I'm starting my audio system with a Kenwood KMMBT315U and a biketronics retro radio kit. Got all the components in the mail yesterday and started working on it today. the connections were very straight forward and simple and everything was installed within an hour. before i put my fairing back on i gave it a test. it sounds amazing until i take the volume past 20. then the speakers start crackling like crazy. i also paired my phone with the unit and it's the same deal but worse. speakers cutting in and out and still crackling above a certain volume. i've tried wiggling wires and securing connection but nothing works.

has anyone else experienced this with the biketronics kit or is something wrong with the head unit? any fixes out there?

 

Here's a video of my problem. when the volume is low, the hum you're hearing is a box fan, not static.

 

You would probably get this answered pretty quick in the audio section, especially if you post your video.
Or you could give Biketronics a call they have excellent customer service.

 

Make sure LOUDNESS is turned off and the bass is turned to a midrange setting.

2nd. Set the high-pass crossover at 80hz or above. More and more modern head units have adjustable electronic crossovers built in.

3rd. Get a small amp. I bought a SOUNDSTREAM Picasso Nano. It's tiny and crazy powerful.

Ben

 

thought i was in the audio section when i posted. night shift does a number on me sometimes.

 

Most likely very little unless the HU is defective in some way. All Head units have around the same output.

Edit: ***Just realized you had a video. Watched the video for the first time. I've never heard a head unit make that sound before that wasn't a signal fading in or out. The fact that it coincides w volume leads me to think it's clipping. Are those 4 ohm speakers?***


Ben

 

at the time of the video i was using the stock 2 ohm speakers. a friendly forum member in the audio section helped me realize that and i felt like an idiot. i just put in some 4 ohm speakers and i get the same results. they are clearer at lower volume, but still making the weird clipping noises. in my experience stereo clipping usually sounds much different. usually sounds like distorted music and dropping eq freqs, so i'm not sure what exactly is going on

 

I had almost the same issue. Wasnt sure if it was the line levelers or what. I disconnect the amp from battery and everything seemed to work fine after that. I have the biketronics 2 ch. amp. Had all the cracking and popping at initial start up. turned everything off and disconnected from battery, then all was well. weird and irritating at first. but very happy with outcome.

 

thanks for the help everyone, turns out i got a crappy HU off amazon. i will be returning it and getting a refund.

i went to my local best buy and got a pioneer mvh-x580bs and wired it in and it worked perfectly first try. it reaches into the limits of the 5.25" speakers easily and connects to blue tooth flawlessly.

 

Excellent outcome.

Ben