FASHER wrote:
Greetings all!! So I'm thinking about adding some more sound to my Liner, just wondering if my little amp will do the job or if I'll need to upgrade? Currently, I have:

• Sony MEX-M70BT


• Clarion XC1410


• (4) Kicker 41KSC54 (about to replace these with some Polk DB521)

I want to add a pair of Polk MM691. Will my little amp be able to handle this. I realize I may lose a tad bit of power going to the 5.25's

Couple of things here.

1) "Power" does not necessarily equate to "volume", which is what most people care about when they talk about power. At any given volume, a more powerful amp will likely sound better because it has more clean headroom, but that's a different issue.

When it comes to volume, speaker sensitivity is important. Two speakers could be rated 50W RMS, but at the same input level be dramatically different in volume. A speaker with 98db sensitivity is going to be WAY louder than a speaker with 93db sensitivity, for example. Google "speaker sensitivity" for more info than you would ever want to know about this.

2) Amp/speaker matching.

An audio amplifier can handle just about anything *as long as you are within impedance specifications*.

Run an amp at too low an impedance and you could fry the amp...

so...

Your Clarion XC1410 is rated as follows.

75 Watts x 4 Channel @ 2-Ohms
50 Watts x 4 Channel @ 4-Ohms

That's RMS, not peak.

Your amp is guaranteed stable down to 2 ohms. Drop below that and all bets are off. Amps that are stable below 2 ohms are usually very expensive.

Polk MM691 speakers are 3-ways, rated at 2.97 ohm impedance, and can handle 125W RMS - from a power handling perspective you're OK. 94 db sensitivity.

Polk DB521 handle up to 45 W RMS (slightly below your amps output at 4 ohms, you could blow them if you crank it). 93 db sensitivity, 4 ohm impedance.

You need to find out how your amps' internal guts are wired.

two 2.97 fronts and two 4 ohm rears in parallel present a load of 0.85 ohms. You will likely burn up your amp.

two 2.97 fronts and two 4 ohm rears in series present a load of 15 ohms. You will limit your output power significantly.

I suggest calling Clarion customer service if you can track them down and get an opinion, or speak to an installer at the shop you purchased the amp from, they should be able to point you in the right direction.

In my humble opinion, these don't appear to be a good match - normally a well-designed speaker/amp system will run speakers that are similar in power handling, sensitivity and impedance to avoid mismatches, with an eye to the amp's capabilities being the deciding factor as to which impedance speakers one buys.

Here is my vote.

I had: four polk db651 speakers, two polk db451 speakers and a hog tunes tweeter bar.

I got a set of 6.5" hertz spl shows and the hertz st25 tweeters and those are loider and clearer than all my polks put together. So my vote is better speakers vs. Better amp.

Talk to cheifriceburner here. He is a manager at a high end audio store.

Look at the hertz, arc or jl audio speakers he can hook you up with.

smokescreens wrote:
.

I got a set of 6.5" hertz spl shows and the hertz st25 tweeters and those are loider and clearer than all my polks put together. So my vote is better speakers vs. Better amp.


How weather proof are those...?

Between a bike wash or a rain storm?

MidwestMike wrote:
smokescreens wrote:
.

I got a set of 6.5" hertz spl shows and the hertz st25 tweeters and those are loider and clearer than all my polks put together. So my vote is better speakers vs. Better amp.


How weather proof are those...?

Between a bike wash or a rain storm?

My concern also. I ride in some rain that would drown a fish sometimes. I can tell you that they sound better than any speaker setup I've ever heard on a bike though

MidwestMike wrote:
smokescreens wrote:
.

I got a set of 6.5" hertz spl shows and the hertz st25 tweeters and those are loider and clearer than all my polks put together. So my vote is better speakers vs. Better amp.




How weather proof are those...?

Between a bike wash or a rain storm?

Marine rated so you should be fine. My one buddy had a road glide and those faced upward so they were more a bowl than speaker in the rain. He rode from near my place to chicago in the rain and they never missed a beat.

Carefull though as there are a lot of knock offs out there. Get them from a dealer.