Amp Help

[BIG--T]

I just ordered a Clarion XC1410 for my Interstate and am not sure how to hook it up. I've never hooked up an amp but know I have to splice into the wires on my radio......but which ones?  It's not waterproof so I guess I'll put it in the fairing  unless there are other options.

Any and all ideas will be much appreciated!!  

[Troystg]

Did you get the answers needed?

[BIG--T]

Did you get the answers needed?

No I sure haven't Troy, you're the only one to respond. 

[Troystg]

Alright, no worries we can get you sorted out in a jiffy..

1. interstate?
2. Any electrical back ground?


And answering from the phone so I can't look up what model valk you have...  Sorry.

Troy

[Troystg]

Read the manual, as I thought it is not a marine rated amp but it is conformal coated so it will be perfectly fine in the front fairing.


The issues to plan around are:

1. Running a 10 ( or 12) GA fused power wire to the fairing..
2. Running a switched 12volt "trigger" wire to the front fairing.
3. Run a small GA signal wire from the rear speakers to the fairing.
4. Run a large(r) speaker cable back to the rear speakers.

I made my rear connections at the bike harness to cabling junction under the right side cover.  I didn't ha e rear speakers from the factory so I bought the rear speaker connector from a parts bike.  If yours has rear speakers installed then you will have to decide if you want to cut the wire or run new ones.  I leave that decision up to you...

PS I went back and saw you had an interstate.

[BIG--T]

Read the manual, as I thought it is not a marine rated amp but it is conformal coated so it will be perfectly fine in the front fairing.


The issues to plan around are:

1. Running a 10 ( or 12) GA fused power wire to the fairing..
2. Running a switched 12volt "trigger" wire to the front fairing.
3. Run a small GA signal wire from the rear speakers to the fairing.
4. Run a large(r) speaker cable back to the rear speakers.

I made my rear connections at the bike harness to cabling junction under the right side cover.  I didn't ha e rear speakers from the factory so I bought the rear speaker connector from a parts bike.  If yours has rear speakers installed then you will have to decide if you want to cut the wire or run new ones.  I leave that decision up to you...

PS I went back and saw you had an interstate.

Yes I have an Interstate and I put in 4- Polk 501s a while back. It was a lot clearer but still can't hear it at speed.   I am hoping I can put it under the seat but it hasn't come in yet to see. What do you mean by "switched 12volt "trigger" wire "? And a "signal" wire? 

Thanks for your help Troy! 

[Troystg]

The newer amps have a "music sense" circuit that turns on the amp when it senses music..  Yours doesn't have that so you will have to run a "turn on" lead to turn on and off the amp.  That is the "trigger lead".

The "signal wire" is what brings the music signal from the radio rear speakers leads to the front fairing.  It will be a "small signal" or "low level" before the amplifier.  Then you will need heavier gauge wires bringing the amplified signal to the rear speakers.


The amp you chose also has a built in hi-pass.  I suggest you set up the amp with it defeated but once you have it setup and working you should turn on the hi-pass to the 60 Hz setting..   The polks won't play much bass at highway speeds open air on a bike anyway...

[BIG--T]

The newer amps have a "music sense" circuit that turns on the amp when it senses music..  Yours doesn't have that so you will have to run a "turn on" lead to turn on and off the amp.  That is the "trigger lead".

The "signal wire" is what brings the music signal from the radio rear speakers leads to the front fairing.  It will be a "small signal" or "low level" before the amplifier.  Then you will need heavier gauge wires bringing the amplified signal to the rear speakers.


The amp you chose also has a built in hi-pass.  I suggest you set up the amp with it defeated but once you have it setup and working you should turn on the hi-pass to the 60 Hz setting..   The polks won't play much bass at highway speeds open air on a bike anyway...

Thanks bro, I'm learning! Lol. Yeah I knew the Polk didn't pump out a lot of bass but they are a gigantic improvement over the tinny oems. At the time I researched the speakers they were the best for the size and cost. 

[BIG--T]

Troystg, What are your thoughts on the  Alpine KTP-445U 4-channel amp? I was trying to choose between the two as they both had great reviews. Which one is better?

[Troystg]

It's not the brand but the size and location that limits usable bass extension..  The Polks are actually very good but there is only so much a 5" can do open air...

I bought the Kenwood but it does not have the built in high pass, jerry bought the soundstream and it was dead out the box...  So Alpine or NVX would be my suggestions...   

[BIG--T]

It's not the brand but the size and location that limits usable bass extension..  The Polks are actually very good but there is only so much a 5" can do open air...

I bought the Kenwood but it does not have the built in high pass, jerry bought the soundstream and it was dead out the box...  So Alpine or NVX would be my suggestions...   

Well too late, the mailman just brought me the Clarion!  .  So do you know if the 501s are low impedance and should I have it set on 90 hz or lower?

[Troystg]

The polks are a normal 4 ohm load.   The 90 Hz high pass has nothing to do with the impedance of the speakers.  To set the levels in the garage I suggest you set it to flat..  You will see just how good they sound and can adjust the fader to your liking.  But once it is setup and you are ready for the road take it on a test run and you will see how the bass disappears with the wind and road noise.  Once you hear it and understand what I mean then if you turn on the 60 Hz high pass and ride again you will hear VERY little difference but it will help out on the current draw from the battery, work load on the amp during hot riding and help the speakers last longer due to less suspension fatigue.


You will use the low sensitivity setting on the amp since you are using the speaker level inputs.

[Troystg]

So the the front speaker feed to the amp can be taken from where the speaker wires connect from the harness to the fairing pods.

You said you had Polks front and rear so I assume you have the speaker plug for the rear speakers under the side cover.  If so the "easy button" way to do it would be to cut the wire on the "back side" (between the connector and the rear speakers) and crimp on some insulated terminals.  then you can use the bike feed and feed forward to the amp and run the amp output back to the speaker wire connectors you put on.  The non-destructive way would be to do the connections right at the rear speakers but that means running longer wires.

So make sure you fuse (no more than twelve inches from the terminal post) the +12vdc power wire from the battery to the amp.   I suggest you also run a ground wire also since I don't know how reliable the frame ground will be going through the pivot point.

The interstate has a 5 amp "auxiliary" switched power wire that you can use for the amp trigger lead.

[BIG--T]

So the the front speaker feed to the amp can be taken from where the speaker wires connect from the harness to the fairing pods.

You said you had Polks front and rear so I assume you have the speaker plug for the rear speakers under the side cover.  If so the "easy button" way to do it would be to cut the wire on the "back side" (between the connector and the rear speakers) and crimp on some insulated terminals.  then you can use the bike feed and feed forward to the amp and run the amp output back to the speaker wire connectors you put on.  The non-destructive way would be to do the connections right at the rear speakers but that means running longer wires.

So make sure you fuse (no more than twelve inches from the terminal post) the +12vdc power wire from the battery to the amp.   I suggest you also run a ground wire also since I don't know how reliable the frame ground will be going through the pivot point.

The interstate has a 5 amp "auxiliary" switched power wire that you can use for the amp trigger lead.

Thanks for all the help Troy and maybe this will all become clearer to me as I'm doing it 

[Troystg]

I was just giving you to basics and points to ponder before hand..   Once you are serious we can get on the phone and I can step you through it.

It's not hard at all...   If you know anything about wiring.   If you don't then good engineering beforehand will save a lot of grief...

[BIG--T]

I was just giving you to basics and points to ponder before hand..   Once you are serious we can get on the phone and I can step you through it.

It's not hard at all...   If you know anything about wiring.   If you don't then good engineering beforehand will save a lot of grief...

Thank you Troy and I truly appreciate you offering your help me but I just about got her whooped!    

[ValkISDan]

Troy
you mentioned you have the Kenwood amp what model is it? I"m considering the Kenwood KAC-M1804 for my Interstate. Thanks for you help.

[Troystg]

Hi,

I do have that one.

My thoughts are it is a good amp for the money but for very little more you can get some big features in another amp.

There are no hi-pass or level adjustments on the Kenwood.   Two huge features that are really useful on a bike with smallish speakers.

If I were to do it over I would either buy the Rockford fosgate or NVX...

But I would reuse the Kenwood in a car where I think it would work perfectly as designed.

[ValkISDan]

So if I find a spot to put a subwoofer will a 4ch amp work?

[Troystg]

A four channel with electronic crossover and level controls would work fine...  That is why I like the NVX..

I put 6.5" subs in my saddle bags...