This is a copy of a blog post I just made at http://www.virtualomni.com
I just got back from my first ride using the SMH10 Bluetooth Headset/Intercom and well… color me impressed.
I’ve used only one other motorcycle intercom system, and that was a good 18 years ago. It was only designed for rider to passenger communication and the quality of both the in-helmet speakers and microphone were seriously lacking. Apparently that experience left a bad taste in my mouth for intercom systems because in all the years since I’ve never had even an interest in getting one. Between the articles I’ve read and my experience, there just wasn’t a system out there that I was willing to take a chance on… Until the SMH10.
I’ve been doing two weeklong 3000-4000 mile trips per year for the last several years with between 1 and 3 other friends and I had come to realize that it might be nice to have a better way of communicating than hand signals that may or may not be interpreted correctly. One buddy of mine had a decent experience with the Q2 radios from scala, but at highway speeds the output of the speakers were just not loud enough to provide a good experience. I knew I didn’t want to go down that road so I hit the net and started searching and, as with most things surrounding motorcycles, I ended up at webbikeworld.com where I read the reviews on the current generation of Bluetooth headsets including the Scala G4, Interphone BlueAnt F4, and finally the Sena SMH10.
I’ll let you go out and read all the differences in detail but I’ve got to say that initially there was one feature that I really liked in the G4 that the other two lacked. The ability to communicate with up to 3 other units simultaneously. What I mean by simultaneously is that they perform like walkie-talkies with everyone on the same channel can talk and be heard by everyone else, up to a total of 4 units. With the SMH10, you can pair up to 4 units together but only 2 can talk to each other at any one time, meaning you have to relay messages several times to make sure everyone in your group gets them. A bit of a nusiance I guess, but since I haven’t really tried that part out on the road yet, I’ll reserve final judgement.
The bigger dear for me was the quality and volume of the audio that the units could put out. When covering 500 miles a day on a bike, it’s a must to have your favorite tunes to keep you company. For me this meant a set of in-ear canal phones from Sony or Sure connected to my iPhone or iPod either via a hard-wired 1/8″ jack or, more recently, a bluetooth connection that also allowed me to control volume, skip tracks, and pause dthe music when i wanted to without having to touch the phone. The sound quality was great and the convenience of contols sticking out below my jacket was a definite plus. The downside was no microphone for the phone to make or receive calls nor the ability to talk with a riding buddy over an intercom. That was the main thing that convinced me to give the SMH10′s a try. All of the reviews raved about the quality of the audio that the units can put out. Both volume and clarity are excellent with music streamed over bluetooth from my iPhone 4 on my test ride today.
The SMH10 paired with my iPhone quickly, mounted to my Scoripon EXO-1000 via the supplied clamp, and I routed the microphone and speakers under the lining of the helmet to their proper positions, all within about 15 minutes. I tested some music in my office after the installation and was really impressed with the volume that the Sena could deliver, even if it was missing a bit off the low end frequencies. When I took the unit on my bike today, a Honda VTX 1800 with HK Sidburner (LOUD) piipes, the sound was still loud and clear, I didn’t even have to run it at full volume. I used the large knob on the SMH10 to adjust the volume and change tracks, all with my thick cold-weather leather gloves on. No problemo. I tested the voice control by placing several phone calls, having the unit play particular playlists, songs by artist, and individual song names without difficulty. Only in 1 out of 7 times did the voice control system not recognize the correct command at 70 miles per hour on the Interstate. This is about the same ratio that I get with my regular Jawbone ERA bluetooth headset in the car. Very impressive.
I used the voice control to dial the phone to test the audio quality and was equally impressed. The other side came through loud and clear and they said they couldn’t even tell that I was on a motorcycle. WOW!! The only glitch with this was when I had an incoming call to my phone that was dialed through my Google Voice number. The incoming call announces the callers name and requires you to press a number on the numberpad if you want to take or reject the call. Obviously I couldn’t press a button through the BT interface so I had to let it go to voicemail. The nice thing was that I knew who the caller was since it read me the name through the speakers so I just called them back via a voice dial from my end… again, No Probemo.
When I purchased the SHM10 I bought the SMH-A0304 helmet cradle. This cradle/clamp kit mounts to the helmet just like the standard clamp kit, but doesn’t contain the hard-wired microphone or speakers of the stock unit. Instead, it allows you to use your own headset/canal buds and plug them into the cradle via the 1/8? stereo jack. It also has a separate microphone that isn’t connected to the cradle via a semi-rigid arm like the stock unit. Instead the mic is connected via a removable plug and can be adhesive/velcro mounted to the chin-bar of the helmet. I bought this A0304 kit anticipating that the hype about the sound output of the stock unit wouldn’t live up to my expectations, but in the limited testing I’ve done so far I’ve not felt the need to go to them. I’ll hold onto the kit and bring it on my next trip in a couple weeks but may end up returning it if I decide that the built-in units will be good enough.
When I return from that trip I’ll post a more thorough review of how it performed on a 3000+ mile trip.
I just got back from my first ride using the SMH10 Bluetooth Headset/Intercom and well… color me impressed.
I’ve used only one other motorcycle intercom system, and that was a good 18 years ago. It was only designed for rider to passenger communication and the quality of both the in-helmet speakers and microphone were seriously lacking. Apparently that experience left a bad taste in my mouth for intercom systems because in all the years since I’ve never had even an interest in getting one. Between the articles I’ve read and my experience, there just wasn’t a system out there that I was willing to take a chance on… Until the SMH10.
I’ve been doing two weeklong 3000-4000 mile trips per year for the last several years with between 1 and 3 other friends and I had come to realize that it might be nice to have a better way of communicating than hand signals that may or may not be interpreted correctly. One buddy of mine had a decent experience with the Q2 radios from scala, but at highway speeds the output of the speakers were just not loud enough to provide a good experience. I knew I didn’t want to go down that road so I hit the net and started searching and, as with most things surrounding motorcycles, I ended up at webbikeworld.com where I read the reviews on the current generation of Bluetooth headsets including the Scala G4, Interphone BlueAnt F4, and finally the Sena SMH10.
I’ll let you go out and read all the differences in detail but I’ve got to say that initially there was one feature that I really liked in the G4 that the other two lacked. The ability to communicate with up to 3 other units simultaneously. What I mean by simultaneously is that they perform like walkie-talkies with everyone on the same channel can talk and be heard by everyone else, up to a total of 4 units. With the SMH10, you can pair up to 4 units together but only 2 can talk to each other at any one time, meaning you have to relay messages several times to make sure everyone in your group gets them. A bit of a nusiance I guess, but since I haven’t really tried that part out on the road yet, I’ll reserve final judgement.
The bigger dear for me was the quality and volume of the audio that the units could put out. When covering 500 miles a day on a bike, it’s a must to have your favorite tunes to keep you company. For me this meant a set of in-ear canal phones from Sony or Sure connected to my iPhone or iPod either via a hard-wired 1/8″ jack or, more recently, a bluetooth connection that also allowed me to control volume, skip tracks, and pause dthe music when i wanted to without having to touch the phone. The sound quality was great and the convenience of contols sticking out below my jacket was a definite plus. The downside was no microphone for the phone to make or receive calls nor the ability to talk with a riding buddy over an intercom. That was the main thing that convinced me to give the SMH10′s a try. All of the reviews raved about the quality of the audio that the units can put out. Both volume and clarity are excellent with music streamed over bluetooth from my iPhone 4 on my test ride today.
The SMH10 paired with my iPhone quickly, mounted to my Scoripon EXO-1000 via the supplied clamp, and I routed the microphone and speakers under the lining of the helmet to their proper positions, all within about 15 minutes. I tested some music in my office after the installation and was really impressed with the volume that the Sena could deliver, even if it was missing a bit off the low end frequencies. When I took the unit on my bike today, a Honda VTX 1800 with HK Sidburner (LOUD) piipes, the sound was still loud and clear, I didn’t even have to run it at full volume. I used the large knob on the SMH10 to adjust the volume and change tracks, all with my thick cold-weather leather gloves on. No problemo. I tested the voice control by placing several phone calls, having the unit play particular playlists, songs by artist, and individual song names without difficulty. Only in 1 out of 7 times did the voice control system not recognize the correct command at 70 miles per hour on the Interstate. This is about the same ratio that I get with my regular Jawbone ERA bluetooth headset in the car. Very impressive.
I used the voice control to dial the phone to test the audio quality and was equally impressed. The other side came through loud and clear and they said they couldn’t even tell that I was on a motorcycle. WOW!! The only glitch with this was when I had an incoming call to my phone that was dialed through my Google Voice number. The incoming call announces the callers name and requires you to press a number on the numberpad if you want to take or reject the call. Obviously I couldn’t press a button through the BT interface so I had to let it go to voicemail. The nice thing was that I knew who the caller was since it read me the name through the speakers so I just called them back via a voice dial from my end… again, No Probemo.
When I purchased the SHM10 I bought the SMH-A0304 helmet cradle. This cradle/clamp kit mounts to the helmet just like the standard clamp kit, but doesn’t contain the hard-wired microphone or speakers of the stock unit. Instead, it allows you to use your own headset/canal buds and plug them into the cradle via the 1/8? stereo jack. It also has a separate microphone that isn’t connected to the cradle via a semi-rigid arm like the stock unit. Instead the mic is connected via a removable plug and can be adhesive/velcro mounted to the chin-bar of the helmet. I bought this A0304 kit anticipating that the hype about the sound output of the stock unit wouldn’t live up to my expectations, but in the limited testing I’ve done so far I’ve not felt the need to go to them. I’ll hold onto the kit and bring it on my next trip in a couple weeks but may end up returning it if I decide that the built-in units will be good enough.
When I return from that trip I’ll post a more thorough review of how it performed on a 3000+ mile trip.
