AVC with amp?
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 420
Likes: 64
From: Southern Bear Flag
AVC with amp?
Do any aftermarket amplifier makers make one that works with the AVC in the factory Harmon Kardon advanced audio stereo? Bike is an 07 Electra Glide Standard by the way.
Only reason I ask is that I really like the AVC for intown riding but am worried if I install an aftermarket amp and speakers then I'll lose the AVC function. Thanks!
-Matt
Only reason I ask is that I really like the AVC for intown riding but am worried if I install an aftermarket amp and speakers then I'll lose the AVC function. Thanks!
-Matt
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 420
Likes: 64
From: Southern Bear Flag
Got it, I'm ok with the stock head unit as of now and aren't planning to do anything too extreme. Just a small amp and slightly bigger fairing speakers and lower fairing speakers. I've already picked out most of what I'm going to be running and don't have plans to ditch the stock HU just yet. I'll keep that in mind for the future. Was just nice not to have to touch the volume when coming to a stock or rolling slowly through the neighborhood.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,622
Likes: 129
From: Black River Falls, WI.
To answer original question, yes that feature does still work because the HK doesn't know what it's feeding the output to. The guys are giving you words of caution because when you tune your amp to get the most audio, then your HK adds to that at speed, you will put yourself at risk of blowing speakers or at least distortion. That said, if you do you gain setting safely and leave room for the increased output at speed, you will be fine. Just know it's hard to hear the danger zone approaching at speed. Hope this makes sense and is helpful.
Kris
Kris
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,704
Likes: 914
From: Southern Virginia
I have discussed AVC and the pre-Rushmore HK head units at length with Iron Cross Audio, who knows more about those head units and how they function than anyone here. I will try to relay what they explained to me as best I can. If in doubt I suggest contacting them directly and getting the skinny from them.
In a nutshell AVC on those head units DOES NOT change the voltage going into the amp in any different way than running the volume up with your thumb. The reason being it is Automatic VOLUME Control, not Automatic GAIN Control. Those are two different things.
They basically said that AVC will not increase the volume past maximum volume with AVC off. If I remember correctly AVC actually "tops out" at a certain speed and stops increasing the volume. I can't remember the exact speed maybe IC can say. I remember one user talking about he had actually reached that ceiling and knew it because his gains were set a little low. Now that I think about it when I hit about 50 or so the volume doesn't get any louder unless I run it up with my thumb and I have AVC set on the third notch out of four.
To be safe what I did was turn AVC off when setting the gains and I made sure that I had the gains set so I could turn the volume up all the way without distortion. That way if the volume button ever sticks (I did have that happen once) then nothing would get damaged.
I THINK I have relayed what they said properly. I would encourage anyone with questions to contact IC. The notion that AVC must always be off with these older head units when running amps just simply isn't true.
In a nutshell AVC on those head units DOES NOT change the voltage going into the amp in any different way than running the volume up with your thumb. The reason being it is Automatic VOLUME Control, not Automatic GAIN Control. Those are two different things.
They basically said that AVC will not increase the volume past maximum volume with AVC off. If I remember correctly AVC actually "tops out" at a certain speed and stops increasing the volume. I can't remember the exact speed maybe IC can say. I remember one user talking about he had actually reached that ceiling and knew it because his gains were set a little low. Now that I think about it when I hit about 50 or so the volume doesn't get any louder unless I run it up with my thumb and I have AVC set on the third notch out of four.
To be safe what I did was turn AVC off when setting the gains and I made sure that I had the gains set so I could turn the volume up all the way without distortion. That way if the volume button ever sticks (I did have that happen once) then nothing would get damaged.
I THINK I have relayed what they said properly. I would encourage anyone with questions to contact IC. The notion that AVC must always be off with these older head units when running amps just simply isn't true.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 10,637
Likes: 1,246
From: Lake, Ms
Originally Posted by Hoyt 1911A1
I have discussed AVC and the pre-Rushmore HK head units at length with Iron Cross Audio, who knows more about those head units and how they function than anyone here. I will try to relay what they explained to me as best I can. If in doubt I suggest contacting them directly and getting the skinny from them.
In a nutshell AVC on those head units DOES NOT change the voltage going into the amp in any different way than running the volume up with your thumb. The reason being it is Automatic VOLUME Control, not Automatic GAIN Control. Those are two different things.
They basically said that AVC will not increase the volume past maximum volume with AVC off. If I remember correctly AVC actually "tops out" at a certain speed and stops increasing the volume. I can't remember the exact speed maybe IC can say. I remember one user talking about he had actually reached that ceiling and knew it because his gains were set a little low. Now that I think about it when I hit about 50 or so the volume doesn't get any louder unless I run it up with my thumb and I have AVC set on the third notch out of four.
To be safe what I did was turn AVC off when setting the gains and I made sure that I had the gains set so I could turn the volume up all the way without distortion. That way if the volume button ever sticks (I did have that happen once) then nothing would get damaged.
I THINK I have relayed what they said properly. I would encourage anyone with questions to contact IC. The notion that AVC must always be off with these older head units when running amps just simply isn't true.
In a nutshell AVC on those head units DOES NOT change the voltage going into the amp in any different way than running the volume up with your thumb. The reason being it is Automatic VOLUME Control, not Automatic GAIN Control. Those are two different things.
They basically said that AVC will not increase the volume past maximum volume with AVC off. If I remember correctly AVC actually "tops out" at a certain speed and stops increasing the volume. I can't remember the exact speed maybe IC can say. I remember one user talking about he had actually reached that ceiling and knew it because his gains were set a little low. Now that I think about it when I hit about 50 or so the volume doesn't get any louder unless I run it up with my thumb and I have AVC set on the third notch out of four.
To be safe what I did was turn AVC off when setting the gains and I made sure that I had the gains set so I could turn the volume up all the way without distortion. That way if the volume button ever sticks (I did have that happen once) then nothing would get damaged.
I THINK I have relayed what they said properly. I would encourage anyone with questions to contact IC. The notion that AVC must always be off with these older head units when running amps just simply isn't true.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,812
Likes: 122
From: Joliet IL.
I like using my AVC, you just have to realize that the volume increases as you speed up, so if your cranking it a lower speed, and start to speed up, lower your volume as your speed increases! Its not brain surgery! I have had more problems when a song is fading out (at the end of a song) and you increase your volume because you can't hear it and then Bam the next song hits and you got it cranked! You have to be aware of the limitations of your system.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,704
Likes: 914
From: Southern Virginia
I dug back through my emails and found this reply from Iron Cross:
Yes, the AVC will still work through the pre-amps
No reason to turn the AVC off, if adjusted properly with or without pre-amps, the amp will be fine. There is no difference between the AVC increasing / decreasing or manually using the volume control
Yes, the AVC will still work through the pre-amps
No reason to turn the AVC off, if adjusted properly with or without pre-amps, the amp will be fine. There is no difference between the AVC increasing / decreasing or manually using the volume control
Club Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 7,618
Likes: 10,437
From: Des moines IA
I dug back through my emails and found this reply from Iron Cross:
Yes, the AVC will still work through the pre-amps
No reason to turn the AVC off, if adjusted properly with or without pre-amps, the amp will be fine. There is no difference between the AVC increasing / decreasing or manually using the volume control
Yes, the AVC will still work through the pre-amps
No reason to turn the AVC off, if adjusted properly with or without pre-amps, the amp will be fine. There is no difference between the AVC increasing / decreasing or manually using the volume control