What length USB cable to run from fairing to tour pack?

[Leed]

Well I've been reading this forum too long...  now it's costing me..  LOL

I'm replacing the head unit with an Alpine CDE-HD148BT that has USB in the back and I want to run a USB cable to the tour pack for my iPhone/iPod.  What length cable should I be looking for?  So far I've installed the Infinity 6.5 Kappas in the fairing and that was a great improvement.  I also ordered the plug and play Alpine KTP-445A amp.  I haven't ordered the installation kit yet but will probably go with the BT kit.

One more question, I'd like to install an earphone jack in the fairing for long hauls.  Any suggestions as to how to wire that in?

Thanks for your help

Lee

[lilchief]

When I had my old bike setup like that I had a 10' cable. I  think it jumped from 6' up to 10'.  I just coiled up the excess under the fairing & zip tied it out of the way.

Lil Chief

[UltraNutZ]

exactly what I did and also I noticed that jump from 6 to 10' as well.

[Leed]

10 foot it is.

Thanks guys.

Just found the BT installation kit on sale for $150!  Yeehaw

[lilchief]

Yeah don't use a 6'. By the time you neatly route it back to the t pak, there won't be enough slack in it. This is a case where too much is actually better.

Lil Chief

[PoorUB]

One more question, I'd like to install an earphone jack in the fairing for long hauls.  Any suggestions as to how to wire that in?

Thanks for your help

Lee

Get the wiring diagram for you ride and splice in the common, right and left into the wiring going into the head set socket , assuming you have an Ultra or Limited. you did not mention what motorcycle you have, it would help to know!! No headset connection, no clue!

[Leed]

PoorUB - I replaced the radio with an Alpine so I don't think the head set sockets are connected anymore.  You're right I should have said I have an 09 Ultra EG.

Thanks,

Lee

[UltraNutZ]

when you say earphone jack, what precisely do you mean?

Are you wanting to be able to plug in the stock HD headsets to this radio?

[Leed]

While that would be nice, a standard 3.5mm stereo jack that would work with my EarFuze headset is what I'd like to add.  I do have the adapter to go from the standard Harley plug to 3.5mm jack.

when you say earphone jack, what precisely do you mean?

Are you wanting to be able to plug in the stock HD headsets to this radio?

[UltraNutZ]

i think the issue will be not whether you can get that to work with something like an RCA to 3.5mm adapter plug such as this..





it'll be more so how to switch off the speakers while your headphones are plugged in. 


I've seen a lot and used a couple of units that are 12vdc powered which accept 2 different inputs and auto-sense which is on then uses that input as the output.


I don't recall ever seeing a unit that automatically switched off a speaker output from an amp when a headphone was plugged in

[Leed]

Thanks UltraNutz!  Something like that should work.  I'm not worried about shutting off the speakers.  Listening through earplugs would have the volume down so low you might not even here them.

I just finished up installing the Alpine radio and amp with the BT kit along with running a 10ft long USB cable to the tour pack.  The bike sounds so much better now.  All that's left, for now, is replacing the tour pack speakers with something better.  I'll probably go with Kappas to match the fairing. 
A quick question, will the Kappa 6.5s fit in the tour pack or should I stick with 5.25s?

[UltraNutZ]

if you want something that will take the stock grill, then get you a pair of Kicker CS654.  They are 6.5" and in fact fit perfectly in those 5.25" holes but they are shallow and the tweeter actually sits below the woofer cone so the stock grill will slip right back over the top of them.  Just keep in mind pretty much any speaker you put in the pods, the screw holes aren't going to line up perfectly so you'll need to start one screw with a couple of threads, then start another with a couple of threads, and so forth for all 4 screws and then once they're all started, then tighten them down by hand.  Don't use a cordless drill on these because they simple screw into a rubber hole.

To answer your question, yes the Kappa's will fit in there as well, just won't be able to use stock grills with them.

[rvjam]

What grills do work well with the Kappas in the rear pods ?
I've seen the Boom grills modded to work with them .
Do the Hogtunes grills work ? Any others ?

[UltraNutZ]

the boom grills work, the grills that come with the kappas work, some people like the way the wagon-wheel spoke grills that come with polk speakers, etc.  It's all a matter of preference.  When people are looking for grills that are not of the HD variety, I always point them to their local auto sound shops because they will have a ton of un-used grills for you to pick from.

[Leed]

Excellent! Mucho gracias again.

Forgive my ignorance but would there be any problem having the 2ohm Kappas in front and the 4ohm Kickers in back?  I'm using the small 4 channel Alpine amp KTP-445A (45W rms x 4 at 4ohms).

Thanks again!

if you want something that will take the stock grill, then get you a pair of Kicker CS654.  They are 6.5" and in fact fit perfectly in those 5.25" holes but they are shallow and the tweeter actually sits below the woofer cone so the stock grill will slip right back over the top of them.  Just keep in mind pretty much any speaker you put in the pods, the screw holes aren't going to line up perfectly so you'll need to start one screw with a couple of threads, then start another with a couple of threads, and so forth for all 4 screws and then once they're all started, then tighten them down by hand.  Don't use a cordless drill on these because they simple screw into a rubber hole.

To answer your question, yes the Kappa's will fit in there as well, just won't be able to use stock grills with them.

[UltraNutZ]

you always want to try and match your components but as long as you stay within the parameters of the powering device (whether that be radio power or an amplifier) then you're good.  At a technical level, 4 ohm speakers will always be a better speaker to use in an audio system but in order to do that, you need to use an amplifier that's capable of driving those speakers efficiently which means more power and more $.

If you connect your amp and radio on a test bench then connect a 2 ohm speaker to the left channel and a 4 ohm speaker of equal quality on the right channel, the right channel will play at a slightly lower volume than the left

If it were my setup, I would use 2 ohm back there as well because of the power of the amp you're using and also to balance out your sound. 

[Leed]

Cool!  That's what I'll do.

Now if I can just stay out of the mechanical mods forums maybe I can save some money...  LOL
Although a set of Andrews 48s or SE255s and a tune....  ahhhh.

[UltraNutZ]

there are lots of people on this forum that can help you part with your money, no doubt.   

[Leed]

LOL...  That's what I've observed too.

I do want to thank you for moderating this forum.  I've learned a lot and while my system is small compared to some it works for what I wanted to achieve...  for now anyway.