Favorite Communicator Uclear, Sena, Cardo, GMRS, What?

[Madmudder]

I am going to try wrapping bell wire around the right speaker wire (which also serves as the FM antenna) to see if I can improve reception. After I do so and have a chance to test it, I'll reply back here with my findings.

I stripped off the PVC covering on a 10' cat 5 cable, and used about 6 feet of one pair of the inner wires to wrap around the right speaker lead. I wrapped it about 20 times and left the rest of the wire as an "extension antenna." I put it all under the helmet liner. I can receive local radio stations inside my brick house with no problem. A quick test ride was not quite as promising, however.

On Monday I'll see if the one radio I listen to still fades to static on my ride to work where it used to. I know, it's a long shot, but worth a try.

I also re-positioned the speakers lower in the helmet. I can hear music a LITTLE better, but still not well enough. There are plenty of threads about this on the Sena forums. In one of those threads, these speakers were reported to be much louder and have much better bass response: https://www.uclear-digital.com/products/v2-speakers/

I may give them a try.

These are louder but you have to cut off the original spears and solder these on to the original wires. They work for any system including the Sena's

https://www.torkworld.com/helmet-speakers/xpro-speaker-elements.html

 

[eflyguy]

These are louder but you have to cut off the original spears and solder these on to the original wires. They work for any system just not the Sena's

https://www.torkworld.com/helmet-speakers/xpro-speaker-elements.html

Why not the Sena?

 

[Madmudder]

Sena's included

 

[NightShine]

Just a thought - have you turned off the volume limit in the music app? It's in Settings/Music.

And it's a good thought, too! However, music volume limiting is not enabled on my iPhone's settings.

 

[Harald]

Sena 20s is the only one I've ever tried. It works well, but tends to malfunction in a prolonged rain. I don't care for that. Now I only use it when the wife and I ride together, which isn't often and almost never in the rain, so it works great for that.

I'm surprised about the rain issue. I've had my SMH10 since they first came out and I ride a LOT in the Seattle rain on my daily, year round commute (probably 80,000 miles, although we do get an occasional day without rain ) with no rain issues.

 

[Harald]

I don't know if you Apple users can play mp3's or not, but there's a great free program that adjusts the volume level on your stored mp3 music files called mp3gain.com. It worked great to set all the files on my Zumo 660 to the same, higher volume level. It works on individual files or entire folders at once to make it a super easy job. Just a little boost without clipping made all the difference in getting enough volume with my SMH10 when I'm wearing ear plugs (which I virtually always do when riding).

 

[HyperPete]

I don't know if you Apple users can play mp3's or not, but there's a great free program that adjusts the volume level on your stored mp3 music files called mp3gain.com. It worked great to set all the files on my Zumo 660 to the same, higher volume level. It works on individual files or entire folders at once to make it a super easy job. Just a little boost without clipping made all the difference in getting enough volume with my SMH10 when I'm wearing ear plugs (which I virtually always do when riding).

The domain mp3gain.com is for sale!

However, I found it on sourceforge. https://sourceforge.net/projects/mp3gain/

 

[N4HHE]

I don't know if you Apple users can play mp3's or not, but there's a great free program that adjusts the volume level on your stored mp3 music files called mp3gain.com. It worked great to set all the files on my Zumo 660 to the same, higher volume level. It works on individual files or entire folders at once to make it a super easy job. Just a little boost without clipping made all the difference in getting enough volume with my SMH10 when I'm wearing ear plugs (which I virtually always do when riding).

We can tweak the volume level of each song individually in iTunes. Select the song, get Info, its under the Options tab. Can also tweak the start/end of the song, and apply an equalizer for different sound.

 

[Harald]

I don't know if you Apple users can play mp3's or not, but there's a great free program that adjusts the volume level on your stored mp3 music files called mp3gain.com. It worked great to set all the files on my Zumo 660 to the same, higher volume level. It works on individual files or entire folders at once to make it a super easy job. Just a little boost without clipping made all the difference in getting enough volume with my SMH10 when I'm wearing ear plugs (which I virtually always do when riding).

The domain mp3gain.com is for sale!

However, I found it on sourceforge. https://sourceforge.net/projects/mp3gain/

Brain fart on my part! Meant to type mp3gain.exe

Thanks for posting the correct link.

 

[Harald]

I don't know if you Apple users can play mp3's or not, but there's a great free program that adjusts the volume level on your stored mp3 music files called mp3gain.com. It worked great to set all the files on my Zumo 660 to the same, higher volume level. It works on individual files or entire folders at once to make it a super easy job. Just a little boost without clipping made all the difference in getting enough volume with my SMH10 when I'm wearing ear plugs (which I virtually always do when riding).

We can tweak the volume level of each song individually in iTunes. Select the song, get Info, its under the Options tab. Can also tweak the start/end of the song, and apply an equalizer for different sound.

The best part of the mp3gain program is that you can select a whole directory and it will automatically adjust the gain on all files in there. Huge time saver!

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I just installed Nolan's B5. Sound is great without ear protection, and is loud enough that, with ear protection in, I cannot run it at full volume. It is good quality, not the quality of in ear high end monitors, but I never expected it to be. System sleeps (they call it deep sleep) when the helmet is perfectly still for a while. Wakes up when the helmet is picked up. App is good. Controls are intuitive and easy to find and operate with gloves on. Design and installation are wicked good, but they're made for my helmets, so that's to be expected. Years back, I had a chin-bar problem with one of their helmets. Same day response, two day turnaround and I had the helmet back. Yesterday, before the product was delivered, I was on the MFR website and could not get the B5 manual to open. I emailed them at their website contact address, requesting they email me a copy of the B5 manual. 23 minutes later I had an email with the manual attached. So far I'm pleased.

 

[Bugman]

Can different brands talk to each other? Can a Sena talk to a Uclear and vice versa?

 

[HyperPete]

Sena has "Universal intercom" but I don't know if that is for different models, or if it includes other brands.

 

[TomInPA]

When different brands "talk" to each other, they are simply syncing in bluetooth. It is less than satisfactory for reliability and range. I have tried to get my uClear to work with Sena units, and failed. The manufacturers say it can be done, but I didn't have the patience for it.

 

[Madmudder]

I have succesfully connected my Sena 20's to uclear HBC 200 & scala G9, G9x it is flaky but will connect and it is a hit & miss every time I do it but it can be done if you take the time and baby the connection.

 

[Bugman]

Uclear has a new one out. The Uclear AMP Pro. Anyone know anything about it? I think it finally got the new bluetooth 4.2?

 

[Mike Aldea]

UClear Amp series all appear to be Bluetooth 4.2. I believe Sena and Cardo are only BT 4.1. The UClear Amp Plus system combined with some Quiet Ride Ear Muffs might be an excellent solution for being able to hear audio at lower volume levels.

 

[paramonkreel]

I had the cardo q3 (till some *** stole them out of my garage and the helmet attached, why someone would want a used 3xl helmet...), and now the packatalk. I like both of them. Used heavily for commuting. Works well for phone calls even at 90 mph. Works great with google voice for all the phone based stuff. Bluetooth pariing not that great. Distance pretty good on the q3 (2-3 miles ahead on 90 going up to snoqualamie around bends). Don't have distance on the packatalk as it's new and I haven't leant it to my buddy.

 

[Mad German]

Lots of good replies here. Thanks for all who replied with their opinion. Interesting, I noticed that when guys replied, they didn't crap on guys who've chosen a different system than the one they own. Very polite and adult discussion. It was refreshing and filled with lots of good info. Again, thanks.

 

[BkerChuck]

Wife and I now have over 4 years of use on the Sena SMH10 units including thousands of miles in heavy rain and they're still working pretty well. Occasionally one or the other will have a small issue where you only get one speaker working on start up. Turn it off, unclip unit from helmet and reattach, turn it back on it works. Can't see upgrading until this becomes a more serious problem. Still not sure if we'll go to the Sena 20 or not. Added range and FM radio might be nice but the SMH10 has served us so damn well I'm not sure what to do.

Using the new firmware universal intercom I was able to pair up with a friend's Scala unit. Problem is that the universal pairing knocked both of our phones off from pairing to our respective headsets. Sena customer support informed me that's how the universal pairing works so we'll no longer use that feature until they find a way so I can have both work.