Anyone out there have the Sena SMH10?

Discussion in 'Equipment' started by sixsevenfive, Mar 24, 2010.

  1. sixsevenfive

    sixsevenfive n00b

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    Hey everyone - first post here. I currently have a Scala Rider Teamset, but am looking to upgrade to bluetooth 2.1 for bike to bike communications (the girlfriend got her butt off the pillion and onto her own bike :clap ). After a quick browse on webbikeworld, I noticed there are three decent choices, two of which have been covered on these forums (the interphone f4 and scala g4). Does anyone have experience with the SMH10 from Sena? I really like the simplicity of the jog dial, and the company seems pretty legit given their industrial tech background.

    Anyway just wanted to know how these things are as the webbikeworld review doesn't incorporate a real-world trial by fire section yet. Thanks!

    http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-intercoms/sena-smh10-intercom/

    http://www.senabluetooth.com/

    [​IMG]
    #1
  2. Stevequest2000

    Stevequest2000 Adventurer

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    I'd just like to see it mounted to a full-face helmet. I haven't even been able to find any pictures of it in use on one. It feels like no one has bought one yet. I'm leaning to the F4, but want the Sena's 3.5mm input jack.
    #2
  3. levain

    levain STILL Jim Williams Supporter

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    Love to hear from others too. This one seems like the best option so far to me.
    #3
  4. DirtMerchant

    DirtMerchant Long timer

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    UPS delivered 'em today; they are on the chargers as I type.

    I will post back after I have evaluated them.
    #4
  5. levain

    levain STILL Jim Williams Supporter

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    What kind of helmet do you have? I'll be curious how the speakers fit. They look FAT
    #5
  6. Wingspan

    Wingspan Been here awhile

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    I just ordered a pair of the Sena SMH10's from the ebay seller. It's taking a bit of a leap I know, but I really liked what I read on the webbike first look.

    The ebay seller responded very promptly and sent me a tracking number within 2 hours of my purchase. He sent it 3 day UPS so I should have them by the middle of next week.
    #6
  7. Dan Alexander

    Dan Alexander still alive and well

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    You bought the Sena on Ebay or the unit pictured in post #5?
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  8. Wingspan

    Wingspan Been here awhile

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    I ordered a pair of the Sena SMH10's.
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  9. levain

    levain STILL Jim Williams Supporter

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    Looking forward to hearing about it. This one is by far the most interesting sounding to me. I've never gone bluetooth because I want it seamless. I want it though! This one might be the one!
    #9
    mgcmrkr likes this.
  10. Dan Alexander

    Dan Alexander still alive and well

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    :ear :ear
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  11. endurorazor

    endurorazor Adventurer

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    I ordered two sets a few weeks ago and have had good luck with them. I took the leap of faith after reading the review on webbikeworld. I was concerned as the review didn't provide as much detail as their usual reviews. I believe they plan to update that review with real world experience in the future. The review stated they are available on amazon, they were not. I went to the Sena website which listed it as available for $219. I dialed their sales # and tried to order two sets however they stated that they are $189 and only available on ebay. It took about a week to get them from California to the east coast. The packaging was excellent, so far so good.

    Overall I am impressed with them. They quickly and painlessly paired to everything I tried, including a zumo 660 and a typical LG cell phone. I really like the range of volume available and the ability to quickly change the volume by twisting the control. Battery life is good and you can charge them while riding with the included cigarette lighter charger cable. I can't speak for helmet to helmet range as I only used them for rider to passenger comms which were excellent.

    About the only nit I had with them is when riding solo and paired to my zumo for music the unit would constantly search to pair with the other headset which means you get to listen to a constant series of beeps through the speakers. That might be operator error on my part but it took several reboots to get it to stop searching for the other unit. One thing I didn't test was reliability in the rain. Time will tell.
    #11
  12. Wingspan

    Wingspan Been here awhile

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    According to the user's manual you should be able to stop it from attempting to reconnect by pressing the jog dial once. Hopefully that works because it would be annoying!

    Thanks for sharing, I look forward to trying mine in a few days.
    #12
  13. endurorazor

    endurorazor Adventurer

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    "the SMH10 automatically tries to reconnect the intercom every 8 seconds
    and you will hear high tone double beeps until the intercom is reestablished."

    Yep, that was the problem I experienced. After some more time on the SMH10's I found that it was indeed operator error. The single tap didn't work until I disabled the VOX function which I had been playing with on both units before riding solo. So far I am very happy with these. One of these days I'll have to test the actual range from headset to headset.
    #13
  14. levain

    levain STILL Jim Williams Supporter

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    I emailed Sena asking about earbuds and FM. Here's the response:clap

    [FONT=굴림]Dear Jim[/FONT]​
    [FONT=굴림]Thank you for your Email.[/FONT]​
    [FONT=굴림]Sena is planning to introduce optional microphones for flip-up helmets, fullface helmets as supplementary accessories and and earbuds version. It is a form of internal boom microphone that could be attached inside of flip-up helmets. Fullface helmet version is a wired microphone.[/FONT]​
    [FONT=굴림]They will be available in a month.[/FONT]​

    [FONT=굴림]We don't have a plan which support FM radio.[/FONT]
    #14
  15. Dan GSR

    Dan GSR Been here awhile

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    im interested to hear about volume
    i wear earplugs too
    #15
  16. Wingspan

    Wingspan Been here awhile

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    My Sena SMH10's arrived today. Not much to report yet, but the mounts seem solid and the two units paired easily to each other and my iphone. First ride will be tomorrow, but they seem quite loud.

    I've read that these untils and the Scala Q4 are on the large side. Whomever thinks that must have never used one of the non-bluetooth Chatterboxes. These are half the size of my Chatterbox.
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  17. Wingspan

    Wingspan Been here awhile

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    Did some saddle time with the Sena today. I was solo, so no intercom reports just yet. However, I did listen to music over Bluetooth with my iphone. I ride a V-Strom with a very small screen, so I have a lot of wind noise and wear foam earplugs. I also can't stand having things touch my ears in the helmet, so the speakers are as far into the helmet pockets as I could get them. I'd guess I have ~1/4 of gap between the speakers and my ears. I had no trouble listening to music on the highway. Took it up to about 95mph (indicated) and could still hear everything.
    #17
  18. levain

    levain STILL Jim Williams Supporter

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    how's sound quality at that speed? Does your iphone automatically connect without you doing anything? My friend has a chatterbox. He has to go into settings at start up everytime he uses it and tell the phone to connect. pita!
    Any comments appreciated asap, I want to place order today!
    #18
  19. Wingspan

    Wingspan Been here awhile

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    Sound quality isn't ear-bud good, but better than my old FRS Chatterbox.

    Other than the initial pairing which worked on the first try, I haven't had to touch my iphone to do anything. I don't even take it out of my pocket when gearing up. Just turn on the Sena, press the Sena's jog button (aka volume wheel) for a second, and the music starts playing. It works perfect. Unfortunately, I can't scroll through or skip songs I don't want to listen to, but that's a limitation of my iphone 3G (not 3Gs) and not the Sena. It appears I'll need to purchase an RF remote if I want to scroll or skip songs. I knew this going in though.

    I don't advocate using the phone while riding, but my father did call me today while in the road. I was riding ~55mph when he called. I heard him with total clarity. He said there was some wind noise on his end but he could hear me clearly and had no trouble conversing. As I said before, my V-Strom is a VERY noisy bike with the short screen and so I was pleased with this.

    I haven't tried the intercom on the bike yet but the wife and I can speak normally to each other from anywhere in the house. Hopefully I can get her on the bike soon for a real try.

    So far, so good IMO.
    #19
  20. levain

    levain STILL Jim Williams Supporter

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    Have you paired it to a gps as well? Curious how it would be with my zumo thrown into the mix.
    #20