[drfong]

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HI all. I have a 1990 1500 that I picked up and the stereo is not working very well. The fader knob was broken and found out from the site here that it was aftermarket. Ordered a new one and installed it and now the radio playes where before it did not at all. The current condition is that it only plays in the rear speakers and they sound crapy. It also stops receiving signal off and on only plays static. I did check the conection of the antena under the seat and in the back of the radio, the connections are good. This winter I'm going to do some overall maintainence so I'll have all the covers off. While I'm in there I want to really get the radio working consistantly and sounding good. I understand that without major modification it is not going to be a thumper or amazingling great sounding but I'm not really looking for that. I just want to be able to hear it with decent sound. That all being said I guess I'm looking for recomendations.

First I believe the head unit itself has issues. The loss of signal seems to be a head unit issue as it sometimes happens when you turn it off and then back on. Also it just cuts off after a while like something heats up and it cuts out. If you shut it off for a while then turn it back on it starts working again. I would also like to have an input installed for MP3, etc.

So I gues the first question or recomendation I'm looking for is if anyone knows someone/company that does a good job of going through these and making sure they are in good shape and installing the aux port.



The second question is just looking for recomendations or information on your experience with speakers, amps, keeping the fader or getting rid of it. Pretty much experience on what works well and what doesn't.

Thanks

Gary

 

[satan]

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Sierra Electronicscan get your radio back working as well as install an Aux input for your MP3 ...



Speaker replacements can be had from the automotive after market (personally I went with Polk db401 7db501 speakers.



Amplifiers are a bit dodgy - speakers are tiny so don't even begin to think abou low frequency response, but adding an amp is easy enough (if you research in the "personal watercraft" world, they seem to have a few small & waterproof solutions) -- a small 4-channel 'Pyle' 80W amp works for me (uses Toshiba TA8210AHQ so 4-ch @ 20W -- Pyle rates it at 400W)...

 

[drfong]

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Thanks, I called Seira and they told me a few things to double check and gave me prices that seemed real fair for servicing and installing the AUX port.



Thanks also for the speaker/amp recomend. Any others that have good or bad reviews about the speakers/amps you have tried will be appreciated. I'd like to have everything ordered and ready to go for when I tear into the bike. Then when my head unit gets back it will be ready to go.

Thanks again

 

[satan]

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Only bad reviews on the spkrs and amp I posted come from those riding near me (apparantly, my choice of music sucks).

Not mentioned is the use of foam mounting cups for the front speaker mounting ( speaker mounting baffles) ... These foam baffles seem to really help keep the pressures in the fairing from interacting with the speakers (I'd recomend em for any installation) ... Just remember that you'll never get any sensation of "bass-responce", but the baffels seem to help a little.

 

[drfong]

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Looked up the speakers, etc and looks like 4" and 5". which did you put in front and did the 5's require much modification? Also every pyle 80 amp I can find online seems to be 110volt not 12 car use. Do you have a part number. Also did you use the wiring harness or run seperate speaker wire of better guage?
Thanks

 

[satan]

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I think the amp is PLMRMP3A (or quite similar - fits into the left fairng front so it can easily tie into amp & spkr connections - added an amp-on switched-power to the radio while it was all open...) As posted above, Pyle rates it as a 400W amp, but the outputs are actually 20W/channel.

The mounting hole spacing for the db501s (5" - front) are actually a bit smaller than the OEM speakers - Usually, a little nibble to the speaker's mounting will allow for easy mounting into the 1500's slightly wider hole-spacing.

I think that there should be some good discussion on the speakers and amp solutions on this older thread: http://www.goldwingfacts.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=111867

I'm really not an audiophile and fully knowing that the amp really isn't that hot, I did not replace the speaker wires etc... Rudy here (and others) have gone further with their amp installs (many with very complete threads) -- some of which will be linked to, and referenced from, the thread above.