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Need your suggestions for bluetooth in-helmet phone options

ThinkFast

ThinkFast

Live Long
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Location
San RiffRaph
Moto(s)
2012 BMW R1200GS; 2024 R7 (Track only)
Name
Tom
I had a Sena 20S for awhile and really liked how it connected to my iphone so I could take phone calls on the road and also get Google Maps to give me directions without having to squint at the screen.

As much as I like the idea of the group comms capability, I only used it a couple of times.

A couple years ago I sold a helmet with the Sena installed and since then really haven't missed the group comms feature, but would really like to have the bluetooth phone connection. FM radio would be a bonus, but ok with not having it.

Looking at the new Sena ST-1 mesh at about $200 for a single. Wondering if there are other options anyone here has used that focus on the phone only part and cost less. If not, I'll probably go ahead and get the ST-1 as I know the OS and never had any issues with the 20S.
 
Instead of the Sena/Cardo route you might also consider bluetooth ear buds that offer much better sound quality and noise reduction than the helmet mounted versions.
 
Lexin B4FM $89 at Amazon. Bluetooth, phone connection, bike to bike , battery lasts forever

Mad
 
My wife just picked up a Sena 50S. Kind of expensive, but we needed something to talk to my 20S and that was all CycleGear had in stock. No issues with it.

The ST1 looks kind of nice though.
 
ThinkFast said:
I had a Sena 20S for awhile and really liked how it connected to my iphone so I could take phone calls on the road and also get Google Maps to give me directions without having to squint at the screen.

As much as I like the idea of the group comms capability, I only used it a couple of times.

A couple years ago I sold a helmet with the Sena installed and since then really haven't missed the group comms feature, but would really like to have the bluetooth phone connection. FM radio would be a bonus, but ok with not having it.

Looking at the new Sena ST-1 mesh at about $200 for a single. Wondering if there are other options anyone here has used that focus on the phone only part and cost less. If not, I'll probably go ahead and get the ST-1 as I know the OS and never had any issues with the 20S.
Click to expand...

Cardo has a whole spectrum of products, including two lines that are more budget friendly if you don't need mesh comms - Spirit and Freecom. With how old the 20S is, anything will be a significant improvement, but you can get JBL speakers from Cardo.
 
CoolBDPhenom03 said:
Cardo has a whole spectrum of products, including two lines that are more budget friendly if you don't need mesh comms - Spirit and Freecom. With how old the 20S is, anything will be a significant improvement, but you can get JBL speakers from Cardo.
Click to expand...

Thanks, all, for the suggestions. I'll check those out.

I read in another thread something about Cardo going to a user subscription model, which was making people rethink staying with them. I have no reason to move away from Sena if I want bike to bike comms - which I don't really want/need.
 
Unless you are buying a high end model with voice controls and stuff, I'd prob first try that Amazon product someone else suggested. Can always return easily if it doesn't fit your needs. Hard to argue against spending less money these days.

I call it the Amazon try before you buy program.
 
ThinkFast said:
Thanks, all, for the suggestions. I'll check those out.

I read in another thread something about Cardo going to a user subscription model, which was making people rethink staying with them. I have no reason to move away from Sena if I want bike to bike comms - which I don't really want/need.
Click to expand...

You might be the target audience for the Cardo Custom then. You get the top spec hardware and you can just opt not to pay for the extra features unless you need them. I don’t see the value since I keep my comms for a long time so the pricing won’t make sense.

I use all my features so I refuse to pay a subscription.
 
Just picked up a DWO 1-Lite (by Sena) from CycleGear today. I'd never heard of this one before - $99, on special now for $79. Revzilla has them as well.

Installs easily in my Shoei RF1400. Controls are easy to use. Looking forward to road testing it and seeing how well it works at freeway speed.

Thanks, all, for your suggestions.
 
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ThinkFast said:
Just picked up a DWO 1-Lite (by Sena) from CycleGear today. I'd never heard of this one before - $99, on special now for $79. Revzilla has them as well.

Installs easily in my Shoei RF1400. Controls are easy to use. Looking forward to road testing it and seeing how well it works at freeway speed.

Thanks, all, for your suggestions.
Click to expand...
Hey, I'm a new rider, and would like to listen to music every once in a while on familiar roads. How was your experience? did you try any other bluetooth in-helmet options? Would love to know and learn from your experience!
 
I have some kind of Sena that fits my Shoei Neotec. It interfaces to my BMW directly, not my phone. Phone is paired with the bike, helmet is paired with the bike.

It's fine. I can't compare it to anything else, the sound is good, and I can turn the thing on and off with my gloves. Other than that I don't touch. I think I may have had to pair it more than once, but I don't recall.

My only nit on it is that I wish it had an accelerometer in it so it would "know" that the helmet has been resting for the past N minutes and power off on its own.

If I forget to power it off when I'm done, it'll happily drain itself into oblivion overnight. Seems to charge quickly, but its also one more fiddly wiring electronic thing I have to deal with to get the Riding Experience booted up along with all the gear and everything else.
 
@ThinkFast

I also have a Shoei Neotec II helmet that includes the built-in Sena functionality, but I just use my trusty 20S clipped to the side, like I have for years across other helmets.

The higher end Senas (and maybe Cardos too) include the ability to use separate wired earbuds, which, as @greenmonster says, give much better audio quality and cut down on road noise better than the speaker pads which stick to the inside of the helmet. I use Etymotic earbuds, which aren't cheap, but are incredibly good.

In the 10-ish years that I've had the 20S, I've only used the intercom function a couple of times - I use it almost exclusively for listening to music on solo rides.

Final thought: If you like the Sena 20S, make sure that if you compare with Cardos, you do so with your regular riding gloves on - I tried upgrading to a Cardo, and the controls were much smaller and I couldn't use them. YMMV.
 
The Sena buttons are glove friendly and they also have the ability to use voice commands. The Cardo systems are not glove friendly so you are forced to use voice commands. My riding group all use Cardos so it's a constant cacophony of "Hey Cardo,music on", "Hey Cardo, music off", Hey Cardo, .............". I hate the things.
Me and my partner have Sena 20s's. We can share music and when we want to talk, it's easy enough to tap the large jog dial. Audio quality is good enough and we both wear earplugs so noise attenuation isn't an issue. Active noise reduction, such as in earbuds is not sufficient for hearing health.
 
I've always wondered about in helmet speakers. How loud does the music have to be to compete with the wind noise in the helmet? And if the music is turned up at such a high volume as to be heard over the wind noise, then couldn't that contribute to accelerated hearing loss?

Anyone have ringing in the ears after a long ride listening to music?...
 
dravnx said:
The Sena buttons are glove friendly and they also have the ability to use voice commands. The Cardo systems are not glove friendly so you are forced to use voice commands. My riding group all use Cardos so it's a constant cacophony of "Hey Cardo,music on", "Hey Cardo, music off", Hey Cardo, .............". I hate the things.
Me and my partner have Sena 20s's. We can share music and when we want to talk, it's easy enough to tap the large jog dial. Audio quality is good enough and we both wear earplugs so noise attenuation isn't an issue. Active noise reduction, such as in earbuds is not sufficient for hearing health.
Click to expand...
This is a problem when using two different systems. I had Sena but all my friends had Cardo when we went to Europe so I got a Cardo. IF all Cardo no one will hear “Hey Cardo”. You have a Sena so you hear the “Hey Cardo”. I wish at least the two main players Cardo and Sena would get together and use the same controls.
 
J-Boat said:
I've always wondered about in helmet speakers. How loud does the music have to be to compete with the wind noise in the helmet? And if the music is turned up at such a high volume as to be heard over the wind noise, then couldn't that contribute to accelerated hearing loss?

Anyone have ringing in the ears after a long ride listening to music?...
Click to expand...
Prior to using the earbuds with my Sena 20S, I used the in-helmet speakers with regular foam earbuds. Even with the the music turned up basically all the way, it still wasn't enough to combat wind noise at high speed.

I now only use the in-helmet speaker pads in my 'city helmet' (my 10-year-old Schuberth), since in SF I never go above 30mph (honest Officer!) so wind noise isn't a big deal.

I cannot emphasize enough what a difference good earbuds make - I use Etymotic MK5s with my Sena 20S, and they are small enough to fit in my ears and not get caught when I put the helmet on. They are incredibly good at blocking wind noise, since they basically block the ear canal completely, although some road noise gets through - not a bad idea to be able to hear car horns etc. I wouldn't ride at speed without them. Even if I don't want to listen to music, I still wear them.

I have mild tinnitus - I can only imagine how awful 'bad' tinnitus is...
 
I use hiFi ear plugs with in helmet speakers when on the freeway. I can hear the music better with them in than not.

I'm not sure I'd ever go to blocking out street noise with fitted ear plugs, I want to know if there is a sound that could save my life on the street.

Just my own preference.
 
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