Sena is known to push boundaries when it comes to improving motorcycle Bluetooth headset technologies. With the introduction of the Sena 50 lineup of headsets (including 50R and 50S), they’ve introduced the Mesh 2.0 technology. This technology does wonders when it comes to stability and range of group intercom. In our Sena 50S review, find out what other technologies does this excellent headset feature and if it’s worth its premium price tag!
Table of Contents
Sena 50S Review – Features
In a rush? Check out all the main features of the Sena 50S motorcycle Bluetooth headset:
- Weighs 64 grams
- Shark fin antenna that provides a more stable signal
- Uses Bluetooth 5.0 and Mesh 2.0 technology
- Public Mesh Mode for connecting to an unlimited number of riders (can talk to 6 simultaneously)
- Maximum range of 5 miles (8 kilometers)
- Ambient Mode
- Voice control
- HD audio speakers for improved audio
- 9 hours of talk time in Mesh mode
- 14 hours of talk time in Bluetooth mode
- 1 hour of charge time
- Water-resistant
Without further ado, let’s continue with our Sena 50S review!
Design & Installation
Sena 50S is quite a low-profile Bluetooth headset, weighing only 64 grams. It features a larger chassis and the already classic jog dial feature clearly inspired by the 20S and 30K headsets. As it has an apparent lack of buttons compared to the Sena 50R model, the 50S excels when it comes to gloved hand usage. This is an intelligent approach that contributes to the overall safety on the road factor.
Now, the jog dial mainly serves as a way to adjust the volume. It is a bit clunky, as it required you to turn the dial behind to increase the volume and turn it forward to decrease it. With a bit of practice, it becomes a habit, though.
Other than the jog dial, there are three additional buttons. The Mesh Intercom Button is located on the top segment of the headset, just behind the Mesh antenna, and it toggles the Mesh mode. Then, the Phone button on the right side of the headset serves for Phone pairing. Finally, the Ambient button is on the bottom of the headset, which triggers the Ambient Sound mode.
Other than the buttons, there is the USB-C port, 2,5mm aux input, and a 3,5mm headphone socket.
The Sena 50S headset comes packaged with HD audio speakers that greatly enhance the overall audio experience.
You can install the 50S either by clamping it to the lower-left jawline part of the helmet or sticking it with an adhesive mount. It is more complicated to clamp than competitive Bluetooth headsets due to the two small screws on the clamp.
Once you install it on the motorcycle helmet, you can attach a wired microphone or two boom microphone variants.
Overall, the design of the 50S is nothing groundbreaking, clearly resembling its older siblings. But, you know how they say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
Bluetooth Pairing
As the Sena 50S utilizes Bluetooth 5.0 technology, it provides a much clearer connection with Bluetooth-enabled devices, including smartphones, GPS devices, and other motorcycle Bluetooth headsets.
Bluetooth pairing with a smartphone is quite simple with the 50S. When the 50S headset is turned off, press and hold the jog dial and Phone buttons together for three seconds. You will notice the red and blue flashes, as well as the “Phone Pairing” announcement. Next, you have to put your smartphone in Bluetooth pairing mode and find the Sena 50S in the menu.
Alternatively, if the Sena 50S headset is turned on, hold the Phone button for five seconds and follow the procedure above to connect to your smartphone.
Now, let’s discuss Bluetooth intercom pairing. Keep in mind that the 50S supports three other Bluetooth headsets when in Bluetooth intercom mode. To enter the pairing mode, press and hold the jog dial for five seconds. You will hear the “Intercom Pairing” announcement and see alternating red flashes. Once you pair with another Bluetooth headset, the blue LED light will flash as a confirmation.
One gripe we have with the Sena 50S is that it’s a hit-and-miss scenario when it comes to connecting with non-Sena Bluetooth headsets.
Connection Range
As we continue our Sena 50S review, let’s talk about the connection range. First of all, let’s talk about the Bluetooth intercom range.
The Bluetooth intercom provides more sound clarity than Mesh and a maximum range of 1,2 miles (2 kilometers) between riders. Yet, the main downside of the Bluetooth intercom with the Sena 50S is that it supports only four riders in one intercom session.
Pull up the antenna on the top of the 50S and press the MIB button, which will welcome you to the Mesh 2.0 intercom functionality. This technology is one of the main selling points of newer, premium Sena headsets, and we can see why.
First of all, the default Mesh mode is the Open mode, which supports virtually a limitless number of riders. There is also a Group mode, where you can set a group of a maximum of 24 people. Still, you can talk with six users simultaneously if you utilize the Mesh 2.0 mode.
The maximum range of the whole Mesh network is 5 miles (8 kilometers), and around 0,6 miles (1 km) between each individual rider in the Mesh network. Even though it provides a smaller range between riders than the Bluetooth mode, the Mesh 2.0 offers some much-needed benefits.
What makes the Mesh 2.0 much better than Bluetooth 5.0 regarding intercom function is that it won’t break the intercom session if one rider gets out of range. Once that rider gets into range again, he will be automatically reconnected. For instance, if that happens on the Bluetooth network, the whole intercom session would shut down, requiring you to stop and re-establish the connection.
If you prefer to ride in larger groups, the Sena 50S motorcycle Bluetooth headset is an ideal choice, thanks to the Mesh 2.0 implementation.
Sound Quality
The Sena 50S Bluetooth headset features the new HD audio speakers. These are 40mm wide and provide excellent deep bass and treble performance. Still, you may notice some audio distortions the more you increase the sound volume.
Want to adjust the bass or treble of these speakers? You can do so via the Audio Equalizer settings in the Sena 50 Utility App.
If you compare these speakers to the 45mm JBL speakers from Cardo, you will notice that JBL speakers have better deep tunes and generally fewer distortions at high volumes. Still, Sena has provided a significant upgrade compared to their old speakers.
Check out our Cardo Packtalk Slim review for a more detailed look at the main competitor of the 50S!
One handy feature we love about the Sena 50S is the Ambient mode. Just press the Ambient button on the bottom of the headset twice, and the speakers will let in the sound from outside the helmet. This is very handy when you need to ask for directions on the road, talk to someone at the red light or petrol stations.
Voice Control
As other modern Sena devices, the Sena 50S offers voice command functionality that supports eight languages:
- English
- French
- German
- Italian
- Spanish
- Chinese
- Japanese
- Russian
There are tons of voice commands available, definitely more than found on Cardo headsets. Maybe that’s the main reason why the feedback on the voice commands isn’t the best. Sometimes, the 50S may struggle to register the voice commands on the first try, so you might try yelling a bit louder.
On a positive note, we love that you can use your smartphone assistant with the voice command function of the Sena 50S. Not a lot of motorcycle Bluetooth headsets can do that.
Additional Features
Here are some extra features of the Sena 50S Bluetooth headset:
FM Radio
This is a fairly standard feature with most Bluetooth headsets nowadays. You can control it either with the jog dial or with voice commands. Also, there are ten radio station presets available for you to access and modify.
Sena 50 Utility App
As with all other Sena Bluetooth headsets, there is extensive firmware and app support. The Sena 50 Utility App provides access to features such as:
- Phone
- Music
- FM Radio
- Bluetooth/Mesh Intercom
You can download it from Google Play or iOS App Store.
Water Resistant or Waterproof?
Sena is known for the lack of IP waterproof ratings for its Bluetooth headsets. It is no different with the 50S either.
While Sena claims this headset is water-resistant, it won’t fare well when riding at high speeds in heavy rain. It may randomly stop working when in such conditions, and that’s a bummer when you consider the premium pricing of this Bluetooth headset.
We expect Sena to optimize their Bluetooth headsets for harsh weather in the future and chase that IP waterproof rating. Not all riders have the luxury of stable weather conditions, after all.
Battery Life
In this part of our Sena 50S review, let’s find out more about its battery life!
When it comes to battery life, the Sena 50S does well but not perfect. It provides nine hours of talk time in Mesh mode and 14 hours of talk time in Bluetooth mode. If you combine this with listening to music, the average single charge will last you for at least 10 hours.
The charge time is just one hour, thanks to the USB-C fast charging.
Price
As an evolution of the flagship line of Sena’s Bluetooth headsets, the Sena 50S headset sits at $288/€235/£203 for the single pack and $441/€360/£312 for the dual pack. It’s not that much more expensive than the Sena 30K, and it provides a bit more quality for your money.
Summing Up
As we finish up our Sena 50S review, what is our final verdict on this premium Bluetooth headset?
First of all, it is the go-to Bluetooth headset if you are riding in large groups due to the Mesh 2.0 integration. It provides a fantastic intercom range, and the reconnect feature is just too good to throw away. Also, the design of the headset itself is pretty simple and functional, even for gloved hands.
We don’t like how the 50S is unfriendly to non-Sena Bluetooth headsets regarding the connectivity, and the voice commands could use some work at recognizing the right commands. Also, they really should chase that waterproofing rating.
Still, Sena 50S is an excellent upgrade over the Sena 30K and 20S Evo headsets and is a worthy addition to their lineup.
Check out our Bluetooth headsets review section for more in-depth looks into the various motorcycle Bluetooth communicators!
