PRODUCT REVIEW: Sena 10S Bluetooth Communication System

Rennie Scaysbrook | May 28, 2016

If there’s one sector of the accessories market that’s hot right now, it’s Bluetooth comms systems. Almost every month we see a new player in the game with a smaller, lighter, easier to use system, and just about every rider I know uses a Bluetooth system in one form or another now. It seem like the Bluetooth revolution happened almost overnight. Almost. And the Sena 10S Bluetooth Communication System is a great option.

Sena’s new 10S is basically an upgrade to the SMH10 and has been out since the start of the year and we’ve run the thing in several tests so far in 2016. The 10S comes with all the usual caper you’d expect from Sena, including the ability to connect to any Bluetooth headset as well as four individual Sena riders; a range of about one mile between users; built-in FM radio that can hold up to 10 preset radio stations; voice activation for calling and answering and you can configure the system easily via the Sena app on your phone. There’s also improved speaker performance and an easier to use jog wheel that doesn’t look as bulky as the SMH10.

Charging time from fully flat is about three hours and the 10S has a massive 10 days of stand-by time between charges.

List Price: $239.00

Rider Analysis

These things just get better and better! This is my third Sena unit after owning a 20S and 10C (the one with the built-in camera), and the 10S is by far my favorite of the three.

Two reasons for this. The first is the vastly improved speaker performance. The new speakers utilize Sena’s Advanced Noise Control system, which helps to block out much of the ambient noise that filters through the helmet, but aside from that, the speakers themselves have way more bass than either of my old units. One area that I never liked with Bluetooth units was the treble was always way too high so if you cranked the volume of your favorite music, all you’d get is an earful of high treble notes. That’s now gone and there’s much better sound separation with the 10S.

The second thing I love about the 10S is the jog wheel is much easier and more direct to use. The wheel on the 10C was tucked under the lip of the outer casing and was a bit finicky to use, while the one on the 20S would flex if pushed too hard, meaning I could engage a feature I didn’t want. The 10S has the balance just right.

Sorting which riders I want to connect with on a ride via the app is helpful as well, but this was a feature already available to the 20S and 10C.

I’ve got this 10S permanently strapped to my Arai now. It gets used everyday and to be honest has made my 20S and 10C items obsolete, mainly due to the vastly improved speaker performance.