Sena 20S Comments after first month

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Well I am coming up on my first month of using the 20S and I was talking with another member about my experience so far.

+Sound Quality
+Battery Life
+Size
+App to configure device
+Switching between devices
+Ambient Mode
+No optional bases
-FM Radio
-Voice Control


Good
I originally bought an SMH10 but a day or two after it arrived the 20S was announced so I sent it back without trying it so I can only compare it to my Starcom.

Some people complain about the sound quality/volume level. I use custom molded ear plugs and the stock speakers. I also suffer from a lot of hearing loss. Now I run it at full volume but I have no issues hearing anything. From my use of the Starcom system I found a long time ago that speaker placement is critical. My guess is many of the complaints in this department are people that don't have their speakers placed correctly. Just because your helmet has speaker pockets, doesn't mean that centering the speaker there will be optimal.

Battery life seems fine. Charged it once when doing a firmware upgrade. Haven't done any long trips though but since I can charge it on the bike no worries there.

It seems a little smaller than the SMH10 I ordered but it isn't super small. The battery will take space so that is fine.

There is an Android and iPhone app for configuring the device. You can go through and set various things like FM presets, Speed Dial numbers (up to 3), set up intercom groups with other riders, as well as device settings like side tone. This makes it easier to do than trying to go through the device's built in menus. Some of the settings (everything but intercom groups) can also be configured when connected to a PC for firmware updates.

Switching between devices seems to work really well. I can be listening to Pandora on my phone and the GPS chimes in with turn guidance without missing any of the message. Though I wish I could disable the touch tones on my Zumo 550. There are times I am making adjustments to it and I don't need to hear those confirmation beeps. When it switches to the GPS it flips back to my phone or FM Radio in about 2 seconds. It doesn't mix but rather flip from one device to the next. MP3s over Bluetooth from the Zumo 550 sound like crap but I knew that I didn't have A2DP (stereo) support on the Zumo 550. Also no XM but I have a Sena SR10 that I want to add to the mix to see how it performs.

Ambient Mode is nice when you have someone come up to you to talk while you still have your helmet and earplugs in. Hit the button and I can hear them fine even though they don't have Bluetooth.

What comes in the box is all you need. I think there were 3 different versions of the mic. Full boom, boom with short wire, wire for full face. You can run the speakers or pop them out and run ear buds. I think with the SMH10 you had to watch which version you bought or have to buy a different base if you want to change the mic versions or go between speakers vs ear buds. The only thing missing is a wall charger. Since I have an Android phone and tablet that also use micro USB that isn't an issue for me. I just use a phone charger. If you use an iPhone, you might want to buy a charger or charge on the bike. I don't want to charge on the bike unless I have to or am on a long trip. Since most of my trips are shorter (40min commute) I don't want to do a partial charge on the bike.

Now for the bad. Some of this may get fixed with future firmware updates.

FM Radio - I doubt there is a way to fix this. The antenna used is horrible. This was one of the reasons I sent the SMH10 back and find it disappointing. Not enough so to send the unit back but I have read a lot of complaints about how well it works. I live and work in the suburbs of St Paul and the local FM Stations constantly cut in and out. If I put my hand on the device they come in better but it is kind of hard to ride around like that. There is a flip up antenna on the device but that is only to increase the range of Bluetooth. They should has extended the FM antenna up in that as well. Unless you are in a city the FM will be totally useless. When it does come in the sound quality is really good but it cuts out all the time. Another complaint about it may be fixed with firmware. I don't need it to announce what preset and frequency I am on all the time. I am fine if it does this when I first turn on the FM tuner so I know where I am at and when I change frequencies or presets. However every time it switches inputs and comes back to FM it pauses and has to announce this info. This is why I was trying to disable touch tones on the Zumo. If I touch the screen, FM stops, I hear the tone, 2 seconds pass, then it goes back to FM, I hear a split second of the FM radio then it cuts out again so that it can announce the preset and frequency. Yeah, I was just listening to that FM channel 10 seconds ago, I know where it is. I guess this could be a nice feature if one has short term memory issues. If listening to Pandora off my phone, I get the beep, then after 2 seconds it just switches back to Pandora.

Voice Commands - This was another selling point. I hope they improve things with firmware updates. Some people love it but I have done nothing but fight the system. Part of it is I am still learning the commands but most of it is that it just sucks. Here is an example. I put on my helmet and turn on the device. I am not on the bike and it isn't even running. It responds with the power on tone and "Hello". I respond with "Hello Sena" 70% of the time it asks for my command. I would assume it should catch this 100% of the time as it isn't trying to pick me out of the background noise. I have sidetone on so I can hear what I am saying and I can hear it loud and clear. Ok, so I say "Hello Sena" a couple times. It wakes up. "FM Radio" again 70% success. At first with firmware v1.0 I would use my three strikes and have to start over without it hearing me say "FM Radio". Now I think I am on FW v1.1.1 and it is better. So eventually it hears me and I am in FM Mode. Music is playing and I want to go to the previous preset. To do this you have to wake it up again and say "Previous". So I say "Hello Sena". This works about 0.5% of the time or pretty much never. I can scream it at the top of my lungs and it won't hear me. So now you are stuck on whatever preset you were on. Well when saying "Hello Sena" won't wake the device your other option is a Tap-Tap. Tap your helmet twice, one second between taps. So, Tap-tap is my option, well that worked about 20% of the time in FW v1.0. In FW v1.1 they released an option where you can adjust the tap sensitivity. I have it maxed out on high now and it is better. I would say 90% of the time Tap-tap works but so does things like opening my chin vent or adjusting my visor. Not a big deal because it goes back to what you were listening to but if that is FM Radio you get to hear what preset and frequency you were on all over. Now there is a third option that I find I use more often. If you are in FM Mode and tap the phone button it goes to the next preset (up to 10). I have 4 set and when it gets to 4 it will jump back to 1. So I am glad I don't have to hear 6 presets of nothing if I go the button route. A couple days ago I was leaving work and was making a left turn at a stop light. Because of this and traffic I was doing clutch work as I was filtering my way up to make the turn. Phone rings. I don't recall if I was listening to Pandora or FM but music stops and I hear the phone ringing. The book says you can say "Hello" or anything at all and it will answer. If that doesn't work you can tap the phone button. Well I am working the clutch so no phone button. I start saying then screaming "Hello", nope keeps ringing and goes to voicemail. Grrr, since I no longer have my phone paired to the Zumo I have no way of knowing who called. Oh well. I'll look when I get home. Turns out it was the wife just wondering when I was leaving work. Yesterday I initiated a call while on the bike. Listening to Pandora on the phone. "Hello Sena" a couple times, nope isn't going to work. Tap-tap, ahh there it goes. "Speed Dial One" Phone rings and I tell her I am running late and just leaving work. Phone call ends. She said that she couldn't tell I was on the bike. I was going about 40 at the time.

So over all, don't buy it for the FM radio. A very poor execution of that and since it is likely hardware, there probably will be no fix. I hope the voice control gets better with firmware. One thing I want to try but don't see why it would matter is to disable the sidetone. I have checked to make sure my mic is oriented properly. I hope they fix the voice control with FW updates and the FM announcement can be fixed. It is nice but a few bugs yet.
 

Mellow

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I wish the SMH10 would do this.
My SMH10 doesn't drop any of the message. The only time I noticed that it would was when I used the SR10 hardwired to the GPS and it would take a second to open a channel...
 

paulcb

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I wish the SMH10 would do this.
My SMH10 does this with my iPhone. I have Pandora (or any music running) and whatever nav app I'm running (Google or Apple) will automatically turn the music down, announce the next point and then the music returns.

I think it's always worked this way for me, not sure if it's a setting somewhere.
 
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Throttlejockey

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My SMH10 doesn't drop any of the message. The only time I noticed that it would was when I used the SR10 hardwired to the GPS and it would take a second to open a channel...
Mine won't do both. If I stream Pandora from my phone I can't have the gps directions. One or the other. Unless I'm doing something wrong.
 

paulcb

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I wish the SMH10 would do this.
My SMH10 does this. I have Pandora (or any music running) and whatever nav app I'm running (Google or Apple) will automatically turn the music down, announce the next point and then the music returns.

I think it's always worked this way for me, not sure if it's a setting somewhere.

Edit: Perhaps it's because I'm using my iPhone for both music and navigation?
 

Mellow

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Mine won't do both. If I stream Pandora from my phone I can't have the gps directions. One or the other. Unless I'm doing something wrong.
I haven't messed with pandora much, mine works well w/gps mp3.
 

Throttlejockey

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My SMH10 does this. I have Pandora (or any music running) and whatever nav app I'm running (Google or Apple) will automatically turn the music down, announce the next point and then the music returns.

I think it's always worked this way for me, not sure if it's a setting somewhere.

Edit: Perhaps it's because I'm using my iPhone for both music and navigation?
That's probably why. It's not using 2 Bluetooth devices since you're using the phone for gps also.
 

v8-7

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RE: FM radio reception:

If you ran the speaker wire inside the helmet around the back of the neck, try running it over the top
of you head instead.

On the Scala unit, that wire is also the FM antenna . The Sena may be the same and the routing made a big difference . the b
 
OP
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My SMH10 doesn't drop any of the message. The only time I noticed that it would was when I used the SR10 hardwired to the GPS and it would take a second to open a channel...
Joe, I remember you mentioning the issue with it dropping part of the message back when I got my SMH10 and SR10 combo as that is what you had. I wasn't sure if it is the SMH10 dropping it or the SR10. I still have the SR10 but haven't added it into the mix yet. When I do I think I will disable Bluetooth on the Zumo and route it and GMRS through the SR10. That might introduce the issue you had but it should only be between GMRS and GPS. The other option is to add SM10 which would give me A2DP for the Zumo and XM which I can't currently listen to. My biggest complaint about the SR10 and SM10 (from what I have read) is that they have a power button. I wish they could be hardwired with a switched power connection and auto power on/off like the Zumo. Then I could put them under the seat or somewhere not totally accessible. Being the SR10 has the remote PTT for the bars I don't need it mounted on the bars to do anything with it.

RE: FM radio reception:

If you ran the speaker wire inside the helmet around the back of the neck, try running it over the top
of you head instead.

On the Scala unit, that wire is also the FM antenna . The Sena may be the same and the routing made a big difference . the b
Some have mentioned that. I have mine routed behind my head but it seems from posts on Sena's forum that it doesn't make a difference. They are not using the speakers for the antenna as it is set up for either speaker use or ear buds. Like I said, I haven't tried it yet but I could. Also there is a lot of chatter about poor FM quality.
 
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My SMH10 does this. I have Pandora (or any music running) and whatever nav app I'm running (Google or Apple) will automatically turn the music down, announce the next point and then the music returns.

I think it's always worked this way for me, not sure if it's a setting somewhere.

Edit: Perhaps it's because I'm using my iPhone for both music and navigation?
Sounds like you are running both the GPS and Music from your phone though so really the Sena isn't doing anything. It is the phone that is muting or turning down the music for GPS guidance.
 
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Oh one other thing I have noticed.

I have seen a demo video where they paired the 20S to a Samsung phone. Did the "Hello Sena" then "Music" In the demo this appeared to launch the MP3 player on the phone and I think they were able to select next track and such though voice commands. The "Music" voice command does nothing for me in my case. I have a Nexus 4 phone. I don't know for sure if this is a phone issue though or a Sena issue. Though normally if the phone got a signal or you tried to open something and it doesn't know which app to launch it will ask you on a pop up on the screen with an option to launch it one time or always launch that app. I don't see the phone do anything when I try this.
 

ST Gui

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If you ran the speaker wire inside the helmet around the back of the neck, try running it over the top
of you head instead.

On the Scala unit, that wire is also the FM antenna . The Sena may be the same and the routing made a big difference .
+1. In most devices the earphone wire is the antenna.

Running the speaker wire over the helmet may keep your head from blocking the signal in some instances. But it's probably the longer stretch of wire being a better antenna that improves the signal.

Adding a length of wire to the earphone jack might improve the signal. If the wire got in the way I'd just switch to onboard music until I got near the big city.
 

Mellow

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MP3s over Bluetooth from the Zumo 550 sound like crap but I knew that I didn't have A2DP (stereo) support on the Zumo 550. Also no XM but I have a Sena SR10 that I want to add to the mix to see how it performs.
The SR10 or SM10? The SR10 will be mono as it's only an HFP BT connection.
 
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Yeah I know the difference between the SR10 and SM10. I bought the SM10 because I needed that for my Icom F21 GMRS radio and Midland CB. I am aware that I will have Mono BT on SR10 but I was wondering if it is as crappy as the Mono BT that is built into the Zumo 550. I had mono hardwired connection on my Starcom connection and it wasn't that bad. However the 550 to Sena was horrible.

Keep in mind I have massive hearing loss from blast injuries while in the Infantry. Saves me a ton of dough on high end home theater gear... :eek:: I just have a crappy all in one blueray player and never bothered hooking up the rear speakers for surround sound. I pretty much live in a mono world....

Also technically Minnesota is one of those lovely states that has restrictions on in ear or in helmet audio. Legally we can only run one speaker. If I ever get questioned about it, I will just show the officer my VA disability card and point of the scars from the operations and explain that the law says I can only have one speaker, doesn't say what ear it has to be over and I choose to put it over my good ear and that I left the other speaker there but it really doesn't do much for me.
 
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OP, what molded ear plugs do you have and where do you get them from? Id like to get a set to block wind noise and be able to actually hear the music from my phone
 

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Mine won't do both. If I stream Pandora from my phone I can't have the gps directions. One or the other. Unless I'm doing something wrong.
This thread is months old and you may have solved this issue but if you haven't you can have both streaming music from the phone and GPS routing instructions at the same time. Pair the GPS to the Sena through Multipoint Pairing as described in the SMH10 PDF manual section 6.3.1 so both the phone and GPS are paired using the Hands Free Profile. Paired like this the GPS will interrupt music from the phone to give turn by turn directions then the music will resume.
 

Throttlejockey

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This thread is months old and you may have solved this issue but if you haven't you can have both streaming music from the phone and GPS routing instructions at the same time. Pair the GPS to the Sena through Multipoint Pairing as described in the SMH10 PDF manual section 6.3.1 so both the phone and GPS are paired using the Hands Free Profile. Paired like this the GPS will interrupt music from the phone to give turn by turn directions then the music will resume.
Thanks Dave. I just did the latest update so I'll give it a shot.
 
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