Sony, Hawg-Wire Kit, and Kicker Speaker Install
#21
06-30-2008, 11:46 AM
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RE: Sony, Hawg-Wire Kit, and Kicker Speaker Install
nice!...
if you do decide to upgrade to an amp (which, if adjusted right, will make a considerable difference) there are many companies that are making mini amp (class g or d) that will run efficiently and be small enough to fit inside the fairing... i used an Alpine PDX-5, but i had also looked at the new Arc Audio mini amps... space isnt a problem for me, so i just stuck with the alpine... after i put my extended bags on, i may use the arc amps, cause all 4 that i would need fit inside the extra space provided by the extended part of my bag...
anyhow, nice upgrade...
if you do decide to upgrade to an amp (which, if adjusted right, will make a considerable difference) there are many companies that are making mini amp (class g or d) that will run efficiently and be small enough to fit inside the fairing... i used an Alpine PDX-5, but i had also looked at the new Arc Audio mini amps... space isnt a problem for me, so i just stuck with the alpine... after i put my extended bags on, i may use the arc amps, cause all 4 that i would need fit inside the extra space provided by the extended part of my bag...
anyhow, nice upgrade...
#22
06-30-2008, 07:11 PM
RE: Sony, Hawg-Wire Kit, and Kicker Speaker Install
GTSdesigns - I have a Pyle marine amp that fits on top of the radio. Its a little tight and pushes the inner fairing up about 1/4 inch. Don't know if that will be a problem or how good the Pyle will sound. The sound with just the head unit and Kickers is excellent, so I won't install the Pyle is it is going to make it worse. I had bought a MTX TM452 amp for the Harmon radio, but the dimensions were listed wrong and it was too wide to fit on top of the radio like I wanted. I have a 4 day weekend coming up so I may mess around and hook up the amp and see what it will do and how it will sound. If all goes well I may just do a full install with it. I'll take more photos and another video with it running. Should be a painless install since I already have the wires to the crossovers. The only concern is the heat here in Hawaii. I thought about trying some flex hose to somehow catch air at bottom of fairing to push across the amp, similiar to ram air or duct of some type. Would have to see how it could be done without looking like a POS. That is a very nice setup you have going. The wife and I use the saddlebags too much to consider a bag install.
Last edited by DeathWind; 09-07-2008 at 12:39 PM. Reason: Cleaning up extra characters
#23
06-30-2008, 08:19 PM
RE: Sony, Hawg-Wire Kit, and Kicker Speaker Install
Deatwind, the system looks killer! Do you have any issues as far as seeing the screen because of the sun .on the Sony deck? I had one on my RG and couldn't see the track numbers or volume while riding. I took it back off cause I all I saw was a blank screen in front of me. Just curious.
#24
06-30-2008, 08:35 PM
RE: Sony, Hawg-Wire Kit, and Kicker Speaker Install
Hogwyldpr, I have no problems at all. In fact I have the dimmer turned on so it is less \\;bright and \\;I still see everything fine. Thats the nice thing about the marine line of audio equipment. They're designed to be in the sun, rough water and spray.
#25
07-01-2008, 12:10 AM
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RE: Sony, Hawg-Wire Kit, and Kicker Speaker Install
ORIGINAL: DeathWind
GTSdesigns - I have a Pyle marine amp that fits on top of the radio. Its a little tight and \\;\\\\\\;pushes the inner fairing up about 1/4 inch. Don't know if that will be a problem or how good the \\;\\\\\\;Pyle \\;\\\\\\;will sound. The sound with just the head unit and Kickers is excellent, so I won't install the Pyle is it is going to make it worse. I had bought a MTX TM452 amp for the Harmon radio, but the dimensions were listed wrong and it was too wide to fit \\;\\\\\\;on top of the radio like I wanted. I have a 4 day weekend coming up so I may mess around and hook up the amp and see what it will do and how it will sound. If all goes well I may just do a full install with it. I'll take more photos and another video with it running. Should be a painless install since I already have the wires to the crossovers. The only concern is the heat here in Hawaii. I thought about trying some flex hose to somehow catch air at bottom of fairing to \\;\\\\\\;push across the amp, similiar to ram air or duct of some type. Would have to see how it could be done without looking like \\;\\\\\\;a POS. That is a very nice setup you have going. The wife and I use the saddlebags too much to consider a bag install.  \\;\\\\\\;
GTSdesigns - I have a Pyle marine amp that fits on top of the radio. Its a little tight and \\;\\\\\\;pushes the inner fairing up about 1/4 inch. Don't know if that will be a problem or how good the \\;\\\\\\;Pyle \\;\\\\\\;will sound. The sound with just the head unit and Kickers is excellent, so I won't install the Pyle is it is going to make it worse. I had bought a MTX TM452 amp for the Harmon radio, but the dimensions were listed wrong and it was too wide to fit \\;\\\\\\;on top of the radio like I wanted. I have a 4 day weekend coming up so I may mess around and hook up the amp and see what it will do and how it will sound. If all goes well I may just do a full install with it. I'll take more photos and another video with it running. Should be a painless install since I already have the wires to the crossovers. The only concern is the heat here in Hawaii. I thought about trying some flex hose to somehow catch air at bottom of fairing to \\;\\\\\\;push across the amp, similiar to ram air or duct of some type. Would have to see how it could be done without looking like \\;\\\\\\;a POS. That is a very nice setup you have going. The wife and I use the saddlebags too much to consider a bag install.  \\;\\\\\\;
i wouldnt use the pyle if its doesnt fit with at least an inch of clearance, the amps generate alot of heat and i dont know how tht will effect the fairing as far as damage (with it touching), if it sounds good enough for you i would leave it alone for now...
#26
07-01-2008, 12:47 AM
RE: Sony, Hawg-Wire Kit, and Kicker Speaker Install
That's been my thoughts, which is why I didn't install the amp initially. Only thing the amp would do is give me a louder volume at a lower radio volume. I run at highway speeds with the volume around 21-23 and the volume maxes out at 34.
#27
09-07-2008, 01:40 AM
Well it's been a couple months since the install and I thought I would update you on the performance. I love this set up. Crystal clear with the Kicker component speakers, and loud enough to be heard at 70+ miles an hour. Several rain storms, a few washings and Hawaii pothole roads have shown that this radio is perfect for the touring bike. It takes a very hard jolt to "skip" the CD and it really only pauses the song a couple seconds.
The only thing I second guess myself on now is wishing that I had bought an Ipod and the SONY CDX-M50IP radio (now selling for less than $145). It allows you to control the Ipod via the radio, which means you can use the handlebar controls to change songs and such, like the CD or radio. I still do not own an Ipod so no big loss. I have a 2gb MP3 player with over 300 songs that I just let play randomly and leave in the glove box. If I get tired of a song I switch to the CD with 100+ mp3 songs on it.
The only thing I second guess myself on now is wishing that I had bought an Ipod and the SONY CDX-M50IP radio (now selling for less than $145). It allows you to control the Ipod via the radio, which means you can use the handlebar controls to change songs and such, like the CD or radio. I still do not own an Ipod so no big loss. I have a 2gb MP3 player with over 300 songs that I just let play randomly and leave in the glove box. If I get tired of a song I switch to the CD with 100+ mp3 songs on it.
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