Freedconn TCOM-SC Bluetooth Headset/Intercom vs. Sena SMH-10 STN:021

Testing out a new helmet bluetooth system from FreedConn! This system is 1/3 the cost of a Sena SMH-10 but does it meet the sound and performance standards that Sena has set? In this episode I'm going to see how the TCOM-SC stacks up against the gold standard in helmet audio!
Freedconn TCOM-SC BT Headset/Intercom - amzn.to/2NwwMHd
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[@1337ekssijaN]

How the hell am I watching bald Nicolas Cage?

[@StormtrooperRides]

haha yeah i get that a lot PilotHorizon...i dont see it but clearly others do! Thanks for stopping by!

[@OnyxMediaStudio]

A combination of The Rock and Nicolas Cage, maybe? :D Great review, thanks!

[@redfox4024]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[@PotatoRiderPH]

The heck. This made my day

[@st4849]

I literally just opened the comment section to say he looks like N.C. :)

[@noyopacific]

I've been reading and watching a lot of these reviews of generic helmet intercoms and this is definitely one of the better ones. Thanks StormtrooperNinja !

[@ChrisDeger]

cool review, i was on the fence about this system glad I found your review

[@HassanAnge]

You convinced me and I just ordered a dual pack feom Amazon ;) Great review man, thanks 👍🏼

[@StormtrooperRides]

Nice! And thank you !

[@brad6779]

I have a Sena Prism Tube camera. It went bad after a year (would stop recording after 15 seconds). They replaced it under warranty after emailing back and forth a few times. Great product and great customer support. Can't speak to the quality of their Bluetooth unit but I just ordered the freedconn because of the price

[@lancecorc2527]

Got mine in today and took it for a first ride and it was amazing! Can't wait for more rides with it! Volume gets plenty loud. Even riding at 60 mph I was only needing to use barely over 1/2 volume. Great product so far

[@grossi46]

Which one did you get buddy ?

[@supermick83]

Have freedconn for years now and love it. Never had an issue even though I have left it sitting at one stage for near on a year without using it and it started up perfectly. I highly recommend them.

[@veltruski]

How long does the battery last and can you charge it while using it on a helmet?

[@supermick83]

@@veltruskiThinking about it I don't think you can as the headphones/mic socket and charge socket are the same thing. I've ridden all day without it dying whilst listening to music so good battery life. I charge it each evening so never tried it for longer.

[@stanleyknife1967]

Great review. Good to have alternatives especially if better value.

[@StormtrooperRides]

Thanks Randemonium! So far its performed perfectly and I have no complaints. I've ridden with it now several times and works like a champ! Thanks for the comment and stopping by!

[@heritage_cowboy6568]

We've had ours for years now with no problems. Has great sound.

[@motoridez7394]

can you pair it with a Sena user?

[@david8185]

just ordered one. thanks man

[@barrywebber100]

Thanks for the balanced and fair review of the FreedConn budget system. I have just bought the FreedConn T-Max Pro and hope it works as well as your purchase. Sorry to hear of your disappointing customer support experience with the market leading Sena company.

[@nz540im3]

Great video. I’ll for sure be getting either this or the freedconn tmax. Only thing you didn’t quite make clear. Is yes this one can pair 3 devices. But you can only intercom between two of the devices at once. You have to switch channels to speak to the 3rd device. The tmax for $20 more is a 4 rider simultaneous intercom group.

[@colindeans5972]

Glad I watched this, very helpful, thank you.

[@StormtrooperRides]

You are quite welcome!

[@kee7678]

@@StormtrooperRides I was just this minute...getting ready to buy the Cardo Bold (duo for me and my buddy) and I saw on KZbin something about the Cardo Black ??? Reading the comments I"m seeing it's not been very updated in 5 yrs....then I saw YOUR video here right now. What the heck? Are you still liking your Freedcon unit? Any suggestions for me????

[@joelsloper530]

Still working good I'm thinking of buying one

[@francinemoreau9597]

Very good presentation .. congrats

[@ryansimpson8564]

Good review!

[@ericscavincky]

Just bought these and love them!! Btw, you could literally be a Nicolas cage stunt double in the next Ghostrider lol. Great vids man thanks!!!

[@ralpht1965]

One of the most useful videos of this Bluetooth yet. Thanks. What's the battery life been like for you? What's your opinion on using it for long tour rides?

[@StormtrooperRides]

Battery has been good and really depends on what you're doing with the device. If intercom only...lasts forever (all day) but when you introduce the bluetooth music and have that going and intercom 3,4-6 hours IMO...just depends on weather, heat/cold, and how often you're putting sound through the device. Its very comparable to the Sena in my opinion.

[@bakeredwards]

I have a freedconn VB, works great, I see they do one with built-in camera now called the R1.

[@PhilipLanderloos]

Bought one too a few weeks ago, works perfectly indeed. Thx. Nic :-) for this top review.

[@kee7678]

How is it working now?

[@PhilipLanderloos]

@@kee7678 perfect, no problems.

[@kee7678]

@@PhilipLanderloos do you have voice control? I'm looking at the Cardo BOLD, and saw this ...

[@PhilipLanderloos]

@@kee7678 don't know what you mean.

[@kee7678]

@@PhilipLanderloos Voice control. can you listen to music, answer calls etc but saying "volume up, next song, hang up" etc etc.

[@kurohyou69]

Awesome review of something other than the mainstream Sena, and perfect timing! I have been debating for the longest time on getting a Sena. Let's just say, I'm not debating anymore!

[@StormtrooperRides]

Yah Kurohyou69 I have regrets on buying the Sena. I dont think I would have if Sena would had made any effort to make it right for me so their inaction told me a lot about their company and philosophy. So far I have ridden with the Freedconn a few times and its performed as I expected. I will point out one thing however. I cannot record video for any of my "motovlog" style videos while operating the Freedconn, there is some kind of interference between it an my GoPro which squelches in the audio. I dont think this would have an impact on most people but I thought I'd mention it in case any of you plan to do some motovlogging with the device running. This was not a problem when I had the Sena. Its not a dealbreaker for me but I want to disclose it for anyone considering this device. I'm guessing its the FM radio function that is creating this issue... Thanks for the comment!!

[@Jmpaul26]

Nice to see the recording of conversation, I wish it were done while you were operating your motorcycle? I'm wondering how well you hear others and they hear you while you're on the highway.

[@StormtrooperRides]

yes, I agree and perhaps I can do that in a future update video. I dont use it for its phone functionality much...actually ever..and for me its a way to listen to some music while I'm on the road. Once you get over 60-70Mph you cannot hear any of these headsets very well in my experience so I dont think it performs worse than others in that regard. I think for the most part if you want to be able to hear at high speeds you should consider a quiet helmet as the wind noise is tough to overcome for me. But for my basic riding around town it works great and I would think that the phone function will work just as well though I have not really tested it. Thanks for the feedback I'll note that down as something to do in an upcoming video. Thanks for stopping by!

[@discobiscuit6849]

Same thing happened to me with my Sena, didn't last long at all and cost a fortune. The TCom has been more reliable for sure, sound quality is tinny but this can be tweaked by setting your graphic equaliser to custom and EQing the sound yourself. Sorted

[@mediconavarro]

Thank you for your insight the same happend to me with the UCLEAR HBC200 D a waste of money

[@jeremyfabrespizarro9119]

Hi! Can you pairing both intercoms while you listen to music? Tnks!!

[@grossi46]

Great video buddy. I basically want a Bluetooth headset just for listening to my sat nav and the occasional music and was thinking of a sena but concerned that they are not waterproof 🤔. Would you recommend the freedconn model for my needs ?

[@TDH8988]

Great info!

[@alexwhite5724]

Mine is sena 10 worked for 7 years now and still going

[@thedreadedwhitenoise8743]

Good info. Thanks

[@KickAssets]

Would you still recommend it? I was thinking of the V6Pro as it has a mic jac....what type of port does the mic/speaker plug into and is it possible to buy $1 mics/headsets to plug into it?

[@BomberCraft21]

Thanks!!

[@frankofrank6152]

THANKS A LOT FOR UPLOADING THIS VIDEO… I DID NOT WANTED TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON A HELMET SET AND THIS IS FOR ME GOOD AND EVEN IF IT BRAKES IS ONLY 60 dollars… Thank you Thank you for this video

[@Rggmiranda]

Hey, did you test the multitasking function? I want to listen to music while talking with my passenger, and that the music lowers its volume when we talk.

[@njdoughboy]

you could make a whole channel for videos like this...comparing reasonably priced stuff compared to name brand OVERPRICED stuff....thank you. I do wish you stuck to the 650 for us poor people though :-}

[@StormtrooperRides]

Njdoughboy, yeah I apologize but I will always include things on this channel that represent a good value to me and you. I'm always on the lookout for parts and accessories that will save money and I can't stand things that are just way over-priced just because of reputation. I've discovered lots of that since I've resumed riding again and hopefully that comes out in my videos. I really appreciate the feedback and thank you for the comment. I'll do my best to include more content like that and keep you in mind! Thanks for stopping by!

[@MrArno1998]

Can you connect to an other brand of intercom with the freeconn?

[@chefmike8888]

Hey Storm, bit off topic here but which HJC helmet is that?

[@cprn.]

The "cheap feeling" of the plastic you're referring to is precisely the cheap visual tricks that some companies use to convince you their product will endure more abuse. It won't. It's just few cents on a unit difference of slightly better pigment or painting the entire part glossy. Plastic that looks rough and/or matte generally won't perform worse and often can perform better because it wasn't diluted with "more black" or etched with acid.

[@nickfifield1]

Hi, how do you switch between phone satnav voice instructions AND comms to a friend ?

[@ChelseaJadeC]

Does this device have a capability where someone else can wear one and you can communicate directly with them?

[@maxsaurio]

There is any way to know if the other rider wants to talk with you via intercom when you are on phone Bluetooth mode ? Thanks for the video

[@badassbmonkey]

Hey buddy, do you know if you can connect a sena smh10r with a Freedconn tcom vb? Having trouble finding anything on the internet! Many thanks.

[@TruckinRobbie]

How do these both hold up in winter? Are there ones that can handle the temperature and moisture?

[@SJMudTurtleCruises]

Good video!! I have a cheap Bluetooth system as well, just couldn't fathom spending a lot of money on a sena would rather spend the money on the bike...lol... but the system I bought does what I need it to do. Now with that said I am interested in see the Sena momentum Pro helmet which is the one with the sena system and camera integrated into the helmet. If it is good I might consider that but I want to wait for a while after it comes out until if it has any quirks they get worked out!

[@StormtrooperRides]

Yeah seems like that would be a great idea so I'd be interested in seeing results if you pick one up! Its a little to early to tell if this Freedconn device is going to hold up over the long term but I'm already wishing I had that $150+ back from the Sena. That could go to my exhaust fund!

[@alexventrov6826]

Have one of these and I love it , for the price it's absolutely incredible, no way am spending money on overpriced nonsense like sena. And regarding build quality ... well if it breaks it's cheap as hell to replace. Had mine for 3 months and no issues with it.

[@StormtrooperRides]

Yeah Alex I think its a good value and I just cant see spending $150-200 on something that performs just as well for $50! I think Sena has a good product but way over-priced in my opinion for what it does. Thank you for the feedback!

[@robertinferno7862]

I have the first version from Freedconn, I use it about 7 years, way better than Sena! Better sound, better battery, better range. Quallity very good, never had a problem.

[@aaronking1750]

The thing that annoys me is I can't connect to other riders who have Sena's. But I purchased one of these. Works great for personal riding

[@anonymouscommenter801]

Had mine for about 8 or 9 months and got to say its quality. I ride my bike for about 4 hours listening to music on highway and it doesnt die.

[@digix205]

can u hear people on a phone call at high speed, about 60mph+ ? is it loud enough to overcome the bike noise, wind etc.. ?

[@anonymouscommenter801]

@@digix205 Not the greatest. I don't know why I put such a great review. I now just put a bluetooth earbud in one ear and a earplug in the other. I wouldn't recommend talking on the phone while motorcycling.

[@digix205]

@@anonymouscommenter801 Thanks. Seems like there reviews dont give that info.. I checked many models reviews and no one talks about the loudness while riding.

[@JosephMyLife]

Nice video quality, I have been using it with my friends and it works great rider to rider, It's just hard to get connected to eachother...

[@stridermotovlog5618]

Nice seeing u here 😂

[@dave9545]

Do you know if it connects to sena ?

[@danaquino7915]

I recently bought a cheap, basic BT headset from China. It didn't have the "communicator" feature rather just music and phone calls. The connection was really bad though -- the audio was really chappy and I kept getting disconnected from my phone. Did you get any of these symptoms with the Freedconn? Thanks and ride safe! -- and yes, you do look like NIcholas Cage. LOL

[@klunk64]

does the Freedconn have a pause play and stop for the mp3 player

[@chevy15rs11]

The Tcom when looking on Amazon one has a screen and another one has 2 buttons which one is the better of the two?! I am looking at ordering one and dnt know which one is the better or newer of the tcom

[@CesarMartinez-vm4zb]

friend which one do you recommend of the parani m10 bom or the freedconn sc

[@guiovandejesus5534]

I.wanna.know what how is the name of that helmant the first one that you show in the video

[@667Luka]

Does it allow to listen music from your phone and talk with other connected rider?

[@MrJmduffy]

How is it still working months later

[@sheldonjschaffer]

Do you have to use the bigger microphone?

[@maxjoey197]

Hello I know you did this video a while back I have a question is it working fine today do you still have the unit and are you happy

[@Jandejongjong]

Jog button side is realy nice.

[@k.zekeswaringen2122]

Agreed, Sena is over-priced ; Iv'e had a BTI V6 1200 for a few years & it does a great job for the price. It's good to see competition - perhaps when Sena's profits go down --they may get reasonable on their overpriced stuff...Good review !

[@Crunk0091]

How does it sound while riding, can the other person hear wind?

[@vendetta1306]

Much obliged

[@suamimithali1523]

hey, does it has a anti radiation features? and safe for long term use for brain and ear?

[@christopherpeterman1075]

I snowmobile, do you think this would hold up to the cold?

[@MicMurphy1981]

Thank you brother for the video brother. Is that music as loud on the road at high speeds and while riding is the call still clear?

[@StormtrooperRides]

its clear however wind noise is disruptive and makes it considerably less clear than say under 40mph. But that said, it sounds fine to me and you can definitely hear the audio over the wind. YMMV depending on what helmet you're running. Take care and thank you for the comment!

[@MicMurphy1981]

@@StormtrooperRides Iam running a Scorpion EXO R710 and it has speaker pockets.

[@IAmYourReflection]

@@StormtrooperRides so ur still using the freedconn unit?

[@Paul-cc5rp]

Great video. Been considering purchasing this unit but I mostly want it for the purpose of pairing it with my Garmin ZumoXT. Can you, or your followers speak to the viability of this? Thank you in advance.

[@Anteino]

Will the Freedconn automatically pause or mute music you're playing from your phone while you're transmitting/receiving over intercom?

[@occasionalvillain7676]

I know you posted this a year ago but I was wondering if you got the answer somewhere else, I need one that I can use with a sat nav and talk to my passenger at the same time so I don’t miss what the sat nav is telling me ( I hope you understand what I’m trying to say)

[@butteredbiskit3497]

can you use Google assistant from your phone?

[@sukruthnagaraj6188]

@StormtrooperNinja: how is the unit working now, after 6 months of use? Your input will help me decide on buying it ... tyia :)

[@dannyal2023]

I wish he responded 2 that i am thinking about it 2

[@alexventrov6826]

@@dannyal2023 I have this unit for over a year now even got caught in rain once. Not a single issue yet.

[@Damurmurzz]

Sorry to comment twice but it didnt say in video I was just wondering, is it voice activated? "Call Mom!" ? Thanks

[@StormtrooperRides]

murmur you can activate Siri using the phone button (holding it down for a couple seconds) but I’ve not tested with google assistant...but assume it works the same. The headset itself doesn’t have voice commands though if that is what you’re asking.

[@paulwanless4102]

Bought one a couple of weeks ago.Works well other than radio reception but im not too bothered about that .So .....a thumbs up from me.

[@roadwarrior8560]

how do you get it to play radio?

[@paulwanless4102]

See bellow as i sent reply to wrong person.Lets know if ok.

[@paulwanless4102]

Double press mfb(wheel)if you need a copy of manual [e-mail] I will send photos.

[@eddievanaxel5317]

How'd it hold up over time ?

[@helder.antunes]

Hi there, I am seing this video two and half years after it has been published because I am thinking of buying a pair of these intercoms. I have still not decided, however, between the Freedconn TCOM and the Mornystar M6. I would like to ask you if this TCOM is able to acesso to google assistant or Bixby (or Siri). This will definitely be a plus for me when riding alone. By the way, congratulations for the explanation you made here. It is 5* Thank you in advance for your support. Stay well and keep safe. ;) greetings from Portugal

[@harithhazim407]

Can it connect to about 6 people while riding?

[@justinlyons5159]

What do the speakers look like just ear buds or what

[@azharqureshi7488]

Can you show us how to put fog light please

[@Damurmurzz]

Very helpful review, i subscribed and hope to see some more content bald Nicholas cage.

[@StormtrooperRides]

You just made a cola come out my nose that made me laugh so hard LOL! Thank you for making my day! And also thanks for the comment and subscribing! More content definitely on the way!

[@joshuatheiss9952]

Its pretty big. Specially for such small of a place. No pun intended

[@joshuatheiss9952]

Where did you put the mic?

[@hugoandresblaciorogel5826]

tcom-sc , a question, can 4 devices be linked?

[@roadwarrior8560]

Does it have radio? and is the radio easy to use/access?

[@dave9545]

Does this item connects to a sena 10s ?

[@freefree2021]

So you didn't even ride with it on and test it?

[@YT1344]

Full volume is needed when you use earplugs and highway cruising. Does it have all the functionality (especially riders communication) while recharging (Needed for long trips and using external battery)?!

[@anarchistantichrist6349]

YT1344 why would you use ear plugs? Just get a non shitty helmet

[@dexterhoffmann2003]

Hi, will there be an issue with the mic placing if im using a full face helmet and not a modular?

[@karyhuang2371]

You can take the item with soft corded microphone.

[@hctesch]

what is battery life for full video recording

[@metricOIL]

Wondering how the lcd will work... I mean.. its on your head.

[@Coughlan1916]

Doesn’t look like these can be connected to another manufacturers intercom?

[@kings17court]

I have one of these Freedconn intercom systems that I use to ride with my son. Aside from wishing that they were a little louder, they work great for us. Sometimes I'm on the side of the track watching him ride, and I have to put on the whole helmet to maintain communication with him. Does anybody know if they sell a compatible headset that you could use in that situation, where you could use it, instead of having to put on your whole helmet? It's just not practical when it's hot.

[@prouserprouser9646]

Why not retro fit it into a pair of over ear defenders?

[@bikersquest]

I have a Sena 20S and the cheaper TCOM with no screen and to be honest it's been just as good for my needs I don't think I can justify the price of premium brand ones now....

[@martinliptak1436]

I had Freedconn and now I have Cardo Pactalk Slim…the difference is night and day. Speakers in Freedconn are total shit, JBL in Cardo are a dream. Calling through Freedconn is pain in the ass, you cant hear them, they cant hear you properly…Cardo? I cant even hear that my brother is on the motorbike when we call and he uses Cardo. Next thing is group intercom. Freedconn can connect 2 riders, cardo up to 15 in mesh I think. I know, that you usually dont ride in 15, but when you are 4 friends, you cant use Freedconn. I bought freedconn for 50€, Cardo for 200€, but its worth it in my opinion. Maybe if you want to use your intercom only in pair and only for some music and such, buy Freedconn, if you want to have more connection and generally better device, buy Cardo. I never owned Sena, can’t judge.

[@ImZene]

Can u pair freedcon with another brand?

[@MarcoSchiavottiello]

Hi , Could I ask if iam listening to my music on the phone , an my pillion passenger is talking to me throug the intercomm function , would it switch to listen to him automatically or do i need to switch the function with my hands while i am driving to hear him?

[@ActivityPhoto]

None of these units have voice operated intercom, regardless of costs. One of the two units has to start the intercom function by pressing a button.

[@JimmyBackbeat]

Hello. I've got a few questions for you. Do you ride with earplugs? Do you ride behind a windshield? At what speed do you lose the ability to use the headset? I've got a Chinese headset from the higher price range (v8 intercom) but lose it at 80km/h I ride a cruser bike without windscreen and have loud pipes. I always use earplugs.

[@StormtrooperRides]

1. I've never ridden with earplugs...though I probably should and I've been meaning to try doing that. Any recommendations? 2. I do have a windscreen but I do not think it prevents much wind noise to the ear as my head is generally in the wind. 3. I can hear my music comfortably enough up to 60-70mph and after that its more just added noise. I think that translates to roughly 90-95km/h. BUT I also do not wear earplugs so that is probably why. Thanks for the questions and for stopping by!

[@noway4758]

Are you still using the system 2 years later? Im late to the party.

[@2169scs]

Thanks

[@StormtrooperRides]

very welcome! Thank you for watching!

[@SultanBhaii]

hey bro! may i know what is the type of usb used by this intercom

[@StormtrooperRides]

micro-usb

[@betogalindo9027]

I have the freedconn (1st version, no display) and it´s just awesome. found it on amazon 2 years ago , 2pack bundle for 60 something dls. no way I´m paying 150 or more on bluetotth. can pair with other 2. Calls are good, music sounds good, and very durable. my last trip was 2 hrs long and it lasted playing music non stop. 100% recommended.

[@mrroshi7206]

Has it held up over time?

[@betogalindo9027]

@@mrroshi7206 still using it after 3 years, works as new.

[@mrroshi7206]

@@betogalindo9027 i might have to get one. Do you have a European Amazon link for it?

[@mrroshi7206]

@@betogalindo9027 actually nvm i found it

[@tyomaz]

Can You pair Sena with TCOM? Some of my friends have 10C PRO and Im curious if Im able to connect TCOm to Sena.

[@MotorDanko]

You can pair the TCOM with a LOT of chinesse alternatives... sadly Sena and some "top-tier" brands use their own protocols witch is stupid.. you can be sure that you will have more compatibility with more riders with this than with the Sena... as a lot of riders, including me, are picking up this cheapo but good quality intercoms.

[@ActivityPhoto]

@@MotorDanko Some of the Sena models have what they call "universal pairing" which could be used to pair to non Sena units. I have a cheap BT-S2 device and have paired to a Sena for intercom. It worked fine, but the Sena user had to start and stop the com function as there was no way to do from my unit

[@aaleix10]

Is the freeconn able to connect to another brand of intercom? like sena, cardo etc..?

[@ActivityPhoto]

Some of the Sena models have what they call "universal pairing" which could be used to pair to non Sena units. I have a cheap BT-S2 device and have paired to a Sena for intercom. It worked fine, but the Sena user had to start and stop the com function as there was no way to do from my unit

[@jkxxfmw8790]

Yes, I have a sena -20s-evo, but I don't feel the value of it! Thanks!!

[@StormtrooperRides]

yeah they seem really over-priced for what you're getting. There are many capable alternatives for much less $$. I have the SMH-10 and while a good unit does not represent the same value I'm finding in the Freedconn.