Well I finally bit the bullet and selected a new head unit. I already have the BT 2180 and 7.1 speakers. I too had issues with polarity. (big tabs were negative ) but that is corrected. Old factory head unit sounded bad and amplified poor sound is just louder poor sound. So, all that being said. I have a BT install kit on its way but have a few quick questions to the gurus' here that have already helped me so much.
1. The Kenwood has RCA out . I assume I use the front channel RCA's and got directly to the amp? I have a line leveller from BT but it's wired to RCA. Which connect is better for my application?
2. Is there a quick setup instruction already posted on here by someone to get my settings to a reasonable place? I am not much for tinkering. Just want loud, clear and good sound. Not an audiophile. I curently only have the 7.1 speakers in the fairing but am considering adding lowers and more speakers. I have a Street glide so no rear speakers.
Any and all help is appreciated. Will be a few days until I can do full install but have hooked up head unit temporarily and it already sounds way better.
Thanks

 

Just to clarify...what you have from BT is a Line Out Converter, a line leveler is only for Rushmore headunits. With that, connect the rca straight from your radio to the amp.

I'd have to check the settings available on that amp. If available I'd set your HPF to 80 -6bd and leave everything else off. Loudness off, bass boost off, etc. and see how that sounds.

 

No LL needed. RCA's plug directly from the HU to the amp.

I have not seen a post with setting for the 898. Each system will have some different setting anyway. You will want to download the 898 manual and print out a couple of copy's of page 16. This will be your work sheet for audio settings. I just setup a 989 but am not familiar with the 898 settings. So I will leave this up to someone that knows.

 

I got one - no promises but I will try to take pictures of all the settings somewhere this week and post.
Haze has one as well but is running different amp/speaker.
I run 4180 with bt71 in the front, so you "should" be set more or less the same.
but then again, everyone's ear are different and full, 3/4 or brainbucket makes a difference too on the HWay

 

Don't post that scatter plot you sent me!!!! LOL

I think the 898 has a para-eq and not the 13 band on our 998's. In other news, I'm putting a set of P963's in a buds bike this weekend.

 

These are the audio setting for the Kenwood 898.

 

^ yes exactly. It's not a 13 band eq.

You set the center freq and adjust the bass, mid, high, curve. A little more complicated to do. The Alpines are like this and lots of folks enjoy these types of settings.

 

Great info so far guys. Thanks. Yes. It's a 3 band equalizer. The amp has no settings I can change that I can see? I suspected I could go straight in. And I want to go to the Front Speaker Rca's correct? It has 3 sets. I don't have rears or a sub woofer.

 

Yes just run the front. Use the head units xover and run amp in full pass.

 

What is full pass? Pass through? Meaning it just plays it as it hears it?