Anyone else have problems with the Sena headsets?

[GMac]

I bought the SMH10 back in September from Amazon. It was defective (and it was verified through the Sena support area - it would receive information but not send any sound). I only had it for approximately two weeks (it never worked) so I returned it to Amazon and had it replaced with another unit.


This new unit worked fine - for less than a month (that's when I put the bike away for the winter). I received the new one on 10/19/2012.


Over the winter, I would charge it occasionally but other than that it had no usage. I decided to use it last week for the first time since last October (the weather is just now conducive to riding very much - and I now have my Spyder to try it out with - I just picked it up a month ago ).

It simply will not work. It won't turn on. If I plug it in, I receive the red (then the blue) light that informs me that it is charging but nothing else. When I attempt to turn it on, there is no response.


I have tried using the Device Manager software from Sena that you use to update the firmware with similar results. I plug it into the USB cable and receive a red light and try holding the two buttons which should result in the flashing violet light - but no matter how long I hold the buttons, it never changes (with the exception of sometimes changing to solid blue because it is charged).


I have tried doing both a hard and soft reset (multiple times) and get absolutely no response.

The way I see it is I have received two products from them - one didn't work out of the box, one worked twice and quit working. NOT a good record at all. I've sent Sena an email (to their support address which is what it says to do on their website). You can check the status of your email submission - and though it was sent several days ago and they confirm they received it, it still says that it's waiting to be assigned to a technician. Again, certainly not giving me warm and fuzzies.

These things have a two year warranty so I should certainly be well under that - but I don't have a good feeling about these headsets or about the company in general, yet I've seen some pretty glowing praises here. I'm just wondering if I'm the only one to have bad experiences with them or are there others that just haven't spoken up?

Thanks!!

 

[ARtraveler]

Sorry to hear about your problems with the Sena unit. I purchased the SMH10's a couple months ago and have had no problems with the units.

I now prefer these over the Cardo 2's I have been using for the last 4 seasons or so. The reception is more clear, and the operating distance is greater than the Cardo 2's.

That said, it sounds like you got two bad ones in a row. Your post is the first that I am aware of where someone was not happy with the Sena units.

Your choice is try again with another Sena unit, or go to a different brand.

Please keep us posted.

 

[2 Cruysyn]

Had occasion to contact Sena not long ago. I tend to keep addresses when companies I deal with reply so that I can keep in contact with the same person should I need to contact the company in the future. Such is the case with Sena.

Might I suggest you address an email to Tristan Dinh at "[email protected]" and restate the problems you're having. Tristan is a Technical Support Engineer at Sena. Your case has more than likely been assigned a number which I would mention in your email.

 

[GMac]

Thanks!

Had occasion to contact Sena not long ago. I tend to keep addresses when companies I deal with reply so that I can keep in contact with the same person should I need to contact the company in the future. Such is the case with Sena.

Might I suggest you address an email to Tristan Dinh at "[email protected]" and restate the problems you're having. Tristan is a Technical Support Engineer at Sena. Your case has more than likely been assigned a number which I would mention in your email.

There is a case number assigned, simply not anyone assigned to the case yet. I'll very happily take your suggestion and send an email out today addressed to Tristan.

Thanks for your suggestion and I'll let you know how it turns out.
Gary

 

[lyonsden]

I haven't had any problems with mine. They have been great and soooo easy to operate. :yes:Good luck!

 

[RAYYOU]

We have had ours for about 2 years and have a problem with them 1 time and Sena promptly replaced them with their newest version which has worked fine since.

 

[Desert Spyder]

We bought the SENA 10 at last years Spyderfest. No problem UNTIL coming home from this years Spyderfest my wife could not hear me in intercom mode. Both our music modes worked fine. I resolved to calling my wife on the phone while riding. The cell phone actually comes in clearer than the intercom on these things. So the boom mike is ok on both units. I filed a report with SENA when I got home but heard nothing from them yet.

 

[GMac]

Tristan replied to me yesterday just before I sent the email you suggested

Had occasion to contact Sena not long ago. I tend to keep addresses when companies I deal with reply so that I can keep in contact with the same person should I need to contact the company in the future. Such is the case with Sena.

Might I suggest you address an email to Tristan Dinh at "[email protected]" and restate the problems you're having. Tristan is a Technical Support Engineer at Sena. Your case has more than likely been assigned a number which I would mention in your email.

It was actually odd timing because I had already addressed the email specifically to him (based on your suggestion) and as I was typing the email, his response came in.

He had a suggestion for me to try (which unfortunately didn't work) and his email said that he apologized for the delay in getting back to me, their "office is experiencing some issues". Not certain what that means, either for the company or their ability to get my issue fixed in a timely fashion, but at least I had a response which is better than what I had before.

Thanks again for your (and every one else's) help - I'll let you know what I find out.