Sena 20S Group Intercom Problems
Recently completed 4 week trip. We has 3 Sena units all new and using latest software. Communication between any two units worked well. Using group intercom was totally unsatisfactory, There was noise on the units ranging from a sound like someone tapping on a tin can to sound like someone was pounding on the can held net to your ear. At times the noise was so loud that I has to terminate the group intercom. The units generally work when we were standing next to each other or within a close distance. Starting at about 30 yards the noise was hard to bear. The noise was loud enough that in would override the radio is it was on. Any suggestions would be appreciated since the units are of little value in the group intercom mode.
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While my group rides are usable, I agree that using the group intercom (we had 4 riders) means that we had the noise of someone tapping on the microphone almost the entire time. We're running firmware 1.7.5, so sounds like it's an issue with multiple people if you have it too.
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Our group of three riders on 3,300 mile trip two weeks ago had same issue. Does not seem to occur with only 2 intercom units operating. Issue was present before firmware 1.7.5 but is much worse after firmware upgrade.
We have performed factory resets, to no avail.
Also, music sharing function is inoperable as far as I can see.
Is there any plan to address these issues?
David
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Seems to me that the 20s is a grand failure for more than 2 people using the intercom. Have heard the preceding remarks many times. More proof is the fact that Sena has come out with the Evo and " soon " to introduce the 30.
If you read the write ups on the 20s evo it seems like a bland apology for the crippled 20S. THe 30 advertises a completely new concept for reliable intercom communication. MORE proof is seen in the Sena App that allows communication via your cell phone. An out and out admission of the failure of the promises made about the 20S.
I'll believe what I experience when I purchase the 30 and test it with my group.The premature intro of the EVO was merely a marketing devise to pry more dollars out of the naive before the " ultimate fix " hopefully present in the 30.
Bill
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I still have a 20s but we moved entirely to Cardo' mesh Packtalk devices and they are truly brilliant.
Bill- I'm surprised to read you're even considering the 30 , this will be Sena's FIRST attempt at mesh. After going through the pains of owning a 20s for group Intercom I won't even be considering it until the 30 "EVO" comes out Lol
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The EVO is simply a 20S with the antenna redone so it is fixed instead of that spring-loaded pointer they have - same hardware (in spite of suggestions in their promotional material that something has changed) and same firmware - at least that's what support told me this afternoon.
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Agreed. The Sena 20S is a scam. That's why they named it the 20Scam.
A complete, total failure. A class action suit should get our money back. False advertising is illegal in the USA.
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You have to ride in line like intercom A - intercom B and intercom C. If you ride in a different order you get that tin sound. It worked for us. Intercom A paired with B and B paired with C. Ride in that order to :)
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That's one solution.
But not what my friends and I expected. We like to change so that does not work for us and certainly was not why we chose to buy the Sena 20s units!
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Hey, we experience exactly the same issue! We always call this the typewriter noise, since it sounds like someone typing on a typewriter.
I would not consider riding in line a solution, also there is no notice of this in the manual, right? How did you figure this out?
I thought that the whole idea of Group Intercom is that you pair *all* units individually.
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If anyone is still following this thread, I wanted to post that my group is experiencing the EXACT same issue. We get crystal clear, HD quality audio when two riders are connected. When a 3rd rider gets connected, immediately we get the popping and crackling. It becomes unbearable.
I have been working with Sena support and have been doing exactly has they have requested to troubleshoot. The main things they have asked us to do is drop down to firmware v1.6.3 and do factory resets on all devices, then re-pair using the standard paring method (A -> B ->C). That's where we are now and last night, after thoroughly testing, we experienced the exact same popping and crackling when that third rider joins.
I sent another note back to support with our (poor) results. I'll report back if we're asked to do any additional troubleshooting steps and the results of further testing but at this point, we've nearly run out of patience.
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I can't believe Sena goes on selling 20s's with such poor results and does not take any action to take care of their 20s customers. There should be a recall and replacement program. Although few products are perfect this one is obviously defective as-is and the advertising claims are false. I'm waiting for the class-action lawsuit to join.
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Still no go from Sena support on this. At this point, they simply state that 'The research and development team is still working on this issue."
I spoke with a local retailer who believes that this is likely solved by the 20S EVO units. He has been working with his distributor and gotten his customers' 20s units swapped out. I didn't buy from him and he suggested I request that of Sena. Sena insists that they have no policy that would allow them to swap out 20s units for 20s EVO units to solve this problem for us.
My group of three riders is completely frustrated and downright angry at this point. From sena.com, they advertise: "The Sena 20S Motorcycle Bluetooth® Communication System helps you enjoy your ride to the fullest by keeping you in touch with up to eight of your buddies in crystal-clear HD audio, up to 2.0 km (1.2 miles) away, through the Group Intercom™ feature."
I've proven to them (along with many, many others) that communication with more than 2 riders is a failure. We only purchased our 20s units 8 months ago when, at that time, it was the top of their lineup. We've been happy with communication between just 2 riders but adding any more than that is impossible. At this point, it seems like our only recourse is to spread the word and share our (negative) experience using the group intercom feature.
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I am in the same boat. The units get a popping sound as soon as you connect a 3rd unit. I have dealt with CS to get it fix. Reset the units 6 times, tried every firmware from 1.6.3. They are going to send me new unit finally after a month of dealing with them but I have no hope they will work any better. I tried to return the units to the place I bought them from (Motosport) but I was a few days past the return date. Looks like we are all stuck with a box of rocks.
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Does anyone know how to get an attorney to take the case?
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My nephew is an attorney. I was going to ask him what it takes to do a class action suit. I will keep you posted.
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great. justice. I want a refund or something that works!
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This is a worrying thread. Started in July 2017 and still no fix.
I have just swapped lids and moved from a 20S to a SRL that is a 20S in a different box.
I've got the back ground clanging when connected to 3 plus.
Come on Sena this isn't good enough.
And if you send me another email re some Bot your using!!!!!
Sena Sort It Please....
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Crickets from Sena....
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Yep where's the comments from Sena to address the issue? Same issue here. Montana to Moab and back to Montana, three 20s evo units on group intercom popped and cracked the whole damn time. If anyone else is looking for comms, i would not recommend sena.
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Exact same issue for my group. We all purchased Sena units this year at the bike show in Toronto; 3-20s, 2-20 evo and 1-SMH10 for our group rides.
Same constant popping noise. Riders also drop in and out of intercom with no reason. We have never been able to connect everyone in the group. The stupid app doesn't even recognize the SMH10 set. Support is terrible.
We are so pissed of at this waste of money! I doubt I will ever buy Sena again.
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My last post to Jumar from Sena.
They clearly don't understand how important support of this very well known product is.
Hello Jumar
I have given up trying to get help from your help desk??
I have been contacted by more than one person from Sena trying to offer support all of what feels like just pushing some questions back at me to look like support??
I feel the answers I give aren’t really understood! The questions your asking are very basic at best and I feel you don’t really understand the answers your given.
A company as big as yours should surely have someone who understands English better?
This is how I feel.
Its like you have the product there but cant be bothered to go out for a ride on a motorcycle with three of you connected to see and hear the issue I raise??
Let me put it as basic as I can. Two Sena head sets connected work very well whilst riding along on a motorbike.
Connect a Third and more then we get the noise. It does not matter who connects we get the noise.
Go out and try it. It’s that simple.
S20 Head sets.
Regards
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Sena has been advised of the problem with multiple riders many times and over a period of years. I had numerous contact with the Company and followed every suggestion and still have the problem. as set forth in my posting to this site a year ago,Their lack of correction or satifactory reponse indicates the regard they has for customers. Since posting on this Sena site has not had results, I suggest that it is past time to wait for corrective action and is time to start posting on EVERY site possible to spread the word. While I would prefer to have a working device my next choice it to spread the word,
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One week trip with four 20s users all using firmware v1.7.7 Thirty-five of the forty hours of use had mild to severe typewriter or tapping sound with multiple group disconnects even when the group was within close proximity. During riding in remote areas we noticed the typewriter sound increased along with disconnects when near communication towers. It was our group opinion that transmissions of other communication were the primary cause with terrain and total distance of riders in the group as contributing or possibly equal factors of loss of 20s group audio quality and dependability of connection. We also noticed that if one of the users forgot to raise the 20s antenna it would garble or drop out the persons audio transmissions, but seemed to not effect the typewriter sounds or increase disconnects. Probably one reason why the Evo has a stationary antenna. After the group ride was over two of us switched to a single pairing that had crystal clear audio and no tapping sound. All users were using the Sena app to change settings.
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Any update on this threat? We use two 20S units. I too had to revert back from FW 2.0 to 1.6.3 after disastrous results of paired units muting other units music; no intercom with music, etc, etc.. Tweaked config finally achieved stable comm's with expected FM music. Not sure I would buy another SENA product based on the instability of FW releases and lack of excellent customer experience, not to mention the terrible documentation.
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We are ofen more than 5 riders and impossible to use Group intercom. Seems that SEna doesn't cara about the isssue as there is no solution even on firmware 2.0.1. Will Sena solve this issue? Are you working on it? do we have to share bad comments at all social media to avoid people buying this bad intercom brand without any improvements on their products
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why we need to spend 120€ on an adapter if we would loke to use Mesh with the SRL2? why Mesh has not been included on this model?
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Joseregueiro
Because they didn't offer mesh then and it requires additional hardware.0
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