Can the boom mic pass through (or be made to pass through) to the audio output?
My son and I use SMH10s with the A303 clamp and earbud accessory. We use Etymotic ER6i noise-isolating earbuds to protect our hearing from wind noise, whilst still being able to use the intercom, cell phone, and music features of the SMH10, and it works really, really well.
There is, however, one problem: the Etymotics are so good at blocking ambient noise that when we're stopped at a gas station for a quick splash-and-dash, if someone wants to strike up a conversation, the only way I can hear them well enough to follow the conversation without either of us shouting is if my son is a) close by and b) has his intercom channel open, so that I can hear the other person through his boom mic.
Shure used to sell an inline passthrough mic for such situations (that would plug in between one's MP3 player and isolation earbuds and would, at the push of a button, feed ambient sound to the earbuds, so you could have a quick conversation without pulling and then reinserting the earbuds), but that device is NLA, and I have not been able to find a replacement. What would be great is if there was a way to have that same sort of functionality built-in to the SMH10: some way to tell it that, hey, I'm stopped now, and I'd really like to be able to hear what's going on around me, so please pass the input from my own boom mic into my own audio out channel (e.g., an "intercom with myself" mode, if you will).
Those of you who ride with earplugs should know what I'm talking about. It's the same sort of deal, and if you, like me, use a flip-front modular helmet, the convenience of just flipping the thing up, gassing up, and getting on your way quickly means that, unless it's hot, you're probably just going to want to leave your lid on and get it all done quickly.
Thanks.
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This would be a handy addition, if possible. Future software update?firmware?
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Good call,as lots of people like to talk to motorcyclists for various reasons when your kitted up 0 -
Agreed, this would be a nice feature. 0 -
This would be a great capability.
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I think this is an essential safety feature.
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Not only to hear others, I would like to hear myself. When I use earbuds, I would really like to hear myself in my ears all the time. This is not a big deal when using helmet speakers but when you use earbuds, it's really helpful.
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I'm using custom earbuds too, rated at 31 dB noise reduction, and fully agree with above comments.
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With high ambient noises on the motorcycle at higher speeds, I can't hear myself talking. I think I may be yelling . . . even though it isn't required. It would really, really, really help if my own speech would come into my noise isolation earbuds while talking to others so I could hear myself as others hear me.
By the way, the audio quality is absolutely phenomenal as compared to my Harley CB radio. With CB, one has to totally concentrate to understand speech. And it's not full duplex. With the Sena SMH-10r, we held telephone-quality conversations, sometimes for a couple of hours at a time while traveling across Wyoming.
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Please, Sena! This function is a must-have for all the reasons cited above.
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Same here Sena......lets have answer!!!
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Sigh... this question (asked and suggested in at least one other and probably more postings - I've lost track of how many of them I replied to) has been around for over a year and all Sena says "we'll think about it but it's going be a problem for the end user." Nonsense!
Much as I like the SMH 10, Sena has been and continues to be an extremely frustrating company to deal with. Their communications with end users are almost non-existent.
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This would be a very useful feature.
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Yeah, I find myself yelling at times, even know I know that I don't need too.
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That would be a great feature and it isn't available on any other manufactures units to date. 0 -
Sidetone would be an excellent feature! Frequently when riding, wind and engine noise are loud enough that the rider-passenger conversations tend to turn into shouting contests, leading to distortion and frustration. Please add this feature.
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FWIW, I sent Sena a direct "why isn't side tone supported" message. Long story short, "watch the updates, it may show up in the future." Music sharing is a done deal, side tone is not even on the "coming soon" list. [/face palm]
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This is a long overdue, must have, safety feature. - When will we see it????
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I am hopeful based on the recent addition of sidetone to the newest firmware update.
However, there is still no way for audio to passthrough. I would love this feature. I don't use earbuds, but I use earplugs when using the speakers in the helmet. I have a hard time hearing anyone that's not coming through my speakers. This is cumbersome when I come up to a red light next to a fellow biker who wants to engage in conversation. I wish there was a way to hear the outside world. Usually I just nod like an idiot and pretend I could hear them.0 -
After using V5.0 on a couple of long trips, I'm very happy with it. When I have an intercom connection working and we stop at a light or whatever, it's easy to hear what's happening outside of the helmet. It sure would be nice to a way to lock sidetone on full time - that is, the "pass-through" the OP is talking about.
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I really like the sidetone addition on my SMH10. Like the OP, I use ER6i's and would love to be able to activate the sidetone (or ambient mode as it's called on the new 20S). I guess it would have to be with a double or triple click since there is not a dedicated ambient button though.
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Since now this "SMH10-ambient-mode" -feature is missing. Echo oder sidetone while talking to another guy, as it is now available, is no replacment because it works only while there is a BT-conversation - and when riding alone there is no possibility of starting a BT-conversation. My suggestion for this feature is:
Pressing the jog dial one, twice or three times establishes communication to the 1st., 2nd. oder 3rd. "friend". Whay not using the 4-time-pressing for simply enabling the speakers as ist done when activating the sidetone/echo-feature? There is no special "ambiente-mode" necessary - just enabling sidetone/echo when the user needs it, doesn´t matter why. Maybe he loves speaking to himself and hearing his own voice while riding ...
Or, if pressing 4-time the jog dial is to "much" - pressing the jog dial for 2 seconds (1 second starts/stops BT-MP3-music). Or pressing the phone-button twice.
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Sorry, not "since now" but "until now".
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Es macht keine Bange! ;-)
Actually, there is a lot of value in having sidetone available full-time. It makes speaking, while wearing a helmet, with anyone nearby much easier. I've tested this by getting the GPS to trigger sidetone long enough to have a quick chat.
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Sorry, es soll ,,Keine Bange'' sein. Deutsche Sprache schwere Sprache. ;-)
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I have a 20S with the "Ambient" feature that lets you do exactly this, hit a button and have a conversation with a gas attendant, toll taker, etc. I wear the same earbuds too.
So I doubt they will ever add this to the SMH10 because they want you to buy the 20S for a few more features like this. Moreover it would not make sense for them to as long as the 20S is in the product line. Understandable from their perspective.
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Much as I flog Sena on occasion (sure would be nice to see replies to posts, Sena!), this is one that gets "to be fair". To be fair, adapting the SMH-10 to ambient sound seems to be not that easy (has to do with source priorities). It's just the nature of the device and not a nasty plan to force migration to the 20S. I've posted "recommended change" more than once. However, at this point I understand why it's difficult to implement.
Further, I think it's safe to say the SMH-10 has probably come close to end of support. Much like Win95, for example. It's just time to move on (as funds permit). :-)
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I do not agree. All electronic devices which would be needed for "ambient sound" - means: activating the mic and the echo-function - are already in the SMH10. All the rest is a matter of software. And software can be changed easily if you want it. Of course if the memory is to small for the necessary additional code it would not work w/o reorganisating the existing code. But until we get a feedback from Sena we do not know this and until this explanation my opinion is: Adding this small feature is simple.
Of course Sena wants to sell new devices. But it is my decision as customer. When a manufacturer does not improve a working device, which was expensive enough and which I need not to replace due to other reasons, but wants to force me buying a new, much more expensive device just for having an additional, small feature, I will not buy from this manufacturer any more. The are a lot of other manufacturer and devices in the market and if in future the SMH need to be replaced I will a device from an other manufacturer, if Sena only wants to sell new devices. Sena, do you hear me and read this? A disappointed customer is not only ONE disappointed customer.
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As I said, Sena has some real problems, but this just isn't one I'd hit them with.
As always ride your own ride.
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