plug
• adapter ring for 23 mm sockets
• user guide

Design:

It’s hard to like the design of a device, which has a huge car charger connector. However, considering that its purpose is not style, but functionality, the appearance could not be better.

The mechanism used to manufacture the device, allows rotation (more than 270 degrees) of the main module, which in combination with the angle bending capability, should provide convenient positioning in your car, without being an obstacle for the rest of the vehicle controls. However, you should check if that is so for your vehicle, since there is no guaranteed correspondence.


The device is in the upper part of the module. If there is power in the lighter when the device is plugged in, its display lights up and the Parrot becomes operational, indicating the frequency at which it broadcasts. Even though the display is tiny, you won’t have any problem reading it, at any time of the day, and its function is more assisting than a main one. Its orientation can be reversed, so you won’t have to look at it hands down.

The operations are controlled with the buttons situated around the display. On the two sides are the large send and end keys; when pressed, a loud click sounds from their ends, but the other doesn’t move at all. We would have preferred smaller buttons, but with a better response reacting at every press, instead of a false press.

The music shortcuts (previous, next, play/pause)located around the wheel, have similar performance and are smaller which results in requiring your attention when pressing. This is not suitable for use while driving and the handsfree kit should help you operate the phone without paying attention, not the opposite. Only the wheel works fine; as we’ve said, it is typical for Parrot and it seems they’ve learned how to make it good.

As any device utilizing a Bluetooth connection, the Parrot PMK5800 must be paired with your phone prior to using it for the first time. Once turned on, it asks you to pair with the device, which is done extremely via the phone’s menu. The password required is 0000. Your phone is now connected with the kit.

Then you should set the Parrot to work at the same FM frequency as you car radio (or ice versa), in order to connect them. We and the manufacturer advise you to select a frequency on the radio and then set the same one on the PMK5800. Memorize them for easier access.

Once both, the phone and the car stereo are connected to the car kit, you will hear a voice when entering in the menu (press the wheel). If you’ve used a Parrot car kit, you won’t be surprised – everything is the same as the CK3000 for example. You have options for a few languages, for setting the sound level (by default) and the voice commands.



The voice management includes numbers dialing by a voice tag and the use of commands. The magic word function is maintained for those, allowing you to answer or to reject incoming calls without pressing any buttons.

In order to use this function, you have to record your voice (the system is not speaker independent) by the „Telephone” and “Hang Up” commands (you can choose any command, which will then be used for the purpose). If you want to use voice dialing, you’ll have to record commands for “Cellular”, “Home”, “Work” phones, so that, in case a contact of yours has more than one number, you’ll be able to choose which exactly to dial.

Voice dialing is not the easiest thing to do, but once adjusted, it works. The kit has its independent system, which has nothing to do with that of your phone. After you set in the menu that you want to record a voice name, the kit will disconnect from your phone and it’ll require that you send it a contact card. After it has received the contact card, it’ll ask you to record the voice tag for the respective name. Thus you have record names one by one. If you want to use many contacts, this’ll take quite a lot of time, since sending and recording each contact is a slow procedure.

In standby mode, the voice dialing of contacts is done either after pressing the green button, or the magic words, after saying the „Telephone” command have been activated.

The voice commands can be used only for the phone from which the respective contact has been sent. Therefore, if you use the kit with phones X and Y and you send contacts only from the phone X, you will not be able to voice-dial the contacts when you’re connected with the phone Y.

However, unlike most similar models, the PM5800 is not only a car kit for handsfree conversations, but is also a music device. It connects to the phone with the A2DP and AVRCP profiles, which are used for transferring of stereo audio signal and controlling the player. Just play the music on your phone and it will be transmitter from the kit to the car stereo, via FM frequency.

Keep in mind: the PMK5800 and you car stereo are not connected by wire. In order to use the kit, the car radio must be set at a corresponding frequency, which receives only what the Parrot streams.

Performance:

Umh, enough good words. We are really disappointed by the quality of the music playback. We’ve no idea if it is just because of the Bluetooth transfer, or the FM one, or both, but the final result is just .. bad. We are close to calling it awful. An average car stereo that sounds just OK while listening to radio is hard to stand when listening to the Parrot. The music is flat and sounds strange, even at low volume.

Things are a bit better when during a call. Although the same methods are used for transmitting the sound, ‘hi-fi’ quality is not required for a call. The incoming voice may sound dull and unreal, but at least you hear it through the car’s speakers, which means there is plenty of power and it is clearer than any small speaker integrated in a kit.

On the other hand, the volume is average and so is the quality. Unfortunately, even with the car stopped, you will sound artificial and sometimes, it will be hard to understand you. Significant amount of echo is present as well. As the surround noise amount increases, things get worse, so don’t really plan to use this kit if it is noisy around you, while driving with the windows opened for example. The echo even when stopped, shows how weak the DSP system is.

Conclusion:

Well, summing the pros and cons, is the PMK5800 worth getting? It depends on your lifestyle. Unlike the MiniKit, it wouldn’t be usable anywhere but in the car (as it uses power from the lighter), but will use the car’s speakers and is alternative for music playback (weak performance is better than none). For similar amount of money you can get the CK3000, which brings the sound quality during a call to whole new level, but you’d have to install it in one car and forget about the music transmitting.

So, if you change your vehicle often and would like to be able to use your phone as the source of background music while driving, the PMK5800 is an OK device for its price. However, the low quality sound may turn many off.