INTRODUCTION

   If you own a motorcycle (bike) there's no doubt you're fully aware of just how hard it is to answer/make calls or even talk to the person sitting behind you while wearing your helmet. Some bluetooth headsets (like the Jabra Elite 75/85t series) have proven to be quite effective in taking calls at slow speeds but on one hand they are not very convenient and on the other they lack both the volume levels required when going faster and the crucial two-way intercom feature. Manufacturers are well aware of these limitations and so over the years some of them have made it their primary focus to develop solutions specifically tailored for motorcyclists. Sena is among the leading manufacturers of such devices and today with me i have their newest 5S Dual Motorcycle Bluetooth Communication System.

   We believe there’s no such thing as a viable shortcut in the pursuit of a passion. We are all motorcycle riders and technology enthusiasts here at Sena, including our CEO. So, when we develop new products, we go to great lengths to ensure the final version is everything we dreamed it could be … and everything our customers expect it to be Along the way, we expect to shatter preconceived paradigms and challenge conventional limitations, especially when accompanied by the word “can’t.” We boldly lay our visions on the table to be critiqued and reshaped before we experiment and refine every technical detail, every design decision, and every material used until it’s just right. Then, we take our ideas for a ride ourselves to see if they can keep up with our own untamed senses of adventure … and revise them again. Finally, we mark them with the Sena name, which represents our approval to be fit for the adventures our customers dream about. Adventures we’ll help them create and enhance. This is the Sena way. Has been since we got our start in 1998. Our passion for adventure and obsession with perfection fuels us … and hopefully translates through our products to inspire our customers to challenge the confines of their ordinary routines and pursue their own adventures of a lifetime.

   The Sena 5S Dual kit is clearly aimed towards friends or couples who ride together (either on the same motorcycle or separate ones) and are thus in need of the two-way intercom feature. The kit consists of two main modules, two stereo HD speaker sets, 4 HD noise cancelling microphones and two different types of mounts for the module designed for both permanent and temporary use (tape/clamp). These modules feature tiny LCD screens, glove friendly jog dials, Bluetooth v5.0 connectivity (A2DP/AVRCP/HFP/HSP) and support the SBC audio codec, FM Radio (76-108MHz) and multi-language voice commands (8 languages). Also as already mentioned they are suitable for use not only between riders on the same motorcycle but also different ones due to an effective wireless range of up to 700 meters (on open terrain - music and FM Radio sharing is also supported). A lithium-polymer rechargeable battery pack also gives the 5S modules up to 7 hours of life.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Sena packs the 5S Duo inside a black box that just has their logo and the product name at the front.

A picture of the two main modules included is placed at the top.

At the base of the box Sena warns consumers about the proper use of the 5S Duo in 5 languages.

The product features are all listed at the rear of the box again in 5 languages.

After you remove the exterior cover you will see the Sena logo.

Packing is very good with the entire bundle placed in formed pieces of foam and cardboard.

Contained inside the box are the 2 main modules, 2 HD stereo speaker sets, 2 boom microphones, 2 "regular" microphones, 2 clamp mounts, two tape mounts, 4 speaker pads, 10 hook and loop fasteners, 2 boom microphone holders, 4 microphone sponges (wind screens), 2 USB cables, 2 Allen Keys safety precautions paper, certifications paper and the quick start guide.

THE 5S

The main modules are made out of plastic and rubber, weight just 48g and measure 76mm in length, 48mm in height and 30mm in thickness.

Via the glove friendly jog dial you can control most functions of the module including volume levels, phone/intercom/GPS pairing, answer/ending/rejecting calls, play/pause/share music, next/previous track, FM radio station seek, rotating between speed dial numbers and more.

As expected, the small LCD screen displays information such as the current feature being used, volume levels, module status and battery life.

Around the module we find the microphone port, phone button (power on/off, pairing, answer/end/reject calls and speed dial functions) and the micro USB charging port (can also be used for firmware updating).

At the rear we find the mounting area which can be used with both the clamp and tape mounts.

The noise-cancelling boom microphone is very flexible and for optimal results should be paired with one of the bundled sponges.

On the other hand, the regular microphones may not look as sturdy but their audio performance is pretty much the same.

According to Sena these stereo speaker sets are improved compared to their predecessors and pack both HD audio and increased volume.

Sena bundles both clamp and tape mounts for the main modules (clamp mounds can obviously be taken on and off at will).

USING THE S5 DUAL

The tiny LCD screen may not contain much info in it but since you can't really see it when mounted it doesn't matter much.

Since there are 4 types of motorcycle helmets currently available (Full, Half, Open and Modular - and yes audio performance does vary quite a bit between type) i decided to test the 5S on three different ones starting with a modular one for which i used one of the boom microphones and one of the two clamp kits.

I also mounted the 5S onto a full face helmet which due to its design can only be fitted with the cable microphone.

Lastly i mounted the 5S on an open helmet by using the 3M sticker mount and one of the boom microphones.

MY SENA APP

Once you download the My Sena Android/iOS app it will inform you that you first need to pair the module(s) with your smartphone (naturally).

The app also checks and informs you of new firmware updates (unfortunately you can’t perform those via the app).

Via the app you can enable/disable the intercom function, audio multitasking (enables overlaying phone calls, GPS instructions and intercom conversations with music, GPS instructions and FM radio from a smartphone in the background with reduced volume), audio source priority (disabled if multi-tasking is enabled), Hi-Definition audio, voice language, voice prompts, sidetone function and advanced noise control (noise cancelling).

You can of course pair your own module with the modules of several other people for the intercom function.

Also, there are 4 presets for the equalizer function and two for the priority function.

Strangely enough the current app version includes 11 languages for the headset/module and not 8 as stated in the specifications page (probably due to a recent update which Sena forgot to include in the specs sheet).

In case some of you are wondering you can perform the firmware update for each module via the Windows update software seen above (my tests were all done with version 1.0.3).

CONCLUSION

   The Sena 5S Duo is actually the 3^rd intercom/bluetooth headset I’ve used on a bike to date and so far, it’s by far the best. It offers very clear audio with plenty of volume for most situations. I state most since even though with a full type helmet you can make calls even at speeds surpassing 100km/h with the other two types that gets reduced quite significantly (i'd say roughly up to 40-50km/h for the open helmet and 50-60km/h tops for the modular one - because of this I sincerely hope Sena puts a volume “boost” setting in the app for the stereo speakers, if possible. This would result in reduced battery life but most people I’ve talked with about this agree would be worth it). Also, even though the 5S Duo allows for joint listening of FM radio stations with the intercom function enabled, for some strange reason it didn’t allow for joint listening of music (also when sharing FM radio audio quality seems to drop slightly). Music sharing with the intercom function disabled does work however, still it doesn't make much "sense" having to choose one feature over the other. The bundled microphones also work extremely well both when it comes to calls and intercom regardless of speed. Finally, in terms of battery life in a period of over 3 weeks I recorded a maximum of 4 hours and 45 minutes which although not bad still it’s not close to the 7 hours advertised by Sena (to be fair however in all likelihood this is due to volume levels used in different situations).

   Currently the 5S Dual by Sena is among the top products of its kind something which is reflected by its price tag of USD265 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and 272Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). Overall, however I don’t really think Sena charges a lot for the 5S Dual, yes, it’s not perfect (besides it's a safe bet that some things will get improved over time) but it’s certainly much better than the majority of its competition and that’s why it gets the Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Audio Quality (Both Ends)
- Volume Levels (Overall)
- Voice Commands & Prompts (8 Languages)
- Bundle (4 Microphones & 4 Mounts)
- Battery Life (Up To 7 Hours)
- Features (Intercom/FM Radio/Sidetone/Multitasking/Audio Source Priority/Music & FM Radio Sharing)
- Range (Up To 700 Meters)
- Easy To Use
- Fast Installation
- My Sena App

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Volume Levels (Open & Modular Helmets)
- Shared Music & FM Radio Quality (Intercom On)
- Firmware Update Not Via App