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2012 BlueTooth Comms Sets

LDChief

New member
Hi All,

I've got a new RT with the BlueTooth option. I would like to purchase a bluetooth set for our helmets (wife and I ride 2 up most of the time). I see the BMW set is $900. The Sena 10 is only $399 for the pair but on the Sierra BMW site they say the Sena will only recieve the audio in one helmet at a time. Stating the 2nd helmet has to use a different audio source. Can anyone advise or does anyone have experience with the system?

Thanks,
 
u clear

You might consider a U clear. I'm a solo rider with a 2011 Rt,BMW Radio. The u clear is paired with the radio, nav IV and phone. Sound is very clear and it doesn't use a boom mike which is a plus for me. Can't say how the intercom works but am very impressed with the rest of the workings. Just google "uclear" to get started.
 
Thanks for the info on Uclear. I'm really interested in two connections with the BMW Radio set up.. I will research the Uclear.
 
Sena has a unit (SM10) that allows two headsets to listen to a music source. You will still come out cheaper than $900.
 
Sorry to revive an old thread, but I'm kinda in the same situation and want to be clear before I buy more parts. To get a 2011 RT radio with Bluetooth to two SMH10headset's you need the Sena SM10 dongle? You then pair the BMW Radio to the SM10 dongle and the SMH10's to the SM10? Or do you have to use a hardwire to the Audio-In on the SM10?
 
I havent used the SM10 but looking at the Sena website, the SM10 will do audio streaming via bluetooth to two separate headsets simultaneously, so two riders can listen to the same music from a single source. It pairs to the headsets using an A2DP profile so you would have high quality audio. It looks like the SM10 only allows wired input though. You might want to doublecheck the Sena product pages on this, but I think the headsets wouldnt necessarily need to be Sena devices, just bluetooth. So. . . plug your gps and audio system into the SM10, which mounts on the handlebars, and then the SM10 talks to your two headsets--either rider and passenger, or two riders.
Sena makes a similar unit, the SR10, which accepts both bluetooth AND wired input, but it only pairs with one headset.
It looks like you could use the SM10 on your handlebars, wired to your GPS - AND- to your music source (or GPS and radar detector, for example), and this could pair with two separate headsets which would allow either rider and passenger, or TWO riders, to listen to the same music and e.g. the same GPS verbal cues, or both GPS and radar detector cues. If the two riders were using the SMH10 headsets (which are helmet mounted, as opposed to handlebar mounted), they could also be separately paired to their own phones, with up to 4 riders conferencing together. The SMH10's allow conference calling with two riders (or rider and passenger, etc) connected to a single phone call, but this is via a headset profile and not really an option for high-quality music streaming to two separate headsets.

FWIW My son and I just used the Sena SMH10s on a 2000 mile trip in all kinds of horrible weather (canadian maritime provinces) and their performance was outstanding. The speakers are very loud and work fine with earplugs. . . We got about 2-1/2 days of use on a single charge, and that was with with my son listening to music (from his iPhone via bluetooth) the ENTIRE time. They are very easy to use, with no problems pairing or losing connections, including pairing and controlling both iPhone and Droid smartphones (finding cell service is another matter, but you can use smartphones for other voice-cued apps, including wifi connections where you can find them -- we had a little better luck finding wifi than cell service). The intercom range was impressive for bluetooth; they're not radios, but in normal riding we never found ourselves out of range and I think 1/3 of a mile or so is probably typical, even in terrain. For those with Schuberth C3 helmets, the sunshade slider interferes with the stock mounting option of the SMH10, so you will want to get the accessory mounting kit for the SMH10 that has the detached boom mike. You'll end up with two separate mounts, but it's not wasted--you'll be able to swap the headset on two different helmets--including the C3 and a second full face or 3/4 where the stock boom will fit better. Looks like the SMH10 also comes in a snowmobile option, which has ONLY the detached boom mike, so C3 owners could avoid buying the accessory mounting kit. . . .
 
Ok, I got my answer. I spoke to Brad at Sena sales department. With the SM10 it will accept audio-in by wire OR Bluetooth. This is a good thing from my perspective as you pair the BMW audio system on the bike via Bluetooth as helmet 1 to the Sena SM10 then pair the Sena SMH10 headsets to the SM10 dongle. No wires required. I fully expect the volume control on the handlebar will not be available as the bike will see a Non-BMW headset paired to the radio. But I can live with that. If you can't, then a hardwire from the audio-out on the BMW radio to the Audio-in on the SM10 should give you the volume control.

Hope this helps!
 
Hi All,

I've got a new RT with the BlueTooth option. I would like to purchase a bluetooth set for our helmets (wife and I ride 2 up most of the time). I see the BMW set is $900. The Sena 10 is only $399 for the pair but on the Sierra BMW site they say the Sena will only recieve the audio in one helmet at a time. Stating the 2nd helmet has to use a different audio source. Can anyone advise or does anyone have experience with the system?

Thanks,

I bought a pair of Sena SMH10's for my wife and I. I love being wireless. Don't have a bluetooth BMW system on my 2010 RT, in fact no radio system at all. Bought 2 bluetooth MP3 players (8G) and I listen to what I like and she listens to what she likes. Works like a champ.

Read an extensive review at www.webbikeworld.com
 
Sorry for the confusion folks. That is, in fact, what I was told by the sales department at Sena. However, a representative from Cyclenutz contacted Sena Tech Support after hearing what I was told by Sales. It turns out the SM10 is a transmit only device and needs to have audio brought to it via hardwire.

LDchief, the Sena SM10 is supposed to accomodate what you're looking for. It will transmit audio, via Bluetooth, to two helmet headsets. The only caveat, as noted above, is that you have to get that audio to the Sena SM10 via hardwire.

Hope this helps!
 
Sorry for the confusion folks. That is, in fact, what I was told by the sales department at Sena. However, a representative from Cyclenutz contacted Sena Tech Support after hearing what I was told by Sales. It turns out the SM10 is a transmit only device and needs to have audio brought to it via hardwire.

LDchief, the Sena SM10 is supposed to accomodate what you're looking for. It will transmit audio, via Bluetooth, to two helmet headsets. The only caveat, as noted above, is that you have to get that audio to the Sena SM10 via hardwire.

Hope this helps!

You are correct. I just got an SM10. It's basically a fancy dongle, that permits 2 audio inputs, plugged into the side, and will lower the volume on one (music) when the other (GPS, for instance) is active. it works well, and permits my wife and me to listen to the same thing and she can now hear the GPS commands. When the GPS was paired just to my SMH10, she didn't hear it.
 
Dancodan, out of curiosity. Was there a reason you brought the audio from the GPS to the SM10 instead of Bluetoothing to the SM10 and your GPS? I don't have an SM10 yet and was thinking I wouldn't want my wife to get all the GPS prompts. To do that I was planning on the following parings.

My helmet:
Bluetooth to GPS
Bluetooth to passenger helmet
Bluetooth to SM10

RT Audio:
Hardwire to SM10

My phone:
Bluetooth to GPS

Passenger helmet:
Bluetooth to my helmet
Bluetooth to their phone
 
Help with BT

Ok, I purchased the Sena SMH-10 and really like it but I have trouble with the sound from the bike system. The voice sound from the intercom is very clear but the music sound from the RT radio is very scratchy, to the point of almost unclear. When I go to a talk station its ok, but with music its unbearable. Any thoughts from the experts?
 
If it's distortion you're getting, make sure you set bass and treble to -7 (I think, whatever the lowest number is) on the BMW radio and add back what you can. If it's not that, I would suggest making sure your firmware is up to date on the SMH10. Right now they're at version 4.1.1. Seeing that you just got the SMH-10, like I did, you're probably at F/W version 4.0. Not sure that will fix the problem but you can rule it out if you have to call Sena for support.
 
Kim and I just got two Uclear sets at the Indy Moto GP. Hooked them up to our helmets today and did the blue tooth sync with our Iphones. Works great so far, going to try playing music (Pandora) thru our phone.




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