Sena SMH10 | Zumo 665 | iPhone

[mdisher]

OK, I tried this combination last fall and booted it cause it sucked ass with Sena 4.x firmware.

I heard good things now that 4.1 was out and now apparently 4.2

I've got about 4 hours ride time with it and these are the issues I have.

- Volume, overall volume is still about 80% of where it needs to be for music streaming from the Zumo 665 IMHO. I wear earplugs and I'd say volume is about 80% of what it is with my StarComm.

- Sound Quality is OK, not as good as Starcomm, but if I all worked as advertised (and Bluetooth **** never does), being cordless, and having working phone and rider to rider intercom would be a bonus for me it would be "good enough".

- While sound volume is lower than I'd like, from the 665, GPS instructions are loud as hell, and get this you can't turn it down. Changing it in the Zumo has no affect. (This is probably a Garmin problem) and will probably get this whole project **** canned again.

- I also seem to only get about a 60% successful cell phone call rate. By that I mean the Audio is jacked up. It's bluetooth related, kind of sounds like engine noise, but it will happen even if the bike isn't running so that's not it. The next call will be clear as a bell.

Open to suggestions. Some people love this stuff, and claim it works well but I'm not seeing that.

Any advice?

FWIW, Zumo 665 is updated to current firmware (version escapes me but I just updated it two days ago. iPhone 4s with IOS 6.1.3 and again SMH10 firmware 4.2

-MD

 

[RiderX]

Hey Matt, I don't have all the answers but I couple observations. Several have complained about Garmin 2.9 firmware with making calls being sporadic and have reverted to 2.8 (which is a bit of a pain). Unfortunately my mike has been very noisy so I haven't done the due diligence with 2.9 myself.

My volume with 4.1, 4.2beta, (downloading 4.2 proper this week) has been very very loud (in earplugs). I have experienced a similar thing as you were the nav is crazy loud and music not so much. I deleted the profiles and repaired and was good. Hmmm.

The mixer volumes on 665 have always worked on mine. Good luck

 

[mdisher]

The mixer volumes on 665 have always worked on mine. Good luck

Might be a Garmin 2.9 thing, I'll delete and repair today, if that doesn't work consider going back to 2.8... (or back to Starcomm for the mean time).

 

[mdisher]

Mountain, are you using in-ear earphones? or speakers with earplugs, like foam or custom earplugs?

-MD

 

[A41Billy]

There was a noticeable increase in volume level with the latest firmware update.

 

[mdisher]

There was a noticeable increase in volume level with the latest firmware update.

Which one would that be? I'm already running 4.2 The latest and it's not IMHO where it shoudl be.

My 665 is running v2.9 of the firmware, audio is OK on phonecalls for inbound calls, but outbound calls are useless. I think this is a Zumo firmware problem.

Same thing with not being able to tone down the GPS prompts. I think that's Garmin's problem too. Currently searching for a method to downgrade the Zumo.

-MD

 

[Matt101]

I use custom earplugs with the speakers built in. Makes a world of difference. I've received calls on mine no problem at upwards of

90 mph and people comment how quiet it is. I use a C3 helmet which are quiet anyway. I use a Garmin 550 and can adjust the volume to suit but the music from it is shockingly bad. I use my phone for tunes. Works well. I have paired phone and satnav separately to the Sena. Ok I can't see who's calling but I don't have an issue with that. The custom plugs are the single best investment I've made in my biking kit! Never regretted the outlay one bit.

 

[mdisher]

I use custom earplugs with the speakers built in. Makes a world of difference. I've received calls on mine no problem at upwards of 90 mph and people comment how quiet it is. I use a C3 helmet which are quiet anyway. I use a Garmin 550 and can adjust the volume to suit but the music from it is shockingly bad. I use my phone for tunes. Works well. I have paired phone and satnav separately to the Sena. Ok I can't see who's calling but I don't have an issue with that. The custom plugs are the single best investment I've made in my biking kit! Never regretted the outlay one bit.

If you were to pair your 550 with the Sena as a "Phone" instead of 'multi-point' pairing the music quality would increase significantly. Not the volume but the music would.

I have used in-ear monitors in the past, but that's one more thing for me to connect. I'm trying not to go that route.

-MD

 

[mdisher]

Josh/Others.

I just downgraded my 665 firmware from the recently released 2.9 to 2.8. Others have complained about phone integration as well. I'll know more after the commute home.

if this helps, great, if not I'll probably have to ****-can this approach and go back to what I know works for now. Not worthwhile changing it up before a Rally

-MD

 

[RiderX]

Is MD running MD (20/20)? I'm gonna make the 2700 mike trek.

I am using westone CR-1s. Best farkle to date (even after I copied your reverse flip and engine crash bars).

I did note more volume between 4.1 and 4.2 and one if the things they updated. I had plenty on 4.1 with decent sensitivity on westones. I remember being do frustrated with the volume I almost went to the Westone music line for 3 dB more sensitivity. I was frustrated so I feel your pain. Elated with the CR-1s.

Let me know how 2.8 fares for you with the 4S. I think I'll do that too.

 

[mdisher]

Is MD running MD (20/20)? I'm gonna make the 2700 mike trek.
I am using westone CR-1s. Best farkle to date (even after I copied your reverse flip and engine crash bars).

I did note more volume between 4.1 and 4.2 and one if the things they updated. I had plenty on 4.1 with decent sensitivity on westones. I remember being do frustrated with the volume I almost went to the Westone music line for 3 dB more sensitivity. I was frustrated so I feel your pain. Elated with the CR-1s.

Let me know how 2.8 fares for you with the 4S. I think I'll do that too.

I'll see you there and let you know.

Dang, I wish I could take the time to ride 2700 miles to go ride a rally.

 

[RiderX]

Believe me I'm paying the price on homefront! Needed m/c on east coast anyway. Obviously justified.

 

[mdisher]

OK Zumo 2.8 works mo betta. That said, phone audio with my iphone is still iffy. Sometimes it works sometimes the audio is just ****** up. No other way to describe it. Seems hit or miss. I think the first phone call after pairing is good, after that it's a coin toss. Doesn't seem to matter if I dial from the phone or the zumo.

My riding buddy tossed the other one on his helmet and we were stoked about the intercom ability. For a rally that we'll be riding in together, it will be worthwhile to be able to talk to one another. Enough so that I'll cope with the 80% volume issue.

FWIW he's using eapplugs, custom earplugs and felt like the volume was OK for him, but not outstanding. Intercom volume was good though.

 

[RiderX]

MD,

Look at page 9 of the Sens SMH10 4.2 users manual. This is exactly what happened to me. When you adjust the jog wheel, you are adjusting for each profile separately. So you can have the phone turned down and then navigation kicks in and it's crazy loud for example. So really there are three separate volume controls (one each for the two HFP (phone) profiles and one for the A2DP profile).

 

[mdisher]

MD, Look at page 9 of the Sens SMH10 4.2 users manual. This is exactly what happened to me. When you adjust the jog wheel, you are adjusting for each profile separately. So you can have the phone turned down and then navigation kicks in and it's crazy loud for example. So really there are three separate volume controls (one each for the two HFP (phone) profiles and one for the A2DP profile).

Mountain,

I do not understand this, with Garmin 2.9, this was a bigger issue, less so with 2.8. But in my scenario, the ONLY way I get acceptable music quality, is to pair the Zumo 665 with the Sena as a phone, using the only phone profile that Sena has or allows.

I have paired my phone (iPhone) with the Zumo, still with 2.9/4.2 with marginal results. Calls are not guaranteed to be audible IMHO. But that's the least of my worries.

AFAIK, I've only got one single A2DP stream, and that's the Zumo, I don't think it differentiates bettween it an the audio (mp3) stream but I could be wrong.

Are you saying I can just turn Agnes down when I hear her? and that won't affect the regular volume of the music?

-MD

 

[RiderX]

Well that is what I was reading on nine and what happened to me inadvertently, but having difficulty recreating. It says that specifically on page 9 of 4.2. Hmmm.

You do have one A2DP stream and that can be Zumo or Phone, I often switch it up.

So if you pair the phone normally (with nothing else on) it will eat up a phone profile and your A2DP. Sound quality (with 2.9) is quite good for me for everything. Now you can Multipoint pair an additional 665 HFP on top and get Navigation. Okay not ideal but sound quality on everything is good.

If you do the 665 first (pair normal), IT will eat up two profiles. You can pair the 4S on top of that if you want for Multipoint and will again bypass the 2.9 issues with phone.

I am having zero issues with these two methods. Sound is good.

What I want to do for rallies is 665 first (2 profiles), then Multipoint pair the SR10 on top (V1, 2nd GPS). Phone ideally (for me) would be paired to 665 although it could also be paired to SR10 IIRC. I am still playing with this. I predict I'll have phone sound quality issues. This s very similar to the selective pairing I did on several rallies last year. More fiddling.

 

[mdisher]

I just made my 'custom earbuds'. There isn't time to get westone's, although I have custom shooting earplugs from westone that are sub-optimal so I'm skeptical. I am using these:

I will play around with pairing and phone calls again tomorrow. To and from work. We can compare notes Friday night If you want to take this discussion off-list feel free: matt[at]dishers.com

-MD

 

[RiderX]

Interesting. Your picture didn't show. Had custom Westones (two sets) over 7 years flying (vented for pressure changes and limited frequency response) so was excited to try the CR-1's. I'm sure there are good alternatives.

100% pleased and like 4db better sensitivity than earplugs. Incidentally, from audiologist putting non-rush order in I had them in 6 business days. She sent priority and Westone sent ack 2 day FedEx.

Enough Westone commercial, speak to you Friday

 

[mdisher]

OK...

After working with Sena, I did a reset (paperclip in the hole in the back) and factory reset. Repaired everything and the Zumo seems much much happier.

The ones I made here these: https://www.earfuze.com/ but, I also picked up a pair of Westone's UM2's which are really nice if I can keep them in my ears nice n tight. They came loose today cause it was hot, and therefore sweaty. But with the foam tips I should be in good shape. But I'll have both with me.

I'm sure the EarFuze earbuds themselves aren't super-good, but surrounded by the ear putty to hold them in place works surprisingly well for $50.

iPhone to Sena is good, but with Zumo paired as a multi-point device, it's announcements are so-so, and the fact that every little 'beep' disrupts the music I'm not sold on using it that way so we'll see.

Catch you Friday... I'm in a much better place audio wise than when this thread was started.

-MD