Stereo System Upgrade
#11
10-13-2017, 07:47 PM
What Scott said. tl;dr: No real plug-n-play. Aftermarket will reduce functionality of your bike's comms and rear controls. Factory HK unit will require some deep diving but enables full integration with all the functions of your bike. How much bike functionality are you willing to give up? If you don't use CB and you don't use the intercom/helmet speakers with your passenger, aftermarket is going to be the way to go.
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I have a '01 that came with the RadioSound headunit as stock, and since upgraded to the HK unit of '06+ that has had the Iron Cross treatment to add rear aux-in and 4 channel RCA preamp-outs added.
You would lose the CB functionality unless you buy the additional module (since the RS unit had the CB built in) and harness. The easiest way to get the 35 pin connector is going to be the official Harley part #69200033. It's $20 list. It's a standard ampseal connector, but once you get shipping factored in buying it elsewhere, you're going to be right there in terms of cost. Everything from your 23-pin Ultra connector has a corresponding location on the newer 35 pin connector, and Harley has the wiring diagrams up on the SIP site.
Going with an aftermarket head unit, there are wiring adapters that will enable you to use your handlebar audio controls, but you would end up losing the use of the passenger controls. No CB or use of the bike's comm ports with aftermarket. Lots of head units are much less water-resistant than the factory unit. You can use a splash guard, but then you cant press any of the buttons on the faceplate when it's on.
Going with a HK stock unit is going to be a few hundred just in acquiring the headunit, then the additional cost of an amplifier. I would say the cost spent getting Iron Cross Audio to do the mods (ex., bluetooth, preamp outputs, rear aux) to that unit for, say, another ~$200 is justified. Then finally you can pick speakers (your existing ones are 8Ω, the HK unit is made for 2Ω speakers, and your new amp will list 2Ω or 4Ω compatibility). After you get everything together, then you can address the wiring harness to make it all work together with what you've got.
A bridge solution may be this: pick up a used HK radio, the Harley 35-pin connector, some 6.5" 2Ω speakers (your stockers are all 5.25"), and 6.5" adapter rings for the faring location (6.5" speakers will fit in your rear pods, you'll just have to drill new holes in the plastic).
The amplifier chip in the HK unit is a little more powerful driving a 2Ω speaker (46 watts) than the amplifier in the RadioSound unit driving an 8Ω speaker (40 watts). The HK will power 4Ω speakers at 28 watts, while the RS unit is not rated for such a load and will be damaged driving 4Ω speakers at high volume for lengths of time.
Between the increased speaker size and the nominal bump in power driving them, your system will be louder and better. From there you can spring into amps and how to mount them. But at this point, you're already in for $400-500 without an actual amplifier. And you will need an amplifier.
--
I have a '01 that came with the RadioSound headunit as stock, and since upgraded to the HK unit of '06+ that has had the Iron Cross treatment to add rear aux-in and 4 channel RCA preamp-outs added.
You would lose the CB functionality unless you buy the additional module (since the RS unit had the CB built in) and harness. The easiest way to get the 35 pin connector is going to be the official Harley part #69200033. It's $20 list. It's a standard ampseal connector, but once you get shipping factored in buying it elsewhere, you're going to be right there in terms of cost. Everything from your 23-pin Ultra connector has a corresponding location on the newer 35 pin connector, and Harley has the wiring diagrams up on the SIP site.
Going with an aftermarket head unit, there are wiring adapters that will enable you to use your handlebar audio controls, but you would end up losing the use of the passenger controls. No CB or use of the bike's comm ports with aftermarket. Lots of head units are much less water-resistant than the factory unit. You can use a splash guard, but then you cant press any of the buttons on the faceplate when it's on.
Going with a HK stock unit is going to be a few hundred just in acquiring the headunit, then the additional cost of an amplifier. I would say the cost spent getting Iron Cross Audio to do the mods (ex., bluetooth, preamp outputs, rear aux) to that unit for, say, another ~$200 is justified. Then finally you can pick speakers (your existing ones are 8Ω, the HK unit is made for 2Ω speakers, and your new amp will list 2Ω or 4Ω compatibility). After you get everything together, then you can address the wiring harness to make it all work together with what you've got.
A bridge solution may be this: pick up a used HK radio, the Harley 35-pin connector, some 6.5" 2Ω speakers (your stockers are all 5.25"), and 6.5" adapter rings for the faring location (6.5" speakers will fit in your rear pods, you'll just have to drill new holes in the plastic).
The amplifier chip in the HK unit is a little more powerful driving a 2Ω speaker (46 watts) than the amplifier in the RadioSound unit driving an 8Ω speaker (40 watts). The HK will power 4Ω speakers at 28 watts, while the RS unit is not rated for such a load and will be damaged driving 4Ω speakers at high volume for lengths of time.
Between the increased speaker size and the nominal bump in power driving them, your system will be louder and better. From there you can spring into amps and how to mount them. But at this point, you're already in for $400-500 without an actual amplifier. And you will need an amplifier.
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