I just bought a new 2016 with the built-in radio. The sound quality isn't bad through the speakers, but when I use the bluetooth connection, the sound quality is crappy. Scratchy, uber treble, no bass. When I listen to music from my phone, the sound quality (Scala G9) is excellent. Any others with the same complaint?
Yes. Worst source is satellite, others are pretty good. iPod is really good plugged into bike and Bluetooth Sena 10 to bike. I use klipsch in ear buds.
Ditto on the satellite sound quality - awful! Which is too bad because sometimes I prefer talk (NPR, etc) over music. But then, again, always thought the price charged for Sirius XM was excessive, particularly because you couldn't get a 6 month subscription and they wanted to charge me $15 to transfer it back and forth between vehicles.
Ditto on crappy BMW BT, I use the BMW helmet as well, and the BMW Comms, and it's so rubbish, it's hardly worth listening to, only have it on for sat nav directions.
iPhone with BMW expensive wire is plain rubbish, even when on aux connection.
Guys I hear your pain, I've been complaining about the BT quality inside the helmet since I installed it. I too have the BMW Comm with a Schubert helmet, the most horrible sound I've ever put to my ears. Like someone said earlier, it's just about not worth listening to the helmet comm. also correct is why is BMW still using 2.0 when everyone else has moved to 4.0, I don't understand after all the money you put out for comm system and you're not getting the quality for the price.
Could it also be that the helmet speakers are poor quality? I've thought about changing these to better quality helmet speakers such as Iasus X2s. Anyone done that with better results?
Tons of comments and instructive suggestions on the subject in prior discussions, if you were to do a search!
In the meantime, from my recollection, if you get into the audio settings and lower the bass and treble settings to minimum, you should find that the BT audio will be a lot better! For full details, you will need to search for a thread that was started when the '14 RT came out!
From prior experience...turn your treble and bass down to minus 6 and start from there. Doubt you'll need to increase levels much. See if that doesn't make it at least acceptable.
I found that the people that complain most about audio quality don't use hearing protection. If you don't use hearing protection buy -33db foam plugs insert them properly in your ear canal and you will be surprised by the increase in audio quality. It seems counterintuitive but it works wonders.
Thanks for your input guys, to hit back on a few of your comments, I never ride without ear plugs. Even when the music is through the helmet. I tried better speakers inside the helmet as well, as that didn't work because once again the speakers were of a better quality like 4.0 and wouldn't work with the BMW system. I'll try repositioning the speakers again or add enough padding to where the speakers are against my ears. Thanks again guys, still listening to your comments.
I've had my BMW helmet for close to 2 years the first time the dealer connected it to the 2013 BMW then when I sold it they connected it to the 2014 BMW RT.
Each time they paid it with the BMW navigator first and then the bike and the sound quality from my iPhone was just awful when music was played on bearable on the spoken word. Since then I've tried various combinations and never been happy with the sound quality in the helmet.
Today after reading this post I deleted all the bearings on the helmet and paired it directly with my iPhone (Before it would only connect as a telephone) and now it can act as a music device and the telephone.
I have also using double sided Velcro repositioned the speakers so they give the best possible sound and they are closer to my ears by layering up Velcro, which as we know can be undone.
The sound quality is so much better that I've been listening to both classical and rock music and the sound is been brilliant.
I know that the Bluetooth connection in the helmet can only be paired with one device and I suspect that the poor sound quality has always been because I paired the helmet to the navigator and then the navigator to my iPhone and this is where the poor sound quality has come from.
I'm sure that when I go back out to the bike and re-pair The navigator probably won't like it second-best position but we'll see.
The downside is that I've got so used to not listening to music it will be quite different to have music an at all, and I'll bet the Rotary wheel Will have no effect on the volume playback any more, but at least I know the helmet speakers can produce good quality audio sound for music
I had a discussion with one of the Sena engineers that was attending Billings. He didn't hesitate one second when he cited the BMW BT2.0 interface as the problem. Says it doesn't play well with Sena BT 3.0.
I found my BMW BT headset had the speakers too far from my ears for good sound. Had to run the volume almost at max and it distorted. I took and spaced them closer by placing patches of velcro bad to back between the speakers and the attachment velcro. I now run the volume at a little over half and have much reduced wind noise.
I was so underwhelmed with the sound quality of the BMW Comm System in a Schuberth C3 Pro helmet that I took it out (actually MAX BMW was kind enough to do it for me gratis) and tested a Sena 20S. (Here: Sena 20S Motorcycle Bluetooth Communication System Review | Rider Magazine ) As you'll see, I greatly prefer the 20S.
If you are concerned with sound quality, one great advantage with the 20S is it allows you to plug in a set of earbuds. All audio signals arrive to the 20S headset control via Bluetooth and I use the audio out jack on the 20S for Klipsch earbuds. The earbud cable tucks neatly into my jacket. I wear earplugs when I ride and my Klipsch earbuds are sound attenuating so they serve the same purpose as earbuds in addition to providing great quality sound. When I don't feel like tunes because I'm in traffic or just want to listen to the bike, the Klipsch earbuds are as effective as typical foam earplugs.
I put a 32gig thumb drive in the RT's USB port which gives me months and months worth of no-repeat music, requires no battery or charging, allows Wonder Wheel control (except volume...that's on the 20S headset and allows finer adjustment than the BMW Comm System and Wonder Wheel), and allows me to keep my phone conveniently on my person instead of stuffed into the small fairing pocket.
The 20S helmet speakers are installed in my helmet and on occasion (short rides) I use them instead of earbuds. They sound much better than the BMW Comm System speakers, too. One advantage of earbuds, though, is their drivers consume less power than the helmet speakers; they are smaller and the volume level required is much lower. The 20S goes a lot longer before needing to be recharged when using earbuds. I've done a few 500+ mile/12+ hour days with the unit powered up and battery level still reports as HIGH when using earbuds.
I tested the helmet speakers (while wearing earplugs) on a couple 500+ mile days and the 20S battery was completely discharged in under 8 hours. The helmet speakers are bigger than the earbuds and when used with earplugs the volume level has to be cranked up high, practically all the way. Since that test, I have stayed with earbuds which sound much better and are no more effort to put in than earplugs.
Especially given the expense, the BMW Comm System was a disappointment because of its poor sound quality. The Sena 20S was a major improvement, for me.
Can anyone speak to Sena 10R for audio quality for music/voice coming out of iPhone? Santa brought me a 10R but I haven't decided if I should exchange or use it. I use 29db 3M or 33db HL plugs in an RF-1200. Here is one that looks like a potential ultimate solution coming from Sena in '17:
I'm guessing it's going to be awesome, and likely illegal in a few states.
Here's another promising piece however we learned while it works wonderfully w/ iPhone unfortunately their engineer says it may not pair well w/ Garmin Zumo (?!)
Hi NoelCP. I have a Sena SMH 10 with Klipsch in-ear buds (I much prefer the buds for sound quality and ambient noise reduction). It works great and sound quality is great when connected directly via Bluetooth to my iPod while riding my other bikes that have no audio system (I just keep the iPod in my jacket pocket). When I put the '14 RTW into the loop (iPod plugged into the bike and Sena SMH 10 connected via Bluetooth to BMW audio system Bluetooth) the sound is still quite good from iPod, but usually poor from satellite and FM (it varies a bit for some reason on the satellite and FM, but never as good as iPod). I always carry my android phone too, but don't use it for music in order to preserve battery. The Sena SMH 10 is always paired to my Android phone too, but never via the BMW Bluetooth. Phone calls are consistently good. Intercom to other bikes is consistently good too.
So while I use SMH10 instead of 10R, and iPod instead of iPhone, I find the variable that makes things worse is the BMW Bluetooth. Ymmv.
I'm aiming at special ordering a new RT w/o blue tooth and w/o the audio system. I decided to give the 10R a try today so installed everything into my RF1200 and was pleasantly surprised how good it really was for music from iPhone, and Google Maps for nav prompts. I have a noisy bike now w/ poor wind control and my helmet isn't very quiet, but truly the sound quality was way better than anticipated, so I think I'm good to go now. I used 33db HL foam plugs too! I won't be taking calls nor do I need the intercom feature yet so didn't install the boom mic yet.
Do BMW cars have the same problems? If the Alpine unit fitted to our bikes is anything like that fitted to cars, could it be that a higher Bluetooth version transmitter be fitted?
I don't think this is an equivalent comparison. The radio in the BMW is hardwired to the speakers and does not send an audio output via Bluetooth. Bluetooth is utilized for hands-free phone calls from cell to speaker. IPhone or iPod music connection to the car' s audio system is via dongle.
I've worked out a process which costs very little, using a Sena SMH10, that gives awesome audio quality and full connectivity to iPhone 6 and Nav V. Using an SM10 as a line out, go away from the BMW BT, unless you have a BMW helmet.
The Bluetooth 2 in BMW's fancy audio system has very limited bandwidth specs that limits music fidelity. BT 2 is fine for intercoms and phone calls through handsfree earpieces that it was designed for. The Sena 20S has BT 4 and is compatible but it's limited by the BMW's BT 2.
I know this an old thread, but I just wanted to thank Motodan for his suggestion to go to audio settings and turn down both treble and bass -6. It helped a lot. It’s still not terrific but it is a big improvement. I also bought a new helmet- Shoei Neotec. That made an incredible difference. As others has pointed out, best audio quality is when pair to phone. Marginal audio quality when paired to R1200RT system with Sirius.
Your absolute best audio quality comes from the use of an audio bridge (I installed a Motochello) hooked directly into the BMW Alpine unit. I then plug my in-ear monitors into the Motochello audio jack. The difference in audio quality is incredible and I only have the volume set on 1 bar. It's an easy install if you're interested in truly high quality audio:
Could you mount the BT TX in the right compartment and use the USB connection there to maintain a charge on the BT TX? The charging cable is USB to mini USB.
USB outlets provides 5 VDC as the standard voltage output. The one in the front compartment of the RT has a current output limitation to 800 mA (0.8 amp). That should be enough to keep a small Bluetooth transmitter alive! OTOH, you need to check that the transmitter will continue to transmit while hooked up to power.
Quite correct -- amperage is the factor, not voltage. My RT's USB hardly maintains charge of my iPhone if it's running traffic app for Nav (although it probably needs more amps than a BT transmitter), so I installed a separate 3.1 amp charger for it.
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