Questions for those who installed Polk db 651 speakers

[stepbill]

I know that the 651's have a tweeter in the center of the speaker. Do you have to cut the stock tweeter wire and run it to the tweeter of the 651's or does the wiring from the main stock speaker handle this? If so, what did you do with the stock tweeter wire, just tie it off or something?

[Jimmytee]

The stock speaker wires for the tweeter and the woofer of the stock speaker are in parallel. If you are installing coaxial speakers in their place. Just use the wires from the woofer to your new speakers and remove the stock tweeter/ disconnect it and do nothing with those wires. You're done. I didn't install the db series , but that is what you need to do if using the stock amplifier for your db series or any other coax.

[Dirtstiff's F6B]

I just added DXI 651 Polks.
Just plug the oem wires into the speaker, the large spade is positive. Leave the oem tweeters plugged in.
They have no bad effect on sound when combined with the Polks. Adjust treble to the middle and the base wherever you want. Mine sound great and very clear above 15 with the auto volume on high. I honestly hear what I want at 80 with the short Bagger shield on.
Jim

[Dfinkelsteinmd]

I just bought the Polks but can't remember the prior posts on getting access to the speakers? Do I lift off the center ignition switch panel or the entire dash to accomplish this swap? Thanks in advance for the help.

[Jimmytee]

I just bought the Polks but can't remember the prior posts on getting access to the speakers? Do I lift off the center ignition switch panel or the entire dash to accomplish this swap? Thanks in advance for the help.

Not exactly sure what you mean, but the dash panel that includes the speaker grills , and the part that goes around the ignition switch is one piece. Yes it has to come off. There is a plug that has to be unplugged behind the console display and at each tweeter.

[Dfinkelsteinmd]

Thanks, Jimmy. I recall the thread about how tricky that plug can be to open under the ignition area, but am relieved that it is only one piece of Tupperware to remove. It sounds like you have gone to great lengths to improve the sound on your bike so do you know of a small aftermarket amp I can put inline to bring more power to the speakers without having to go deeply into the bike? Could I put it into the center console perhaps by just picking up the outputs from the OEM amp or do I need to go farther back to get pre-amp outputs? Might I even put a small subwoofer into that space to fire straight up (knowing that bass is not so directional) into my face? Thanks again.

[Jimmytee]

Thanks, Jimmy. I recall the thread about how tricky that plug can be to open under the ignition area, but am relieved that it is only one piece of Tupperware to remove. It sounds like you have gone to great lengths to improve the sound on your bike so do you know of a small aftermarket amp I can put inline to bring more power to the speakers without having to go deeply into the bike? Could I put it into the center console perhaps by just picking up the outputs from the OEM amp or do I need to go farther back to get pre-amp outputs? Might I even put a small subwoofer into that space to fire straight up (knowing that bass is not so directional) into my face? Thanks again.

Not sure what kind of sub you'd fit in that area. As far as the amplifer, you would have thought that it wouldn't be such a big deal. Ah...:banghead: It's not really npw that I have done the trial and error. My initial plans were to hook up an amplifier using the speaker outputs from the bike's OEM amplifier. No big deal right? I've done it before in cars and it's been done over and over. All you should need is an amp that has speaker level or "low impedance" inputs right? Well that was my plan. I bought an amp I had read very positive reviews on and watched testing videos on.The amp is a newer company called NVX. Just a note, this amp has proven very worthy so far and am very pleased with it's performance. The amp has both low impedance and high impedance (RCA inputs) . Well I first hooked up using the speaker level inputs and with feeds wired from the OEM speaker connections. Sounded very disappointing. The sound was anemic and sounded distorted the higher I pressed the volume. It sounded like the inputs of the new amp were being overdriven or that the OEM amp just did not like its outputs driving the new amp. Not sure. I went and bought some external adapters that are supposed to be rated to 50 watts and I got the same sound. At this point I ws questioning the quality of the OEM electronics and thinking that maybe this is just the result of amplifying crap. Just louder crap. If I used my phone as a source, voila nirvana. As an experiment, I tapped into the headset harness and ran some RCAs. Boom baby. Thay was night and day. So I could have just used the headset jack and had the sound I wss looking for.It would mean that you would have to keep the headset button engaged though and while I don't use the headset ( I have a scala G9) I just didn't wany to settle. What I did was remove the OEM amp and splice into the harness for the OEM amp to aquire the pre amp signals for my new amp. This required some soldering and heat shrinking and soldering up RCA plugs. It works great. I am using all four channels . Yes the F6B has four channels, but only uses the front 2. I use the rear 2 channels for the sub I have in the saddlebag. I can dial in the amount of sub with the fader controls this way.

So that is a brief synopsis of my experience. Another guy here was communicating with me through email. Smoking Joe. He bought a processor that he says was able to convert/adapt the speaker levels. I don't know. I had thought of trying a higher priced adapter rated at a much higher wattage and see what happens, but my thoughts were a couple of things. 1, I had already wasted money and time on adapters and had some reservations about trying another product with less than successful results. 2, Really, hooking up to the actual pre amp like I did is almost always the best way to go. It's just not the easiest. Anyways, I am very pleased with the outcome.

[stepbill]

Thanks, Jimmy. I recall the thread about how tricky that plug can be to open under the ignition area, but am relieved that it is only one piece of Tupperware to remove. It sounds like you have gone to great lengths to improve the sound on your bike so do you know of a small aftermarket amp I can put inline to bring more power to the speakers without having to go deeply into the bike? Could I put it into the center console perhaps by just picking up the outputs from the OEM amp or do I need to go farther back to get pre-amp outputs? Might I even put a small subwoofer into that space to fire straight up (knowing that bass is not so directional) into my face? Thanks again.

Also, with disconnecting the wire harness behind the meter panel. What I use is a long nosed adjustable type locking pliers to disconnect the wire. I open the nose of the pliers up by turning the screw so it's open about 1/2 inch and then use them to get the plug undone. Only takes a second that way. I used to have the power in my fingers but not any more. This is what I use:
http://www.lowes.com/pd_9739-281-15T_0__?productId=50356296&Ntt=locking+pliers&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dlocking%2Bpliers&facetInfo=.

[stepbill]

Installing my 651's this Saturday. Thanks everyone for the help, especially Jim (Dirtstiff) with the PM and pics!

[ths61]

... What I did was remove the OEM amp and splice into the harness for the OEM amp to acquire the pre amp signals for my new amp. This required some soldering and heat shrinking and soldering up RCA plugs. It works great. I am using all four channels . Yes the F6B has four channels, but only uses the front 2. I use the rear 2 channels for the sub I have in the saddlebag. I can dial in the amount of sub with the fader controls this way.
...

So the F6B amp is a separate outboard box from the head unit ?

Update: Found a European F6B owners manual PDF (includes ABS) on line and see the amp is in the stern of the bike. Might be an aftermarket product opportunity to make a wiring harness bypass pigtail for this application. (Stereo preamp RCAs and 4 channel speaker lines, power and enable lines TBD)

How much room did you have for the new amp (in place of the OEM amp) ?

Did you run larger gauge speaker wires from the new amp (and power lines to new amp)?

TIA

P.S.

Using a preamp inputs and replacing the OEM amp is a great solution. No use powering the OEM amp if it is not being used.

[Jimmytee]

So the F6B amp is a separate outboard box from the head unit ?

Update: Found a European F6B owners manual PDF (includes ABS) on line and see the amp is in the stern of the bike. Might be an aftermarket product opportunity to make a wiring harness bypass pigtail for this application. (Stereo preamp RCAs and 4 channel speaker lines, power and enable lines TBD)

How much room did you have for the new amp (in place of the OEM amp) ?

Did you run larger gauge speaker wires from the new amp (and power lines to new amp)?

TIA

P.S.

Using a preamp inputs and replacing the OEM amp is a great solution. No use powering the OEM amp if it is not being used.

I've checked into the idea of making a harness. The problem is the acquisition of the plugs needed to make such a harness adapter. One resource that has specialized in repair of Gold WIng Audio electronics told me that he had tried to source the plugs. The only way at the time was to buy mass bulk at a very steep price. Basically how I did mine , splicing and soldering into the existing harness , was the only real option. The amp I used did not go in the OEM location. That location is empty now on my bike. The amp would go in well enough, but by the time I added the connections like the RCA jacks etc... it was an awkward fit. Had I had right angle RCAs I may have been more satisfied, but I didn't and lost my patience with it. I installed the amp into a recessed area of the left side saddlebag. It fits well there and takes up no usable space. Of course the micro sub I have in that bag takes up a lot of the bag space, but it can be removed in about 15 seconds if I really want the space. I have the other side empty and I also have luggage for my luggage rack . Been on a couple of weekend trips , no issues.