Looking for input from those of you that have the WHIM and using the HD branded Sena headsets. Also would like input from users that don’t have the Haley headsets. I had the WHIM installed and have read on here about the stereo quality being different for the HD headsets compared to the non headsets. But according to Harley they say that their headsets have other features that others do not. According to them the HD headsets use the full functions of the Infotainment radio that others won’t. What are these functions that isn’t available with other headsets?

Hoping someone can clarify what these differences are. Would like this info to help me make my decision on whether to buy the HD Sena’s or use the Scalarider PackTalk which to a lot of people is a better unit. The Packtalk uses a Mesh technology whereas Sena doesn’t except on their new 30K but it won’t have the stereo function either for the WHIM. The Scalarider is also waterproof where as the Sena’s are just water resistant and can have issues with riding in water.

 

These two threads have your answers:

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/new-r...-of-hd20s.html

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/new-r...-davidson.html

 

Since I wrote several of those responses, and just so you don't have to wade through the long thread:

1. The Harley-Davidson BOOM Audio Wireless Headset Interface Module, referred to as the WHIM, is made by SENA, under contract to and under the direction of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

2. The WHIM supports Bluetooth A2DP protocol, or Advanced Audio Distribution Protocol, or "stereo".

3. The WHIM also supports the AptX audio codec, licensed from Qualcomm. This is the "high-def" or high quality audio codec.

4. The Harley-Davidson BOOM Audio Bluetooth headsets are also made by SENA, under the direction of and under contract with the Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

5. When you pair your Bluetooth headset with the WHIM, the WHIM looks for specific programming that is only in the BOOM Audio Bluetooth headsets. If it doesn't see that programming, it turns off stereo sound and turns off high def audio.

6. Only the BOOM Audio 20S EVO headset supports both stereo and high def audio. The other two BOOM Audio Bluetooth headsets support stereo sound, but not high def audio.

7. Every other Bluetooth headset in the world, including the "non-Harley" SENA 20S and 20S EVO, will have their stereo capabilities shut off if you pair them with the WHIM. To the best of my knowledge, there are no Bluetooth headsets with the AptX codec, other than the BOOM Audio 20S EVO.


Hope that helps.

 

Thanks i have been trying to gather info from these

 

Thank you very much the one thread is very lengthy and have tried to read thru it but seems so many opinions run together. Understand the HD 20s evo’s have the better stereo but was told that they supposedly have other functions that other headsets don’t have and was seeing if this is true or not. So by what you are saying is this isn’t true that other non HD headsets have all the functions except the hi def stereo sound or any stereo sound. If i don’t listen to the music thru the headsets then everything else will work fine the way I’m taking it.

 

HD does not shut off anything . The SENA S20 does not have the firm ware That HD had installed on the Version Of the S20 they had SENA build . It SENA that stuck it to you.

 

In a world of open protocols and standards HD had them make proprietary firmware just so their headset would be the only one to get better audio.

Yeah mean old SENA.... how dare they build the system HD asked them to.

 

I spoke directly to SENA. I spoke directly to SENA tech support who were the most knowledgeable about the Harley-Davidson BOOM Audio Bluetooth hardware.

1. The WHIM and the BOOM Audio 20S EVO both support stereo and high def audio. The other two BOOM Audio Bluetooth headsets support stereo, but not high def audio. As I explained in previous posts, the difference between the Harley and non-Harley 20S EVO is that the Harley version has the high def audio and the non-Harley (SENA only) version has stereo but not high def audio. High def audio is a licensed codec, it is owned by Qualcomm. Harley-Davidson is paying the license for the AptX codec for the WHIM and one headset, but not their other headsets.

2. During the Bluetooth pairing operation, the WHIM looks for software code or settings on the headset. It looks for software that is specific to the BOOM Audio headsets that are ONLY available from Harley-Davidson. If it sees this software settings, then the WHIM pairs in stereo and high def if the headset is a BOOM 20S EVO, the WHIM pairs in stereo only if the headset is a BOOM 20S or BOOM SPH-10. If the headset is NOT a Harley-Davidson headset, then the WHIM WILL NOT pair in stereo, it pairs in monaural sound and "standard" quality audio. Even if the headset is stereo. The WHIM shuts off the stereo connection.

3. Even if your headset is a full stereo headset, such as the SENA 10S, 20S, and the brand new 30K, the WHIM disables its stereo capability, and will not connect in stereo.

This was all done according to specific direction from Harley-Davidson, in order to make damn sure that if you didn't buy your headsets from Harley, screw you.

Btw, SENA R&D, after thanking me for raising this next question, verified that the other two Harley-Davidson BOOM Audio Bluetooth headsets (20S non-EVO and SPH-10) will NOT pair with the WHIM in high def audio, even after updating to the latest version of the firmware or software, because Harley didn't pay for the Qualcomm AptX license for those two headsets.

I don't intend to get into a semantic pissing contest over the phrase "shuts off". The WHIM is a stereo Bluetooth device. During the pairing operation the WHIM will check to see if the Bluetooth headset is a Harley headset, and if it is, it will connect in stereo. If the WHIM determines that the headset is not a Harley headset it will "not" connect in stereo, it will only connect in monaural sound. We can say that that WHIM "shuts off" stereo capability, or "disables" stereo capability, or "loses" stereo capability. It doesn't matter to me.

If you buy a WHIM, and you have stereo Bluetooth headsets, and they are not Harley stereo headsets, the WHIM will not pair in stereo. Period.

 

Another thing about the WHIM when used with non-BOOM! branded headsets (or even the Boom! SPH-10): you won't be able to get the extra configuration options in the software on the head unit. You'll see the headset that's paired (by name), along with it's MAC address and it's current status.

The Boom! branded units have 12 extra settings you can configure (except the Boom! SPH-10) right on the head unit. Other brands/non-Boom! Sena models won't get those extra menus. Instead of the "Forget" and "Config" buttons you'd get with the Boom! 20S or Boom! 20S Evo, you only have the "Forget" button.

The list of the configure button's functions (only available with Boom! 20s and 20s EVO headsets currently) is on the installation instruction sheet from HD (sheet number is -J06542; I attached it to this post). That sheet, under the "Headset Configurations" section has a "NOTE" that closes with this: On the attached install sheet, starting on page 11 (digital), the Headset Configurations are explained.

 

Thanks!!