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Thread: Radio Quality

  1. #1
    Active Member JCWeatherman's Avatar
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    Default Radio Quality

    Hi to All,
    I am new to Spyders. Two weeks ago I bought a 2013 ST Limited with 186 miles on it from a dealer in Lancaster County, PA. I love the bike, and I have put about 500 miles on it. My only complaint is about the radio. It is functional; I can scan for stations; I can store presets. The problem is the sound quality.

    Even when the ST isn't running, the radio sounds like crap.
    • Is this common?
    • Is this what I should expect from it?
    • Is there any way to improve the sound quality?


    Thanks for your help,
    John

  2. #2
    Registered Users RBS66's Avatar
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    Welcome and hello from Morgantown PA. I have an RT and I use an IPod mostly. It sounds good. The radio is NOT as clear.
    2013 RT SE5
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    Very Active Member Trbayth's Avatar
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    Sound quality, especially for music, is not the greatest. You're better off picking up an older iPod off eBay and using the iPod cable. You want one with the older 30 pin connector, not the newer Lightning cable. There are adapters but it works better if you don't need an adapter.
    Trb-- (Roger)

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    Very Active Member Buggy's Avatar
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    I find the sound quality good for the context of what it is. A noisy environment, wind, engine noise and traffic make truly high end sound unattainable imho. I can here it loud and clear at highway speeds. If I want a high fidelity experience I will listen to my home rig. The speakers being a mechanical device require a break in period. The more you play them the better the will sound.

    Cheers
    2016 RT Ltd. , Pearl White

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    Very Active Member Orange Spyder Man's Avatar
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    I had a 2006 GoldWing... the audio was great... a riding buddy had a 2009 HD Ultra... audio system was great... the 2014 Spyder I presently own the audio sucks... evidently BRP shopped the cheapest audio systems and same for their OEM tires... oh I almost forgot ... the horn sounds like a bicycle horn

    osm

  6. #6
    Very Active Member BLUEKNIGHT911's Avatar
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    Default AUDIO

    Quote Originally Posted by Orange Spyder Man View Post
    I had a 2006 GoldWing... the audio was great... a riding buddy had a 2009 HD Ultra... audio system was great... the 2014 Spyder I presently own the audio sucks... evidently BRP shopped the cheapest audio systems and same for their OEM tires... oh I almost forgot ... the horn sounds like a bicycle horn

    osm
    Not the entire thing .................just the speakers !!!!...............( and I fixed mine )..............Mike
    Last edited by BLUEKNIGHT911; 08-29-2015 at 02:15 PM.

  7. #7
    Very Active Member Pennyrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JCWeatherman View Post
    Hi to All,
    I am new to Spyders. Two weeks ago I bought a 2013 ST Limited with 186 miles on it from a dealer in Lancaster County, PA. I love the bike, and I have put about 500 miles on it. My only complaint is about the radio. It is functional; I can scan for stations; I can store presets. The problem is the sound quality.

    Even when the ST isn't running, the radio sounds like crap.
    • Is this common?
    • Is this what I should expect from it?
    • Is there any way to improve the sound quality?


    Thanks for your help,
    John

    Playing with the bass and treble helps find a better sound. I find that in the six to seven range the sound improves but not for the radio that I never have been able to make sound right. I use my I Phone 6 or my I Pod classic for music when traveling.

    The external speakers suck!!! Running the Spyder system through a Sena Dongle into my Sena SPH10 headset gives me great stereo sound but it is still not as great as my old Gold Wing's system.
    Penny and Rick have owned many motorcycles starting in 1974 with Honda’s, then to Suzukis, Gold Wings and ultimately Spyders.
    ‘74 Honda 360T (pair); ‘78 Suzuki GS 1000 (pair); ‘’82 Honda Aspencade; ‘84 Honda 400; ‘87 Yamaha 1100; ‘99 Honda Valkyrie; ‘01 Suzuki Burgman(triked); ‘02 Honda GL 1800(triked); ‘10 Spyder RTSE; ‘11 Spyder RTSM; ‘12 Spyder RTSL (pair); ‘20 Spyder RTL (current)


  8. #8
    Active Member JCWeatherman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RBS66 View Post
    Welcome and hello from Morgantown PA. I have an RT and I use an IPod mostly. It sounds good. The radio is NOT as clear.
    I'm right down Rt. 10. See you on the road! I'll give the iPod a try.

  9. #9
    Active Member JCWeatherman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Trbayth View Post
    Sound quality, especially for music, is not the greatest. You're better off picking up an older iPod off eBay and using the iPod cable. You want one with the older 30 pin connector, not the newer Lightning cable. There are adapters but it works better if you don't need an adapter.
    Thank for the advise. I'll ask my children which iPod I should buy.

  10. #10
    Active Member JCWeatherman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buggy View Post
    I find the sound quality good for the context of what it is. A noisy environment, wind, engine noise and traffic make truly high end sound unattainable imho. I can here it loud and clear at highway speeds. If I want a high fidelity experience I will listen to my home rig. The speakers being a mechanical device require a break in period. The more you play them the better the will sound.

    Cheers
    The problem is that it doesn't even sound good when the ST is in my driveway and the engine is off!

  11. #11
    Active Member JCWeatherman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Double Trouble View Post
    Playing with the bass and treble helps find a better sound. I find that in the six to seven range the sound improves but not for the radio that I never have been able to make sound right. I use my I Phone 6 or my I Pod classic for music when traveling.

    The external speakers suck!!! Running the Spyder system through a Sena Dongle into my Sena SPH10 headset gives me great stereo sound but it is still not as great as my old Gold Wing's system.
    I've tried tweeking the tone controls. Come Spring I'll be looking for Bluetooth headsets. They should make a difference, plus, my wife and I can talk while we ride.

  12. #12
    Active Member JCWeatherman's Avatar
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    Default Replace Speakers?

    Has anybody tried replacing the speakers? If so, what should I use?

  13. #13
    Very Active Member BLUEKNIGHT911's Avatar
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    Default SPEAKER REPLACEMENT

    Quote Originally Posted by JCWeatherman View Post
    Has anybody tried replacing the speakers? If so, what should I use?
    If you are going to SPYDERQUEST .....I have a pair that will make you smile .......Mike

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    Default Ryding a jukebox

    Fyi I use ipod 90% of time but my stock speakers work fine I do laps @ mall & stores during Christmas playing charlie brown holiday songs! Its a hoot& brings smiles to young & old . Worst is when I go to wheather radio lots of background static but can still hear broadcast info. (Thankfully dont need much)
    2013 STL , Stock Stock Black currant

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    Active Member james199's Avatar
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    I picked up a 2013 sts at a Great Deal and now my wife wants a radio .. any idea where I can get one or would it be better to install a cycle sound systen and use a ipod or phone

  16. #16
    Active Member Windjamer's Avatar
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    Default 2016 F3 limited issue with the FM radio mode

    Just got the bike new and preset the first station to FM 89.5. Now when I try to scan for another station it loops from station 70 up to 89.5 and starts all over.
    It never scans past 89.5...Help

  17. #17
    Very Active Member ARtraveler's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Orange Spyder Man View Post
    I had a 2006 GoldWing... the audio was great... a riding buddy had a 2009 HD Ultra... audio system was great... the 2014 Spyder I presently own the audio sucks... evidently BRP shopped the cheapest audio systems and same for their OEM tires... oh I almost forgot ... the horn sounds like a bicycle horn

    osm
    And...I will add a "meep, meep" to that.
    Last edited by ARtraveler; 02-22-2017 at 06:33 PM.

    Currently Owned: 2019 F3 Limited, 2020 F3 Limited: SOLD BOTH LIMITEDS in October of 2023.

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    MY FINAL TALLY: 7 Spyders, 15 years, 205,500 miles

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  18. #18
    Very Active Member ARtraveler's Avatar
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    The radio has been "junk" from the get go. My first was on the 2010. In Alaska, good luck on getting a station with good reception--unless you are either in the Anchorage or Fairbanks metro areas. Thirty miles out of town--and you get mostly nothing. I did not buy the for the radio, so have learned to live without it.

    Linda and I communicate bike to bike so we keep up the chatter, but it is not our favorite radio station.

    Currently Owned: 2019 F3 Limited, 2020 F3 Limited: SOLD BOTH LIMITEDS in October of 2023.

    Previously : 2008 GS-SM5 (silver), 2009 RS-SE5 (red), 2010 RT-S Premier Editon #474 (black) 2011 RT A&C SE5 (magnesium) 2014 RTS-SE6 (yellow)

    MY FINAL TALLY: 7 Spyders, 15 years, 205,500 miles

    IT HAS BEEN A LONG, WONDERFUL, AND FUN RIDE.
    2020 F3L , Magma Red

  19. #19
    Very Active Member oldguyinTX's Avatar
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    Mike (BLUEKNIGHT911) has the right idea. The radio in and of itself is not that bad, but the speakers are absolute junk. I never use them, I always listen to an iPod, Google play, and yes, sometimes the radio through earbuds in my helmet.
    "A Wise Man Once Said, I Should Ask My Wife."
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    Check antenna connections and I've had Satellite radio because local radio has gotten worse.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    2021 F3 Ltd , Magna Red

  21. #21
    Very Active Member BLUEKNIGHT911's Avatar
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    Default RADIO VS SPEAKERS VS ANTENNEA

    [QUOTE=akspyderman;1228294]The radio has been "junk" from the get go. My first was on the 2010. In Alaska, good luck on getting a station with good reception--unless you are either in the Anchorage or Fairbanks metro areas. Thirty miles out of town--and you get mostly nothing. I did not buy the for the radio, so have learned to live without it.

    Linda and I communicate bike to bike so we keep up the chatter, but it is not our favorite radio station. [/QUOTE The term " RADIO " is a blanket word and covers many components...... I think the HEAD- UNIT ( radio ) is actually adequate, not outstanding but fine for what we can expect...... the speakers are Mediocre ( I switched to 2 ohm JBL's front & rear & am very happy now ) ....... also the antennae is useless under most circumstances ( I now have an Auto retractable type & it's much better ) . I have heard the " RADIO " on the new F-3 Ltd. and was very impressed with the speakers ...... I think BRP is using something other than what is in the RT's ..... The HEAD-UNIT won't make crappy speakers sound any better ............. Mike

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    Very Active Member AY4B's Avatar
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    The radio is crap! My F150 pickup picks up many stations crystal clear. My St limited will not pick up 1 station. I can go to the channel search and it can not find a station. I can use my bluetooth to pick up Spotify off my phone and it comes in crystal clear. I tried the new antenna that Lamonster is selling and it did not help.
    2017 F3 Limited
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    Default only one radio glitch

    my 2015 rt-s has a wonderful system other than when I plug a usb adaptor into the power plug in the trunk to charge my phone then the radio doesn't work at all other than a lot of noise I have my shop looking into it its still in storage unfortunately when I do get it back I'm going to install my sat radio no more problems I hope

  24. #24
    Active Member Windjamer's Avatar
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    Default FM Radio Scan

    Just bought a new F3 limited. It was delivered to me with the audio "region" in the preferences set for JAPAN. It would only scan frequencies from 70mz to 85mz. I was perplexed until I discovered the preference and set it to USA










    z

  25. #25
    Active Member JCGammack's Avatar
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    Default If you want a concert hall...

    I have a 2014 ST-Limited that came with a radio as part of the package. A radio was not near the top of my list of features that I felt was important to be part of the motorcycle experience. I live in a rural area where towns of population of 2000 are considered large. (My town has a pop. of 50). So cursing around at city street speeds never happens for very long. At highway speeds I prefer the bike to entertain me and not the radio. So the radio is the least used feature used on my bike. If you want the sound of a concert hall go and buy/ride a concert hall. Please please pay more attention to your surrounding, both scenery and circumstances. There is more to learn in the world that listening to stuff you already know, but you have to pay attention to fine it.
    Chris Gammack
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