The HD Sena headsets had extra firmware that let them fully connect to a WHIM and required a separate update process than the standard Sena headsets.

Now that the HD Cardo units have been out for over a year does anyone know specifically the difference between the HD branded Edge and the standard model Edge? For instance, does the HD Cardo Edge include custom firmware to support the new infotainment system?

 

@Ducman82 contacted Cardo and they said there are no differences between them other than the HD logo on the side of it. (link to thread)

 

The HD Cardo unit has a "pair to bike" feature that I do not think the Cardo direct unit has.

 

I don't have one, but I have been researching them for a future purchase and what I have found is that the standard Cardo Edge will only play mono music when paired to a HD, so you need the HD branded for stereo. Not sure if it is a fact but that is what I read.

 

That is false.

That is true for older infotainment systems; non-HD branded headsets would only play mono audio. However, that is not the case with the 2024+ IFCU

 

The Cardo from HD is within $5 of the Cardo from Cardo. I bought mine from HD and it works great.

 

Good updates. Thank you.

I’m have used Sena units for over 12 years. Switched to the HD branded 50s when I bought my 2022 Road Glide and WHIM. As most HD Sena, Sena users in general, I’m feeling abandoned by Sena’s support. Several bugs have never been resolved or acknowledged. With HD switch to Cardo I am not confident we will see more firmware updates to the platform - head unit or headsets.

I recently paired a HD Cardo to my WHIM and it works well. Might not be true stereo but music sounds better than the Sena. I did find an issue with using the GTS intercom feature and talking to a passenger. The connection sounded robotic and staggered at times. So much so my wife refused to use it. There is a constant light white noise like static on the Cardo which I may be able to mitigate with some changes in settings (I haven’t looked yet). We had similar issues when trying to use our Sena 20s units with the WHIM.

If I can get these annoyances mitigated I will probably switch to a matched pair of Cardo units. The more I test the Edge model and dig into the settings the more impressive it is. Even something simple as how it mounts to the helmet bracket with a strong magnet and properly aligns every time is slick.

 

@VA_Larry I am following your progress. I have been on other threads also. My HD branded 30k took a dump in the summer. Then it started working again, then it quit. Then It started again. The battery was needed to be plugged in after 2 hours of use, so I pretty much just gave up and plugged it in full time during use. I found I could change the battery, but then the audio and mic quit working, but it still connected to the motorcycle, so I tried messing around with different bases, and pulling the pin pad from the 30k, and trying, trying trying alignment. I am either buying a new SENA, or a Cardo. IDK if I'd go branded HD Cardo or not.

Thinking to go Cardo as I'm sure eventually I'll look at a new motorcycle.Curious if what you're running - WHIM..? I see you're 2022 Road Glide, so a GTS.

Thanks for any further info. I use MESH to keep in contact with other riders, my wife rides and is rarely on the back as a passenger. So - I'd buy two whatever I do.

Thank you

 

Long-winded response but I wanted to give you all the details that I could.

Sounds like your 30S units could have multiple issues. I have found the clamp connection is ofter the issue with microphone and audio issues. The good news is the same clamp design has been used since the 20S models so replacements are readily available. If you have access to another clamp, perhaps a fellow rider, you can test this by moving your device to their clamp and see if the problem persists. I recently did this exercise during a group ride with a new rider. Their unit was not connecting so I put my unit on their clamp and it worked. I put their unit on my clamp and it did not work. During a break I did a factory reset on their unit and everything cleared up.

If I was forced to make a new model purchase decision today I would purchase a pair of the Cardo Edge units. From my research and talking with HD contacts I am not aware of a technical difference between the Harley branded units and standard units. I would purchase whichever version I got the best deal on. However, as described in my long-winded response below that would be an early adopter solution with the group and introduce connectivity issues that would need to be overcome.

Current setup:
2022 Road Glide, GTS radio
WHIM
Harley Davidson branded Sena 50S dual pack (2 units paired at the factory)
Riding profile: Mostly 2 up riding
Communication needs: Rider to Passenger, Group Mesh, Bluetooth point to point on occasion.
For the Rider to Passenger, we mostly use the WHIM and the GTS intercom function instead of Bluetooth to Bluetooth or WHIM. The internal intercom keeps the conversation private and controllable via the handlebar controls.
For HOG group rides we mostly use the open Mesh function. It's much easier than the old Bluetooth intercom pairing we used to do.

Using the HD Sena units with the WHIM I get full connectivity functionality - "high definition" stereo music and device control via the handlebar controls and GTS radio. According to my HD contacts these are the only benefits of the HD branded units vs the Sena standard units or other vendor models.

History:
I have been using Sena products since 2012. I started with SMH10 units on the Road King so I could communicate with my passenger. At times I would pair with another rider but it was not something that could easily be done "on the fly". I kept those units when I switched to the Ultra Limited in 2014 and eventually switched to the 20S model. This was a workhorse for a number of years. Prior to the WHIM, I built my own Bluetooth to radio unit that I could plug into the 7 pin on the tank and get GT sound into the helmet and use the CB. I also used the pre-cursor to the Sena Freewire. Eventually, I bought the Sena clamp that also had the wired 7pin cable. With this clamp, I could connect to the bike via a wired connection to use the CB or for long road trips when we wanted the GT radio in the headset. I felt this gave me the "best of both worlds - wired & wireless". Unfortunately the wired connection eventually became a problem and I could not purchase a replacement or repair the connection.

When more people in our HOG group started getting newer models with Mesh, I added the Sena Mesh+ adapter. With this, I could Bluetooth my headset to the adapter, which connects to the open Mesh group. With my passenger connected to me via Bluetooth, she also joined the Mesh. This helped me bridge the gap and not spend money on new headsets. Over time the batteries in the 20S models started not holding the same level of charge. After purchasing the HD 50S units I wanted to sell the old 20S set but the batteries would not hold a charge so I found the batteries online and replaced them myself. Now they work as good as new and I need to get the bundle - two headsets, multiple clamps, and accessories posted for sale.

In 2022, I bought the Road Glide with the GTS unit and added the WHIM. That is when we bought the HD Sena 50S units. When riding with a group I barely get 4 hours of usage before getting the low battery warnings which is close to the estimated usage time for Mesh. I suspect that with the units connected to the GTS radio WHIM via Bluetooth and using the Mesh I am using more battery than just one connection or the other. When we get the low battery warning we just plug into a charging port and use them while they are charging. Some members of our HOG group carry a portable USB charger in their pocket and plug into that.

Future:
I believe there are documented issues with the Sena firmware going back to the 20S models. For instance, those are rated as supporting 8 Bluetooth connections but anything over 3 introduces "popcorn or drum" noises. Sena never addressed this in any of the subsequent models and focused on pushing users to their Mesh implementation instead. The problem was so persistent our group created a hand signal to pass along to indicate we needed to do a power reset on the fly.

Between Sena's lack of response and Harley's switching to Cardo as their supplier, I think the Sena systems, especially the Harley models, are orphaned and will receive few, if any, future updates. Sena also quietly reduced the number of supported Bluetooth connections and dropped support for "universal intercom pairing" and this impacts the ability to connect a Sena Bluetooth unit to a non-Sena brand, such as Cardo.

With group communications, the easiest path is whatever the critical mass of riders are using. Due to the Harley Sena implementation when the WHIM was introduced, that means Sena Mesh. Over time this will probably shift as more Skyline-based (new 2024+ model style) radio units and Cardo are bought. This also means there will be "dual standards" as members of a group migrate at different times.

The Sena Mesh and the Cardo DMC (mesh) are not directly compatible. This means you can't simply buy a Cardo unit and drop into a Sena Mesh without some prior planning.

To address this Cardo tried to work with Sena on a dual standard that would benefit both platforms but Sena declined. Cardo then "reverse engineered" their Bluetooth implementation to allow for connectivity to Sena units. This allows a newer Cardo unit to be connected to a Sena unit via Bluetooth and these two units create a bridge between the different mesh groups. For this to work best the Cardo to Sena bridged units should stay close together, for instance riding next to each other in the group. This will keep the Bluetooth connection active and thus the mesh bridging.

Instructions from Cardo for connecting their DMC (mesh) to Sena's Mesh:

Riders who purchase the new Skyline-based models will be the early adopters of this migration and will feel this frustration the most. Much like the migration from CB to Bluetooth to Sena Mesh that we've already experienced. In my group, the members who have purchased the new bikes have kept their Sena units so they don't have to relearn a new headset.

I have a Cardo Edge unit on loan for testing and documenting the connectivity options and I'm very impressed with the performance so far. I understand that Cardo has a model coming out to replace or is a step up from the Edge. When that is available I will most likely switch to Cardo.

Hopefully, this gives you some details to make an informed decision. Let me know if I can answer any questions.

If you know anyone interested in a 20S bundle let me know.

 

Holy crap, I'll wait for the movie! 📖 😅