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OEM speaker swap with Polk Audio speakers

BlkDragon

BlkDragon

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Jul 20, 2015
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After reading few posts on upgrading OEM speakers with better pair, I found a deal on Polk Audio 6.5" marine certified speakers from CL so I got it and swapped it out this morning. I did one side first to compare the sound and definitely much better. It took me 2.5 hours totally, sound overall is definitely better so with an Amp I am sure it'll sound even better. I used OEM grills.

I will look around on a deal for a Rockford Fosgate Amp, then will have my friend shop install it later. I am actually not into loud system but since I can't play through Bluetooth then I have no choice but to upgrade the system a bit so I can listen while riding on a long rides.

I can't remember who was the one that swapped out amp/speakers and posted with pictures.....I thank you for detail instructions which made my swap very smooth as I know exactly what to do without guessing.....again many thanks!
 
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All,
I am ready to make a decision on an Amp and my friend Stereo shop is suggesting JL HX-280/4 amp instead of RF PBR300X2....????

Any suggestion or help with making the right decision is much appreciated.

Thanks!
 
I'm not a lot of help with this subject sorry. I leaned on Spazz a lot for his help in what amp to use for the best quality and sound. I know I started with the Arc 125 and later upgraded to the Moto 600.4 because the 125 just wasn't enough. I would look at reviews and see what others are saying about the amps your looking at. You may want to call around to some places that install on bikes because they are a lot different then cars.
 
TomA said:
I'm not a lot of help with this subject sorry. I leaned on Spazz a lot for his help in what amp to use for the best quality and sound. I know I started with the Arc 125 and later upgraded to the Moto 600.4 because the 125 just wasn't enough. I would look at reviews and see what others are saying about the amps your looking at. You may want to call around to some places that install on bikes because they are a lot different then cars.
Click to expand...

Thanks Tom.....I will wait for others to charm in as well and see anyone will have input....

This friend has been in Audio business for a long time, I met him back in 70's and his stereo shop has been in business since. We have had numerous systems installed from his shop. I have seen some Harley's in his shop getting stereo added but never really paid attention to Harley's back then as we were into 4x4's, sport cars & race cars with monster systems. He doesn't carry Rockford Fosgate or MTX any longer and he is JL dealer as well as few other products and he swears by it. One thing I know about him is if I am not satisfy with what he suggested he'll do it right by swapping it out with what I want. And since he is in Stereo business I am sure he'll not waste his time/money by stirring me wrong but since I am not familiar with JL I thought I find out on here to see if anyone has any input on this brand.
 
Personally... I would not go with RF.... my choices would be Arc Audio... Diamond Micro and then JL

I would NOT get any amp under 500 watts. It's best to have an efficient amp ( more powerful) and turn it down than to run something smaller at max power. My 2 cents

Sent from Note4 via TapaTalk
 
Spazz said:
Personally... I would not go with RF.... my choices would be Arc Audio... Diamond Micro and then JL

I would NOT get any amp under 500 watts. It's best to have an efficient amp ( more powerful) and turn it down than to run something smaller at max power. My 2 cents

Sent from Note4 via TapaTalk
Click to expand...

Spazz, that's an excellent input......the only reason I am getting an Amp is to hear my system while I am riding so if I can't hear it why bother.....I am going back to my friend with this question....thanks!
 
If you are getting an amp.... buy ONCE.... DON'T SETTLE.... you will spend more in the long run

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Spazz said:
If you are getting an amp.... buy ONCE.... DON'T SETTLE.... you will spend more in the long run

Sent from Note4 via TapaTalk
Click to expand...

Yes sir....that's exactly what I will do.....that's why I do intense homework before shelling out my hard earned $$$. And my friend knows me well enough therefore by the time I have my bike in his shop he'll have exactly what I want as he knows he'll be redoing it for FREE of charge. I have given him enough businesses by referring all my friends and co-workers so he won't do me wrong but I want to be 100% certain I am not making the bad decision and ended up spending more money later. Also I will not be adding speakers anywhere else so I just want it loud enough to hear it while I am riding.
 
Spazz said:
If you are getting an amp.... buy ONCE.... DON'T SETTLE.... you will spend more in the long run

Sent from Note4 via TapaTalk
Click to expand...

Spazz
Does Soundz "tune" the amp prior to sending it out the customer ?
Seems like I read in the past that was the case but was wanting to make sure.
 
flatlander said:
Spazz
Does Soundz "tune" the amp prior to sending it out the customer ?
Seems like I read in the past that was the case but was wanting to make sure.
Click to expand...
Yessir... Peter and his crew pre-tune every amp to the system and bike it's going to be installed in.



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Spazz said:
Yessir... Peter and his crew pre-tune every amp to the system and bike it's going to be installed in.



Sent from Note4 via TapaTalk
Click to expand...

I was thinking Diamond (amp) but may have to go Soundz seeing how they also have the lid speakers I am wanting.
 
Spoke to my friend and he spread it out for me and after thinking about what he said I think he is right.....I will never get the sound I am looking for while riding.....he told me he installed quite a few bikes with all kinds of expensive systems and they all seem to love it but that's when it's sitting at a club/bar/park/parking lot/etc.....but not one will tell him how great it sounds while riding and commonsense will tell anyone that sound from fairing is all one is going to hear while riding with serious amp & speakers and anything behind the rider is all wasted sound. So I guess I will not bother spending money where I will be disappointed. I will just listen to MP3 through my Bluetooth and call it the day.
 
I'm not gonna blow smoke... the rear lids cannot be heard over 20-25mph... but... when I can provide music for a Brother next to me at 80mph over my Thunder Header.... my system does put out some good quality sound

How do I know they can hear it??? Because their heads are bobbin to the rhythm just like mine...lol

Sent from Note4 via TapaTalk
 
Spazz said:
I'm not gonna blow smoke... the rear lids cannot be heard over 20-25mph... but... when I can provide music for a Brother next to me at 80mph over my Thunder Header.... my system does put out some good quality sound

How do I know they can hear it??? Because their heads are bobbin to the rhythm just like mine...lol

Sent from Note4 via TapaTalk
Click to expand...

Thanks Spazz....that's exactly what I needed to hear....!!!!!
 
I will second the brothers riding by me listening to the music. I run mine about 1/2 volume or less at 80 to 90mph and don't have any issue's. With the 125 amp I had to turn it almost all the way up for clear music I could hear. Was riding along side a brother with the full blown Harley set up with bag speakers on a CVO and he could hear mine over his of course I may have turned it up just a little.
 
I am looking for more clarity and frequency response I'm pretty much satisfied with the volume of the stock Harley system, My gripe is the upper midrange frequency's making my ears feel like their bleeding and not enough instrument and vocal seperation. I don't want to add more speakers but would upgrade to a better speaker if they had a better frequency response then stock, and i would upgrade amps if it had the ability to reproduce all the frequency's that the speaker is made to reproduce. I know you can't get but so much frequency response from a small speaker and your not going to get a lot of bass with just ferring speakers because you can't get much back pressure needed to produce the lower thumping bass. Then I have to look at how much crispness and clearness will I be able to hear at highway speeds. Not sure about these smaller systems but professional amps produce the best quality of sound at 3/4 to full volume (just below the clip or distortion level) I like that the ugraded Harley system (Stage something or other) uses a seperate amp for right side high's and left side high's and right side low's and left side lows called Bi-amping. which is how a better and clearer sound is achieved in the professional systems except they usually have seperate amps for right side high's right side mid's right side low's and right side sub lows.But I don't know if that sme princable would work on the smaller scale.
So I said all that to say I'm looking to upgrade my sound system on the bike without adding speakers and I'm not looking for raw power but a good crisp sounding system and ferrring speakers.
And it's a boring day here at work!
 
1biker said:
I am looking for more clarity and frequency response I'm pretty much satisfied with the volume of the stock Harley system, My gripe is the upper midrange frequency's making my ears feel like their bleeding and not enough instrument and vocal seperation. I don't want to add more speakers but would upgrade to a better speaker if they had a better frequency response then stock, and i would upgrade amps if it had the ability to reproduce all the frequency's that the speaker is made to reproduce. I know you can't get but so much frequency response from a small speaker and your not going to get a lot of bass with just ferring speakers because you can't get much back pressure needed to produce the lower thumping bass. Then I have to look at how much crispness and clearness will I be able to hear at highway speeds. Not sure about these smaller systems but professional amps produce the best quality of sound at 3/4 to full volume (just below the clip or distortion level) I like that the ugraded Harley system (Stage something or other) uses a seperate amp for right side high's and left side high's and right side low's and left side lows called Bi-amping. which is how a better and clearer sound is achieved in the professional systems except they usually have seperate amps for right side high's right side mid's right side low's and right side sub lows.But I don't know if that sme princable would work on the smaller scale.
So I said all that to say I'm looking to upgrade my sound system on the bike without adding speakers and I'm not looking for raw power but a good crisp sounding system and ferrring speakers.
And it's a boring day here at work!
Click to expand...

1biker, I will give you my 2 cents worth and hope it'll help you decide on what you want......here goes: As we all know, while blasting down the highway/freeway with all kinds of noises you'll never truly hear your system at any speed over 25MPH.....so if you want to force others around to hear what you are playing then go for the biggest most powerful amp money can buy and people around you will either thank you or run you off the road....LOL!!!! Or get your bike setup with wired headset and listen to your music with all kinds of bass and crispy clear sound while blocking 70% of the noises around you. As for me I like wireless so I will just settle for Bluetooth via MP3....until if/when HD decides to come up with an upgrade for HU to pair up to Bluetooth the way it should be then I am truly a happy person.

Good luck making the right decision my friend!
 
The reasoning behind the stock system is the EQ curve of the DSP (digital signal processor) changes with volume settings. Bass is reduced and treble increased as you turn it up. For this reason, when you run an aftermarket amp, you must flash the head unit to flatten the EQ curve via Digital Technician ( computer at HD) to the specifications of the atermarket amp you install. With the correct flash, the EQ curve is flat across the volume range allowing the amp to do what it's supposed to wherever the volume is set.

Sent from Note4 via TapaTalk
 
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