Just a word of warning to anyone considering the 30K. If you have the Bluetooth intercom turned on, nothing else works, no music, no nothing. You have to manually turn the intercom on and off to use it, and when it is on, all music or any other audio inputs cease.
I'd like to know if Sena is even aware of this. I'm ready to put mine back in the box and return them. This problem makes them pretty much useless to me.
Unfortunately, I didn't find out about this issue until my return period of the 30K was expired. Audio Multitasking supposedly does work in Mesh mode, but I'm not using that mode yet.
If Sena would just release a firmware update to the 30K to allow the Bluetooth intercom to do Audio Multi-tasking, all would be golden.
The problem is that if you just want basic Rider to Passenger intercom, the Bluetooth works better because you can easily turn it on and off in the event of wind noise overcoming the VOX by simply taping the center button, which mutes both headsets at once (you can't do this on the Mesh intercom). But you don't want to miss your GPS prompts, etc, when the intercom is on, so it needs to be able to provide all inputs at a lower volume when the Bluetooth Intercom is on.
30K has been a disappointment. Firstly Mesh intercom is useless. Try using it over 30km per hour or more than 30m apart — this is only with two users. Have gone back to using Bluetooth.
Now to find out that multitasking also does not work, unable to listen to music at the same time as maintaining a conversation. Or to be able to use GPS, google maps or Apple maps at the same time as well.
Have tried dealing with these issues with Suppot however they just constantly ask if you are using the most up to date firmware (YES!), and to factory reset and hard reset (50 times and counting).
Bought the 30K for mesh and multitasking — DAMN useless!
I feel your pain Toni, I think we are all hoping Sena will come up with some kind of fix with the next firmware upgrade. Until then, you have the mount and you can pick up just a 20s radio for under $100 on ebay or just bail on the whole system, sell it and go for the tried and true J&M CB.
It appears to me that Sena is ignoring the problems with the 30K Bluetooth intercom.
You can not turn the Bluetooth intercom on and off manually with the center push button if it is paired with a phone. When you try, the intercom will go off, but will fail to reconnect when you push the button again. The Bluetooth intercom also will still not multi-task, even with the latest 1.02 firmware update applied.
The new 2018 Honda GoldWing now comes standard with Bluetooth, and there is a HUGE group of riders with these new bikes looking for Bluetooth headsets for rider to passenger intercom and bike/phone connectivity. Word is getting around in the rider community not to purchase the Sena units due to all the issues with the 30K that Sena appears to be ignoring. Every day that goes by with these problems un-fixed is causing Sena to loose more customers. The management at Sena better start paying attention to these problems if they want to be around much longer. Word in the riding community travels fast, and customers are already looking elsewhere for products because of this.
Fred, Not sure they will be able to solve this issue with a firmware update. I believe the 20s has separate processors that allow for the multitasking. The 30k has a processors for the mesh and one for the BT. If I'm right there is a physical limitation they may not be able to overcome. Unfortunately, the 30k is only worth the $$ if you have a large group and everyone has a 30k, if not IMHO you are better off with a 20s... Also, Sena has now partnered with HD on the HD WHIM which only works with the HD 20s.
Allan, thats not good news. It means I've bought a $500 pair of bricks.
Just my opinion. I work on electronics and radios so I have a bit of knowledge but I may be way off base though snce we are not hearing from Sena I suspect I am right. The good news is you have 2 so you can talk with the other 30 K. Also, the mount is the same for the 20s. I bought a couple of those (just the radio) on ebay pretty cheap and have found that large group aside, they work very well. In my experience, the best solution for large groups is still two way/ptt radio. With the 20s an SR10 and a GMRS radio you have unlimited bike to bike, a private intercom to talk with your significant other and no need for a mounted antenna.. Also, range on the UHF radios is way better then CB. I ride an Ultra with a CB and had a J&M CB on my wifes bike for years. She is liking the 20s way better now just because the antenna is gone...
I agree with you about FRS/GMRS. That is really the only way to go for bike to bike, I've used it for years with Autocom with great results.
The problem I have with the 30K is that I can't even get them to reliable work together as a simple rider-to-passenger intercom. The Mesh intercom VOX mode doesn't work well at all, and the Mesh intercom does not have a manual mode to turn on/off easily. And the Bluetooth intercom mode has all kinds of problems. I guess I just wasted my money on these things. I can't believe Sena isn't even trying to make this right.
I've only used my 30k for music and phone. Haven't had the opportunity to ride with anyone else who has one. I've done a bit of testing on the 20S though and to my surprise it seems to be pretty solid. I tried setting up a group chat once and did get a bit of popping. I did turn off a lot of the features on the 20S to get it to work reliably. Wonder if the same would be true for the 30k?
Has a solution been out yet? The 30k is an epic fail for sure. A piece of garbage and I want my money back!
Mesh technology is useless. Not all Sena users have the 30k. Bluetooth intercom would have been fine for thsi purpose but not ar the cost of having the function of other bluetooth decices such as my music or GPS.
Sena, really??? Your reputation is on the brink here. I really hope that all your developers have their sights on this! Get that firmware update out now.
I agree this is a disappointment, You sold it . Now fix it.
Unbelievable that the bluetooth multitask audio is not available on the 30k. If i knew that before i wouldn't bought a 30k. Sena should fix this issue!
Sena, in the real world a lot of riders do not have a sena device and when they do not always have a 30k. So you have to use bluetooth intercom most of the times. When using bluetooth intercom on the 30k you cant use audio multitasking wich is pretty anoying. Please fix this or a lot of users will return their device and switch it for a 20s evo.
Not sure this can be fixed by a firmware update.. Fact is, I've got both and IMO the 20s works way better. I've only used the 30K once with another 30k and it seemed glitchy. I use the 20s quite a bit bike to bike and it is stable and reliable.. I probably won't even try the 30K again unless I'm with multiple riders who have them...
Update, on this apparently NOT YET FIXED issue after of what I see it’s been going on for more than a year so I logged ticket number 282076 to make an official mark if this should become a bigger legal suit.
I’m waiting for a senior rep email, escalated by a regular rep, but I can already see it won’t be a swift solution. This is my first post here and reporting yet another near-unusable unit. The unit positively won’t multitask. All I hear is music breaking up constantly. Once I get off the multitask it sounds fine although every 10 seconds or so, the speed of music goes faster and slower, just like a vinyl record in low and fast speeds, its kind of surreal. Again this happens when music-sharing without multitasking.
SENA: at this point, the 30K credibility is beyond consistent bad reviews, and I’m sure I’m not alone on this proposition; either provide certified customers with a second unit (refurbished or new) to be able to use mesh-only multitasking or take the 30k units back and provide with two 20k’s to let us have a seamless connection until you fix or discontinue the 30K model altogether.
It is only fair and the right thing to do by us, the paying customers. It is a bit embarrassing that your legal team hasn’t quickly corrected this obviously valid and ongoing deal-breaking problem with a recall notice yet.
I agree! Audio-multitasking doesn't work at all, even with the firmware 2.1 update! When the GPS talks none of the other sounds is working (music stops playing and intercom doesn't work).
This isn't acceptable..
Sena are you working on a decent solution?
Have to say, I'm having a different experience. Ever since the firmware upgrade I'm liking the 30K. I have it linked with GPS and phone and it all seems to be working well. I still use the 20s on one of my bikes because it plays better with the freewire set-up but really like the 30 for the ability to turn off the mic when on the freeway and also the improved group experience. I did have a group of 4 where 2 were on bluetooth (20S) and it was a little wonky but was still very usable. Looking forward to the next upgrade.