Sena released the 10R headset way back at the beginning of 2016, and it’s still selling like crazy even today. While it was a natural improvement over the then-actual SMH10R headset, how does it compare to the competition in 2021? Find out in our comprehensive Sena 10R review!
Table of Contents
Sena 10R Review – Main Features
If you are in a rush, here is a breakdown of all the essential features of the Sena 10R Bluetooth headset!
- Weighs 22 grams
- Bluetooth 4.1
- Can pair with two Bluetooth devices
- Group intercom of four participants
- Maximum range of 900 meters (0,56 miles)
- Advanced noise control
- Built-in FM radio
- Music sharing
- Replaceable battery
- 10 hours of talk time
- 3 hours of charge time
Without further ado, let’s continue with our Sena 10R review!
Design & Installation
With its weight of 22 grams, the Sena 10R is one of the most low-profile motorcycle Bluetooth communication devices around! It comes in a silver color and is so small that it’s almost unnoticeable on your motorcycle helmet!
This is an older offering from Sena, so there is no jog dial. We have three buttons on this Sena SMH10R successor:
- + Button – increase volume, next track, scan FM radio station, speed dial
- – Button – decrease volume, previous track, turn on/off FM radio
- Center Button – answer, end, and reject phone calls, start and end intercom conversation, enter into intercom pairing mode
Keep in mind that learning the button prompts for all the different controls is quite tricky, so make sure to utilize the Sena Utility App.
In the packaging of the Sena 10R Bluetooth headset, you will get:
- Bluetooth unit
- Battery pack
- Speakers
- Foam pads for microphones and speakers
- Micro-USB cable
- Double-sided tape adhesives
- Hook and loop fasteners
- Boom and wired microphone
A curious design choice of the Sena 10R is that the headset and battery are split into two separate units. To install the headset, you can use the hook and loop fasteners or the double-sided adhesive mount. The battery pack is usually installed on the rear of the helmet with the adhesive tape and then connected to the headset with an included cable. These cables are a bit longer than needed. At least they are not short if nothing else.
Bluetooth Pairing
The Sena 10R Bluetooth communication system is powered by Bluetooth 4.1 technology. It can connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously (two phones or one phone and GPS device). When it comes to Bluetooth headset connectivity, it can connect to up to three more Bluetooth headsets, regardless of the branding.
Smartphone Pairing
Pairing with a smartphone or with any other Bluetooth device is quite simple:
- Press and hold the Center Button for 10 seconds until you hear the “Configuration Menu” voice prompt.
- Tap the + Button, and you will hear the “Phone Pairing” voice prompt.
- Find the headset on your phone’s Bluetooth settings and enter “0000” for the PIN.
- After the pairing is done, you will hear the “Your headset is paired” prompt.
The same procedure can be done to connect to a second Bluetooth device.
Sena Headset Pairing
If you want to pair with a Sena headset, the procedure is the following:
- Press and hold the Center Button for 5 seconds until you hear the “Intercom Pairing” voice prompt.
- Tap the Center Button and wait until the intercom connection is established
You can do the same procedure to connect to two more headsets.
Universal Headset Pairing
Pairing with non-Sena headsets can be done in the following manner:
- Press and hold the Center Button for 10 seconds to get into the Configuration Menu
- Tap the + and – buttons simultaneously until you hear the “Universal Intercom Pairing” prompt
- Then, tap the Center Button – the blue LED light will blink a few times, and you will hear a few beeps
The procedure above will get you into pairing mode. All you need to do is use the universal headset’s pairing procedure to finish the process.
Connection Range
Sena 10R Bluetooth communication device can connect to a maximum of three more Bluetooth headsets. Keep in mind that you can talk with one person at a time. The maximum intercom range between all the participants is 900 meters (0,56 miles). That’s a bit of a bummer, as this range will be short for most cases, so make sure that your group keeps close to each other.
Check out our Sena 50S review if looking for the best intercom functionalities!
For example, some newer Sena headsets like 20S Evo and 30K use the shark fin antenna to increase the maximum range. Still, this is an older headset, and the two headsets we mentioned above are the natural evolution of the 10R headset.
If you want to turn on the Bluetooth intercom functionality, press the + and Center buttons simultaneously, and you will hear the “Hello” voice prompt. Then, tap the Center Button once to talk with the first participant, two times to talk with the second participant, and three times to talk with the third user. You can do the same to end the intercom with individual members.
Sound Quality
Sadly, the Sena 10R doesn’t support the new HD audio speakers from Sena, so you are left with the default option. The default speakers of the 10R headset have low bass and overall don’t provide such a rich sound as the later headsets in Sena’s lineup.
Looking for a budget-priced Sena model with HD audio speakers? Check out our Sena 5S review for a decent pick!
At least you can use earbuds instead of these speakers, but you will need to invest $13/€11/£9 for the earbud split cable accessory. This can be especially useful if you are riding on the highway or for decreasing wind noise.
You can also share your favorite tunes with other participants in the intercom with the music sharing feature.
The 10R’s microphones feature advanced noise control functionality, providing background and wind noise reduction when talking on the intercom.
Voice Control
Sadly, there is no dedicated extensive voice command support for the 10R motorcycle Bluetooth headset. Still, there are two helpful voice commands to talk about.
First, you can answer phone calls with your voice. Just say “Hello” when the phone call is incoming, and this prompt will automatically answer the call.
Second, you can trigger the intercom functionality (when connected to a session) with your voice, removing the need to tap buttons.
Additional Features
As we continue our Sena 10R review, let’s look at some of the additional features this headset has!
FM Radio
The FM radio of the Sena 10R has 10 presets that you can memorize individually and an automatic scan option. You can also share the FM radio with other participants in the intercom session.
Sena Utility App
The Sena Utility App will be beneficial to get all the controls you need in one package. As we told before, learning all the button combinations for different functions takes some time to memorize, so having all set up within a simple app is a huge time and nerve saver!
You can download the app from Google Play or App Store!
Water Resistant or Waterproof?
While the Sena 10R is more water-resistant than the 20S and SMH10R headsets from Sena, it doesn’t have an IP waterproof rating.
When you consider that the battery pack will be outside your helmet in most cases, you don’t want to ride in rainy conditions with this headset. You can quickly destroy the battery or get your headset to malfunction.
Battery Life
The Sena 10R Bluetooth headset has a replaceable 600 mAh battery in a separate battery pack unit. To replace the battery, just slide it out and put the new one in. You can also charge the battery with an included micro-USB cable on the go.
With the Bluetooth 4.1 integration, the battery life is increased to a talk time of 10 hours. To fully charge the battery, you will need to charge it for 3 hours.
Price
As we are finishing up our Sena 10R review, let’s see its pricing. The Sena 10R single pack costs $215/€176/£152, while the dual pack costs $440/€361/£361.
It’s one of the cheapest Sena headset models, and it certainly shows when it comes to the overall feature package. While packed with features, some of the technical capabilities are outdated when compared to newer Sena models. But, the 10R headset still can positively compare with non-Sena and non-Cardo brands!
Summing Up
Now that we are at the end of our Sena 10R review, what is our final verdict on this Bluetooth headset?
When it first released in February of 2016, the 10R was a welcome improvement over the then-flagship Sena SMH10R Bluetooth headset. It got an improved speaker, better design, and better water resistance, as well as a replaceable battery.
Fast-forward to 2021, and the 10R suffers when compared to the newer Sena models and the competition. It doesn’t have the best audio quality, has just two voice commands, and the water resistance could be much better. Also, the range for group intercom could be much better too.
But, if you are looking for a Bluetooth headset for stable and dry weather and don’t care too much about sound quality, you will enjoy this headset for what it offers. It has many cool features, and the ability to talk with up to three riders in one intercom session is a welcome addition. The pricing could be fairer, though – but that’s Sena we’re talking about. They are a premium brand with “premium” products.
For more in-depth reviews on Bluetooth headsets, check out our Bluetooth headsets review section!
