Sena models

Recurveit

Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2019
Messages
54
Location
Elizabethville pa
I'm looking at reviews at the Sena 10c evo 10s. I am wanting to buy one or the other. This will be my first experience with sena. I was wondering your guys thoughts on both. I like evo because of the camera because I am taken my 1st motorcycle trip from PA to Tennessee to ride the tail of the dragon. 1st big trip on the S10. The evo doesnt Have good reviews but one patreon person I support Did a YouTube review on it and she likes it I just don't know which one to go with

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SkunkWorks

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Joined
Sep 13, 2018
Messages
1,733
Location
Colorado
I have used 10S exclusively for a few years now, and I really like it for a number of reasons. Also I "Less than like" it for a few reasons.

What I like about it:

*It pairs well with other rider's Sena headsets, as well as the older models. It came pre-paired with it's sister unit (bought as a set)
*Helmet to Helmet communication is very clear, and it does an amazing job of cancelling out background noise.
*It works well paired with my iphone. I can control music, activate Siri via voice-commands, send texts, make/received calls, have texts read to me as well as Nav-directions, all controlled by the Sena headset. I don't have to touch or even look at my phone during use.
*Battery life seems exceptional. Will easily last a 10-12 hour marathon day of riding, talking, and listening to music. 13-hours is about its limit.
You can extend this as long as you need to with a little USB pocket-battery-bank.
*The headset allows you to plug in your own set of earbuds if you prefer using those, instead of the supplied speakers.
*It easily un-clips from the helmet-mount base, and they sell the helmet mount separately. This makes it extremely easy to switch one headset between multiple helmets.
*It charges very quickly.........It will fully re-charge from near-dead in a little over an hour.
*It is fairly "Water resistant" within reason. I have ridden with it in rain on a number of occasions.
*You can "Share" music from your bluetooth source with another paired Sena headset (but only if it is the person riding pillion) any further away from your helmet than that and this option becomes "Glitchy"

What I dislike about it:

*Helmet to Helmet communication range is not what they claim. "Line of sight" is good for about a 1/3-1/2 mile. If you lose line-of-sight, like over a rise or around a bend, or through trees then the range is good for about 50-100-yards at best.
*If you pair any more than 2 of these at the same time, the system defaults to "Open-Mic" on all of them, and you hear every sound broadcast from everyone in the group, all the time..................maybe the new "Mesh" technology ones are better at this?
*The sound from the speakers that are included is rather "Tinny". I listen to music often, and the sound they produce is not very rich........
I am not so sure it's the speaker's fault as much as the sound drivers within the electronics of the headset itself? I did try an experiment where I switched out the supplied speakers with a set of Skull-Candy drop-in speakers (which sound amazing in my ski-helmet when connected to my ipod) and it made those sound just as tinny?
*It is not "Water-proof". If you ride in extremely heavy rain, you will have to take precautions to make sure water does not work its way into the connection between the unit and its mount-base. There is a rubber gasket there, but it will deteriorate if you frequently remove/reinstall the unit to the base. Make absolutely sure you never try to submerge it!
*There were a couple bugs with it at first, mainly with its integration with my iphone. Although, subsequent firmware updates released from Sena have fixed them.


Hopefully this gives you some helpful info....
 

SkunkWorks

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Joined
Sep 13, 2018
Messages
1,733
Location
Colorado
As far as the ones with the camera built-in..........
I would say, before you decide on that option, watch a bunch of rider's Youtube videos that are filmed from the perspective of a camera mounted to the side of their helmet..

Everyone will have a different preference, but for me I happen to not like this footage perspective. I prefer the camera mounted to the bike as opposed to the rider's helmet.
I have filmed Gopro footage with a helmet-mount, and it is almost impossible to keep your head steady enough to obtain quality footage.
As a rider, I instinctively ride with my head on a swivel, and I found this counter-intuitive to normal riding.
I also find trying to watch videos filmed from the helmet sometimes give me the feeling of motion-sickness, as the footage moves around too much...........
Each person is different though, and it all depends what you ultimately want to do with the footage you obtain?
 

Tanere

Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2019
Messages
51
Location
Miramar, FL
I run the SENA 10cPro. I like that I can record video, and ALL audio channels (music, phone, bluetooth comms) that come through the helmet all in one device. The only downside I have found is the battery life while recording video (about 2hours). I solved, by carrying a small usb battery pack on my inside jacket pocket and just running the cable up the side to my helmet.

One thing I noticed, was I had to replace the ear pieces with ear buds. The ear pieces didn't sit close enough to my ears without the spacers, and were to tight and painful with the smallest spacers. THere is a cheap adapter that will allow you to use any standard earbuds with the 10cPro.

You may also want to look at getting the remote. It does make operations like changing music, start stop camera on the fly much easier.
 

Checkswrecks

Ungenear to broked stuff
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Mar 7, 2011
Messages
11,489
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Damascus, MD
I have a pair of Sena 30ks. I like them A lot. If I had to replace them then I would get the Cardo Packtalk Bold. They interface better with phones.
We had the original Model 10 and probably still have one or two around. They had issues with rain, occasional loud pops, and after a couple years the battery life wasn't all day any more.

Currently have the 20S with the FM radio. Like the external 3.5mm port for earbuds and ability to get phone calls. Not too good at filtering out wind noise above 60 mph.

Have also been looking at the Cardo Packtalk Bold.
 

SkunkWorks

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2018
Messages
1,733
Location
Colorado
I have used 10S exclusively for a few years now, and I really like it for a number of reasons. Also I "Less than like" it for a few reasons.

What I like about it:

*It pairs well with other rider's Sena headsets, as well as the older models. It came pre-paired with it's sister unit (bought as a set)
*Helmet to Helmet communication is very clear, and it does an amazing job of cancelling out background noise.
*It works well paired with my iphone. I can control music, activate Siri via voice-commands, send texts, make/received calls, have texts read to me as well as Nav-directions, all controlled by the Sena headset. I don't have to touch or even look at my phone during use.
*Battery life seems exceptional. Will easily last a 10-12 hour marathon day of riding, talking, and listening to music. 13-hours is about its limit.
You can extend this as long as you need to with a little USB pocket-battery-bank.
*The headset allows you to plug in your own set of earbuds if you prefer using those, instead of the supplied speakers.
*It easily un-clips from the helmet-mount base, and they sell the helmet mount separately. This makes it extremely easy to switch one headset between multiple helmets.
*It charges very quickly.........It will fully re-charge from near-dead in a little over an hour.
*It is fairly "Water resistant" within reason. I have ridden with it in rain on a number of occasions.
*You can "Share" music from your bluetooth source with another paired Sena headset (but only if it is the person riding pillion) any further away from your helmet than that and this option becomes "Glitchy"

What I dislike about it:

*Helmet to Helmet communication range is not what they claim. "Line of sight" is good for about a 1/3-1/2 mile. If you lose line-of-sight, like over a rise or around a bend, or through trees then the range is good for about 50-100-yards at best.
*If you pair any more than 2 of these at the same time, the system defaults to "Open-Mic" on all of them, and you hear every sound broadcast from everyone in the group, all the time..................maybe the new "Mesh" technology ones are better at this?
*The sound from the speakers that are included is rather "Tinny". I listen to music often, and the sound they produce is not very rich........
I am not so sure it's the speaker's fault as much as the sound drivers within the electronics of the headset itself? I did try an experiment where I switched out the supplied speakers with a set of Skull-Candy drop-in speakers (which sound amazing in my ski-helmet when connected to my ipod) and it made those sound just as tinny?
*It is not "Water-proof". If you ride in extremely heavy rain, you will have to take precautions to make sure water does not work its way into the connection between the unit and its mount-base. There is a rubber gasket there, but it will deteriorate if you frequently remove/reinstall the unit to the base. Make absolutely sure you never try to submerge it!
*There were a couple bugs with it at first, mainly with its integration with my iphone. Although, subsequent firmware updates released from Sena have fixed them.


Hopefully this gives you some helpful info....
This post of mine was meant to say "20S"
I made a goof when I originally wrote it.
I have only ever used the 20S model............................
 

StephanSF

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2020
Messages
98
Location
Las Vegas, NV
I recently received the 50S model under their trade-in program, I traded in a 20s. The sound is noticeably better due to better speakers, and it does respond to hey Google without needing to press any buttons.

However the the voice commands to the unit itself using Hey Sena do not work so while their sales pitch advertises the ability to use the unit hands-free, this is not the reality that I've experienced.

My old 20s was starting to fall apart so I don't regret going to this one, since music is mostly what I use the unit for, but it certainly is frustrating that the commands that they bill as making the unit hands-free do not work.

I have no experience with mesh communications yet since I ride solo most of the time. It sounds great in theory, but who knows whether it really works or not.

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B

ballisticexchris

Guest
I have the Sena SLR built into my SHOEI Neotec. It has way more features than I will ever use. It interfaces with my 595LM GPS and iPhone simultaneously.

I have not used the communication feature other than using the phone just for a novelty in the parking lot. My main reason for getting it was so I can get audible turn for turn directions off my GPS. I tried out the music feature and am still on the fence with it. The sound quality is amazing even when my earplugs are installed. Some guys think the Sena sound quality sucks. It's all in personal preference.

Dislikes are the boom mic that gets in the way when opening and closing my helmet. If you have a new Neotec manufactured after 2019 the SLR has a removable boom mic. If I was to be really picky the GPS is a little bit fiddly when picking songs. It works good, just not as well as the actual phone.

The best feature of all is the SLR is not a stand alone unit. It is wind tunnel tested and designed to work with the helmet. Other than the boom mic you don't really know it's there.

There will be many opinions on the interface with the GPS. I personally think it's fantastic!! Between the Garmin Smart Link and Sena Utility Apps you can do just about anything right from your GPS without taking the phone out of your pocket. You just spend a few minutes setting everything up before heading out and enjoy the ride.

You have the option of having phone calls override the music or keep phone on silent. The GPS turn for turn always overrides everything unless it's put on silent. The options are endless.....
 
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