replacement speakers

[dharnie]

the standard speaker is 15 watts. anyone ever upgrade to 20 or 30 watts? if so where get them? (sorry - originally posted amps + I am rebuilding a broken 07 and riding an 01 RSV)

 

need a front speaker grill - right side - any one have an extra?

[Guest tx2sturgis]

You mean 15 watts...yes several members have bought replacement speakers from Crutchfield.com

 

 

 

They can tell you how they like them, I havent tried any yet. The standard stereo in a 2nd gen ( you didnt say what bike you have) is 14 watts per channel, I beleive, which is around 7 per speaker. (it may be 14 watts to each speaker). Either way, its not really enough to drive high power speakers efficiently, so some members have also added amps to the system.

 

 

[MAINEAC]

Polk Audio db401

 

4" 2-way car speakers

Certified for marine use

 

Item #107DB401

IN STOCK

 

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?g=228350&i=107DB401&tp=3384

 

These are what I used.. I bought mine at Circuit City and if you buy 2 pairs the 2nd pair is 1/2 price... These speakers are a BIG Improvement over stock speakers and the Pyles {Autozone Cheapos) I had that lasted about 2 weeks. Go for it these speakers ROCK... Literaly

 

I have only installed them in the front, but I read where someone installed them in the rear and they fit... I gotta get another set for the rear.. The magnets are similar to stock size.. I guess the rear is a tight fit... That's my next project. Good Luck

[dharnie]

The links below on speakers are a great help! since I need some parts for the 07 which I will swap from the 01 and get new Polk 400's or 410's for the 01.

[KiteSquid]

BTW the wattage of a speaker is a rating of how much average power they can use without being dammaged.

 

This is not an indicaion of how much sound comes out for the same input power.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Yes Kite, ...I probably should have said that too...because in fact, if you change out just the speakers, and put in higher wattage 2 way units, the efficiency may actually go down, causing you to have to crank the volume control higher to get the same volume of sound coming at your ears.

 

Speakers are rated at SPL ( sound pressure level) for efficiency, and higher power speakers, with more elements, more mass to move, and better bass, usually have a LOWER SPL level...

 

So..dharnie....like I said, you may have to add an amp to get the results your looking for, depending on what you want. Want better sound? Upgrade the speakers. More volume AND better sound? Upgrade the speakers and add an amp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dharnie]

with the OEM Clarion I got a raspy sound in right front when I turned up the volume so I wanted to replace that one at least. Now with one bad one in the 07 RSV that I am rebuilding, I will use the good one from my 01. I will end up with a good pair for the 07 and one bad pair which will go into the trash. I got the Polk 401 @ circuit City today which will replace the bad pair in my 01 daily rider.

 

After I installed straight fishtails, I really need the extra amps to crank up the volume just so I can hear without blowing out the speakers - that is my goal! To be honest I do not use the radio much but once in a while I listen to talk shows and occasionally some tunes. My lady says she can't hear the tunes in the rear since I put the straight pipes on.

[flb_78]

Headsets would probably fix that.

[hig4s]

The db of sensitivity is the rating that tells you how much sound come out at a given power input.. the ones in the link are 91db,, that is pretty good for a small speaker. A lot of home floor speakers are no better than that. About the best you will find in any 4in speaker is 93db

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?i=108427I&tp=102

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?i=108429I&tp=102

 

both those are 93db but they are more, and not listed as marine, so may or may not take the weather as well.

[MAINEAC]

with the OEM Clarion I got a raspy sound in right front when I turned up the volume so I wanted to replace that one at least. Now with one bad one in the 07 RSV that I am rebuilding, I will use the good one from my 01. I will end up with a good pair for the 07 and one bad pair which will go into the trash. I got the Polk 401 @ circuit City today which will replace the bad pair in my 01 daily rider.

 

After I installed straight fishtails, I really need the extra amps to crank up the volume just so I can hear without blowing out the speakers - that is my goal! To be honest I do not use the radio much but once in a while I listen to talk shows and occasionally some tunes. My lady says she can't hear the tunes in the rear since I put the straight pipes on.

 

You'll love the Polks... What kind of pipes did you get? the 36" straight fishtails?

[dharnie]

Maineac - there is no name on the fishtails but they have the necessary bracket welded on to mount them on the RSV rear bag support/frame rail. They came off an 06 posted on ebay. Good as new. I could see light through them but about 1/2 way in the pipe there is metal piece that blocks about 50% of the passage. After I first put them on I found myself riding to max out the exhaust notes. I've calmed down a bit, even though I blew away a souped up ford mustang from several red lights commuting home from work last night. I couldn't resist doing it! The exhaust rumble running down the highway overcomes that annoying gear whine. I will probably put the stocks back on when we do a long haul a time or 2 this season. Hope to get the Polks on this weekend to see if they override the fishtails enough without blowing them out.

[dharnie]

I paid about $85 from Circuit City for the Polk 401 which are the replacement for the 400.

 

I did get the speakers mounted into the fairing finally yesterday.

 

Once the nuts were off then it was a matter of very gently prying with a very small screw driver & wiggling the speaker grilles which have the bolt heads secured in them.

 

I also drilled the mounting holes out larger because they were just not lining up.

 

The Polk speakers sound great. Before 20 on the volume knob caused 1 OEM speaker to rasp. Now it can be cranked up to 30 and 25 is very adequate. Since I am running fish tails I need the extra volume.

 

Thanks for all the advice posted here!