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Freewire-01 for Harley mic impedance/Carplay

Gregg Smith

September 03, 2021 14:10

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The Freewire-01 needs to be updated to be fully compatible with the new Boom! GTS radios.
The new GTS radios are CarPlay compatible, but in order to have full functionality the mic impedance presented to the radio input needs to be Lo-Z, not Hi-Z… this is a change from previous Harley audio systems where the headset microphones were high impedance.

Harley even advises owners of these newer audio systems that some of their older headsets are not compatible for this reason

GTS radios require a low impedance mic and the Freewire has a high impedance output.

I imagine this could be easily rectified with a new cable that goes from the Freewire to the bike headset connector, incorporating a high to low Z transformer in the microphone circuit.

Without this change, you will not have CarPlay available on the GTS radio…

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4 comments

• 0
  
  michael.j.christopher November 03, 2021 18:14

  +1   Just discovering the issues with both Freewire and the Sena produced WHIM.  I am holding off on purchasing because of this issue.

  Edited by michael.j.christopher November 03, 2021 18:15
• 0
  
  Frank Thomas March 27, 2022 08:45

  What would be the necessary modification of the current cables to enable Apple CarPlay while using the Sena Freewire.

• 0
  
  Ken August 11, 2022 20:02

  It won't be as easy as an impedance-matching transformer in the cable.  A transformer can match a Low z to Hi z, but there's not enough power in a highZ output to transform to low Z.   
  However, an impedance-matching amplifier in the mic output circuitry of a Freewire would certainly work.  Designs for such are commonplace.  If the Freewire had such a circuit, it would be truly and fully Harley Davidson-compatible.  

   

   

   

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  richard May 22, 2023 23:45

  When I measure the ohms of my new 2023 cable from Harley, I'm getting 6k ohms. That is the only headset that works. None of the Sena cables work. I put a 1.5k resister in the passenger hed set plug in the mike terminals and car play will start with my freeware in the front headset outlet. I do get an echo in the mic and Sena has no support for there products.