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Domio Moto Helmet Audio: Can You Hear Me Now?

The Domio Sports Moto bluetooth music device.
Review Summery
The Domio Sports Moto lets you bring music with you on motorcycle rides in a straightforward way. Battery life is unbelievably long, it’s all-weather/shock resistant and it looks good too. It does what it’s designed to do but doesn’t excel when it comes to volume and clarity! It’s not loud or clear enough in many motorcycle helmets at highway speed, nor does it allow for stereophonic music enhancements, sadly. It should be loud enough for city riding in most helmets though. If Domio can solve this on future models, this could be a near-perfect musical companion to take on rides!
Aesthetics
Design & Innovation
Build Materials & Quality
Function-Based on Claims
User-Friendly
Sound Quality
Value for $$$
Reader Rating8 Votes
Pros
Strong build with easy-to-use controls
Can transfer in seconds to another helmet
Water- weather- and impact-resistant
Lightweight
Simple and reliable Bluetooth 5.0 pairing
Easier install than anything else on the market
Long battery life
1-year warranty
30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
Fairly expensive for just a music and GPS speaker
Volume (inside helmet) is slightly muffled and needs to go ⅓ to ½ higher for highway riding
Volume outside helmet is very loud and tinny sounding (irritates others around you)
No stereophonic effects with music
“Thudding” vibration from bass notes can be uncomfortable at times
Must be mounted carefully to get optimal sound
Hot weather mount retention issues potentially
Wear and tear on mounting tabs
3.4

WARNING

  • This product is subject to much controversy and consumer uproar due to the manufacturer’s poor communication and failure to reliabley deliver the product
  • Many people claim to have paid for the Domio but not receive it
  • We have asked Domio to connect with us to present their side of the story, but after an initial response they have gone radio silent
  • While we will leave the review of the product stand, we do not recommend you purchase this product at this time
  • Scroll down to the comments below to see dozens of very upset people

Review Video

My Shortest Review Ever

The Domio Moto.

Cameron Martel, my colleague, friend, and manager here at WBW likes to tease me about how I always seem to find a way to overanalyze, overcomplicate and over-write every review while taking too long to get to the point.

I’ll own that. Yes, I’m naturally a bit of a mad scientist gearhead with an insatiable curiosity and a bad habit of sharing everything I learn about a product. If that’s wrong… I don’t want to be right.

domio-moto-

This review is perhaps the best example yet of me turning a really simple product review into a complicated one.

In the interest of summing it all up quickly, I’ll tell you the following;

  • The Domio Moto is a reasonably well-built Bluetooth device that plays music seemingly forever on a charge and could be a great fit for riders who don’t like using Sena, Cardo and those other “fancy-pants” devices in their helmets.
  • But in my opinion, it’s not loud enough for highway motorcycle riding, except in helmets that have large pockets of open space on the inside surrounding the wearer’s ears. The Simpson Outlaw Bandit is one example of a helmet matching that description.
  • The sound quality is also slightly muffled or harsh sounding because of excessive bass levels (depending on where it’s installed on the helmet) and not on par with competing products. I could never quite find a perfect sweet spot in any of the helmets I tried it with. It needs cleaner and better-equalized sound to truly fight for market share with the other more popular big name, in-helmet devices on the market.

That, in a nutshell, is all you need to know about it other than the price point ($173 USD/ $256 CAD), which I find a bit spicy for what it does. You can only order it from the Domio Sports website.

There you go Cam and everyone else wanting the Reader’s Digest version. For the rest of you, let me take you down the proverbial rabbit hole on yet another signature Jim Pruner whimsical review…

***UPDATE November 2020***

Based upon so many comments received on this review I feel compelled to warn anyone and everyone against buying one of these devices.  It appears early backers of the company haven’t had their promised units delivered or they’ve received no support after getting them when warranty issues arose.

The Domio Moto.

The Hook Was Set Firmly

The Domio Moto captured my attention as soon as I saw one of their Facebook ads about four months ago.  I reached out to them right away and a representative named Khaled Bashir sent me a sample Moto device at no charge for the purpose of this review. He also was always available to help me find out more about the product via email inquiry. Thank you!

The Concept

The Domio Moto and mounting bracket.

Photo from Domio

The Domio Moto is special and noteworthy in three major ways.

  • It’s purely a helmet speaker system, not a two-way communication device
  • It can be transferred from one helmet to another in seconds, so you’re not stuck with a device that can only be used in one brand or type of helmet

It doesn’t require any parts to be installed on the interior of your helmet to function because it uses micro-vibrations sent through the outside shell and turns your entire helmet into a speaker.

The Domio Moto micro vibration tech illustrated.

Photo from Domio

Here’s a video from Domio Co-Founder Bart Lipski showing how the Domio Pro works with micro-vibrations. The Pro is a more complex version of the Moto because it has a microphone, enabling the wearer to make phone calls and issue voice commands to Siri for example.

Here are the main specs off Domio’s website for the Moto;

  • Weight: 95 g/3.5 oz
  • Battery life: 24 hours of playtime (warm conditions) 8 to 10 cold weather
  • USB-C rapid charging port
  • Max volume output: 110 dB
  • Frequency response: 50 Hz to 10.5 kHz
  • Core functionality: Music & GPS (phone-based)
  • Bluetooth 5.0: Fully compatible wireless
  • 100% weatherproof (heat, cold, water, snow, ice, dirt)

In The Box

Your $143 gets you the Domio Moto speaker, two mounting brackets and a USB  charger cable included in the box.

The contents of the Domio Moto box.

Oh ya, there’s a Domio sticker and some installation instructions too.

Installation On The Helmet

It couldn’t be any easier to install, especially compared to some Sena, Cardo and other Bluetooth units I’ve had to wrangle into somewhat unwilling receptacles before.

1- Find a reasonably flat location on your helmet free from bumps and ridges where you can hear the music loudest and clearest while you have it playing, then clean that area to prep for installation of the mounting bracket.

2- Remove the film from off the adhesive backing on the mounting bracket and stick it there with an orientation that will ensure the aerodynamic, curve-shaped front of the Moto is pointing into the wind. You also need to arrange it in a way where you can reach the buttons with your left hand.

3- Wait at least 30 minutes for the glue to set on the mount. The film on the bracket says to wait 24 hours before going riding, but I totally disregarded that and went riding within 30 minutes of installation. No problems.

Mounting Issues

Some people have complained about the mounting bracket not sticking well enough to their helmets or lifting off after time.

Mounting a Domio Moto on a Vozz RS 1.0 helmet.

I had the opposite problem actually. The first time I mounted the Moto to my Arai DT-X I got it on there perpendicular to the direction of travel. This would have created drag and turbulence noise at higher speeds so I removed it and remounted another one at the rear of my helmet out of the airstream.

To do that I had to warm it up using a hairdryer. It was on there very tight before that and impossible to remove without damaging the mount and possibly my helmet’s finish.

The two-sided tape on the bracket separated from it during the removal process and had to be thrown away, but I believe you could replace the tape with some store-bought stuff to reapply the old mount if you wanted to avoid paying $80 CAD for another couple of mounts from Domio. Ouch!!

Canadian Weather Problems

I live in Alberta, Canada and it’s currently winter. I was forced to contemplate going out on a Timber Sled or snowmobile to get any field testing accomplished with the Domio, when suddenly the motorcycle gods thankfully answered my wish and gave me three days of “warm temperatures” to play with them on my KTM 790 Adventure instead.

Calgary winter.

Temperature Range

By warm I mean that I was able to test the Domio Moto in the 0 to 12 Celsius range (32F to 53F) and an extended amount of monkeying around with it indoors as you’ll soon hear about. That’s a fair shake better than the -34C (-29F) I was facing before this merciful warm snap rolled in.

My KTM 790 Adventure in Calgary.

Because of that, I can confirm the Moto isn’t afraid of cold weather. It didn’t fall off my helmet and it functioned flawlessly for six hours, all in those low temperatures. Well done!

High Temperatures

I can’t personally comment on how the Domio will perform in high heat, but Khaled assured me they’ve done extensive testing in temperatures above 40C (104F) without issues.

Still, I wonder if using a hairdryer on the mount allowed me to remove it so easily, how would long term exposure to searing Arizona sunshine affect it?

Battery Life

The battery life on the Domio lives up to the hype. I own a Sony portable Bluetooth speaker that I use in my garage when wrenching on my fleet of vehicles that can easily play for 12 hours non-stop at high volume. The Domio Moto is basically the same thing, but quieter.

I had the Domio playing non-stop out in cold weather for 4 hours out on the bike, then indoors for another 6 hours. It was still going strong when I shut it off at midnight and went to sleep.

I have no doubt it’ll last the claimed 24hrs in warm weather, and at least 10 in colder weather. Well done!

Charging time was pretty standard at about 2 or 3 hrs from dead to a full charge.

After 2 Weeks

I left town for two weeks after torture testing the Domio and didn’t charge it while I was away. When I got home I powered up the Domio to see what kind of battery charge remained and it was still at medium battery life. I’ve tested other devices that would have been totally dead after sitting that long uncharged.

A Showdown With Two Sena Products

I already had a Sena 10C Pro installed in my Arai DT-X so it was simple to compare the Domio’s sound quality and volume to it for starters.

My Arai DT-X with a Sena 10C Pro and Domio Moto mounted on it.

Additionally, I have a Sena 30K mounted on my AGV Sportmodular Carbon to bring into the equation.

My AGV Sportmodular Carbon with a Sena 30K mounted on it.

I decided to install the Domio on both those helmets, to begin with to see how it compared with the Sena sound levels.

The Mad Scientist Comes Out In Me

I wanted to find a scientific way to measure whether the Domio or the Sena products were louder without my personal bias interfering with the results.

My iPad app showing the volume of the Domio Moto sound in my Arai DT-X helmet.

I set up an experiment in sound measurement using a lavalier microphone taped to my left ear inside each helmet and an audio recording app on my iPad Mini. The Apogee recorder app on my iPad visually indicated how much sound was being picked up where the wearer’s ears sit in the helmet.

White Noise

I wanted a stable and consistent sound to play through the devices during this experiment so I chose the sound of heavy rain falling from a white noise app. It worked perfectly!

I made sure to find the ideal placement for the Domio on each helmet I used during testing to make this a fair fight, but in the end, the Domio couldn’t compete with the Sena 10C Pro or Sena 30K when it came to volume or clarity in the Arai DT-X or AGV Sportmodular Carbon.

See the photos below from the Domio vs Sena showdown in the Arai.

Measuring volume in the Arai DT-X using the Domio Moto and Sena 10C Pro.

When I switched to playing music on the two devices instead of just white noise the difference was even more pronounced. The Domio volume was better and moved the green bars about twice as far up the scale, but the Sena measured right off the scale!

Mounting The Domio On Each Helmet

The rear of the helmet and to the left of the center seems to be my favored location to get the best mix of clarity and volume in the Arai and AGV.

The Domio Moto mounted on an Arai DT-X helmet.

Right Out Of The Gate

When I first fired up the Domio Moto and the song selection began playing I was taken aback by how loud the music was outside the helmet! It’s louder outside than inside!

It’s downright annoying to be around anyone actively playing music on the Domio device in their helmet because bystanders will be “treated” to a loud, tinny-sounding version of the song playing. It sounds MUCH better to the person on the inside of the helmet though.

Out On The Road Testing

I’m happy to report that once I had the Domio installed correctly on the helmets it didn’t negatively contribute to wind noise, turbulence, or pull/lift factors. I didn’t even know it was there thanks to how lightweight and aerodynamic it is.

I did find my Domio and mounting bracket weighed in at about 115 to 120 grams as opposed to the claimed 95 off the Domio website. A minor difference and honestly it’s a non-factor.  What’re 10 grams between friends?

The Domio Moto on my scale.

It’s No Contest When It Comes To Volume

At any speed, the Sena 10C Pro seems much louder and clearer to my ears than the Domio Moto.

At highway speeds in the Arai, I can hear the Sena just fine right up to 75 or 80 mph. The Domio can be heard at those speeds, but not nearly as well since the booming wind noise blends too well with the bass-biased Domio sound.

The Domio has a comparatively muffled sound than the Sena 10C Pro, which comes as no surprise since the speakers are sitting directly beside my ears in the DT-X.

Try as I might it was impossible to find a mounting position where the sound from the Domio was better than the Sena 10C Pro. Without hesitation, I easily prefer the 10C Pro sound in the Arai DT-X whether it be in my living room or out on the road.

Other Helmets

I road-tested the Domio Moto in two other helmets in addition to the Arai. A Vozz RS 1.0 and the Simpson Outlaw Bandit.

The Domio mounting bracket on a Simpson Outlaw Bandit.

I had to try it in a few different kinds of lids because I wanted to know whether the volume issues encountered in the Arai were only found with one specimen or all helmets. I also wondered whether having the Sena speakers in the Arai and AGV helmets might have been interfering with the Domio’s performance.

Performance/Volume in the Vozz RS 1.0

The unusual hinge opening on the back of the Vozz RS 1.0 helmet makes mounting any other kind of music device than the Domio very challenging.

The Vozz RS 1.0 helmet with the Domio Moto installed on it.Vozz sells a special mounting bracket for Sena units, but the external mounting isn’t the only issue.

The Vozz RS 1.0 helmet with the Domio Moto installed on it.

There aren’t any obvious speaker pockets on the inside to house Sena or Cardo speakers, nor is there any easy way to run microphone or speaker wiring inside.

The ear pocket in the Vozz RS 1.0 helmet liner.

There’s not much of an opening for your ears in the Vozz helmet (above)

That’s why I had high hopes for the Domio to work with this unique helmet. It seems like a match made in heaven on paper.

Nope. The Domio wasn’t nearly loud enough at highway speed to work well in the Vozz. In fact, it was the quietest and most muffled of the bunch despite the fact I find the Vozz a reasonably quiet helmet out on the road.

Bummer.

Performance in the Simpson Outlaw Bandit

Here’s another helmet that I’ve struggled to get a Sena or Cardo unit to mate with.

The Simpson Outlaw Bandit wearing the Domio Moto.

Unlike the Vozz, there are very large open pockets around the ear areas in this helmet interior.  That leaves lots of wiggle room for even gargantuan-sized ears but makes it super difficult to get interior mounted speakers close enough to hear anything out of them. Even with shims under the speakers, I could never get them close enough for my liking in this Simpson.

Large ear openings in the cheek pads of the Simpson Outlaw Bandit.
Large ear openings in the cheek pads of the Simpson Outlaw Bandit. (above)

The Domio Moto is the solution to this problem!

Domio should partner with Simpson right away because I could hear the Domio music better in this Outlaw Bandit than I could in any of the other helmets. Even right up to about 80mph!

You can see in the photo above the Domio in the Simpson registered just about as loud as the white noise did in the Arai DT-X. That’s decent volume, but good sound is not just about being loud. It’s got to be clear too and the truth is that it was still a bit muffled compared to the Sena level.

The Simpson Outlaw Bandit and Domio Moto.

Not to mention the lack of stereophonic sound is still a shortcoming in the Simpson.

But…

If you’re a Simpson owner who is frustrated as I am with Sena’s performance in your helmet, here’s a practical option to consider. I believe the aforementioned large ear pockets are the reason the Domio sound is significantly better in the Simpson. It’s the only major difference in the interior design between the group of helmets and explains the sound difference.

Performance in the AGV Sportmodular Carbon

I didn’t get out on the road with the AGV/Domio combo, but I still wanted to know whether a carbon fiber shell would make any appreciable difference using the Domio micro-vibration technology vs in the other fiberglass shells. The testing did seem to confirm my suspicion that carbon fiber shells transmit sound better from both the Sena and Domio music devices. That’s the good news.

The bad news is carbon fiber shells transmit sound better from road wind noise to the wearer’s ears as well. I believe any gains made through using this or other carbon fiber helmets with the Domio would likely disappear just as quickly once you get up to highway speed. Ditto for Sena and Cardo devices understandably, but again I prefer the Sena 30K sound over the Domio in the AGV Sportmodular Carbon.

Oh, by the way, the Domio sounds louder in a modular helmet when the chin bar is lowered, as you might expect it would. The Sena 30K volume is constant regardless of the positioning on the chin bar.

Head-Tenderizing Bass Booming

The Domio outperforms Sena, Cardo, and any other helmet music system I’ve experienced in the booming bass department. That sounds like a big point for the Domio, but actually, it’s not a good thing in a motorcycle helmet as it turns out.

The amount of bass vibration produced by the Domio is so plentiful, I found the resultant buzzing uncomfortable at times. I swear that I can actually feel my skull being tenderized by the music’s vibrating/pulsing beats inside my helmet. After riding for a couple of hours wearing the Vozz helmet I was on the verge of getting a headache, but not so while wearing the Simpson Outlaw Bandit or Arai DT-X.

Why that is I can’t say, but it likely has something to do with the Vozz helmet’s design.

Bass Is A Waste Without ANC

In motorcycle helmets, I feel loud bass is wasted because of the booming, low-pitched wind noise we all tend to encounter naturally while out realizing our two-wheeled fantasies on asphalt.

Thankfully that could be changing thanks to advances in Active Noise Control technology being built into new Cardo and Sena devices among others on the market. Once we eliminate or curtail the roaring road noise I think then the opportunity to enjoy copious amounts of bass might be there.

Until then, I don’t feel this virtue is a factor of much value for the Domio, unfortunately.

Would It Work On A Beanie Helmet?

Believe it or not, the Domio Moto works on an open face, beanie helmet!

The Domio Moto on an open face, beanie helmet.

I tried it on one I had lying around leftover from my less responsible riding days and was shocked to find that I could hear the music better after putting it up against the top part. It’s not nearly as good as the sound is in full-face helmets, but it did successfully transform even the beanie into a speaker.

That genuinely made me laugh, and it shows some of the potential for this very cool device. Don’t buy a Domio for your beanie helmets though. I mean it worked, but it didn’t work well enough to use as your on-bike music player.

Controlling the Domio

Here’s one area the Domio dominates in. Its three-button design is perfect for me to work with.

The control buttons on the Domio Moto.

I found the three-button controls very intuitive and user-friendly. I didn’t even have to look up a user guide to figure out how to get it to do my bidding.

Powering it on or off, turning the volume up or down and skipping songs forward or backward was a breeze even while wearing my thickest Gerbing winter gloves for warmth. That really surprised me as I have difficulty manually controlling the Sena even with thinner gloves on and I like to rely on voice commands instead whenever possible.

Domio did a great job making their buttons large enough to work with and separating them adequately to avoid mistakenly pushing power when you want volume for example.

Water And Shock Resistant Testing

In winter here it’s more likely to snow than rain so I decided to shock test the Domio as best I could by dropping it repeatedly from about 3 feet off the ground onto a wooden table. It never faltered and showed no signs of damage afterward.

Water testing the Domio Moto.

I also poured water over it for about 2 minutes and dropped it a couple of times underwater (even though Khaled told me not to).

Water testing the Domio Moto.

The Domio kept playing music just fine after the waterboarding torture I subjected it to. I put it away for a day and a half before trying to use it again. Oops…

I suppose I learned a lesson from this experience when I found it wouldn’t power up anymore. I found corrosion in the recharging port upon inspection and water coming out of the seams. Khaled did warn me not to submerge the device and so I accept the blame for messing up the Moto in this case. Have I not mentioned how important it is to heed the advice of manufacturers???

I believe it would hold up fine in rainstorms out on the bike while riding, but not if you want to take it scuba diving.

Now I’m trying some different resuscitation tactics in an effort to save the Domio using heat, but I suspect there could be corrosion inside on the circuitry and it won’t come back to life. I’ll update this review as I go…

UPDATE!

I left the Domio in our food dehydrator for a couple of hours as my wife suggested. After taking it out and letting it cool off, I plugged in the charging cable and it charged up the battery fully!  

I reconnected it to my phone and tested it by playing music. EUREKA! All the functions are back and basically it acts as if yesterday is… water under the bridge.

Update #2!

4 weeks after the Domio came back to life I found it lifeless and unresponsive to charging…. RIP Domio Moto.
Keep yours out of the bathtub!.

Crowdfunding Issues

Since publishing this review we’ve received many comments from people who invested in the production of the Domio Moto.

If you read those comments you’ll see that more than a few haven’t yet received their devices, while others have complaints about the quality.

I asked for a comment on this from Domio and encouraged them to address these issues.

Their response was to say that they’re working to ensure everyone who crowdfunded the campaign receives their device as planned, but that current supply issues due to COVID-19 are hindering that.

I sincerely hope they will follow through on that promise to me.  I don’t want to see anyone feel like they’ve been swindled.

Final Verdict?

The Domio Logo

I think there’s a ton of potential in the Domio Moto design, but this version isn’t quite a fully baked cake in my opinion. It needs some fine-tuning to become wildly popular for the majority of people and their in-helmet music needs.

If the Domio engineers/designers keep tinkering with it, the next couple of Moto generations could be fantastic!

My Suggestions

I would make it capable of going ⅓ to ½ louder in volume for starters. Maybe they can sacrifice some battery power in exchange for this extra volume? Any louder MIGHT hurt people’s hearing though so perhaps that’s why it’s maxed where it is now?

I would also suggest having two speakers connected by a cable on the outside mounted on opposite sides of the helmet. That way coverage and possibly clarity would be better for sound on the inside of the helmet without boosting the volume.

Maybe that change could also accommodate stereophonic sound? If I had a second Domio on hand I would have definitely experimented trying both on one helmet.

Noise-Cancelling Ear Plugs

I also noticed Domio has its own brand of earplugs made for using with its products listed on the site.

Maybe these would help me better appreciate what the Moto has to offer? I might order some to try out. I’m not a fan of wearing earplugs while riding though.

A Remote Control

Domio has an optional handlebar remote control module for the Moto Pro that I think would also work with the Moto, but I didn’t receive it with my test model. Even though I didn’t have any issues controlling it I would prefer to have a remote control on the bars for this unit, just in the name of ease and safety.

The Price

Domio currently has a sale happening on its website dropping the price to $149 USD. That makes it a bit easier to rationalize buying, but I think for the full price of $179 USD the sound needs to be better.

The mounting brackets also seem overpriced to me for what they are, and maybe unnecessary if you only have one helmet in your arsenal.

Couldn’t you just use a chunk of two-sided tape between the Domio and the helmet to mount it and skip using the plastic bracket? True you couldn’t as easily swap it around to different helmets if you did this, but would most riders feel the need to do that?

Wear And Tear On Mounting Tabs

After constantly moving the Domio around between three different helmets over a couple of months I’m noticing some extreme wear appearing on the plastic tabs for locking it into the mounting bracket.

You can see a lot of wear on the locking tabs of the Domio Moto.
The plastic locking tabs are wearing out. (photo above)

Thus far it’s still fitting and locking properly into the bracket, but if this gets any worse I question the integrity of the bond between the mounting bracket and the device.

Perhaps this is another reason to instead stick the Domio directly to the helmet in lieu of using the mounting bracket? What shape will this be in after a year or two of use?

Will I continue using the Domio Moto?

Definitely, on the Simpson Outlaw Bandit, I will. If I had to choose between the two systems, I still prefer using the Sena in-helmet music systems in most cases.

I’m sorry Khaled and the team at Domio, I wish I could report differently. Please consider my constructive criticism and keep refining this promising product. I’d like to try the next generation too! I’m very interested to see where you end up going forward with this.

  • Jim

In Case You Missed It

***UPDATE November 2020***

Based upon so many comments received on this review I feel compelled to warn anyone and everyone against buying one of these devices.  It appears early backers of the company haven’t had their promised units delivered or they’ve received no support after getting them when warranty issues arose.

We at WebBikeWorld.com have urged Domio to do right by their customers and backers by providing the product and supporting it afterward. I’m afraid that’s all we can do.

Pros

  • Strong and straightforward build with easy-to-use controls
  • Can transfer in seconds to another helmet
  • Works better than other products in certain helmets
  • Water/weather/impact resistant
  • Lightweight
  • Simple and reliable Bluetooth 5.0 pairing
  • Easier install than anything else on the market
  • Long battery life
  • 1-year warranty
  • 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

  • Volume (inside the helmet) is slightly muffled and needs to go ⅓ to ½ higher for highway clarity in most helmets
  • Fairly expensive for just a music/GPS helmet speaker
  • Volume outside helmet is very loud and tinny sounding (irritates others around you)
  • No stereophonic effects with music
  • “Thudding” vibration from bass notes sometimes uncomfortable
  • Must be mounted carefully to get the optimal sound
  • Wear and tear on mounting tabs?

Specs

  • Manufacturer: Domio Sports
  • Price when tested: $173 USD ($256 CAD)
  • Designed in: Canada
  • Made in: Mexico
  • Kits: Moto+ coming soon, Moto 2 packs available
  • Review Date: February 29, 2020
[CTA]

Domio Sports Moto Image Gallery

  1. Hey Jim – I, for one, enjoy your detailed and wordy reviews. A couple comments based on my past experience working in music tech:

    I think your stereo idea will not work for this style of device. In this case, the shell of the helmet is essentially working as the cone of a speaker, with the Domio device acting as the driver (the magnet that moves in and out). Trying to balance two drivers on one cone would be difficult (if not impossible) in a laboratory, let alone having people attach devices with stickers onto hundreds of different helmet models. In order to have stereo sound with this technology, you would need a helmet with two hemispheres which was sonically insulated on a line down the middle. This would severely compromise the protective and aesthetic features of the helmet to the point that it wouldn’t make sense.

    For the same reason, the hinge on your Vozz is probably why the system didn’t work on that helmet, since it was cutting your helmet into two parts and reducing the surface area available to transmit sound.. You essentially had only the back quarter of your helmet available to transmit sound. (I’ve never handled one of those helmets, but I assume there is some kind of insulating seal between the two sections?). That might have worked slightly better had you mounted the unit on the top, but hard to say.

    Anyway, interesting read!

    1. Hi Dwayne!

      I’m glad you appreciate the absurd levels of detail I insist on including. The truth is that I write these reviews the way I would want to have them written for me if I was in the market for the featured product. There are lots more tests I’d like to do that I don’t have time or equipment for.

      Your knowledge of speaker tech is much greater than mine! What you’re saying makes sense when I think about it. I wish that I had been sent two Motos so that I could have experimented with it more. I can’t remember whether I mentioned in the review that when I first installed the microphone in the ear area of the helmets to compare the volume difference between the Sena and Domio I didn’t have my head inside. The empty helmets gave me completely opposite results compared to when I was wearing the helmet and using the microphone to measure the strength of the sound inside. The Domio was louder in an empty helmet than the Sena was.
      I still haven’t quite figured out why that is, but it’s true.

      In the Vozz helmet I actually did try the Moto on the front section of the helmet where I could, but real estate there was very limited because of the vents on top. To my surprise it wasn’t any louder or clearer up there than it was on the rear portion.

      I learned a great deal doing this review. Sound is a peculiar thing that’s for sure. The most valuable thing to come out of it for me was to realize I can quite easily use the same technique with the microphone in the ear are of helmets while out on the road to measure how loud they are! That way I can start creating a baseline comparison chart for all future helmet reviews that have no bias. The numbers won’t lie.

    2. Do not under any circumstances purchase anything from this company. I purchased the device last November. I got fed up of waiting for the device to arrive so I cancelled the order. I am still waiting for a refund. They sent me an email saying they will refund but no date given as to when i will receive it. They have stopped answering emails. A total con of a company

  2. Hi. Thank you for your honest and fair review. I agree with your assessment. It does the job, it’s loud but not loud enough. It’s boomy and not clear. The mount is expensive and doesn’t stick to the adhesive. The plastic tabs on the unit get chewed up almost immediately after mounting. But, I enjoy using it because my helmet doesn’t have cutouts for speakers.

    I was an early crowdfunding backer of the MotoPro back in October 2018. I finally got it late November 2019. The mic doesn’t work very well for phone calls. There is no comms app as of this writing In April 2020. Many backers even earlier than me still haven’t received theirs. They are for sale retail on the site and some people have received them but, with COVID-19, I doubt they will be able to restock for a long time. But, anyone interested in getting one now can usually find one for sale for a lot cheaper in the Domio Pro Facebook group and probably be shipped way sooner.

    Again, thanks for your review. I agree and I like mine. Just, buyer beware: they are out of stock, out of money and running a skeleton crew right now.

    Cheers!

    1. Hi Ed!

      Thanks for the feedback. That’s really unfortunate to hear the original backers still don’t have the product (if true). I found the Domio reps very easy to deal with and wonder why they wouldn’t have followed through with their deliveries?

      COVID-19 is a heartless and cruel creature. I’ve had all my plans gutted for 2020 thanks to it and the loss of life, income and consumer confidence across the world is truly disheartening. I’m sure many businesses will have to shut down and that’s so sad.

      Take care of yourself and your loved ones.

      1. I’m an original backer and still have nothing despite having paid in full in early 2019. The ‘customer service’ is a myth, when you complain in a public setting they’ll reply, say sorry, they are working on it – but I don’t want an empty reply, I just want the unit I paid for in full! Never buy anything from this company unless you place a high premium on being ripped off and let down.

    2. Thanks for the feedback Ed.

      We have not been able to ship to all backers yet. All reasons detailed here: https://domiosports.com/pages/backerportal

      Btw we really appreciate you supporting our product with your investment. We wouldn’t have made it this far without help from early tech adopters like yourself.

      I am also happy to announce that we have come to an agreement with a business partner who will be able to help us permanently take care of all stock and shipping issues, and we have some interesting announcements coming up very soon about an improved version. We received some very valuable feedback from backers like yourself and have successfully managed to address most issues for our next gen product 🙂

      1. Why are you updating here and not sharing the same information on your Kickstarter updates about an improved version? I’m already so frustrated from waiting since Aug 2018. Are those that have been waiting going to receive an improved version? I have a separate dilemma of whether to pay £50 in custom fees for a product that so many are reselling on due to all of the issues noted in this article.

  3. I wonder why they don’t follow through either, plenty of backers were left in the dark for ages before this virus showed up. Check out their own backer update portal and read the history.

    Mine showed up last year, and it’s been collecting dust in a drawer, mainly because it never made a successful phone call (can’t hear the other person through the helmet) plus the mic has something rattling around inside- probably the battery. Volume is easily beat by my Sena smh5

    1. That’s unfortunate Ian. Did you attempt to contact Domio to get this repaired?

      1. Yes, Domio has been unresponsive to their backers for months now. I’ve stopped bothering and moved on to Sena.

    2. Hey Ian, very sorry to hear about this. We will be able to ship replacements for the mic soon. I hope you can give us another chance to rectify this situation. Shoot me an email at khaled@domiosports.com.

  4. Glad to have some sort of forum to air my grievance with this product. My problem isn’t with the performance of the domio pro, hard to say how well it may or may not work. My problem is the fact that I bought into the premise early on and paid in full for the system two years ago.
    All I ever got was lame excuses as to why it never shipped. I even talked with the developer about it and was assured that it would be soon. That was over a year ago. Yet they keep promoting it, I feel like they took the money and screwed everyone. Thanks for the review, at least I know now I wouldn’t have liked it anyway.
    Russ Silverman

    1. Hi Russ!

      Wow that is the worst feeling ever and it made me approach my Domio contact with yours and other people’s concerns that have been written here in the comments.
      Khaled did admit that they haven’t been able to resolve everyone’s concerns YET, but told me they are still going to do that going forward. He talked about supply problems thanks to the COVID19 pandemic and some other obstacles. He was open to connecting people like yourself and them to get it done asap.
      I encouraged him to post here in these comments to do that, but I see it hasn’t happened yet.
      I’ll keep reminding him about this and do what I can to try and help.
      Sorry I wish I had more to share than that.

      1. Hi, ordered domio and it never arrived. Terrible company, refusing refund/not responding. You should make this apparent in your review. Lots of people getting scammed.

        1. Sorry Andrew, I know it’s hard to get a response from us at this time. Unfortunately half of our team is unable to work right now so it’s taking us time to respond to messages.

          Send me your order details at khaled@domiosports.com and I’ll take a look at what stage your order’s at!

    2. Hey Russ,

      Sometimes being the supporter of an early-stage tech startup can be hard. We have dropped the ball on several occasions, can’t deny that.

      Why we’ve been unable to ship to backers and yet continue to promote sales of some of our products are explained in the latest post on our backerportal: https://domiosports.com/pages/backerportal

      We have fully shipped Motos to 100% of all backers who crowdfunded our campaign.
      We have shipped to most of our MotoPro backers, the remaining will be shipped as soon as we’re able to. Meanwhile we are accepting pre-orders from customers with a promise to fulfill those orders in June.

      1. Don’t believe them. They have not provided the product or a refund. Don’t risk losing your money to a sub-standard company that has almost no recourse for getting your money back. Purchased the Domio Pro and remote through their website on October 1st 2019 for $323.10 Australian Dollars. To date I have still never received the product. Every time I contacted them via email, they advised it was being shipped to me and they apologised for the delay. Well its now 7 months later and still the same line was being used that it was being shipped to me that day. As I never received the product, I then asked for a refund as the product has a 30 day money back guarantee and clearly it was never going to be sent to me. After trying to convince me it was being sent as we speak to which I asked to still go ahead with the refund, I was promised the refund would be received within 7-10 business days. 3 weeks later and I had still not received the refund so I again contacted them. Over one week later and after several follow up emails an employee finally replied and advised that the agent who handled my case had now left the company. Domio then cut all communication with me and I have not been able to contact them since. Without phone numbers I cannot follow this up and try to resolve the matter. Don’t risk losing your money like I did.

        1. No Ethics … ordered in February:
          1. July 22 – still no reception of the product
          2. May – requested refund, still no refund even though they say 30 days
          3. Tried calling, number invalid
          4. Tried commenting on Instagram- not allowed
          5. Generic email responses highlighting resource problems, COVID19, etc. Etc. But no issues in taking your money quickly.

          They are not ready internationally, and the business cannot keep up with their marketing efforts. All is misleading and scandously deceiving. The only way to reach out to them is on linkedin, and even there, they are just too overwhelmed to manage. Investors should know that these guys are not building a lasting brand and look more like scammers than serious business people… way off the mark. Still trying to get my miney back 6 months later.

        1. I’m so sorry to hear yet another experience like yours. Cameron and I are both encouraging Domio to make things right with all their backers and current customers. It’s shameful and disgusting to hear so many people are on the hook for this product. I’ve revised the review to include a warning about this.

          1. It’s been therapeutic to read other people’s grievances and know I haven’t been the only one who has been scammed by these clowns. I’m an original indiegogo backer and it’s been over 2 years now. Nothing but lame excuses and ghost management and no refund to date. How the hell have these people not been shut down yet? Is Canada’s law enforcement completely derelict? The Better Business Bureau here in the US has over 100 complaints on these guys but can’t seem to do more other than shake an index finger and write a mean letter. I’m going to try the FTC next since they’re doing international business in the US, but would be good to know which Canadian government agency can shut these fraudsters down. Any ideas, Jim?

          2. Hi, JAGS!

            I regret to see the pile of people growing taller who have had their money taken by Domio. It sickens me because I personally have been swindled before and I know the feeling well. I lost a lot more than $300 US in that deal, but regardless of the amount taken the principle remains the same.

            I think the biggest problem here is that Domio continues to send out SOME units to customers, and when agencies like the BBB challenge them that’s what stops any further action. Domio can simply blame COVID supply problems or say they can’t meet consumer demand, and so they can place just the right spin on things to avoid litigation.

            In Canada you can report fraud to the government here: https://www.competitionbureau.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/eng/04339.html and in the US here: https://www.usa.gov/stop-scams-frauds#:~:text=The%20Federal%20Trade%20Commission%20(FTC,%3A00%20PM%2C%20ET).

            Because I wasn’t personally affected I can’t make a claim, but all of you can use these links to attempt to make a difference. I’ve left this review on the site with two warnings in it not to buy the product due to fraudulent activity because there’s nothing else out there from reviewers even pointing out the negative aspects of the product. I think my review can serve some good in this way even if it isn’t an outright condemnation.

            I recently had someone contact me on FaceBook about the video saying that it convinced them to buy the Domio which is mind-boggling to me. I would never buy a product that only managed to garner a 68% score… but I suppose some people might see that as “a D- and still a passing grade” as this person pointed out to me. I guess not everyone has the standards I do when it comes to spending $300? Wow.

  5. Hi, just bought a MotoPro from someone who waited 18 months for delivery. Paid $175 Canadian. Tried it on my 3 helmets. I agree with your review about the sound needing to be louder. However, I feel the ease of use is a big plus as I can switch from my full face to my 3/4 helmet. The microphone is simply ok in my opinion. I hope they keep refining the product and will improve their customer service. Covid 19 is a major issue with many companies, hopefully everyone will receive their order soon. I will probably order another one for my wife and hope the app will come out soon. Thanks for your great review.

    1. Thanks for the feedback 🙂

      We actually have some big improvements lined up for our next version, will be able to share features and other details in a couple months so keep an eye out for announcements!

      1. Order 7792 in Dubai.
        Hi Khaled,
        Just sent you a linkedin note … please refund my money … i was early in the pre-order process and still have received nothing … same for the refund request. Take care of me please. Thanks

        1. I sent a request for a refund also through LinkedIn, no response. Reported this company to the FTC, I suggest all of you do the same. It is illegal to charge a credit card before sending out a product.

  6. I ordered mine on Blackfriday special last year December/November. After many emails- no positive replies nor have not received anything yet. Requested a refund and they are not even considering it. I guess this is one of those bad deals where $300 went to waste. So, my recommendation is stay away from this company. Anyways, after reading its reviews on various forums, I think I am anyway better off without this &*%$ product.
    I will however make it my mission to find every forum on the web to post this review for everyone to know. Maybe I would lose the 300 dollars, but for sure they will lose much more on sales.

  7. I ordered mine on 07 June 2020 and received it a few days ago. I pretty much agree with everything that Jim Pruner stated in his review. As for customer service, I have had nothing bad to say about them. Quick e-mail response and very helpful. I’ll use it as I generally ride alone most of the time. I have it connected to my BMW Navigator VI and so far all has worked out well.

  8. Hi Jim, thanks for your honest review. Unfortunately, like many other purchasers, I have not received my Domio Pro that was ordered in May 2020. When I purchased the product, I understood that shipping would be in June 2020 and emails would be sent advising shipping details and guess what, no emails have been received. So after several emails sent to the Domio help email address, which have not been answered, I have accepted that I am another victim of this company’s sad tactic of getting money from honest citizens. One good thing has come of reading all the comments on your site, I have now an email addresskhaled@domiosports.com to follow up with. Thanks for that.

    1. Hi Greg!

      I wish things were going better with customers like yourself and Domio. Khaled has commented on here before promising to do right by you all and I expect they company will eventually, but I admit it’s looking grim considering how many comments in here have reflected the opposite of that. I’ve urged Khaled to do the right thing and will continue to.
      I’m sorry to hear that you’ve possibly been a victim of fraud. I’ve been in the same situation before myself and it was for a lot more than what a Domio Pro costs so I feel your pain.

  9. Please be aware!
    Ordered on 21st May 2020, after 90 days, nothing, so I wrote asking for my money back, nothing. Company is a RIP OFF! lesson learned Karma will get this Canadian company, fraud! Do not by from them!

  10. Thanks for your time and work on your review. However, DO NOT BUY, any thing from this company, #Domio is a fraud company, I ordered and pay last May 2020, 90 days later I wrote them asking about it, yes is on the way you can see the details here… well I asked for my money back, and there is where they ignored my emails, so as a moto rider, everyone should know about this and AVOID this RIPP OFF company

    1. Emilio and everyone else, I’m so sorry to hear the brand hasn’t respected their promise to deliver a product to you in exchange for your hard earned money. Thank you for sharing your experience on here to let others know.

  11. I ordered 2 audio units and the ear plugs on 7/30/2020 from Domio. I never received any part of my order so I cancelled and asked for a refund. They would not refund my money!! I had to file a dispute with my credit card company and received a refund through Visa. Towards the end of this debacle, Domio customer service wouldn’t even reply to my many emails asking for a refund. I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Run away from this company!!!!

  12. I backed them on Kickstarter in July 2018 with delivery estimated for November 2018. They talk nice for a while, promise to deliver but don’t. Many of us now can’t even email them as there is no response. Use a different email address = immediate response, tell them you are an early backer and they stop responding again. Don’t believe their hype, even if you do get a unit good luck if there is anything wrong with it.

    1. I’m really sorry to hear this Mike. It doesn’t look like they plan to follow through based on so many exact stories to yours.

  13. I just recieved my motopro in a twin pack a few days before Christmas, It took about 3.5 weeks, I just set it up today on a scorpion AT-950, the sound is a bit tinny and My son hasn’t set his up yet so we haven’t tried out the comm system. I’m not super impressed with the sound as far as music goes, it fades in and out alot on some songs and others it seems fine, connection issue with BT? But I bought this because the ear speakers in my Lexin was putting too much pressure on my ears and giving me a headache, so when I saw this system I wanted to give it a try.

    1. That’s incredible you actually received the product, Al! Most of the people commenting here paid and have nothing to show for it.
      Have you tried moving the unit around to different spots on your helmet to improve the sound? It should only be tinny if it’s not in the ideal spot.
      On my modular AGV Sportmodular Carbon I found the best spot was right on the visor (entirely impractical) but the next best was right near my ear on the side. I didn’t try it on the Scorpion though so things could be totally different.

  14. Domio MOTO. I ordered . 1 month has passed, has not been sent. I gave a lot of money for my country. This scam is very sad.

    1. I’m so very sorry to hear this happened to you Ertuğrul Turhan. It’s a lot of money for anyone to lose and far too many people have been affected.

  15. Stay away from this company. I’ve been dealing with them for over a year now and still have not received a product and their response time is now hit or miss. And when they do respond it’s the same message. “We’re sorry, we’re working on your order blah blah…”. They’ve been reported to the BBB and other consumer portals. Hopefully, an investigation is underway. Their website is still up and running and unbelievably you can still place an order.

  16. Peccato che siano dei LADRI! Prendono i soldi e poi ti fregano.. niente spedizione e niente soldi indietro. Io la chiamo TRUFFA!! Ho tutto.. le mail, il pagamento, l’ordine come prove!! EVITATELI!!

  17. I have just ordered the unit on March 17 2021 for the total package the pro unit the remote an ear plugs. I received the package on March 31 which was missing the remote and ear plugs which according to the company worth more than $100. To my surprise the unit was also non functional even after a recharge and reset. After several emails receiving what appears to be an automated message I recieved an email not addressing my request to return the unit back. Following several more emails a support team from apparently an affiliated company which I will provide a name and address responded and inform me I’m responsible for shipping and 10% restocking fee for half of the items that were not shipped and a nonoperational faulty unit and of ourselves the refund may take a while. There are currently more than 150 complaint against this company at BBB in Toronto. I was fooled by some of the reviews and shoukd have done my due diligence. This apparently a Canadian company is not a reflection of hard working companies in Canada who are bringing in quality products to Canadian. These are bad apples which I hope authorities deal with them as soon as possible

    1. Navid, I’m very sorry to hear this happened to you also. The list is growing of people who have been swindled by Domio and I also hope they are prosecuted through legal action because it appears they don’t want to do the right thing.

      We’ve added warnings to this review not to purchase the product, but I’m not sure it’s working as we need it to.

  18. 0.7
    You'll never receive your product.

    The company is garbage. I’ve waited 3 years to receive the two com systems we paid for, and nothing. I contacted them through Facebook, and they’ve blocked my account.

    Breakdown
    Leave A Review

    Aesthetics

    Design & Innovation

    Build Materials & Quality

    Function-Based on Claims

    User-Friendly

    Sound Quality

    Value for $$$

  19. It’s a scam ! Run away. More than two years after buying a “duo pack” the only pack we have is a pack of bullshit from the so-called support.
    The reviews on their website is totally bullshit. They wrote their own reviews
    Idea: great
    The rest: horrible

  20. This company is a drama. Or a scam… I am still in doubt.
    One thing, they are NOT professional. Even with all the start-up problems and Covid, keeping people informed is really easy. Instead of sending me tips and tricks and all kind of promotional emails, they should have send me (and thousands of others) regular updates on delivery.

    I ordered the device in October 2019. End of May 2020 I sent a request to cancel my order, which according to the reply I received, would be transfered to the accounts department but the product arrived suddenly anyway. So it took till June 2020 to be delivered.
    Since delivery took so long ánd was incomplete, I returned the unopened product in it’s original packaging. According to my track and trace it arrived there on June 30, 2020. Promisses on the website and email said: refund in 2 weeks.

    It is now August 2022 and I still have not received my money back. In spite of several emails… nothing happened.

    So my advice…. do NOT buy anything from this company.

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