I am close to trading in my current ride for a SG. My current plan is to upgrade the fairing speakers, add lowers with 6.5 speakers and possibly tweeters.
After reading all the great threads here on systems and equipment (hawg wired, biketronics, soundz, etc.) I have decided to start with a PBR amp and two sets of Polk MM651 based on current internet deals and feedback on this site. I plan to keep the stock Harmon head unit along with purchasing some hawg wired tweeters and steel grills. My question is what would work better (or if this would work at all):

The PBR300x2 (2 channel, 2 ohm rated) with the 4 speakers (2.7 ohm) wired in parallel.

The PBR300x4 (4 channel, 4 ohm rated) with the 4 speakers (2.7 ohm) wired in a series

Also, I'm not sure if I would need to run the tweeters to the amp or directly into the head unit.

Thanks in advance.

 

I would pass on the Hawg Wired tweeters. No need to run 6 tweeters on a system where bass will be lacking.

The 4 Polks will sound fine on their own. I would run the 4channel amp , and each speaker can have it's own channel.

Good luck with your choices !!

 

+1 on what he said. and with a 4 channel you can fade your lowers and fairing speakers to get a good balance

 

Hmmmm, I would not do either one of your setup, here's why:

1. 2ch Rockford is stable down to 2 ohms, but if you wire 2 sets of 2.7 ohm in parallel, the amp will see 1.35 ohms (parallel wiring is ohm x ohm divided by ohm + ohm, in this case, it's 7.29/5.4=1.35).

2. If you run the MM651 in series using the 4 ch amp, you're using only 2 ch out of the 4. And if you use one speaker per channel, the 4 ch Rockford is not stable down to 2.7 ohm. You MAY be able to do it, but amp might overload/overheat and shuts off especially if the gain is adjusted too high, and Rockford does not recommended running 2.7 ohm on the 4 ch.

Your best bet is to run MM651 in series using the 2 ch amp. Impedance will be 5.4 ohm (series wiring is ohm + ohm). Both the amp and speakers will be happier.

Tweeter will be fine wiring parallel to the speakers from amp, they got their own crossover and will not affect impedance. At speed 30mph+, tweeters help out tremendously.

 

Thanks everyone.
I'm gonna take 3/4's advice and wire them in series with the 2 channel. Assuming the prices stay where they are until I get the SG, I can get this setup for under $500 minus the tweeters.

 

A $12 set of ear buds will sound better at 80mph.

 

Or, a J&M headset...

 

feedback on a sound question? isn't that a bad thing!?

 

Your not wiring them in series. Each speaker will have it's own channel. Typically the only time you talk series or parallel is with subs. I'm thinking about running the same setup. Will this be better than the hogtunes 5 x 7 kit I see on Ebay for around $320 delivered?

 

Yup, I wire a headphone jack on my bikes- the earbuds keep music in & road/wind/pipe noise out.
That noise is fatiguing and overtime will cause hearing damage ( something I am very familiar with)

Trying to get over top of ambient noise is expensive and results will always be lacking.

But if you are dead set on an "upgrade", plan a system which uses 4 or 8 ohm speakers. 2 ohm has less options available.

2.) if required to put multiple speakers on a channel; wiring series can cause damage to the amp should a wiring fault or speaker fail causing a open circuit.
parallel wiring is more reliable, more copper is used ( less resistance) and should one speaker fail, the other will still work which will keep some load on the amp, and give warning that the system may need to be powered down to avoid further damage.

mike