Line Level Questions

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Feb 27, 2011 | 02:02 AM

drz400222

Thread Starter

6th Gear

Joined: Feb 2011

Posts: 14

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From: Franksville, WI

Line Level Questions

I've never been real big into audio but I'm going to upgrade my street glide's sound system. Plan on 6.5's in the lowers and prob 6.5's in the fairing too. I def want to run a fairing mounted 4 channel amp or maybe 2 2 channels and plan on keeping my HK head unit. So I assume I want an amp with high level or line level inputs right? And if so why couldn't I just run my speaker wires into the low level RCA inputs? Distortion? I plan on having my fader unlocked to adjust the level between the lower and fairing speakers. I also very occasioally run a tour pak for long trips. Is there a way to wire this so the amp or amps power the front speakers and the HK powers the rears when they're on the bike?

I know that was a lot but thanks in advance!

oh and although I have no budget I am a tight *** and want to do it as cheap as possible, if thats possible

Feb 27, 2011 | 10:42 AM

neano62

Tourer

Joined: May 2009

Posts: 260

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From: Born and raised in the Ohio.

drz400222,...

Hawg-Wired is cumin out w/new stuff here soon, couple weeks I hope!

If you have "No Budget" and r only a "TightAss" well,...I feel your pain and get this urge to "Spend" my hard earned Bucs, at times so I dont no if being a "TightAss" is really,...me?

But!,...I'm workn on my 2009 Roadglide as we speak and am hookn up sum pretty cool stuff,,imo,..alot like your "About" 2.

Sounds like to me you want the "Four in Your Face" Sytem that Hawg-Wired sells. They are cumin out w/a new 4-channel amp that is 400 watts and 4-6.5" speakers, which is gonna be, the 2-6.5", for your stock holes in the fairing and 2-6.5" speakers for your Lowers.This aint gonna b "Cheap" by no means but it will b worth it in the long run!

I also bought the CycleSound Speaker Lids (6x9) for my Saddlebags.
What I'm doing is gonna buy this "New" four in your face system from Hawg-Wired and run my all ready owned 2-channel 150 watt amp (Hawg-Wired), hook that up for my speaker lids!

I've talked to Hawg-Wired and Iron Cross to make sure this will b doable!

Iron Cross will put 2-Pre-Amp out-puts on my Stock H.K.and turn on the rear fader.Make all the "Improvements"to the Radio, that can b made and I should b "Hooked-Up"!

The "Four in your Face" system is all plug and play, and Hawg-Wired does offer it now, but patience is a good virtue here, as the "Newer" stuff should b that much Better!

So,...plan on spendn a few bucs now,do it rite, and ya wont b spendn more LATER!

IMHO

Feb 28, 2011 | 08:23 AM

Harleypingman

Extreme HDF Member

Joined: Apr 2006

Posts: 10,449

Likes: 46

From: Roswell, GA

Quote:

Originally Posted by drz400222

So I assume I want an amp with high level or line level inputs right? And if so why couldn't I just run my speaker wires into the low level RCA inputs? Distortion? I plan on having my fader unlocked to adjust the level between the lower and fairing speakers. I also very occasioally run a tour pak for long trips. Is there a way to wire this so the amp or amps power the front speakers and the HK powers the rears when they're on the bike?

These types of questions are posted in the "Touring" forum typically; this Audio forum is very new and is not yet well-established, so repost your questions in the Touring forum and you'll get more views and more replies.

I'm not an audio guy, but you may find answers to your questions by reviewing the relevant sections of this audio link:

http://www.bcae1.com/

Just scroll down the directory on the right side of the home page to find the topics you need; plenty of very good information well-presented.

Line level outputs from the head unit should go to line level inputs on the amp. That's because of the voltage carried in the audio signal being higher when they come from the head unit's speaker outputs than from the pre-amp, unamplified head unit signal. If you want to run line level outputs to the pre-amp inputs of the amp, use Line Output Converters (LOC's); PAC sells them--about $20 each.

If you want to add rear speakers, split the speaker signal from the front or rear signal from the head unit with one signal going to the add-on amp (the head unit won't recognize a load on this circuit going to the amp as it would if it was going to a speakers) and the other signal going to the rear speakers (which the head unit will "see" as a speaker load. This is how Hogtunes wires its rear speaker/amp add-on kit using the front speaker signal only to run four speakers. Just go to HT's tech zone and you can read about it.

As I mentioned at the top, post in the Touring forum for more views and replies, and take a look at the link for helpful audio information.

Carl

PS: On my bike, I use the Arc 125.2 amp, 6.5" speakers in the fairing and fairing lowers using the '11 CVO SG speaker boxes, with the HK head unit wired for four speakers w/ fader control, and Hogtunes tweeter pod.

Feb 28, 2011 | 12:16 PM

drz400222

Thread Starter

6th Gear

Joined: Feb 2011

Posts: 14

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From: Franksville, WI

Thanks Carl, I've already seen the link you've provided in another post from you. You really provide a lot of usefully info on this site. I've learned a little more through more reasearch and I've decided to go with an elf amp $200 and for the lowers Polk audio MM651UM for $145 http://cgi.ebay.com/POLK-AUDIO-MM651...item53e66191f1

For the fairing I'm still undecided if I want to just upgrade the speakers, prob a set of 2 ohm infinites like you have, or if I want to do something a lil more powerfull.

Feb 28, 2011 | 12:20 PM

drz400222

Thread Starter

6th Gear

Joined: Feb 2011

Posts: 14

Likes: 0

From: Franksville, WI

Oh and I'm also going to start a new thread in touring

Feb 28, 2011 | 04:24 PM

BlackPearl#1

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Mar 2010

Posts: 2,622

Likes: 129

From: Black River Falls, WI.

Will watch

I will watch your progress from the other side of WI. Not sure how much you have done yet, but if you are patient like the other poster said, I know Paul Yaffe is selling Hawg Wired with Rockford Fosgate right now and soon to be adding a RF amp that is 75X4 or a total of 300 watts that can be mounted in the fairing and will be a total plug and play deal. Cost will be WAY less than the HW stuff and quality will be second to none. Again it sucks to have to wait, but both Paul and RF have a great name and I hope are worth the wait. I plan to do one of his systems when available with the RF amp and I am guessing early June. I explained to paul that I already have the fairing and tank and all that off and wanted to do something now and he asures me it will be a simple plug and play with not a big down time involved. Good luck with your system and I will keep an eye out for your details.
Kris

Mar 1, 2011 | 08:26 AM

drz400222

Thread Starter

6th Gear

Joined: Feb 2011

Posts: 14

Likes: 0

From: Franksville, WI

I'm not worried about the plug and play asspect of things as I kind of take pride in doing things myself. I can fabricate mounts so that doesn't worry me either. The price for hawg wired stuff makes me cringe tho. Where I'm at now is I have the lowers and the speaker boxes, was going to send them to paint but now I'm going to wait and send the grills with too. Haven't purchased any audio yet. Is the RF amp you guys are talking about availible now in a car audio form? I nearly bought the hog tunes big ultra kit a week or so ago but there isn't enough power, only 60 watts a channel at a 2ohm load. I think I'm going to pull the trigger on the 2 channel elf amp and polk componet marine speakers for the lowers. I'll install them and if its enough sound I'll leave it at that, or if they sound amazing maybe I'll see what kind of room I have left in the fairing and install the same package for the fairing speakers