more volume would be nice.
With normalized mp3 tracks, the volume supplied by the Sena SMH10B (I have v 3.3 of the firmware) that I use on my streetable Ducati 1098 is adequate up to about 50 mph, which is fine for in town riding. But once I get up to highway speeds on the freeway, unless I deliberately recapture the original audio at a higher gain, I can't hear the music over the wind noise. I've done this for all of my music that I still have the original media for; but that is only about a quarter of my music library. I don't have this problem with phone calls or intercom transmissions; I can hear those at *any* speed. How can I increase the volume output of the Sena when I'm listening to an MP3 streamed from my iPhone to the Sena? Would a firmware update fix that?
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We don't understand why. The rich volume and noise suppression are all strengths of SMH10! Please check your system volume set up and so on such as phone volume. How about discussing with Sena support by phone?
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I cranked up my iPhone 4S and maxed out the volume on my SMH10 and even with the earbud kit, this is less than half as loud as when I jack the earbuds directly into the iPhone. With my semi-loud pipes, i can barely hear a thing. Unless I can get a Big volume boost, this thing is going to wind up in the nearest dumpster. 0 -
MY MISTAKE! A little tweaking and I've got all the volume I need. Sorry for the negative comment earlier. -1 -
For those of us who ride with earplugs (and there are many of us) the music volume is insufficient. Everyone I know who has a Sena (dad, brother, wife, 3x friends, people on sport-touring.net and fjrforum.com) this is the case. And yes ... we know how to "tweak" the volumes, and even resorted to trying Android app's which drop the bass and double the output volume (this works OK for podcasts, but makes for choppy crackly and super-crappy music listening).
Without earplugs there is plenty of volume. However, the windnoise on our motorcycles precludes riding faster than 50-60 mph without earplugs lest we damage our hearing (we have mostly stock pipes).
With noise-blocking earphones, the Sena's work GREAT! But I would much prefer to use regular earplugs that don't cost $300.
The interesting thing is that call volume is sufficient, but music (AD2P) isn't, so I suspect the Sena is able to pump out the volume (I realize there are two different volume levels).
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+1 0 -
I too wear earplugs while riding and the music volume from the Sena speakers isn't quite loud enough over 50mph. I've also read that with the 4.0 firmware the volume may decrease which is a worry. Please could we have a little more in the next release of firmware if at all possible.
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Did Sena and the OP ever talk? if it helps matters, I use an iPhone 4. OP doesn't say what kind of phone, but Christian Aasland has the problem with Android too. Again, PHONE and COM are fine, A2DP MUSIC is not loud enough to hear over wind noise and earplugs. The unit is clearly capable of the right volume, but just not doing it with music for some reason. And I have gone into ITunes and cranked the volume all the way up on the tracks and re-synced, which helps a little but not enough. Please help us out - my wife and friends are sick of me calling them just so I have something to listen to on long rides!
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Edit: upgraded to v.4 and it seems about the same.
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Just an update ... I have been trying to find a good solution so I can just wear earplugs.
I picked up a new helmet a few weeks back which is significantly quieter than the one I originally used, to the point where I can use earplugs with NRR19 for short rides at less than 65-70 mph. With the Sena's pushed up against my ears I can adequately here the music.
However, there are several issues with this approach:
- On longer rides or on the interstate highways, earplugs with NRR19 aren't sufficient to fight the fatigue of wind noise.
- Having the speakers pressed against my ears is very uncomfortable.
Thus, for long trips I am back to using noise-blocking custom-molded earbuds with the A304 baseplate. Unfortunately there is no baseplate which allows switching quickly between speakers or earbuds.
I would like to ask the Sena team to try the following:
1. Insert NRR33 earplugs. These are the standard ones used in the motorcycling community: http://www.howardleight.com/earplugs/super-leight
2. Press the Sena speakers against your ears and listen to music through them.
You will find that the Sena's have insufficient volume to overcome the earplugs.
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See also...
http://support.senabluetooth.com/entries/21460216-more-volume-please?page=1#post_21510816
I don't think this item can be considered 'Done' unless there is nothing that can be done.
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Agreed - not "DONE."
But, an odd thing happened this weekend. I turned it on and it worked! Nice loud volume with music/podcasts. I even had to turn it down a little. Then, after about 15 minutes it went back to the sub-audible level (at speed, with earplugs). You can still hear the phone and intercom fine. This is really ruining the Sena for me. PLEASE FIX IT - it obviously is capable of the volume.
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Another +1, the volume is sufficient when riding without earplugs, but with earplugs in, it can't be set loud enough to hear properly.
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+1
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I just purchased this month, July 2012 and out of the box I am having same or similar issues as everyone else. I have the iphone 4S and ride with "foamy" ear plugs. Phone volume is fine at any speed, however music volume is very low one you get above 50-55 mph.
It's a shame because the speakers are suppose to be very good.
Please fix this is in your next firmware upgrade at the latest.
Rob
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Hello, I have an iPhone 4S with the Sena and I don't have the volume issue.
There might be a solution to your problem : Ensure the Equalizer function of your iPHONE 4S is set to OFF !!!!
Enabling the EQ on the iPhone drastically reduces the Volume level. I had the same problem and now the sound level is more then adequate, however only high frequencies.
The problem remaining however is that with the Sena speakers you don't get a lot (or even no) bass...... I soldered a jack input to the speakers and now I have perfect quality.
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I have 2 volume problems: 1) I can't hear much with earplugs. 2) I received my SM10 today, and the volume from the SM 10 is lower than from the iPhone directly! It mentions in the manual that this is addressable via the manager software, and I have downloaded the most recent ver. 4.1 and there is no volume settings available for the SMH 10, and this version doesn't support the SM 10????
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Patrick's suggestion worked like a charm for me. Turn the EQ off. Now I have volume to spare. It can get too loud and find myself turning the volume down often when going from highway to city. Thanks Patrick. Ride safe, Rob 0 -
Just purchased mine 2 days ago and I'm very displeased. All the literature raved about the volume. Mine is severely lacking.
Well like some of the other posters, I have an iPhone 4S. And yes, I have the phone volume to maximum,
I have played with everry setting on the equilizer, Yes, turning it off does increase the volume slightly but the quality stinks.
Very tinny and annoying. the only decent settingt is bass boost or hip hop and those really cut the volume.
I haven't used the phone function and I haven't had a passemger yet so I can't speak for those levels.
I bought this device primarily for the MP3 feature.
So please. Fix the volume issue soon or I and it sounds like many otherrs will simply return it and reconsider after the issue is resolved.
I'm not going to wait around and let the 30 day money back garrantee expire and be tuck with a $400.00 door stop.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this detail.
Tom
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Oh, sorry, I purchased the SMH 10 for my modular helmet and one SMH 10H for my half helmet, which i have not received. (back order)
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1) The SM10 volume issue: We are aware of the issue and are supposed to release version 1.1 patch soon.
2) The SMH10 volume issue: We have been reported about the problem and still in investigation.
Could you get us some more feedback on the volume issue? Most of the problem from A0303 or 0304 clamp kit with earbud support? The people say it is iPhone 4S? Any others?
Just in case, the volume may highly depend on the speaker setting. You guys contacted Sena support for helmet installation guide?
The more concrete feedback, the better we support you guys. Thanks and we will try our best to solve this problem!
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Sena, In response to your comment above, I don't believe this issue is an installation problem by the end user (At least not in my case). The reason is that phone volume is adequate at most speeds and conditions. It is the music volume that is the severely lacking when you get above 50-55 mph. That difference (between phone & music functions) tells me that it is not an install error...IMO, that points to a software issue and an update would hopefully fix it. I always wear 33nrr ear plugs and a full face helmet. Thanks for your support and hopefully a quick fix, Rob 0 -
+1 on Robert Kluge' comment. Phone works fine, it's the music/podcasts that don't. iPhone 4.
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Robert and Chris, thanks for your quick feedbacks.
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HI -- original poster here. I have contacted Sena Tech Support, and all the suggestions that Sena tech support gave me over the past six months were designed to quiet the noise level in my helmet, or decrease obstructions between the speakers and my ears. They wouldn't even discuss a firmware fix to raise the music volume with me. Why is that? A firmware fix to up the volume of the music stream is a trivial thing to do. I am a software engineer with ten years of experience with DSP chips used in comms applications; I know what I'm asking for. I can think of two reasons why they won't discuss a firmware fix. Sena may have acquired a proprietary chipset for music streaming to kluge to Sena's proprietary bluetooth chip, but didn't secure the rights to change the baked-in firmware on the music chipset, which means Sena would have to pay whoever they bought it from for an update to address the volume issue, and Sena is simply unwilling to spend the money to do so. Alternatively (and this happens very frequently in this business) the company they purchased the music chipset from folded, and there's nobody to get a firmware fix from, even if Sena were willing to pay for it. If there is some other reason why a firmware fix is off the table, I'd like to know what it is. I'm seriously disappointed that I can only enjoy my SMH10 at speeds below 50mph. As I've pointed out to Sena tech support numerous times, I have this problem on *every* bluetooth device that I pair with the SMH10 - iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, HTC Tytan II - I even paired the SMH10 with my laptop and lugged it around in my backpack and got the same disappointing music volume. I have a Motorola S9 BT headset that is eight years old. I was using it before I bought the SMH10. It fit under my helmet and had more than adequate volume, but the mic was useless unless I was at a dead stop with the engine turned off, and the ear buds became annoyingly uncomfortable after a while. The SMH10 seemed like a perfect fix, but alas, not at the speeds I spend the most time at. 0 -
I solved this problem by putting a mini amplifier inline between the sena earbud baseplate and my earbuds. I plug the earbuds and the baseplate into the amp and all is very very good. The unit tucks into my inside jacket pocket. This is a slight inconvience but the sound quality of my music from Garmin Sat radio and I-pod via blue tooth is unbelievablely crisp and as loud as I want it at ANY speed.
Here is what I used but ther are any numbe of amps that will do the job. This one happens to last a full 10 hours so it works very well with the Sena's battery life before they both need a recharge.
http://www.fiio.com.cn/product/index.aspx?ID=24&MenuID=020301
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I have also noticed the same problem that has been listed above, my phone calls are nice and loud, my music is lousy at higher speeds. I have an Iphone 4 but i also tried pairing the headset with my Ipad 3 and i had the same problem. is there going to be a firmware fix? how about a firmware editor for people to dig around and try to help fix the problem?
i have loved my headset so far even with the volume issue, I just wish that a solution to such a common problem would be fixed by now...
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I'll have to add my vote to this volume issue. I just got the SMH10's and paired with my Galaxy S3 the mp3 volume is WAY too low to hear with the motor running even at idle on my Electra Glide (speakers are just about touching my ears). The gps and phone seems to be louder (from the same device) but I'd hate to have to remaster all my mp3's with more volume just for the Galaxy. All my volumes are at max and they're barely enough but the music is not listenable. I mostly bought the SMH10 for the intercom so I guess I'll keep it, but until there's a fix, I'm bagging on it at all the bike meets I go to. WAKE UP SENA and listen to your customers!
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@ Terry,
SMH10 A2DP volume will be improved on newer firmware which will be releasing early December. please stay tuned and sorry for any inconveniences.
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@ Sena,
good to hear this will finally be addressed. I hope that there's also improvement on the bottom end of the volume range as well. Since the unit won't play loud enough with the speakers to use with earplugs I added a 1/8" stereo jack as described in another thread letting me use either the speakers or earphones. Now I mostly ride with a pair of custom fit Westone CR1 earplugs and it's actually hard to get the volume quiet enough. A few more increments of adjustibility at the bottom (or perhaps across the whole range) would be very useful.
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What's the status of firmware upgrade to increase volume? Thanks,
Bob
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