The 30K with audio boost enabled seems to be about 15-20% lower in volume as compared to my 20S. With earplugs in I can just barely make it out. This was the same issue we endured with the SMH5 and 10 which finally got addressed in the later issue 20S. I really don't want to go through this again. Please get the volume up.
Marc
I have the same problem. Can not hear the music at all when riding above 40 or 50. Lucky I have two helmets and the other helmet has the Schuberth SRC system and that has a volume boost for when wearing earplugs.
Just anoying that I paid £250 for what I though was a top of the range comm's system and I have to go back to using my 5 year old helmet and system.
My solution now is to carry both the 20S and the 30K. I use the 20S when I'm riding alone and listening to music and the 30K when I'm riding with the guys and we're chatting over Mesh and I'm not listening to music anyway. The Mesh is still too low in volume but usable if I concentrate on what they're saying. I sure hope they can do something about this.
I wanted to add another voice to this issue here rather than posting a bad review on Revzilla and advrider. The music volume is really a problem with this unit. As others have pointed out, the volume at highway speeds or in windy conditions is inaudible. I know the problem is the 30k because I kept the SMH10 installed on one of my helmets and with the same phone, same settings and same volume level the music in that helmet is much louder. I actually purchased a second speaker/mic set for the 30k to install in that helmet so I can retire my SMH10, but it is still in the box unopened until this issue is fixed. I don't use my Sena intercom at all. Never have even once in all the years I have owned the SMH10. I ride alone almost all the time so I use them for taking emergency/work phone calls and for listening to music. The 30k in its existing form simply doesn't work for the latter. Is there a plan in the works to remedy this through a firmware update? If not, would Sena entertain swapping my 30k and my unopened extra speakers/mic for an older unit (20S or SMH10) and refunding me the difference? Thanks!
Just an update to my previous review. I tried swapping the speakers to the IASUS XSound 3s. They do sound a lot better at full volume and don't distort like the stock speakers, but they do not provide any additional volume. What I ended up doing was fiddling around with my Android device quite a bit and boosting the volume in my music app. I turned off the EQ settings and maxed all the sliders to output max volume. I also have to turn it up into the "danger" zone that the phone makes you "ok" by popping some hearing damage warning. I have done this before, but every reboot it reverts to the lower volume levels despite turning it off "permanently". I also installed an app that sets the output levels to both my Sena devices at max when they are connected. Now both my Sena units sound great and I am jamming out at highway speeds.
However, I had to stop wearing earplugs. I hate to do that and have been an avid earplug wearer for over a decade, but no combination of settings, speakers and helmets that I have found is loud enough for foam earplugs and highway use. My music sounds fantastic with the XS3 speakers, but put in foam earplugs and it is hard to hear at speed. I've temporarily stopped wearing earplugs for commuting since that is when I really want music. I don't consider this a permanent solution since I'd rather have my hearing than my music, but until I figure out what I want to try next that is what I am doing. I have another helmet that I generally wear offroad that I have an SMH10 and an old set of Westone earbuds in and those REALLY sound fantastic. I don't think they block wind noise as well as real earplugs though so I generally only wear that helmet combo offroad where I am going slow enough that wind noise isn't an issue.
TL;DR - I don't think there is a fix for this issue and the "great music with earplugs" is in unicorn status kind of like the perfect adv bike that eats up highway like a GoldWing but turns into a 350 EXC-F once you get to the trails. Either you protect your hearing and live with faint/crappy sounding music or you ditch the earplugs and rock out. I may look into custom earbuds again, but I really wish there was a helmet speaker solution since I hate dealing with earbuds and wires esp when commuting.
30K .
I agree withe the volume issues. The top volume lvl volume for music needs to go up a bit . Where as the Volume lvl for my GPS needs to up have a lower setting available.
I also have 20.s and majority of my group have no upgraded to the 30k. also considered to back to 20s , as the 30k dose not communicate very well with the 20's. have major noise issues . Hail storm in my ears while communicating to a 20's
Hi,
Contacted Sena support and now waiting for the RMA email. Support was extremely nice and helpful.
Thanks!