I'm installing Polk MM651 6.5-Inch Coax Speakers up front. I need the adapter rings. Many of them say "thru 2013". Which adapter did you use?

I'm not currently adding an amp. Do I need to have the head unit flashed to turn off the DSP when I make this change?

I'm adding baffling material. What amount works best? Where did you buy your material?

Any other details about making this upgrade would be appreciated too.

Thanks

 

Head over to the audio section. On top, there's a sticky about 2014 and up audio systems. Ask your question and UN will answer it within 24 hours. I believe Biketronics makes some. I looked but it wasn't obvious to me. You'll get your answer in Audio though for sure.

 

Lots of discussion on this in the audio section. Those with the better results on the batwing seem to have removed the pods and used BT brackets - pricey but very solid, stiffen up the fairing, and allow the speaker to breathe. If you choose to leave the pods on most seem to be cutting big holes in them so the speaker can get air.

 

I thought I might get more help from the Rushmore board.

I'll also post my specific question in generic audio forum and see what happens there.

 

I went ahead and checked with an install shop that has done the new Rushmore's and the adapters would allow for the Polk speakers to set recessed so you could use the stock grills. Otherwise in the pods the Polk's tweeter protrudes and you have to go without a grill, or cobble some sort of a grill in place. I felt it was sort of a risk something would happen to leave the speakers exposed.

Once I opened up my fairing which was pretty straight forward I discovered the pods are mounted with 3 bolt buried that made it extremely difficult to access and remove them unless you a have a tiny ratchet hex tool. The other 6 bolts of various styles were out in the open.

But the biggest detail someone should know is that the 6.5" Polks are the same diameter as the 5.5" HD's. And that the HD's are two way with a separate center mount tweeter. Now the Polks have a deeper diaphragm for lower frequencies than the HDs but when I tried one on the right side and compared it to the stock on the left there's was better volume and clarity out of the stock HD speaker using just the radio's stock amplifier. The Polks come with a hefty boxed in crossover that eats up power.

What the adapter ring installed you would not use the plastic aucustic pod and you could mount the Polk without having to alter the stock grill. Again they are rated 2 different sizes but mounted in the very same holes on the pods. If you were to go this route those acoustic foam baskets would replace the pod and provide a richer sound.

I'm sending back the Polks because I have done much more reading and discovered that the HD stock speakers and the infotainment center are a matched set. The Infotainment unit utilizes a DSP circuit to adjust the signal to match the speakers.

What I believe too many are doing when they complain about the stock sound is they are not comparing them correctly and most of all are not adjusting the tone qualities for the best sound. Most guys want a lot of bass and overload the speakers and muddy up the mids and highs by jacking the bass control up on the tone adjustment. The other factor is too many expect these speakers to sound like the front row of a rock concert. And sure you can build a system that does, but the cost is phenomenal.

I'm considering a single 6" / 7" sub and amp for my right lower to give me some richer bass. I like the storage in the left for several items I carry on the road. But until then I have my bass adjusted to about 25% and the highs almost full. When I give it 85% of the volume it's louder than my bike running sound because I stuck with stock pipes. The stock pipes on my bike roar when I get on it and become very tolerable while cruising so I don't need a stereo that damages my ears to be heard above my pipes.

A lot of sound has to do with the source too. Even FM radio is weak on listenable bandwidth and many stations run compressors to boost sound, which often over enhances a clear sound. Low grade MP3s are another source of bad sound. And I can't say this enough... so does setting your bass response to the maximum limit. Not only does it distort and over enhance the bass but that's when you start destroying speakers too.

So to wrap this up I left the stock speakers in it and learned how to use clean volume to get a quality sound. Now if I needed more volume than the factory provides amplification and heavy duty speakers, or more speakers is the route to go.