Bluetooth headsets?

[koi]

Yo so I'm looking at getting a bluetooth headset and basically it's come down to the Scala Packtalk (having just beaten the Sena 20s), but I was just wondering what experience others have had with this/any brand and any recommendations or anything anyone has to offer please :^)

[Gremlin]

First question is what exactly do you want from it?

Scala / Sena are the major competitors, you'll have users of both voicing their one is better (I'm on the Sena side for the record). If your requirements are connecting to phone/GPS and other basic devices, then either should do the job.

If you want to connect to other people then it's more tricky. Compatibility between brands is advertised but limited (can't have as many devices in comms as if everyone had the same brand) and I haven't really seen it working in a practical demonstration yet. A group I'm in has a number of Sena units, to the point that the major issue with connecting is pairing with the wrong people as most try it at once. ie, instead of the person you want, you get someone else around the corner

I use Sena a lot, no problem. Depending again on your requirement, the 10 range may be perfectly fine, and cheaper than the 20... I've been using 10 for the last couple of years, have a 10R on my helmet permanently installed, and a 10B to install on other helmets.

One note on the 20S is that a lot of early units had problems that should now be fixed with updated firmware, but unsure what, if any, problems still exist. Not too surprising with any new product from anyone...

[koi]

First question is what exactly do you want from it?

Scala / Sena are the major competitors, you'll have users of both voicing their one is better (I'm on the Sena side for the record). If your requirements are connecting to phone/GPS and other basic devices, then either should do the job.

If you want to connect to other people then it's more tricky. Compatibility between brands is advertised but limited (can't have as many devices in comms as if everyone had the same brand) and I haven't really seen it working in a practical demonstration yet. A group I'm in has a number of Sena units, to the point that the major issue with connecting is pairing with the wrong people as most try it at once. ie, instead of the person you want, you get someone else around the corner

I use Sena a lot, no problem. Depending again on your requirement, the 10 range may be perfectly fine, and cheaper than the 20... I've been using 10 for the last couple of years, have a 10R on my helmet permanently installed, and a 10B to install on other helmets.

One note on the 20S is that a lot of early units had problems that should now be fixed with updated firmware, but unsure what, if any, problems still exist. Not too surprising with any new product from anyone...

Looking mostly to be able to talk to other people when we're riding together and also the phone call/gps stuff, and listening to music will be a big part of it too so good audio quality is something I'm looking for too. The Scala seems to have better (claimed) distance coverage and also self-adjusts volume so that it can always be heard and that's something that sounds really good to me so???
I know a couple people with the 20s but no one with the Scala so might go read some reviews and things to sort things out a bit better

Thanks for the input!!

[Blackbird]

I'm with Gremlin re Sena. Good quality and reliable. I have the older SMH 10 model which is good for pairing with 4 units compared with 8 (I think) for the 20s. Battery life without recharge is at least 10 hours continuously on for comms. One thing I will mention is like so many things in NZ, the main importer charges an arm and a leg. At the time when my unit (a pair) cost ~$650 in NZ, I brought mine in direct from the US for about $410 inc shipping. Exchange rate has widened a bit since then but still good buys to be had.

Edit: the large dial on the Sena for functions and volume makes adjustments with winter gloves a piece of cake!

[Gremlin]

Yup, ok, so if you're talking to others, check what they have, and that will kinda dictate which you choose. You can go with something else, but it's things like, if you link a Scala into a Sena group, you can only have one, assuming you get it to work, as it uses universal intercom, meaning it uses the mobile link - ie, you can't have a mobile at that point.

Re range, you also have to set it up well. When setting them up (the Sena 10s at least) you're linking them like a chain. If you stuff this up, and link front and rear and then others off that, yep, it's not going to perform as well. I think the 20S has a party connection or something, haven't used it, so don't know the details.

Claimed distance means almost bugger all, as soon as you go round a hill you stand a good chance of losing the link (line of sight obviously). Real distance also reduces as soon as you add more and more units into a connection.

Re music quality, I have upgraded speakers on my 10R, and it still doesn't come close to a wired comm unit I have. Thems the breaks with wireless....

[koi]

Re music quality, I have upgraded speakers on my 10R, and it still doesn't come close to a wired comm unit I have. Thems the breaks with wireless....

Whoa I never considered the prospect of a wired headset, how do they work??
Sorry for all the questions ahah I tried googling this just now but ended up with a bunch of Aliexpress links instead...

[Holy Roller]

Used to use a Pinfold setup with a prs radio hard wired worked very well now for the training I use a Interfone unit Bluetooth line of sight claimed 1200m it's adequate for what I want. Even used it for the Mrs on the back when I first got it but not so much now. At $100 per unit it is at the lower end of the market but does what I want. When I did my advanced rider course the Sena unit kept coming unplugged from the headset whereas the Interfone unit seems to have a better plug just my observation

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk

[Gremlin]

Whoa I never considered the prospect of a wired headset, how do they work??

Different technology altogether and not easily compatible with bluetooth headsets (coz they're not bluetooth at the core).

Different thread entirely. You want a bluetooth headset to link to other ones.

http://www.webbikeworld.com/ is a good place for solid honest reviews.

[Big Dog]

+1 to the BT interphone. But need to keep in mind gremlins earlier statement. On my second set first set lasted around 5 years.

What do you want it for?
If your friends already chatter get what they got.



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[Bruce Lee]

Sena 20s works well for me. The firmware seems to have eliminated the issues people wrote about. I use mine mainly for music and when going distance, feed the radar and gps in as well. Purchased new via Ebay when the $$ was good so avoided the high local prices.

[slofox]

I'd like one that could connect to the radar detector as well as the other usual stuff. The RD has its own dedicated headset - means I have two in the helmet. One would mean less nuisance value.

TPX (make the RD) offer a bluetooth connector for about $50 but I am too tight to buy one...cheaper than a new sound system but not as much fun.

I have an old Blue Ant Interphone that has been going for about 6 years with ne'er a blip. It talks to my smartarsephone as well - which a fancier in-car system has trouble finding. Maybe simple is good.

If I had enough money to spend I could go crazy on this shit...

[Mike.Gayner]

I've just bought this, which talks to my phone and alarms me via my Sena. I've just started using it, will let you know my thoughts in a few weeks. Works well so far, shit loads of false laser alerts though.

http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-Electron.../dp/B00HK5B3PO

[koi]

Update I found a Midland BT Next thing for $55 on backorder (oh boy) so hopefully when (or if lol) it arrives it'll be good; they go for like $300 on ebay and the reviews I've read are really good so??

Thanks for the help everyone!! :^)

[Gremlin]

Looks like it's circa 2011-2012 technology? Could be why it's so cheap.

No idea if it's going to connect to your riding buddies, but make sure the devices have the latest firmware...

[Bruce Lee]

I'd like one that could connect to the radar detector as well as the other usual stuff. The RD has its own dedicated headset - means I have two in the helmet. One would mean less nuisance value.

TPX (make the RD) offer a bluetooth connector for about $50 but I am too tight to buy one...cheaper than a new sound system but not as much fun.

I have an old Blue Ant Interphone that has been going for about 6 years with ne'er a blip. It talks to my smartarsephone as well - which a fancier in-car system has trouble finding. Maybe simple is good.

If I had enough money to spend I could go crazy on this shit...

I had the BT for the tpx before and didn't want two devices hanging off the helmet. The 20s is not perfect as it only has one A2DP profile so I had to splash out for a SM10 making it an expensive solution.

I guess that's the price you pay if you like your toys like I do.