The Sena SMH10R Bluetooth Headset
The Sena SMH10R bluetooth headset utilizes the company's top-of-the-line SMH10 circuitry, meaning the SMH10R's Bluetooth intercom capability is claimed to be good for up to about 800 meters in unobstructed conditions. Up to four Sena headsets can intercom conferences together, and the Sena SMH10R allows multipoint BT functioning (i.e. GPS, phone, MP3 and other devices).Our Sena SMH10R system complete with speakers and wired microphone was feather-light at just 91 grams total. The Sena SMH10R's slim build is intended to be mounted directly onto the helmet via the provided two-sided adhesive tape or Velcro, as is the lithium battery pack.
One gripe is the amount of wiring that needs to be routed inside the helmet. Not only mush you deal with the wiring for the separate battery pack, but the leads for the two speakers and the microphone are very long, meaning some creative routing is necessary to keep the excess wiring from becoming a nuisance. A nice touch with the battery pack is that the faceplate has reflective qualities; thus is recommended mounting point on the back of the helmet provides additional safety.
The Sena SMH10R speakers are about 10cm larger and 1.5mm thicker than the previous Sena Bluetooth headset, and while the sound levels are much better for overcoming wind noise at 120km/h, those with tight-fitting helmets in the ear area may experience some discomfort after a while. The sound quality is excellent though, and the smaller Sena SMH5 speakers are available as an option.
But our biggest gripes with the Sena SMH10R units we tested was the button arrangement and their surprisingly limited intercom range. The control buttons are difficult to discern with gloves on, making us wish for the Sena SMH10's jog dial control. And we found the SMH10R's effective range to be much less than 800 meters in unobstructed areas, and a fraction of that in urban environment; if we were separated by more than 60 meters in areas with trees or buildings obstructing the direct line of sight, it would quickly break up and often lose the signal completely.
