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Helmet speakers

rocketmanli said:
When I used my Garmin StreetPilot 2720 (until recently) I had J&M hard-wired helmet speakers in my Shoei Multitech, and heard everything clear as a bell while wearing foam earplugs. Now that I updated to a Zumo 660, the helmet speaker volume was horrendously low. Even with all the volumes set at 100%, I could barely hear it. I just purchased a set of SPlug earbuds from www.Plugup.com, which serve as speakers and earplugs (so I now removed the helmet speakers & no longer need the foam plugs) and with the GPS volume set at 40-50% its perfect. Can't say why the audio-out volume is so much worse on a newer, more expensive GPS unit, but it is what it is.
Click to expand...

I have/had exactly the same set-up as above.
J&M > 2720 > Zumo 660 all in a Shoei Multi-tec through a SENA SMH10
However, the Zumo 660 output is more than adequate....even with earplugs...Go figure :scratch
 
Good quality foam earplugs correctly inserted (Howard Leight MAX 33db NR, 3M 29db NR) effectively block out wind and other 'white' noise and in doing so music from helmet speakers actually work better, perhaps counterintuitively. I read that from another post and it makes perfect sense. When you have wind/engine/road noise some of those frequencies create interference w/ music or other audio.

If you're not interested in intercom this brand-new product looks quite enticing: https://www.headwave.de

Here's a comment from TAG re BT etc:

I had a long discussion with our engineers about pairing TĀG with your GPS (and pairing with GPS units in general).

If you're just trying to pair TĀG with your GPS and nothing else - it should work fine. Since the 390LM uses the A2DP Bluetooth Profile there shouldn't be any issues.

I think the confusion came from the fact that I believe the 390LM can pair with a headset and a phone simultaneously. The engineers are uncertain if that would work. Other navigation systems either don't have this capability or can potentially use other profiles for transmitting the audio directions.​

If you're trying to pair TAG w/ BMW's BT, you could contact their tech department. This person's email came from: tobyhuang@gmail.com

I would have bought one, in fact I did and cancelled the order because Santa brought me a Sena SMH10R before the order I placed to TAG Headwave was shipped.
 
carguyjason said:
I contacted Sena and they said their system would not work, or at least not very well at all, and I'd have to get BMW. Lots of conflicting information on this topic.
Click to expand...

Did Sena tell you their unit would not work with the bike ,or with a Schuberth helmet? I have used my Sena 20 with my bike no problems (except occasional cut-outs) using a Nolan helmet. I just bought a new Schuberth C3 and have been told that the mount needs to be stuck to the side vs clamping to the rim because of the neck roll. Haven't checked that out yet.
 
SRC system

nelliott said:
And if anyone wants one, I have a SRC system that fits in the Shuberth helmet. I have an extra one that was only used twice, my wife just didn't like it. She likes to ride without. She probably doesn't want to talk to me either, but never said that :). It will fit a large men's SchubertH helmet. It is about four months old, and I'll let anybody have it for a good deal, just p.m. me.
Click to expand...

I might be interested. How do I p.m. you? (Excuse my ignorance)
Joel
 
JIGGIN said:
Did Sena tell you their unit would not work with the bike ,or with a Schuberth helmet? I have used my Sena 20 with my bike no problems (except occasional cut-outs) using a Nolan helmet. I just bought a new Schuberth C3 and have been told that the mount needs to be stuck to the side vs clamping to the rim because of the neck roll. Haven't checked that out yet.
Click to expand...

Yes, both the SMH 10 & 20 require use of the sticky pad that comes with the kit in order to be mounted on a Schubert or BMW System helmet. There is no way to clamp the unit on without perforating the neck roll to make a slot for the metal backing piece. Too bad because it is a neat kit. I attempted to do the mount myself just now and can confirm this.
 
Sena, Too Expensive If Just for Music Via BMW Bluetooth

Instead of an expensive com system where you don't use all the functions but just use the Satellite/bluetooth radio, check out Amazon in the Bluetooth receivers. I bought Senas for about $200.00 and jack up my helmet installing it. Bluetooth receivers I got from Amazon was $20.00. Small enough to put in the inside pocket of your jacket. You can use earbuds or helmet speakers.
Save lot of time and money.
 
Last edited:
bobzeliff said:
After all any speaker has to over come by a considerable amount the wind and other background noise to be heard. Music especially needs to substantially above (15 / 20 db) above the background noise to allow tonal appreciation.

I'm no audiologist (maybe some one on this blog is) but it seems to me that wind noise is 70-80db (maybe higher) levels in my helmet. Then you put in foam ear plug which attenuate 25db...so the noise is in the 45-55 db range. Still pretty loud!

Does this make sense?
Click to expand...

Not really, because sound 'power' which is a factor in hearing damage, is related logarithmically to dB rating, hence in your example the sound power at 80dB level is ~32x greater than one at 50dB. It's essentially like the Richter Scale (base-10 logarithmic) and while it's handy to have one number to discuss sound power the number has to encompass a big range of power, as with earthquakes, and so is prone to easy misinterpretation.

As a side point, the Howard Leight MAX plugs, only when properly inserted, are advertised as capable of a 33dB noise reduction. As far as music goes, very effective ear plugs do a great job IMO of masking competing noise from wind/engine/road, and so ultimately one get quite good audio thru them w/ helmet speakers, in fact much better than w/o earplugs properly inserted.
 
Its been a little while since I checked in, but I talked with Sena, and simply asked if they have a product that will work with a 16 1200RT bluetooth for music in the helmet, and they said nothing they had would work well, and they would not recommend use of their product - talk to BMW. It would work, but be very poor quality. Again, lots of conflicting information on this topic. The suggestion for the $20 amazon bluetooth receiver sounds like it might be the best bet. I appreciate all the responses.
 
carguyjason said:
Its been a little while since I checked in, but I talked with Sena, and simply asked if they have a product that will work with a 16 1200RT bluetooth for music in the helmet, and they said nothing they had would work well, and they would not recommend use of their product - talk to BMW. It would work, but be very poor quality. Again, lots of conflicting information on this topic. The suggestion for the $20 amazon bluetooth receiver sounds like it might be the best bet. I appreciate all the responses.
Click to expand...
This not only conflicts countless people who use a sena with a current BMW, self included, but the documentation sena has on thier site and in their user manuals in how to specifically connect the sena unit to a current BMW.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
 
Quote from Sena customer support

Hi,
The SENA SMH5 will pair with your bike's Bluetooth, but due to the bike's too much volume it will distort the speakers on our headset even at the lowest setting. I would not suggest it. I would ask BMW about their System 6. I don't know of any other Bluetooth headset in the market with desirable quality.

Regards,
Dean
www.sena.com

You can see from this why I am confused with all the conflicting information.
 
carguyjason said:
Hi,
The SENA SMH5 will pair with your bike's Bluetooth, but due to the bike's too much volume it will distort the speakers on our headset even at the lowest setting. I would not suggest it. I would ask BMW about their System 6. I don't know of any other Bluetooth headset in the market with desirable quality.

Regards,
Dean
www.sena.com

You can see from this why I am confused with all the conflicting information.
Click to expand...

"Bike's too much volume" might have made sense years ago with an analog connection between bike and headset. But, with a digital connection, the situation is a bit complicated. There is the bluetooth protocol to connect two units so bytes of data can go from and to the units, and an audio protocol that sends the audio and allows track control. One set of software at the bike, and another at the headset. Since my Cardo unit has great sound quality, according to my friend who needs no hearing aids and has a home theatre system to die for, I think the Sena guy is:

a) a technical wasteland
b) denying Sena needs to fix its software
c) both.
 
Regarding those software modules, they fit into an architecture model that dates back to maye the late 70's. I have forgotten when it came out!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSI_model

This article will tell you how it all is supposed to work. But, liberties are taken through laziness or ignorance.

It was supposed to be many layers so each could do a specific job and thus be easy to find a level that is not working right and fix it.

Takes discipline. Sigh.
 
To answer the OP's question. Yes, there are several different helmet mounted speakers available. Amazon sells them at a reasonable pricing.
 
Interphone 5FMC question

I bought the Interphone 5FMC and the speakers and microphone specifically for my C3 Pro. Looks like I might have to shave a little foam to get them to fit perfectly. Right now I can't get the left side pads to click back in with the speaker behind it. Really aggravating considering I spent a ton of money on the helmet and Bluetooth set up :banghead. Anyone else running the 5FMC?
 
Music sounds great from my Nav5 to my SMH10: until I get rolling then it sounds lousy because of wind noise. It's fine for pottering around town.
 
jamesevans said:
Music sounds great from my Nav5 to my SMH10: until I get rolling then it sounds lousy because of wind noise. It's fine for pottering around town.
Click to expand...

I also use a SMH10 with my 2015 Rt1200 and am very happy with the NAV5 and XM sound. You don't need to spend top dollar.
 
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