Wether I am in intercom mode, music, navigation, etc... I am only getting sound out of the right ear. This is the same for both sets that I came in a 20S dual-pack. All connections are solid and all wires are in tact. Not sure if there is a software setting that I am missing or not. Firmware is the latest. v1.1.1
Has anyone else encountered this condition?
Had this exact thing happen today, no sound in the left ear phone using intercom through my Goldwing and routing it into a SM10 and then to my 20S headset. Turned the headset off and then back on a couple of times and let the 20 S reconnect and then I had sound again in the left ear speaker. Rode over 200 miles today and the same thing happened when I would stop for a break and turn the bike off and then start on the road again. Turning the power to the headsets seemed to reset things and the left speaker would cut in and out and finally connect and play.
Ya know, I had one-ear sound at one point in our trip; but thought it was mechanical (the plugging in of the earbuds). As I rode, I fiddled with it; but never got the sound in both ears. Even totally unplugged and plugged the earbud back in. No help.
But after the next gas stop, the stereo sound came back. Figured it was just one of the quirks of Bluetooth headsets.
Made a weekend ride and the problem of the left speaker not having sound persists. Stopped by Walmart and purchased a set of ear buds plugged them into the front port and I have no sound in the right ear bud. Fiddle around with the plug in and got sound for a little while then static and then the right ear bud went silent and I haven't gotten it to work yet. I will try another set of ear buds in case it's a problem with the ones I bought. Also with the ear bugs, Sena can't be heard very well and the tones from max loud to low is very low volume compared to the ear splitting I usually get through the speakers.
After nearly giving up on my unit that just arrived I accidentally stumbled upon the fact that I hadn't been FULLY connecting the main unit to the clamp unit. Sound was intermittent and inconsistent between the left and right speakers and eventually I figured out that I hadn't fully locked the two pieces together - so they were close enough to get a connection to send audio sporadically to one speaker or the other but not both and not clearly.
Once I locked them together audio was just fine. One quick give-away I did to trouble-shoot was to plug in wired ear buds to the port on the clamp unit and had the same audio results there.
Best of luck guys. Hope your problem is as simple to solve as mine was.
When I first bought the 20s, I had music in the left ear only - a lot... I kept checking the connection of the 20s to the base unit.... I could play with the connection to get it working again... Eventually the problem went away completely.... I think it was taking the Sena on and off the base unit many times, that eventually the unit settled into the baseplate more securely and now I don't have any problems...
I have an intermittent problem like this. My right speaker cuts in and out, I can play with the physical connection to the sena20 and get it to stay for awhile. very frustrating.
I've got the same problem with my helmet, no sound out of the right side. So far nothing has worked to solve the issue. I did send register a note with the Sena service but so far I haven't heard back from them. My wife said she had the same problem with her helmet.
I had this problem today with my new 10S. After some quick troubleshooting, i found that if you tighten the allen bolts that hold the mount to your helmet too tightly, it will knock out audio into a speaker. try backing off those bolts 1/4 to 3/4 turn.
Just sent a request to Sena - bought a 20S set at the beginning of May - no sound out of the left speaker no matter what I try. I did plug a set of ear buds in and they both worked fine so the base unit doesn't seem to be the problem. Will add to this if and when I hear back.
My Apple ear buds work but only 1 plays when pushed in all the way. If I pull the plug out just a bit I can get both working.
I am wondering what kind of plug needs to be on them to work with the plug all the way in?
It is just to loose of a fit for me to trust it, and they cut in and out with static when you touch it like that.
TL;DR: Check the clamping mechanism if you're using the clamp. Your helmet could be causing it to warp/form to the helmet and bending the plate. Thus causing no connection or an unreliable connection to your speakers. Mono sound was fixed on my unit by loosening the clamp.
I have a 10s, which is not exactly the same as the 20s. However, I was having the same problem as well. Sound only through the left speaker and not the right. After reading Motorcycle Dreamer's post about not connecting the unit properly I inspected my connection.
I found that the base plate clamping mechanism was actually bending slightly when installed on my helmet. Enough so that the pins couldn't make a proper or reliable connection thus the mono sound. Make sure to check your helmet and make sure the the base plate isn't bending to curve to the helmet. After the first try of loosening it if I moved around I'd get static/sound from the right ear, but it was not reliable. After further loosening I am getting sound in both ears now.
Okay I have tried a different set of ear buds and it works perfectly fine. I am thinking that it might be because if the mic built in, hence the 3 rings on the plug, is why I was only getting sound in one hear.
But I wish the had an adapter for the 20's to plug the earbuds in to, because the bud plug faces forward and I am afraid of getting the unit wet like that. I could maybe turn it around and put it on the other side of the helmet maybe.
The adapter they show is for the 10 only but does not say that in the info. You find out when you order it and get it, and then you realize it don't fit yours
Yes, I have this problem too. Just received my 20S, installed it in my helmet and checked connectivity with the new Freewire for Goldwings. Only had sound in the right ear. Disconnected from Freewire and tested cell phone connection... still only right ear. Removed the whole assembly from the helmet and checked with cell phone again. Same problem. Then I read the post from Motorcycle Dreamer above and looked at the docking of the 20S to my helmet clamp. Sure enough, it was not even - the dial end was tight, but the nose end was up a couple mm. I ejected the 20S from the clamp, then inserted by pushing down heavy on the nose end. Alas! Sound from the left side! Ejected a couple more times, with mixed results. I can see there could also be a problem if the helmet clamp twists the dock when tightening the clamping screws. May need to shim the clamp (#2 on page 10 of the UserGuide). Need to make sure the docking pins make good contact every time. Hope this is not a problem while riding.
I have had the same issue most of y'all are having Where there's no sound in left speaker unless I play with the connection to unit, even then, with my jacket on all it takes is turning one way too far and there goes the sound again, ITS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING!!! ESPECIALLY SINCE ITS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE FIRST WEEK I OWNED MY 20S, the ONLY REASON I still have the hunk of junk is because THE SHOP I BOUGHT IT FROM WOULD NOT TAKE IT BACK!!!!!
I've had the same problem since the day I bought mine. Extremely frustrating. It used to periodically give me sound in the right ear but now I get nothing EVER. For the price you pay, it seems that this should never happen. I sent Sena a request for assistance but no response. I tried loosening the bolts but that didn't work for me either. Maybe I'll try some contact cleaner but that seems doubtful since this was the situation from day 1.
I've had this problem several times when hooking up to a new helmet. My problem was hooking the helmet clamp kit and over tightening down to the helmet and the SMH 10 would not make good contact with the clamp kit. Loosen it up slightly and it worked great.
