I tried searching for these answers, but came up short. Figured I would put them all in one place and see what you all can answer for me. I appreciate the help.

The plan is to upgrade at least the speakers on my '12 SG to the Boom Audio speakers. Some questions:

1. If installing just the fairing speakers, is there a major advantage to installing an amp as well, or is it just a volume increase? My understanding is that the Boom Audio speakers are louder and have better clarity than stock with no amp needed, so really I'm wondering if the amp provides other value.

2. If I do install the amp, will it interfere spatially with my iPod interface that is already installed?

3. In the future if I decided to add rear speakers, would that necessitate an amp, or can they be added without? This might determine whether I put an amp in now.

4. Is it possible to add quick detach rear speakers to a detachable tour pack? I haven't bought a tour pack yet, but it's on the list for the future. I personally would like to avoid mounting speakers on/in my saddlebags and tour pack speakers would be the only way I add them to the rear (and truthfully will only need them when riding two up).

Thank you for your help!

 

I can only speak for my experience, which doesn't include any aftermarket HD speaker or amp product. I'm replying to give some ideas on some generic topics, not anything specific to the HD products. I started my stereo upgrades in 2007 by installing two Hogtunes speakers, and that provided a meaningful but not impressive improvement. Their small 32w/ch. amp came next and it added another incremental improvement, but I still had problems with distortion at volume levels too much above the 1/2 point on the head-unit. Next were Hogtunes Tweeter Pods, and these helped channel more highs and midrange closer to ear level.

After the Hogtunes amp died last summer I replaced it with an Elf E2125X (125w/ch. @ 2Ω) and some Biketronics-Hertz Titan 6½" speakers. I picked the Hertz speakers specifically for their reputation and 3Ω output, as wiring them and the Tweeter Pods (6Ω) in parallel gave me the ideal 2Ω final output to maximize the amp's potential. Now this was a big improvement, with no distortion at any reasonable listening level, much fuller frequency response, and some measure of real bass being thrown at me even at highway speeds.

You don't indicate an interest in this, but if you want to throw a bunch of unrelated components together like I did you'll need to be very careful about how well they match, particularly how well the speakers can handle the power and making sure final speaker impedance is within the amp's spec. Don't get me wrong, as you can put together a great outfit for a low price doing it this way, and many of us have done it. However, it most certainly isn't going to be plug-and-play and there will be creative wiring, amp setting adjustments, and other tweaking that will need to be done. You don't need to worry about compatibility with the HK head unit, as almost anything will mate up to it using the stock speaker wires going into the amp's high-level input, that is if it has any. If the amp only has RCA low-level inputs you'll need to send the head unit to Iron Cross Audio for an upgrade or add an adapter. If you do the former be sure to add the rear auxiliary connector for plugging in MP3 players without running the wires to the front of the head unit. This is worth the small cost, IMO.

Don't expect miracles regardless of what you do. You won't get subwoofer-like bass or even the sound of a cheap home theater outfit when you try to use a fairing as a sound box, even when you throw lots of power into even the largest speakers that will fit under the fairing. It just doesn't work, and trying to do it goes against the laws of physics. For example, the wavelength of a 50 hz tone is about 20', which is not a problem when you have walls in a home to reflect the frequencies. But you are asking the system to give you good sound in a non-sealed, outside environment with nothing to reflect the frequencies.

I'm just trying to make it clear that you can get incremental improvements in sound quality by adding decent speakers and a good amp, but you can only go so far. That said, I'm glad I've made these incremental upgrades, as they've really helped the overall sound quality. I also think that a Boom outfit (speakers and amp) will make you happier than you are now, although like many plug-and-play outfits I doubt the bang-for-the-buck value.

I don't know where the iPod interface fits, but I assume the HD Boom amp fits on top the head unit. Mine (Elf) barely fits and there is little room to spare.

I assume the HD Boom is a four-channel amp, as they spec it at 40w/ch. (160w total). They don't say how this is measured, but I assume it is RMS. If so I would say that this is not a big jump in power compared to the rather anemic 20w/ch. output of the head unit, and after using a 32w/ch. unit and now 125w/ch. I would want something that outputs toward the upper-end of this range. Also keep in mind that speaker configuration (impedance) affects amp output. For example my amp specs at 125w/ch @ 2Ω and 75w/ch @ 4Ω.

If you buy a two-channel amp you won't be able to fade the volume front to rear with the stock controls, although you can wire four speakers to a two-channel amp if you keep the impedance within the amp's specs and forgo the fade feature. I personally won't consider rear speakers since I have no interest in using Tour Pak or saddlebag space for sound-system paraphernalia and I don't want to connect and disconnect every time I remove the TP or saddlebags, but that's just my taste and I don't blame anyone for doing it (if done right).

I can't help with this, but there is surely a way to wire it for quick-detach. All you would need is two mated 4-pin waterproof connectors for the speaker wires.

 

I don't know about amps. What I do..

I put stock speakers in the rear, yes they have speaker pods that will mount on the detachable tour pack. Only reason I went with stock is a friend upgraded and gave them to me.

I had to buy a wiring harness for my 11 SG for the speakers, the 12 may be different but I doubt it. The MoCo doesn't miss too many chances to make you open your wallet. All for speakers work fine on the stock stereo with no amp.

An added note...I remember getting the wiring harness home and going to install it and reading in the directions that the stock stereo would have to be flashed by the dealer to get the back speakers to work. WTF? So I figured I'd set it all up and then have them wave their magic wand. Set it all up and it all worked without being flashed. YMMV..just thought you might want to be aware of that ahead of time.

 

Thanks for the advice! I am definitely looking to make an "upgrade" in my sound quality/volume. I am thinking I will be doing it one piece at a time to see if I really need to make any additional upgrades. If the sound clarity improves with just the speakers, great! I don't want to get blood from a stone, I would just like my music to be slightly more clear while I'm riding.

Interesting about the stereo "flash." Sounds like they are trying to scare us all into having the dealership do the work.

 

My thoughts exactly on the flashing the stereo.