J&M Speaker Upgrade on a RTS

[finless]

OK folks my latest upgrade. As always I try to video the procedures as best I can with only 2 hands.

Anyway for those interested in the process here is a video.

Also thanks to the other Spyder Lovers that gave me the tips on taking the fronts out the side of the bike instead of the huge process J&M has in their instructions. HELPED A LOT! THANKS!

I did not think the rear boxes were all that hard! Just took some figuring out. Hopefully my video will explain it well enough so your not frustrated taking those apart.



Enjoy,
Bbb

[Browny]

Installed the speakers today! Sounded great. Easy install after watching. THANKS!!!

[finless]

Installed the speakers today! Sounded great. Easy install after watching. THANKS!!!

Your welcome. Glad the video helped.

Did you decided to remove the foam seals or did you leave them as is?

Bob

[Browny]

Your welcome. Glad the video helped.

Did you decided to remove the foam seals or did you leave them as is?

Bob

I left them in. I'm a Bass player in a band in Va. so I'm used to low notes! Thanks for your help!!

[GrumpySteelMan]

If J&M sent the seals, the intent seems to be to seal the chamber. This improves control and reduces distortion from overexcursion while improving the power handling (in a mechanical sense).

Air movement (sound) from the rear of the speaker can also interfere with the intended sound waves in the front and create perceived attenuation (not as loud) or interference (distortion). That's why there is always a baffle, at a minimum, or a box, on drivers of any size that produce upper midrange to very low frequencies.

Everybody seems "pleased" with these.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

......And you can use it to install JBL - GTO's ( $ 50 per pair ) like I did..........I demoed them at SPYDERQUEST and at MAX volume they are very clear and crisp.........And the people standing near the Spyder could not talk to each other without shouting in order to be heard....This is with the Stock RT 2014 radio...................Best bang for the buck in Stereo upgrade .....Note the music was from an MP-3 player ....not the FM.............................Mikeguyver

[outlawsix]

What are the part numbers for the J&M as well as JBL speakers? Are they both water proof?

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

What are the part numbers for the J&M as well as JBL speakers? Are they both water proof?

......I have no info on the J&M's ......The JBL's are the GTO series 5 1/2 (528) + 4 in./( 428)....now selling at Sonicelectronix for $59.95 per pair ........Had I removed the rear speaker housing on MY 14 RT first .....I would have two pair of the 528's because the OEM rear speakers are actually 4 3/4 inches in Diameter ( I measured them ) so 1/2 inch is easy to squeeze in...IMHO..................The reasons these JBL's work sooooooooooo well is they are 2 OHM and this effectively doubles the output of the head-unit........If you ask the question " WHO AT SPYDERQUEST HEARD BLUEKNIGHT'S speakers and what did you think of them".........Quite a few did and maybe they will chime in...............Not only can they play loud ...it's clean sound ...if it wasn't I wouldn't be telling anyone about them ..............Maybe the J&M's are better or the J&L's I have never heard them .....I do know they are a lot more expensive ....................and as far as waterproof , there is nothing on the speakers that will/can absorb water.....And I've had mine playing in some downpours without any ill effects .........................Good Luck ....Mikeguyver ..........If you want actually hear them PM me for my Phone # and we can arrange a DEMO

[outlawsix]

......I have no info on the J&M's ......The JBL's are the GTO series 5 1/2 (528) + 4 in./( 428)....now selling at Sonicelectronix for $59.95 per pair ........Had I removed the rear speaker housing on MY 14 RT first .....I would have two pair of the 528's because the OEM rear speakers are actually 4 3/4 inches in Diameter ( I measured them ) so 1/2 inch is easy to squeeze in...IMHO..................The reasons these JBL's work sooooooooooo well is they are 2 OHM and this effectively doubles the output of the head-unit........If you ask the question " WHO AT SPYDERQUEST HEARD BLUEKNIGHT'S speakers and what did you think of them".........Quite a few did and maybe they will chime in...............Not only can they play loud ...it's clean sound ...if it wasn't I wouldn't be telling anyone about them ..............Maybe the J&M's are better or the J&L's I have never heard them .....I do know they are a lot more expensive ....................and as far as waterproof , there is nothing on the speakers that will/can absorb water.....And I've had mine playing in some downpours without any ill effects .........................Good Luck ....Mikeguyver ..........If you want actually hear them PM me for my Phone # and we can arrange a DEMO

Well bassed upon what you said i just ordered 2 of the 528's for my pending road trip next week. Suppose to be here by friday so may go ahead and have them installed same day. Is there any foam on the back of the speaker tht i need to remove like on the afore mentioned J&M speakers? Or is it a simple unistall and slap these 528's in the factory holes?

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Well bassed upon what you said i just ordered 2 of the 528's for my pending road trip next week. Suppose to be here by friday so may go ahead and have them installed same day. Is there any foam on the back of the speaker tht i need to remove like on the afore mentioned J&M speakers? Or is it a simple unistall and slap these 528's in the factory holes?

.....As stated , I don't know about the J&M's .........The 528's didn't have foam, I just swapped them ......making sure the polarity was the same for both speakers when I connected them..................PS, DO NOT TRY MAX VOLUME IMMEDIATELY ,,,,they actually need to be broken in so to speak................................and please let us all know how they work out for you ......Mikeguyver .....................................There is a problem with only using one pair of the JBL's ....They are going to sound great at any level of volume the radio/amp can throw at it ..........BUT the rear OEM speakers are going to break up at about 1/2 volume .....Unfortunately there is no easy way that I know of to disconnect the rear speakers,,,,,,unless you can do it from the AUDIO screen mode ???????....Maybe Bob (finless) can chime in on this......or PM Him !!!!!

[M109Dreamer]

Ok, so I have finally installed the GTO's 528 & 428. We took it on a long ride that included a good majority of freeway riding to and feom the main route, approx 100 miles. The wife was very pleased with how much clearer the sound was with the speakers. She said it made it easier to hear the music when traveling 75+ mph on the freeway. This was just using the stock radio and not her mp3 player. I tried to get her to use her mp3 player but she likes to channel surf the radio to much. I would bet the mp3 player would be even cleaner and clearer. Well worth the $40/pair IMO.

Thanks for the help Mike.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Ok, so I have finally installed the GTO's 528 & 428. We took it on a long ride that included a good majority of freeway riding to and feom the main route, approx 100 miles. The wife was very pleased with how much clearer the sound was with the speakers. She said it made it easier to hear the music when traveling 75+ mph on the freeway. This was just using the stock radio and not her mp3 player. I tried to get her to use her mp3 player but she likes to channel surf the radio to much. I would bet the mp3 player would be even cleaner and clearer. Well worth the $40/pair IMO.

Thanks for the help Mike.

You are very welcome , you said She had the Spyder up to 75 MPH . Did she have to go to MAX volume to hear the music or could She have actually made louder ????....The Audiophiles on this site are going to be interested in this info............................Mike

[M109Dreamer]

You are very welcome , you said She had the Spyder up to 75 MPH . Did she have to go to MAX volume to hear the music or could She have actually made louder ????....The Audiophiles on this site are going to be interested in this info............................Mike [emoji106]

No not at max volume at all. She sets the volume when the bike is sitting still at idle and lets it adjust on its own usually. If she needs it louder she just bumps the volume a notch or 2 up. Our speeds on the freeway were between 75-85 mph. She said she didnt have any issues at all hearing the music.

[Bob Denman]

Very interesting...
I'm pretty sure that finless Bob has addressed this, but how tough is this speaker swap for those of us who would consider being "all Thumbs"; an improvement?

[M109Dreamer]

Very interesting... [emoji106]
I'm pretty sure that finless Bob has addressed this, but how tough is this speaker swap for those of us who would consider being "all Thumbs"; an improvement?

The speaker swap is fairly easy. I would suggest to watching the videos on it. I followed the videos suggestions and didnt have an issue. I was going to try and get the 5 1/4" to fit in the rears but when I mentioned to the wife I might have to cut some of the plastic, the look on her face said, "hell Noooooo". So went with the stock 4" size. I'll look for the youtube video I used to swap the speakers out.

Just looked and it was Finless's videos I used.
Watch "J&M Speaker upgrade install on a Spyder RT" on YouTube
J&M Speaker upgrade install on a Spyder RT:

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

The speaker swap is fairly easy. I would suggest to watching the videos on it. I followed the videos suggestions and didnt have an issue. I was going to try and get the 5 1/4" to fit in the rears but when I mentioned to the wife I might have to cut some of the plastic, the look on her face said, "hell Noooooo". So went with the stock 4" size. I'll look for the youtube video I used to swap the speakers out.

Just looked and it was Finless's videos I used.
Watch "J&M Speaker upgrade install on a Spyder RT" on YouTube
J&M Speaker upgrade install on a Spyder RT:

​The how-to video shows J&M speakers ...........But M109Dreamers complimentary post is for the JBL gto speakers ....which are about half the price..........................Mike

[M109Dreamer]

Yep, I got the JBL's for $88 for all 4 speakers off of Ebay.

[Bob Denman]

Thanks for bringing the video up for me!

[M109Dreamer]

Thanks for bringing the video up for me! [emoji106]

No prob. The rears speakers go together like a rubiks cube. Not difficult, just that all the sides latch together.