Kappa Perfect 600s and Fosgate amp - not impressed
#1
06-27-2022, 03:07 PM
Kappa Perfect 600s and Fosgate amp - not impressed
After some deliberation I thought I would just bite the bullet and went to a motorcycle audio "expert" shop and have it done right with the new bike.
Sadly, I am left rather unimpressed after spending some serious cash for what I assumed would be a solid system. I can't fault the shops sales guys, they did seem knowledgeable and were plenty helpful working out a system.
After listening to one of the shops demo bikes, I picked the kappa perfects and an appropriately powerful amp installed and the radio flash done. However, My system - while now loud AF as promised - Seems to be totally lacking in dynamic range. There's just nothing on the bottom end. Oh, they're clean and clear and I can drive them far louder than i can handle, but they simply fall flat on the lower. Even the stock speakers had more "presence" on the bottom end. distorted or not. Changing the bass level on the head unit results in zero effect at the speakers. or at least any effect is under the threshold I can determine.
Wondering what my options might be. Understanding there would be tradeoffs and knowing some basics about speakers and amps - I talked to the shop about changing the EQ up a bit and turn the gains down a hair. Understanding the trade in volume but they were flat out resistant to making any changes. Citing potential damage to the speakers and warranty concerns. They also claim that swapping out the speakers to their comparable Rockford set would yield even less bass tones.
Without any actual equipment to back up my opinion - it feels like they are resisting to up sell me another $2500 on another amp and 2 bag sub woofer systems.
With these speakers being fairly new to the market and little actual real world reviews of them. It's hard to find a comparative assessment to backup my thinking that something isn't right. I honestly think they either have the roll off set far to aggressive, or the low freq filter set far too high.
IMO ear piercing loud is not a useful tradeoff to range. Have to say, the static board displays for the boom systems have more... boom than this setup. had just the basic hogtunes in the 07, and while it had distortion when turned up too far - even that sound was far more full than what I ended up with now. I wasn't expecting to get subwoofer grade bass from the setup, but I wasn't expecting to lose what little bottom range the stock system had either. Considering trying to find another shop just to have another set of ears on it - but they are few and far between in my area.
kind of thinking I should have just gone with the HD RF upgrade or a canned box system for all this has been worth. For all it's issues and lesser quality compared to alternatives - it still would have been $1000 cheaper and probably sounded more full.
Sadly, I am left rather unimpressed after spending some serious cash for what I assumed would be a solid system. I can't fault the shops sales guys, they did seem knowledgeable and were plenty helpful working out a system.
After listening to one of the shops demo bikes, I picked the kappa perfects and an appropriately powerful amp installed and the radio flash done. However, My system - while now loud AF as promised - Seems to be totally lacking in dynamic range. There's just nothing on the bottom end. Oh, they're clean and clear and I can drive them far louder than i can handle, but they simply fall flat on the lower. Even the stock speakers had more "presence" on the bottom end. distorted or not. Changing the bass level on the head unit results in zero effect at the speakers. or at least any effect is under the threshold I can determine.
Wondering what my options might be. Understanding there would be tradeoffs and knowing some basics about speakers and amps - I talked to the shop about changing the EQ up a bit and turn the gains down a hair. Understanding the trade in volume but they were flat out resistant to making any changes. Citing potential damage to the speakers and warranty concerns. They also claim that swapping out the speakers to their comparable Rockford set would yield even less bass tones.
Without any actual equipment to back up my opinion - it feels like they are resisting to up sell me another $2500 on another amp and 2 bag sub woofer systems.
With these speakers being fairly new to the market and little actual real world reviews of them. It's hard to find a comparative assessment to backup my thinking that something isn't right. I honestly think they either have the roll off set far to aggressive, or the low freq filter set far too high.
IMO ear piercing loud is not a useful tradeoff to range. Have to say, the static board displays for the boom systems have more... boom than this setup. had just the basic hogtunes in the 07, and while it had distortion when turned up too far - even that sound was far more full than what I ended up with now. I wasn't expecting to get subwoofer grade bass from the setup, but I wasn't expecting to lose what little bottom range the stock system had either. Considering trying to find another shop just to have another set of ears on it - but they are few and far between in my area.
kind of thinking I should have just gone with the HD RF upgrade or a canned box system for all this has been worth. For all it's issues and lesser quality compared to alternatives - it still would have been $1000 cheaper and probably sounded more full.
Last edited by anothernewb; 06-27-2022 at 03:20 PM.
#2
06-27-2022, 03:50 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
#3
06-27-2022, 04:25 PM
#4
06-27-2022, 05:48 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
#6
06-28-2022, 08:38 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
After some deliberation I thought I would just bite the bullet and went to a motorcycle audio "expert" shop and have it done right with the new bike.
Sadly, I am left rather unimpressed after spending some serious cash for what I assumed would be a solid system. I can't fault the shops sales guys, they did seem knowledgeable and were plenty helpful working out a system.
After listening to one of the shops demo bikes, I picked the kappa perfects and an appropriately powerful amp installed and the radio flash done. However, My system - while now loud AF as promised - Seems to be totally lacking in dynamic range. There's just nothing on the bottom end. Oh, they're clean and clear and I can drive them far louder than i can handle, but they simply fall flat on the lower. Even the stock speakers had more "presence" on the bottom end. distorted or not. Changing the bass level on the head unit results in zero effect at the speakers. or at least any effect is under the threshold I can determine.
Wondering what my options might be. Understanding there would be tradeoffs and knowing some basics about speakers and amps - I talked to the shop about changing the EQ up a bit and turn the gains down a hair. Understanding the trade in volume but they were flat out resistant to making any changes. Citing potential damage to the speakers and warranty concerns. They also claim that swapping out the speakers to their comparable Rockford set would yield even less bass tones.
Without any actual equipment to back up my opinion - it feels like they are resisting to up sell me another $2500 on another amp and 2 bag sub woofer systems.
With these speakers being fairly new to the market and little actual real world reviews of them. It's hard to find a comparative assessment to backup my thinking that something isn't right. I honestly think they either have the roll off set far to aggressive, or the low freq filter set far too high.
IMO ear piercing loud is not a useful tradeoff to range. Have to say, the static board displays for the boom systems have more... boom than this setup. had just the basic hogtunes in the 07, and while it had distortion when turned up too far - even that sound was far more full than what I ended up with now. I wasn't expecting to get subwoofer grade bass from the setup, but I wasn't expecting to lose what little bottom range the stock system had either. Considering trying to find another shop just to have another set of ears on it - but they are few and far between in my area.
kind of thinking I should have just gone with the HD RF upgrade or a canned box system for all this has been worth. For all it's issues and lesser quality compared to alternatives - it still would have been $1000 cheaper and probably sounded more full.
Sadly, I am left rather unimpressed after spending some serious cash for what I assumed would be a solid system. I can't fault the shops sales guys, they did seem knowledgeable and were plenty helpful working out a system.
After listening to one of the shops demo bikes, I picked the kappa perfects and an appropriately powerful amp installed and the radio flash done. However, My system - while now loud AF as promised - Seems to be totally lacking in dynamic range. There's just nothing on the bottom end. Oh, they're clean and clear and I can drive them far louder than i can handle, but they simply fall flat on the lower. Even the stock speakers had more "presence" on the bottom end. distorted or not. Changing the bass level on the head unit results in zero effect at the speakers. or at least any effect is under the threshold I can determine.
Wondering what my options might be. Understanding there would be tradeoffs and knowing some basics about speakers and amps - I talked to the shop about changing the EQ up a bit and turn the gains down a hair. Understanding the trade in volume but they were flat out resistant to making any changes. Citing potential damage to the speakers and warranty concerns. They also claim that swapping out the speakers to their comparable Rockford set would yield even less bass tones.
Without any actual equipment to back up my opinion - it feels like they are resisting to up sell me another $2500 on another amp and 2 bag sub woofer systems.
With these speakers being fairly new to the market and little actual real world reviews of them. It's hard to find a comparative assessment to backup my thinking that something isn't right. I honestly think they either have the roll off set far to aggressive, or the low freq filter set far too high.
IMO ear piercing loud is not a useful tradeoff to range. Have to say, the static board displays for the boom systems have more... boom than this setup. had just the basic hogtunes in the 07, and while it had distortion when turned up too far - even that sound was far more full than what I ended up with now. I wasn't expecting to get subwoofer grade bass from the setup, but I wasn't expecting to lose what little bottom range the stock system had either. Considering trying to find another shop just to have another set of ears on it - but they are few and far between in my area.
kind of thinking I should have just gone with the HD RF upgrade or a canned box system for all this has been worth. For all it's issues and lesser quality compared to alternatives - it still would have been $1000 cheaper and probably sounded more full.
If an HD boom system would have been 1000 cheaper, I question how much this shop took you for. lol
Not sure which amp you got either, but those speakers are 400 a pair I think. Not crazy expensive, but about on par with what the boom crap speakers sell for new.
#7
06-28-2022, 09:29 AM
Road Master
What amp do you have? Doesnt take much to push them speakers at 75w RMS / 225w peak. Not sure how much bass your looking for with 2 speakers but its not going to happen with those. Specs say they can be crossed over at 60hz. I would check the amp out and set the gains to the chart here. Maybe they just need broke in.
On another note. If your talking about them RF drop in sealed subs for the bags, those things pound
On another note. If your talking about them RF drop in sealed subs for the bags, those things pound
Last edited by kloccwork419; 06-28-2022 at 09:49 AM.
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#8
06-28-2022, 10:20 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
What amp do you have? Doesnt take much to push them speakers at 75w RMS / 225w peak. Not sure how much bass your looking for with 2 speakers but its not going to happen with those. Specs say they can be crossed over at 60hz. I would check the amp out and set the gains to the chart here. Maybe they just need broke in.
On another note. If your talking about them RF drop in sealed subs for the bags, those things pound
On another note. If your talking about them RF drop in sealed subs for the bags, those things pound
#9
06-28-2022, 10:53 AM
The Audio Garage in Fargo ND.
I need to call the shop to get the exact Fosgate amp that they put in the bike. I had an itemized list. but apparently I tossed it out for some dumb reason.
Pretty sure I paid MSRP for those 600x they were like $550 a pair. and I had 2 pair put in.
as for the rest I did ask a lot of questions of the sales guy. They apparently use good stuff and they did come pretty highly rated by others in the local area. They use the Techno Research flash tool and an oscillocope to set the radio eq, and the gains. I honestly had a good opinion of things after I talked to them, which is why I said I couldn't fault the sales end. The test bike they had sounded fantastic. While that one did have the 6x9's in the bags and the Fosgate subs in each bag. however we disconnected the subs and set the fader to all the way forward to get a sense of the sound from the fairing. I had them use the same (round) speakers and amp they had in the test bike. The test bike seemed to have a much more full sound than mine does, even from the fronts.
I plan to take the bike back up there in the next few weeks to have things rechecked and to do a side by side. I did speak with them yesterday and they are more than happy to recheck things.
Perhaps they just need more breaking in, or I need to bite the bullet and upgrade to the 900x and bag lids. I just didn't want to cut the lids up.
I need to call the shop to get the exact Fosgate amp that they put in the bike. I had an itemized list. but apparently I tossed it out for some dumb reason.
Pretty sure I paid MSRP for those 600x they were like $550 a pair. and I had 2 pair put in.
as for the rest I did ask a lot of questions of the sales guy. They apparently use good stuff and they did come pretty highly rated by others in the local area. They use the Techno Research flash tool and an oscillocope to set the radio eq, and the gains. I honestly had a good opinion of things after I talked to them, which is why I said I couldn't fault the sales end. The test bike they had sounded fantastic. While that one did have the 6x9's in the bags and the Fosgate subs in each bag. however we disconnected the subs and set the fader to all the way forward to get a sense of the sound from the fairing. I had them use the same (round) speakers and amp they had in the test bike. The test bike seemed to have a much more full sound than mine does, even from the fronts.
I plan to take the bike back up there in the next few weeks to have things rechecked and to do a side by side. I did speak with them yesterday and they are more than happy to recheck things.
Perhaps they just need more breaking in, or I need to bite the bullet and upgrade to the 900x and bag lids. I just didn't want to cut the lids up.
Last edited by anothernewb; 06-28-2022 at 11:21 AM.
#10
06-28-2022, 11:25 AM
Road Master