Stereo bluetooth for riding?

[fjrsochs]

I saw a Motorola stereombluetooth headset. Looks great for using my iPhone for GPS with the motionx app through voice guidance. It works great but the iPhone headphones are insufficient for two reasons. 1. Cable flapping in the breeze can be distracting at times. 2. When I stop to use the bathroom, disconnecting and reconnecting all that stuff so can text or,call gets old. 3. The ear buds aren't noise cancelling enough that I'm confident M protecting my ears from noise damage. 4. I know I said two reasons.

The Motorola S10HD has earbuds and a band that fits around the next. I'm looking at this version because verses a Scala type setup because I would use the headset for other activities-when working out. Also, I need the stereo option rather than a single monaural earpiece.

Can anyone make a recommendation? Any experience with one of these?

 

[MrTwisty]

I recently went from a Starcom1 digital wired system to a Sena SMH10 bluetooth system for the wifey and have no regrets. I link my headset to her, the Zumo and to my iPhone. Music sound quality is way better than the Starcom1, and no wires.

I really like the Sena because all functions can easily be accomplished with gloves on...no small buttons to push.

I still want to buy the Sena SR10 so I can use my GMRS radio to talk to my riding buddies.

 

[Burnspot]

Sena SMH10 in conjunction with the iPhone = great sound. The Sena has very thick speakers and they put out...I wear foamy ear plugs and the music ends up being at a very reasonable volume (it's NOT loud). I also have a GPS, but it's a cheap Nuvi and doesn't support the phone linking to it and then it linking to the Sena (like the Zumo does). No big loss there IMHO.

 

[semongtaulie]

SMH10, good sound and easy to operate. Works great with the iPhone and Zumo.

 

[DELETE-PLEASE]

Another vote for the SENA headset. I really like it, and use it every day while commuting. Phone calls work great, people never comment on me being hard to hear or anything (I bet a majority of them don't even realize I'm actively riding a motorcycle while I talk to them).

Two things about it...

1) the speakers are pretty good, but don't get REALLY loud. So you may want to play around with installation to make sure they are as directly over your ears as possible (not too much higher, lower, etc.), and close to them.

2) Realize that with a bluetooth thing like this, it DOES take a second or two to connect to another one when talking. So if my wife is riding with me, she hits the button to connect to talk, and then it takes about two seconds before it connects. Wired systems are instantaneous, wireless save power by waiting for a "request" to talk, and THEN asking for a connection and receiving it. Not a big deal for general conversation, but don't depend on your passenger or someone else being able to yell, "WATCH OUT FOR THAT CAR", because by the time it connects to send the message, it'd be too late.

Alexi

 

[Aasland]

I saw a Motorola stereombluetooth headset. Looks great for using my iPhone for GPS with the motionx app through voice guidance. It works great but the iPhone headphones are insufficient for two reasons. 1. Cable flapping in the breeze can be distracting at times. 2. When I stop to use the bathroom, disconnecting and reconnecting all that stuff so can text or,call gets old. 3. The ear buds aren't noise cancelling enough that I'm confident M protecting my ears from noise damage. 4. I know I said two reasons.

The Motorola S10HD has earbuds and a band that fits around the next. I'm looking at this version because verses a Scala type setup because I would use the headset for other activities-when working out. Also, I need the stereo option rather than a single monaural earpiece.

Can anyone make a recommendation? Any experience with one of these?

I've had an S10HD for running and I don't see how that will ever function under a MC helmet. The Sena is the way to go.

 

[raitchison]

Yet another happy SMH10 user here, I have an Android device though.

 

[mferriter]

Anyone use one of those stand-alone bluetooth receivers and a pair of earbuds? Seems like it would work the best for listening to remote music over the BT. Probably not so good for communications.

Something like this:

 

[semongtaulie]

yeah, I had one of those BT dongles connected to my earbuds. Sounded good, just a pain to operate with gloves on. The simplicity of the Sena jog dial is what I like best about it.

 

[mferriter]

yeah, I had one of those BT dongles connected to my earbuds. Sounded good, just a pain to operate with gloves on. The simplicity of the Sena jog dial is what I like best about it.

Yeah - the buttons look pretty small.

I have a Zumo 550, so i assume I could still control the volume from there for mp3 playback. I like the idea of an FM radio so you can get the local news, music etc.

I just got rid of my XM radio receiver for the ZUMO as it wasn;t getting used much anymore and it didn't work with bluetooth (the zumo only sends out the navigation and mp3 audio via BT).

 

[Gator]

I have both the S10HD and the Sena headset. I use the Motorola at work but find it muffled and quiet even for in office or at home use. Also the buttons are known to have problems when exposed to sweat and water.

I highly recommend getting a standalone helmet headset, particularly the Sena. It sounds great even with earplugs in and connects to everything, including iPhone and Zumo.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Remember, if you do go the Sena route, you can also get the unit base that is set up for ear buds...So you don't have to use the speakers. I use SkullCandy buds and the sound is great. FWIW, noise canceling buds are a pain in the ass and don't do anything more than well fitting buds will do.

 

[mferriter]

Remember, if you do go the Sena route, you can also get the unit base that is set up for ear buds...So you don't have to use the speakers. I use SkullCandy buds and the sound is great. FWIW, noise canceling buds are a pain in the ass and don't do anything more than well fitting buds will do.

I've got Etymotic ER-6 earbuds that work really well. They work just like normal buds and have passive noise reduction. Once they're in place, you don't even notice them anymore, to the point where you have to remember to disconnect before walking away from your bike. The wire material is very flimsy, howver and I have lost a pair when the wire started thrashing around in the breeze at 70 mph. If they had a stouter wire, maybe with a cloth, non-tangle insulation material, they would be perfect.

I always wear hearing protection what not listening to music. I never understood putting in earplugs, then cranking up helmet mounted speakers loud enough to hear them over the road/wind noise. The etymotics have great sound isolation so yo udon't have to crank up the volume of your music to hear it.

 

[wheatonFJR]

...don't do anything more than well fitting buds will do.

THAT there's the trick. Every ear is different so it takes $$ to make it happen right if the off the shelf buds like etymotics don't mesh with your ear canal.

I have the SENA ear speakers system and use disposable ear plugs for my own noise/music comfort zone. When I eventually get the bucks to spend on it, I'll maybe get some BIG EARTM earbuds, since my buddy petey recommends them.

Everybody's experience is different.

 

[russperry]

I recently went from a Starcom1 digital wired system to a Sena SMH10 bluetooth system for the wifey and have no regrets. I link my headset to her, the Zumo and to my iPhone. Music sound quality is way better than the Starcom1, and no wires.

I really like the Sena because all functions can easily be accomplished with gloves on...no small buttons to push.

I still want to buy the Sena SR10 so I can use my GMRS radio to talk to my riding buddies.

I've tried what you're suggesting here and I would recommend you wait until the SM10 is available. If you're looking to connect the GMRS radio via the SR10, the only way to also get your iPhone functions to the SMH10 is to connect to the SR10 connected with a cable. The SR10 only trasmits in mono, and the sound quality is TERRIBLE to boot.

I've not even tried to have everything connected at once since in my normal commute the iPhone to SMH10 connection is all I need, but there's no way you would want to live with the lousy sound quality when your iPhone has to pass through the SR10. I'm going to try and get a refund on the SR10 or at least some kind of credit towards the SM10 once its available.....

just my $.02

 

[chivvalry]

Another vote for the Sena SMH10... great sound, easy to use, etc. Wish it didnt look so much like a tumor on the side of my helmet but you can't have everything I guess!

 

[MrTwisty]

I recently went from a Starcom1 digital wired system to a Sena SMH10 bluetooth system for the wifey and have no regrets. I link my headset to her, the Zumo and to my iPhone. Music sound quality is way better than the Starcom1, and no wires.

I really like the Sena because all functions can easily be accomplished with gloves on...no small buttons to push.

I still want to buy the Sena SR10 so I can use my GMRS radio to talk to my riding buddies.

I've tried what you're suggesting here and I would recommend you wait until the SM10 is available. If you're looking to connect the GMRS radio via the SR10, the only way to also get your iPhone functions to the SMH10 is to connect to the SR10 connected with a cable. The SR10 only trasmits in mono, and the sound quality is TERRIBLE to boot.

I've not even tried to have everything connected at once since in my normal commute the iPhone to SMH10 connection is all I need, but there's no way you would want to live with the lousy sound quality when your iPhone has to pass through the SR10. I'm going to try and get a refund on the SR10 or at least some kind of credit towards the SM10 once its available.....

just my $.02

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll wait on the SM10 and also.

 

[HotRodZilla]

II can't believe those guys made the SR10 a mono unit. Its like they took a step back. Was it just a rush to get a new gadget out? This the only "review" I've seen, and it's obviously not glowing.

Shame, considering how good my SMH10 is.

 

[rfulcher]

My wife and I have the Scala G4 units. We bought ours 3 years ago when they were first released. Did the earphone mod and use ER6i earphones. I like the sound quality and the lack of wires. Most of the iPhone functions can be controlled from the Scala units, volume, skip tracks, pause/resume. The bike to bike intercom is a good thing.