Sena’s 50S communicators have been on the market a while, but they’re about to get a big upgrade, with new Harman Kardon speaker sets available, with better sound. And, Sena has also updated the microphone and even improved the programming behind the scenes on the updated models.
The 50S was Sena’s next-generation commset when it came out in 2020, with mesh technology that made for better rider-to-rider connections, and allowed multiple riders to tune in (previous Bluetooth systems were extremely limited in the number of riders allowed to connect). Since then, Sena has offered its own set of “HD” speakers to improve the sound quality and volume, but with competitors (particularly Cardo) bringing out louder, better-sounding units, Sena is now upping its own game.
That means we get the new speakers from respected audio equipment manufacturers at Harman Kardon, and a new mic as well. The video above, shot in collaboration with an influencer, gives you an overview.
Of course the marketeers are going to say nice things about the new equipment, but it’s worth noting that Sena didn’t just upgrade the hardware. The algorithms in the supporting software are also updated, which should theoretically make for clearer conversations at highway speed, with less interference from wind noise. Sena says “The 50S offers an all-new experience of Riding Connected, now with Sound by Harman Kardon. The 50S features Sena’s Mesh Intercom™ which brings significant advancements to motorcycle communication.
With significant technical enhancements made to the original Sena Mesh Intercom™ algorithm, Sena’s 50S units actively share information between each other within the Mesh network at an astounding rate. An ingenious system of prompts and responses between the Mesh units has resulted in 80% more data being transferred across challenging and harsh conditions. Furthermore, Mesh units quickly determine the ideal pathway to efficiently transmit messages from rider to rider.”
An all-round set of good upgrades for 2022 then. You can find more information and pricing ($359 US for a single unit, $639 US for a set of two) at Sena’s website. If you want CAD pricing, best talk to your local dealer and find out when they’re bringing these in.
