Experience of Shoei GT Air II and Sena SRL2 Comms Unit
Discussion
So I just bought these puppies. Wanted to experience something other than a race helmet and fancied a sun visor. The Shoei gets great write ups. I use a Scala Rider Pack on my Shoei NXR and I was drawn by the integrated Sena unit for the GT Air. Verdict:
Worn for 4 hours riding to and from Silverstone at the weekend. Really love the Shoei. My last two helmets were an Arai RX7 and a Shoei NXR. The GT Air is sooo much more comfortable and much quieter. It's obviously larger and heavier than the other two but that doesn't present an issue, It's stable and no real buffeting and I love the sun visor - no need for any more visor swaps and you can ride with the main visor up and the sun visor down which was lovely on a hot day as the sun visor doesn't seal a lets a great breeze though. Looks good too, so really pleased.
The Sena unit: What a piece of crap that is!!! Comparing to my 4 year old Scala Rider Pack it's hard for me to understand how they can even sell the bloody thing! The integration into the helmet is awesome and easy. It's easy to set up and use and the sound quality is, frankly, criminally poor. It sounds like a terrible 1970's tinny transistor radio (no bass) and makes the Scala seem like a massively high-end stereo. I was listening to the radio on the Motorway and hearing songs that in the end I realised I knew but couldn't even tell what they were initially - even with the volume right up. Never not been able to hear the Scala, and that's in a noisier lid.
Really don't know what to do with it now - is it possible to fit better speakers? Should I bin it and fit the Scala, which would defeat the entire object of having a helmet made for an integrated unit?
Honestly, how can they sell something so bad for £250. I feel conned.
Worn for 4 hours riding to and from Silverstone at the weekend. Really love the Shoei. My last two helmets were an Arai RX7 and a Shoei NXR. The GT Air is sooo much more comfortable and much quieter. It's obviously larger and heavier than the other two but that doesn't present an issue, It's stable and no real buffeting and I love the sun visor - no need for any more visor swaps and you can ride with the main visor up and the sun visor down which was lovely on a hot day as the sun visor doesn't seal a lets a great breeze though. Looks good too, so really pleased.
The Sena unit: What a piece of crap that is!!! Comparing to my 4 year old Scala Rider Pack it's hard for me to understand how they can even sell the bloody thing! The integration into the helmet is awesome and easy. It's easy to set up and use and the sound quality is, frankly, criminally poor. It sounds like a terrible 1970's tinny transistor radio (no bass) and makes the Scala seem like a massively high-end stereo. I was listening to the radio on the Motorway and hearing songs that in the end I realised I knew but couldn't even tell what they were initially - even with the volume right up. Never not been able to hear the Scala, and that's in a noisier lid.
Really don't know what to do with it now - is it possible to fit better speakers? Should I bin it and fit the Scala, which would defeat the entire object of having a helmet made for an integrated unit?
Honestly, how can they sell something so bad for £250. I feel conned.
I've recently brought shoei gt air2 with the SRL- mesh. This unit comes with Harman kardon speakers and sounds very good. I've only got a Sena 30k to compare it to but think it is better on sound quality then the 30k. The FM radio is pretty rubbish unless you stay in one town otherwise you have to keep retuning. I just usually listen to music stored on my phone which goes quite loud, but does become harder to hear at 80+ . The first SRLs were not as good as the mesh ones, which have only been out for just over a month. I think the gt air 2 is little noiser then the gt air 1 but still reasonable. See if you can swap your SRL for a SRL-mesh?
No experience with that unit but double check the speaker placement; make sure the alignment is right and they are as close to your ears as possible. A slight adjustment can make all the difference.
Ultimately it's the reason I prefer in-ear comms - my hearing is 'not great' and with earplugs in every Sena or Cardo unit I've had has had to be cranked all the way up for me to hear them, and at speed I can't hear them at all.
Ultimately it's the reason I prefer in-ear comms - my hearing is 'not great' and with earplugs in every Sena or Cardo unit I've had has had to be cranked all the way up for me to hear them, and at speed I can't hear them at all.
I've got one, a non-mesh version. Just about ok talking to the Mrs when she is pillion, but yes I agree its pretty crap listening to music. Very tinny & one you're beyond 70mph its hard to recognise the track you're trying to listen to & that's on a bike with a fairly decent screen. Integration with the Helmet is great, but the cheapo SMH5 (£60ish v £210) is better for sound.
I’ve got the same exact setup and so has my OH. We love ours. Best cons kit I’ve ever had. Getting 9 hours of constant music or talking is no problem at all.
Whether I’m riding my unfaired Speed Triple or the GS I never have to have the volume on full. The one thing I would say is I do have to have the volume on max if I ever have to wear solid foam earplugs, but I wear filtered Mercury moulded earplugs and it’s fantastic.
Don’t forget to go through the app and ensure you have all the boosts turned on etc etc. They make a huge difference.
Might seem obvious but if you’re connected to a phone, make sure the headphone volume is on full before playing with the helmet volume.
Whether I’m riding my unfaired Speed Triple or the GS I never have to have the volume on full. The one thing I would say is I do have to have the volume on max if I ever have to wear solid foam earplugs, but I wear filtered Mercury moulded earplugs and it’s fantastic.
Don’t forget to go through the app and ensure you have all the boosts turned on etc etc. They make a huge difference.
Might seem obvious but if you’re connected to a phone, make sure the headphone volume is on full before playing with the helmet volume.
marksbike said:
I've recently brought shoei gt air2 with the SRL- mesh. This unit comes with Harman kardon speakers and sounds very good. I've only got a Sena 30k to compare it to but think it is better on sound quality then the 30k. The FM radio is pretty rubbish unless you stay in one town otherwise you have to keep retuning. I just usually listen to music stored on my phone which goes quite loud, but does become harder to hear at 80+ . The first SRLs were not as good as the mesh ones, which have only been out for just over a month. I think the gt air 2 is little noiser then the gt air 1 but still reasonable. See if you can swap your SRL for a SRL-mesh?
I've got the SRL2 not the Mesh version. Damn, I understood this was a "new" system as it replaced the SRL. Looks like I just wasted £250. How on earth Sena can sell something with such awful sound quality I don't and also how Shoei could be complicit. If I'd paid £50 I'd be disappointed with how this sounds!!I've used Sena for years as most of my mates had them so it was the go to choice when I first needed a comms unit.
Frankly they are pretty rubbish but adequate for me.
My suggestion is to buy moulded earplugs with built in speakers. They work great for keeping out wind noise plus decent sound quality for comms/music/satnav/phone calls.
Frankly they are pretty rubbish but adequate for me.
My suggestion is to buy moulded earplugs with built in speakers. They work great for keeping out wind noise plus decent sound quality for comms/music/satnav/phone calls.
Got a Sena 50R.
Communications from one headset to another is outstanding, crisp clear, etc.
Music, spotify for instance.. can't hear it at all. It is playing hower. Can't work out what is wrong at all. Voume is up on all devices. Updated it to the latest firmware multiple times over.
Luckily one of the speak cables broke a couple of months in and Amazon refunded without having to return the unit. I've kept the unit, but keep meaning to buy the Cardo and then bin the Sena.
I hear good things about the Cardo's and they are waterproof where the Sena isnt.
Communications from one headset to another is outstanding, crisp clear, etc.
Music, spotify for instance.. can't hear it at all. It is playing hower. Can't work out what is wrong at all. Voume is up on all devices. Updated it to the latest firmware multiple times over.
Luckily one of the speak cables broke a couple of months in and Amazon refunded without having to return the unit. I've kept the unit, but keep meaning to buy the Cardo and then bin the Sena.
I hear good things about the Cardo's and they are waterproof where the Sena isnt.
Funny you bring this up as I've been considering the SLR2 for my GT Air2 too..... until I saw all the s
tty reviews.
Then as another poster above mentions, the MESH variant has just been released so waiting for some more reviews before I even consider it, especially as its another £100 on top of the £220-£250 for the SLR2.
In the meantime I've got one of these right-ear-only jobbies from Amazon for £20 which fits well with the lid on, but not yet tested it in anger:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01LWYU5EF/ref...
Seems to get semi-decent reviews from motorcyclists, but only is for music/satnav etc but that's my only requirement rather than voice comms between riders/pillion
tty reviews.Then as another poster above mentions, the MESH variant has just been released so waiting for some more reviews before I even consider it, especially as its another £100 on top of the £220-£250 for the SLR2.
In the meantime I've got one of these right-ear-only jobbies from Amazon for £20 which fits well with the lid on, but not yet tested it in anger:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01LWYU5EF/ref...
Seems to get semi-decent reviews from motorcyclists, but only is for music/satnav etc but that's my only requirement rather than voice comms between riders/pillion
Edited by snagzie on Friday 12th August 16:22
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