Hey guys, my bike is currently torn down in the garage, with all the parts out for powder coat, and I thought this would be a good time to begin sinking into the audio upgrade aspect of my bike.
So far all I have done audio wise was upgrade my stock fairing speakers to a set of JBL GTOs, and I scooped up a set of brand new unfinished saddle bag lids (take 5x7 I believe) iv always been a fan of soundstream amplifier, but iv never done a bike install. I'm looking into the Soundstream picasso 520.4 at the moment. Iv read up a bit on this amp, and unless you guys know something I dont, I seems like a good match, size wise and price wise. My question is...
What goes into the amp install? Could someone forward me a thread, iv been unlucky to come across. I under stand Removing the fairing, and mounting the amp, but as for the electrical install, I could use some material to read up on
Also, for 5x7 speakers for the rear, what's a best bet type speaker?
essentially, run a power (with fuse block) and ground from battery to fairing. Remote turn on from cigarette lighter outlet (there are other "key on" power sources to tap into). radio to line leveler or line out converter to amp. amp to speakers.
rockford fosgate has yaffee's install instructions also which could help but that's yaffe's kit so you'll need to modify for your install
Well I understand iv gotta run power and ground from the battery to the amplifier, and the speaker wires from the Amo to the speakers. The remote can be ran from a cigarette lighter or something. How to you connect the stereo to the amplifier, Do the factory HU have rca outputs?
If the new HU is like past units, there are no RCA outputs. You must run the speaker wires from the HU to the amp high level inputs. In this config, the remote wire from the amp to the cig lighter is not needed as the amp uses the signal from the HU as the prompt to turn the amp on.
Oh ok I understand. Basically the same concept as an rca adapter, which I have used in the past for adding amplifier to stock HU in past vehicles before.
Also, I'm going to be running the Boom Saddle Bag lids. Iv been doing alot of reading about certain speakers fitting and others not. I believe mine accept a 5x7 speaker. Is anyone familiar with a speaker that bolts right up with these lids without modification?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but to wore up the amp. Power wire from amp to battery. Ground to ground. Speaker wire from head unit to the rca adapter and rca's to the amp. No need for remote wire? And speaker wires back to speakers.
Do I need to run multiple rca adapters for a 4 speaker set up? I see cycle sounds sells there "magic box" and they have they specified front and rear.
Also, afterwards iv heard you need to have the dealer flash the Head unit? What does this cost?
Great! Iv actually got an rca adapter on my electrical box out of a previous vehicle. I can use that. I know they say you gotta have HD flash the Head unit if you go that route.
Anyone know what they charge for the flash? Trying to figure out if it would be less expensive to use the rca adapter I have, and pay hd to flash it. Or just buy the magicbox, and not have to pay for the flash
For the ones that's installing one than one pair of speakers, are you using more than RCA line converter or just using a pair of "Y" RCA jacks on the one converter?
From what I understand only one rca converter is needed for a 4 speaker system... I'm kind if confused on this subject myself, as I see some amps have separate front/rear rca connections
Also this may be a very green horn question but, the speakers that I intend on running are 120, 120, 65, 65 rms. Total of 370w rms. Should I be shopping for an amp in the 370w range, or be shopping for an Amp that makes ex. 65w rms per channel @ 2ohms? Iv been planning on going to the Soundstream 520.4, is it possible to tune down an amplifier?
Hey joe:
If I were you I would consider ditching the lid speakers you will not need them or be able to here them. (Wile riding)focus on the fronts a good 6.5 speaker line leveler and put the power right too them.
Ok, first off the stock head unit... the moco has an EQ curve built into the Rushmore head units to support their Boom audio upgrades. It plays hell on you trying to get a clean signal out.
You can TRY and use a flash from the dealer (they flashed my bike for free but I do all my services there, ymmv). The problem is the signal and most dealers have no clue how to fix it or what flash works.
Your best bet is to alter the signal yourself, either by using an EQ, Signal Processor, or something like the Biketronics Line Leveler. I'm using the Line Leveler and you can use only 1 and a "Y" adapter after the LL but you won't have fade. So, from head unit to LL to "Y" then RCA's to each channel.
If you want fade (front to rear) you will need 2 LL's, 1 for each channel (front and rear). You will also need a flash for fade to be enabled (if you've never had your bike flashed or you don't have an ultra). Ask for the stock Ultra flash (no amp, 4 speakers, fairing and pods)
My setup will be (waiting on my lowers, have everything else): Front channel to LL to 4 channel amp bridged to fairing component set. Rear channel to LL to 2 channel amp to coax set in lowers. So 2 LL's, 2 amps (you only need 1 amp, I'll be running 200w to each set for now), 4 speakers (well technically 6 if you include tweeters).
In the future I'll replace the tweeters with horns (the 4 channel will be used for this setup unbridged) and some different PA style woofers.
It depends on how much you want. I did a Kenwood Marine 4 channel amp 45RMS per channel and people riding with me in front or behind with full face helmets say they can hear my music with my loud exhaust. I got less than 200 bucks in it. I do wish i had found some connectors as i must have done 50 red butt connectors. I didnt want to cut the factory harness but wasnt going to pay 500 plus for the simple up grades. That amp pulls very litte power and i just tapped in to the main supply for the radio in the fair and didnt have to run any extra wires to the amp for power or to the speakers as I used all the factory speaker wires. Like i said depends on how much you want. Anything more like a bigger amp you will need to run a dedicated fused power supply and ground to the amp and then for best output separate speaker wires and like they say maybe line level inputs depending on what amp. I basically cut the radio outputs and butt connected them to the RCA cables that I cut then butt connected the amp output directly to the speaker wires. Like I said I would like to have used a plug and play connector so no cutting was necessary but I wasnt planning on spending 800 buck for an amp and speakers and wiring. I got some cheap Pioneers 60RMS speakers that for a year now have gotten wet and still work. I did modify the buckets on the saddle bag lids for the 5x7/6x8's to work but it dont distort until two bars from max. I would like some better speakers but have not found marine type ones I like and dont want to buy good ones if the rain damages them. Right now if i had to replace all my speakers it would be about 80 bucks. Not high tech but it works. In my garage you cant stand beside it on wide open. People cant believe all that noise comes from that 400w amp. I honestly dont think i could be any happier with the audio especially being it only cost me 200 bucks. Any FYI that amp blew out the factory Boom audio in about 10 minutes on 4 bars from max.
If you use a line leveler, biketronics or magic box you don't need to cut anything you will need a set of short RCA'S cables if you go biketronics.some amps you need too splice in speaker cables.(IF YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TOO DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME YOU WILL NEVER HAVE TIME TOO DO IT THE SECOND TIME)
So my new amp just came in, the Soundstream Picasso 520.4 and I'm noticing this amplifier has "High level input connections". I'm not totally sure what they are but the manual says they are for use with factory head units without rca's. I also purchased the Magic Box line lever, is the line leveler needed for this application, or I simply use the "High level input connection "
High level inputs are just speaker wire connections
RCA's are low level
The Magic box is your LOC (Line Out Converter) that converts high to low and adds a little "magic" to help clean up the signal that is programmed into the stock Rushmore head units
Ok, the manual also says not to run high input and rca's at the same time, so I'm guessing I should prob just run the magic box to rca's amd don't mess with the high?
If I'm understanding this correctly, which there's a very good chance I'm not.
The line leveler (magic box) goes from the HU speaker Outs, to the rca. Then power to power, ground to ground, speaker outs to speakers.
The high level input is the same way, except replaces the magic box? Without the magic box you'd have to go through having the head unit flashed and all that?
Correct me if I'm wrong but it's either use the magic box to rcas, or use the high level input without rca, but you can't use both?
The magic box plugs into speakers cables from head unit (cleans the signal ) then to the amp.via RCA'S on the magic box.
Then speaker wire to the new speakers.
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