Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is a full product review. What You Receive: In the box you will receive everything needed for installation. The main parts being the main 20S unit, high quality in-helmet speakers, microphones, mounting clamp/ hardware as well as USB cable/charger. Sena has thought ahead for installations in any type of helmet so they include 3 different microphones, adapters for mounting the unit, and some other small doodads that will be helpful in otherwise tricky installs. Installation: In my case I was installing it into a Shoei RF-1200. The Shoei has sharp body lines and curves which made the standard clamp installation a bit more difficult versus a more standard rounded helmet. Thankfully there is sufficient space in between the liner and outer shell to get the clamp on the inside, however trying to tighten the nuts in such a small area proved to be pretty difficult. The speakers were easier to install because the Shoei already comes with speaker holes cut out. All I had to do was properly place the speaker using the provided double side tape, and route the wires between the helmet channels. If you spend a little extra time you can likely get a clean and strong install in almost any type of helmet. And just in case you can't, Sena provides a double sided adhesive mounting kit for those rarer circumstances. Sena also has Youtube videos of How To's for the Sena 20S, and I highly recommend watching those before attempting to install. Functionality: The 20S is quite impressive in its amount of functions, to achieve this they had to include not just 1, but 2 separate bluetooth chips working in conjunction. Some key points - 1.25 Mile Group intercom, Voice Control, Multi-bluetooth connections (e.g. Bluetooth GPS+Smartphone Bluetooth at same time), Audio multi-task (e.g. Smartphone GPS+Smartphone Music at the same time), Music Sharing, Sidetone, FM Radio, Speed Dial, Sensitivity controls, etc. Admittedly with so many functions, it can be kind of a headache remembering what buttons to push to do X and spin dial to achieve X etc. Thankfully they have both computer and smartphone apps which allow easy to interface, full control functionality over most the Sena 20S settings. Also the battery life is very impressive, with a rated 13 hour talk time, and 10 day standby time. Sound Quality: Contrary to some reviews I've read, in my particular case with the Sena 20S paired to my Android device or my Mac, the sound coming out of the speakers is both very loud and very clear. Also phone calls via the boom mic are very clear as well. I'm not a huge audiophile but I have had my fair share of good audio equipment. On the overall spectrum of things, I would rate the sound quality as a medium to high for what it is. You're not going to get heavy bass out of these thin, small in-helmet speakers, but the highs are clear, mids do the job, and most importantly it can get loud without distortion. On the Max volume setting riding at higher speeds on the freeway, these are unbearably loud. Build Quality: Externally, it seems to be well constructed. The unit itself does not feel heavy. When fit into the mounting clamp it will make a tiny click to secure and I have no doubts that it will stay firmly in place even at high speeds. I haven't ridden with it in bad weather, but do note that this unit is not waterproof nor is it marketed as, it is only water-resistant. If you do get caught in a downpour you should immediately stop and take it off versus riding through and risking damage to the sensitive electronics. (Do you expose your cellphone to heavy rains?) Issues: This is what lost 1 star for me. My FM Radio function was only able to really pick up a few radio stations clearly. (I live in a suburban area of LA County) Many of the radio stations that I am able to tune into via my car radio or alarm clock radio and hear fine is just static/silent on the Sena. I contacted Sena support and after about a week got the response that I may have a faulty weak antenna in my unit. I purchased from an Amazon seller who is an authorized reseller, which means you get the Two-Year factory warranty on the device and I am currently in the process of an RMA with Sena. I have also read other reviews about people receiving defective units be it DOA, FM reception or volume and this seems to point to a quality control issue that Sena didn't deal with prior to shipping these out. If you happen to be unlucky and do get an issue, you have the two year warranty to fall back on. **Update** 8/26/14 This is a message I received from Sena Support "After our careful investigation, we found the quality control of the earlier productions was not up to our standard. We took necessary actions to improve the quality control process and expect we will have a standard failure rates going forward. To make sure you do not receive another non-conforming unit as a replacement, we will send you a pre-tested replacement unit which is expected to be in stock in a couple of weeks. I will appreciate your patience on this matter. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us again anytime. Thanks for your understanding and sorry for your inconvenience again." **Update** 9/16/14 Received replacement unit. FM Radio works great! Changed rating from 4 to 5 stars. Review Conclusion: When you buy this unit, you're paying extra money for the new/improved functionalities that this bluetooth communicator provides. Which also means at times, being willing to rough through bleeding edge firmware updates and technicalities. You are not paying extra for a super premium product that is supposed to be the most user friendly or hardy. If you just need bluetooth audio to listen to music or to communicate riding two-up, I would look for the cheaper Sena unit that can provide those functionalities with a smaller price tag. If your an adventure/touring rider that wants to ride through rain/dust (Though I would argue you really shouldn't have additional distractions motorcycling through hazardous weather), I would look to the marketed as waterproof/dustproof units that Cardo Scala Rider provides. (I have heard some models aren't fully waterproof either) If you need audio-multi tasking or a good multi-group intercom communicator, or are wanting to be an early adopter of new technology then you should shell out some more $$ for the 20S. The main reason why I wanted to write a review is that I have found this unit has been getting a lot bad smack from people who are simply unaware of what they are spending their money on. The fact that there is that 2 year warranty with authorized resellers should quell most fears. Overall the Sena 20S is really good at what it is suppose to do and I would highly recommend it if it fits your needs.