Newbie question on Harley no bass problem

BigHawg · Post by **BigHawg** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:50 pm

Sorry for the simplistic approach here, but I've installed a Sony CDX-5710 CD/AM/FM player in my 1998 Harley Electra Glide Classic. My problem is that even with good speakers front and rear (Sony 5 1/4" Xplode 100 watts front and Pioneer 4" 120 watts rear), I can't get any bass out of the system. If I turn the bass up too much, I get an unpleasant sound that's not quite bass. The highs sound good, but bass is awful and seemingly distorted.

There seems to be more than enough power as I can crank it up really loud, but not with the bass turned up.

Do I need an amp (I only have a very small area about the size of the radio where I can mount one) or new speakers or do I need to wire it in a different way?

Thanks for any help......

veggie-man · Post by **veggie-man** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:56 pm

Well first of all... a lot of people here aren’t going to be big fans of the Sony xplod speakers. ( http://www.caraudiocentral.net/forums/s ... d.php?t=32 )

Now i assume that you don’t have an amp as of now... which means your speakers are running off the stock radio. This means that even if your speakers are 100000000 watts it still wouldn’t play any louder than a 20 watt speaker because they are not getting the power you need. The power of your stock radio provides is the equivalent of what your stock speakers would get. This is why you need an amp.

We won’t be able to tell you what kind of amp without knows the specs of the speakers if you get us a specs sheet we could give you some suggestions or tell you what you need.

Hope this helped

mikechec9 · Post by **mikechec9** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:06 pm

mmmm electra glides and soft tails. good 'ol days. With absolutely no cabin, I'd be interested in how to go about experiencing any bass on a bike. I take it that you don't have straight pipes, so that helps :)
I have a mag around somewhere of a complete focal install on a bike. I'll try and find it.

Justin from Detroit1 · Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:06 pm

5 1/4" and 4" speakers aren't going to give you bass. They are made for the mid range frequencies and up. You need a sub to get bass.

mikechec9 · Post by **mikechec9** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:15 pm

i'd imagine that you'd run into the power supply problem with an 8" in each saddle bag, but that's how i would go. what i'd shoot for anyway.

High Society · Post by **High Society** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:48 pm

Bass from a bike? Can you even do that? lol, get a car if you want some mad D-bees

OnYrMrk · Post by **OnYrMrk** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:35 am

Hawg, Like some here say, you might need to look into a sub. JL Audio makes a 6w0 6" sub, Focal makes a 5ws 5" sub and both sound phenominal. Very small enclosures you can place one in the side bag or on the top bag for some real sound. Or you can remove the 4" speakers from the rear, and mount the 5" Focals for some good lowend. You will need an amp for these, so you might look into a 50x50w amp with a low-pass filter. And turn off the Loudness or Hyperbass function on the HeadUnit. All it does is amplify the bass at LOW volumes, not at higher volumes. Let the new subs do it for you. good luck in your quest for better sound.

BTW, don't let the younguns here fool you, there are lots of Harley's and Metric cruisers out there that have full stereo systems with amps and subs.

Joe

Bwcad1 · Post by **Bwcad1** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:08 am

wonder what kind of spl system i can do on a bike

sinister audio · Post by **sinister audio** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:11 am

not very good one bill. ive put bass on a golf cart but those have a hell of a battery bank and room which on a bike you have neither. i think a bike should have nothing other than what you really need.

Bwcad1 · Post by **Bwcad1** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:26 am

i know devin there was a bit of sarcasim there lol i cant wait to do a golf cart... i think that would be bad ass.