Questions On Sena 20s

Bluebusa60544

Registered
I bought a SENA 20S and put it on a HJC CL17 helmet. I've a couple complaints and wondering if it's just me or if others have have found solutions.
1) I can't hear music at highway speeds. I've tried different speaker positions and spacers until they're pressed against my ears to the point they're uncomfortable. I'm considering noise cancelling earbuds but that seems to defeat the whole purpose. Is my helmet just that loud?
2) When I turn my head to the left the jog dial hits the shoulder armor in my jacket and either turns the volume down or gives me the double beep indicating volume is at max. The beep is loud enough to be startling even though I can't hear music.
Just looking for your thoughts.
 
I have a 20s and prefer to use earbuds as that does two things. It cuts down on the wind noise (even with no music playing) and when
music is playing using earbuds the bass is much better. Some of the noise comes from under the helmet. In the summertime it would get
pretty warm to wear a scarf around your neck - but it would cut down some of the noise for sure.

The biggest downside to wearing earbuds is the time it takes to put them in vs. speakers in a helmet.
I have about a dozen sets of ear buds and I finally got a set with a memory wire which wraps around the top of the ear.
This help keep them in place when putting the helmet on and if the cable gets pulled while riding they still stay in.

In the Sena App there is a setting called Audio boost make sure that is ON.
Also Smart Volume Control may help to raise the volume based on the level of environmental noise - wind noise?

Have you tried using the FM radio to see if that is any louder then the music you are trying to listen to?

Can you hear the music when stopped at a traffic light etc? Is your exhaust loud?

Earbuds make the biggest difference IMO. But like it said they take time to put in vs. just throwing on a helmet.

Hope that helps some.
 
My wife has the same helmet, but we run the scala system. She has complained that at times her helmet is a bit loud but not so that she can't hear the speakers and that's even with ear plugs in.
 
I have a Sena 10c and an iPhone 6. I've figured out that I need to turn the volume all the way up on the phone after connecting to the helmet in order to make the volume control on the Sena unit worthwhile. I can have the Sena all the way up but the phone only half way up and I can't hear at highway speed. If it's the other way around its more than loud enough for me. I have a Scorpion EXO 900 modular helmet.
 
Is my helmet just that loud?
Yes! I have the Sena SMH10 which is an older model and I can hear music fairly well at highway speeds. I have a Shoie RF1200. so if u can't hear it then ur helmet is too loud.

the whole earbud thing makes no sense to me. totally defeats the purpose of havn speakers inside the helmet. plus the ear plugs annoy the poop out of my ears after about 15 minutes. been riding since I was 12. never once used ear plugs and my CR250 was Way louder then my Busa is at cruising speeds.

I read all the literature on how bad it is for ur ears but I've never had any issues
 
the whole earbud thing makes no sense to me. totally defeats the purpose of havn speakers inside the helmet. plus the ear plugs annoy the poop out of my ears after about 15 minutes.

Good thing you never had to work in a factory where ear plugs were mandatory. I did, so ear buds are no problem for me.
Like I said the ear buds alone block some of the noise so I don't have to turn the volume up as loud as with speakers. IMO

But to each is own and if speakers work for you that's all that matters.

And just so you know, my helmet that I use with ear buds have the speakers removed.
The helmet with speakers I don't use ear buds with.
 
yea I wud never tell anyone NOT to wear em but to me it kinda defeats the purpose of the wireless headphones but two each his own I guess. and no no work with loud noises although I may get the K9 commander position in my PD later this year and if so I will def need professional ear protection then cause the dam dogs barks in ur ear all nite

Good thing you never had to work in a factory where ear plugs were mandatory. I did, so ear buds are no problem for me.
Like I said the ear buds alone block some of the noise so I don't have to turn the volume up as loud as with speakers. IMO

But to each is own and if speakers work for you that's all that matters.

And just so you know, my helmet that I use with ear buds have the speakers removed.
The helmet with speakers I don't use ear buds with.
 
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Wanted to update this thread so I don't turn anyone off on the Sena 20s. I think excursion05 was on to something. I waited until helmet was connected and then turned phone to max volume. It about blew me out of helmet. I had to turn volume on Sena way down. Thanks for the help guys.
 
Wanted to update this thread so I don't turn anyone off on the Sena 20s. I think excursion05 was on to something. I waited until helmet was connected and then turned phone to max volume. It about blew me out of helmet. I had to turn volume on Sena way down. Thanks for the help guys.
they all sound loud wen ur not moving. how does it sound wen on hi way?
 
It was all in my setup. I could ride flat-out through a hurricane now and hear every note. I had to turn it down quite a bit. The auto volume that turns it up with increased wind noise was more than enough to keep music clear at any speed. My advice would be read the manual and don't just rely on defaults like I did.
 
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