Marriage Savers...

The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
I'm using a set of the older Eartecs that the prior owner left on the boat.
 
toocoys said:
Are those radio or bluetooth?
Click to expand...

They're the radio type, with separate battery pack. I'll replace them with the bluetooth versions if/when they fail.
 
toocoys said:
What happened to Marriage Savers headsets? And what are all of you using now instead?
Click to expand...

Eartec is still around, AFAIK.

We've been using Sena SPH10s, and they've worked well for us. Haven't bothered with syncing to phones or music or any thing else...

Can't say whether the Senas (Bluetooth) are any better than Eartecs (radio, I think), or not, although I'd guess the latter won't sync to phones or music or anything else.

Might be useful to think about whether you want the headset to fit over the top of your head or around the back of your neck.

We just used ear things with our cell phones for a while. That was usually OK when we both have cell connectivity, at least for hearing, not as good for speaking. Before that, we used family radios... OK, except there's a time lag on the voice-activation circuitry; had to count to three (out loud) before the transmitter started. And these were simplex, too, so only one of us could talk at a time.

-Chris
 
Last edited:
We have a set of the "Marriage savers" but we hardly use them. They're quite susceptible to noise.


Ken
 
Have earteac and have used them weekly anchoring and moving around Mexico for the past three years. No noise problem with ours, I can talk to the fly bridge from the swim step or engine room while running my Dd6V92 motors.
 
Marriage Savers

ABfish said:
I'm using a set of the older Eartecs that the prior owner left on the boat.
Click to expand...

We have a neew set of Eartec Ultra lites. They work great with DECT technology, whatever that is.
 
We recently purchased the Eartec Ultralights. Pricey investment, but high quality commo, and no battery issues thus far. Admiral's only complaint is that they tend to slide when she bends her head - too much hair (definitely not my problem). We're going to put together a safety cord of some kind to make sure hers don't end up as a gift to Poseidon.
 
dhays said:
That looks pretty nice. It appears to be a weatherproof version of the Sena SPH10 headset. The button configuration looks like it might be a little more convenient than the SPH10. If my current Sena headsets die, that would be a great replacement.
Click to expand...

We love the expand...they work really well. One advantage to the older versions is that the mic boom is attached and not plugged into the headsets. Sometimes the booms that plug in with the 3.5mm "headphone" jack loosen up.
 
I have had the original Eartecs since 2010 and always had great success with them. When they suddenly started acting wonky after seven years of service I was interested in a self-contained headset with newer tech and thought the Senas would be the way to go based on my research. I ordered the "Expand 02's" as they were a newer release than the SPH10's. Obviously people have had good success with Sena so I'm not sure if I got a bum pair or if trying the Expands over the 10's was a mistake for our purposes but the level of interference we experienced made them unusable. Separately, as was my concern, the slight bluetooth delay was too annoying to tolerate for us when we were within earshot of each other with the headsets on as is the case for some moments when we are using them. That may not bother some but for us it will probably make any bluetooth setup a non-starter.

I was pleased to find that an inexpensive replacement headset from Eartec solved my initial issue. I am happy to hear that people like the Ultralites as now that my original headsets are acting up again I plan to give them a try. It will be nice to shed the belt pack. Thanks for the opinions!
 
Cruzer said:
Separately, as was my concern, the slight bluetooth delay was too annoying to tolerate for us when we were within earshot of each other with the headsets on as is the case for some moments when we are using them. That may not bother some but for us it will probably make any bluetooth setup a non-starter.
Click to expand...


Bluetooth delay?

-Chris
 
ranger42c said:
Bluetooth delay?
Click to expand...
There is a slight digital delay (milliseconds) that can occur with Bluetooth, not usually as bad but not dissimilar to the delay you may notice if you've ever been within earshot of someone you're talking to between cell phones. Some people I know who use the Senas and other Bluetooth headsets have mentioned it and it's certainly something that doesn't bother everyone I've spoken with that experience it.
 
Ah. Yes, I know what you mean, I think, now that you describe it. Only notice it when we're standing right next to each other with the headsets on and paired... when we can hear each other both around and through the headsets at the same time. But we don't do that often, anyway...

-Chris
 
My wife and I just took our first cruise on the boat that was longer than just a weekend, and we were ready to kill each other from screaming at each other as we were going through locks and anchoring out. I had with me two little Bluetooth ear pieces, I figured there had to be a way to get them to talk to each other without just calling each other, as some areas didn't really have good reception. I found this app called infinite intercom. I didn't have high hopes, but it works extremely well, with very little delay. Basically you just pair the ear piece to each phone. Then you turn on the hotspot on one phone, and connect the other phone to it. Then open up the app on each phone, and your talking. I really like it because we can use the small ear pieces and don't have to have a bulky headset.
 
I use the Sena SMH10D-10. I ordered this unmounted model because we needed circumaural headphones - I installed the Senas onto a pair of shooters earmuffs. Even after a lot of Sounddown was added to the engine compartment, when we are screaming along at 3000 RPM on the 315 HP Yanmar, long conversations can be hard on the vocal chords, and it is impossible for the admiral to carry on her near-constant phone communications with her family. With these on, conversation is actually clearer than sitting next t each other on our loveseat at home. I have mine paired to a Bluetooth transmitter I plugged into the external speaker of the VHF radio while she happily chatters away on her phone. With the roar of the diesel machinery and exhaust noise very muted, we arrive after a long passage less noise-stressed.
 
+1 for EarTec.
 
We purchased SENA SPH10 headsets in November 2016 and used them during a 3 month cruise in 2017. They were brilliant - then.

BUT, this year, we found the battery life was poor, giving maybe 20 minutes usable time. Poor battery power meant there was occasional sudden loud crackling, and range was reduced.

In wanting to renew batteries I found that a) no-one knows how to do this, and b) even if you did, no-one is able or wants to identify the replacements.

The cost of sending them back for a battery change is crazily high so we are looking for replacements which have batteries able to be changed by the user.

GBP
 
Last edited:
Greatpapabear, your experience is 180 from mine. The Senas can sit for months before we use them all day. I recharge them every few months if we have not used them. After a day's use, I leave them on charge overnight, and we are set for another few months on the shelf. Something is wrong with your charger or your battery, and I would send them back under warranty.
 
rgano said:
Greatpapabear, your experience is 180 from mine. The Senas can sit for months before we use them all day. I recharge them every few months if we have not used them. After a day's use, I leave them on charge overnight, and we are set for another few months on the shelf. Something is wrong with your charger or your battery, and I would send them back under warranty.
Click to expand...

Well, this gives me hope. The UK agent is trying to get replacement batteries from SENA for me to change. The battery number and type is an unknown so it's believed they are SENA specific.

If he's successful and if they resolve the problem, I'll certainly let you know.
 
What is wrong with just calling each other within the us? We are both sporting $800 smart phones which Bluetooth to nice headsets $30 which seems like a cost effective plan. I can’t pry my wife’s iPhone out of her hand so why not use it.
 
rgano said:
Greatpapabear, your experience is 180 from mine. The Senas can sit for months before we use them all day. I recharge them every few months if we have not used them. After a day's use, I leave them on charge overnight, and we are set for another few months on the shelf. Something is wrong with your charger or your battery, and I would send them back under warranty.
Click to expand...



That is our experience as well. Ours don’t get charged very often and they get used regularly.
 
boating rich said:
What is wrong with just calling each other within the us? We are both sporting $800 smart phones which Bluetooth to nice headsets $30 which seems like a cost effective plan. I can’t pry my wife’s iPhone out of her hand so why not use it.
Click to expand...


Well, nothing wrong with it. OTOH, do you want to risk dropping that $800 smart phone overboard?

We find that the bluetooth headsets, like the Sena, give great performance, and are simple to use. But nothing wrong with using your phones if it works well for you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Need shaft alignment
Replies
17
Views
1K
lwarden
lwarden
twistedtree
  • Locked
For Sale: SENA SPH-10 Headsets
Replies
8
Views
773
twistedtree
twistedtree
Sababa
Apple Vision Pro
Replies
3
Views
589
DDW
D
Knot Salted
Californian 34LRC SHAFT SAVER
Replies
9
Views
552
Datenight
Datenight
DavidM
Automated systems for cruising boats
Replies
4
Views
602
mvweebles
mvweebles

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom