Looking for some help

officer dave

I am looking for some insight on the Polk Audio MM 521 speakers. Are they as good as claimed and do they give good loud clean sound. Also does anyone know of a dealer in Canada? Or perhaps suggest the best place to get them?

MacLeod

Yes they are excellent speakers. Theyre modeled after the SR line but just dont cost as much.

Not sure of any dealers. Crutchfield does Canada so that would be the only one I could point you to. You could buy directly from Polk but Im not sure if they ship to Canada or not.

officer dave

Thanks alot. Also is sonic electronic a good dealer?

exalted512

I've never had a bad experience with them...don't recall hearing anything bad about them either.
-Cody

Vital

Sonic is 90% hit 10% miss type of site.

Here's my "miss" even thou i did have a lot of "hits' with them

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107266

If you google them up u'll see that there's a a few threads on different forums complaining about them and u always see people saying "they've been good to me"... so hit or miss really.

According to Arc Audio btw Sonic claims to be an authorized Arc dealer and they are not so there's another thing to note. I know for a fact they are not Polk authorized dealer either.

officer dave

Thanks for the input. I don't have a great deal of knoledge in this area. Can anyone advise me as to which may be better for loud clear sound. The Polk MM521 or MM5251? Or perhaps any other suggestions. I am putting speakers in a motorcycle fairing.

Vital

Not familiar with "motocycle fairing" installs but our of what you listed def 5251

travis5018

officer dave wrote: »

Thanks for the input. I don't have a great deal of knoledge in this area. Can anyone advise me as to which may be better for loud clear sound. The Polk MM521 or MM5251? Or perhaps any other suggestions. I am putting speakers in a motorcycle fairing.

Your putting them into your motorcycle fairings for what purpose?

exalted512

People usually put speakers in places to hear sounds come out of them.

Generally speaking that is.
-Cody

travis5018

exalted512 wrote: »

People usually put speakers in places to hear sounds come out of them.

Generally speaking that is.
-Cody

understandable, but motorcycle fairings are usually non sturdy plastic, and the noise levels when actually using the motorcycle make putting any speaker over a dollar pointless. Especially the money for something like the MM series.

So I guess more of my question is, if this is to listen to music when your motorcycle isn't running......why?

Or if it is why do you wanna put speakers in your fairings when you wont be able to hear them.....why?

exalted512

You do realize several models of motorcycles come with radios and speakers from the factory, right?
-Cody

officer dave

The fairing comes with 4 speaker holes for 5.25 inch and is made of hand laid fiberglass and is very sturdy. What is in it is just factory stuff and not that great. Thats why I have been on here asking the pro's what they suggest as I am sure you guys are better educated in this field than I. Have had many people say the Polk MM series are great. I have been looking at the MM521 and the MM5251. I have also been told to check out the ARC Audio series speakers. Any input is very much apperciated.

Jstas

travis5018 wrote: »

understandable, but motorcycle fairings are usually non sturdy plastic, and the noise levels when actually using the motorcycle make putting any speaker over a dollar pointless. Especially the money for something like the MM series.

So I guess more of my question is, if this is to listen to music when your motorcycle isn't running......why?

Or if it is why do you wanna put speakers in your fairings when you wont be able to hear them.....why?

Japanese crotch rockets aren't the only motorcycles that come with fairings.

People do ride motorcycles for the pleasure of a nice, open air cruise instead of blasting down roads like a jackass at extra-legal speeds endangering themselves and everyone around them.

Next time you are at your local motorcycle dealer drooling over the newest Honduh XYZRF9000ZZRRTT whatever it is, wander over to that Goldwing display and take a look at how many speakers are crammed in to the fairing on that bike from the factory.

Jstas

officer dave wrote: »

The fairing comes with 4 speaker holes for 5.25 inch and is made of hand laid fiberglass and is very sturdy. What is in it is just factory stuff and not that great. Thats why I have been on here asking the pro's what they suggest as I am sure you guys are better educated in this field than I. Have had many people say the Polk MM series are great. I have been looking at the MM521 and the MM5251. I have also been told to check out the ARC Audio series speakers. Any input is very much apperciated.

I wouldn't bother with the ARC Audio. Personally, I don't think they are worth the price and in most cases the price is pretty low to begin with. The MM's you are looking at are solid performers in either the component set or the coaxial. Plus, Polk Audio certifies them for marine use so they hold up to the weather which is perfect for a motorcycle install. You never know when you'll get caught in the rain and you don't want to have to worry about hundreds of dollars worth of audio equipment poopin' the bed 'cause it got a little wet.

The MM's are double the price of the ARC Audio stuff you are looking at but you're going to get 5 times the speaker out of that price difference. On top of that, the MM's have a sensitivity rating between 92 and 94 dB where as the ARC Audio offerings are in the 87-89 dB range. That's significant and basically means that the MM's are an easier load for an amplifier to drive. That means you don't need as much power to drive them to an effective listening level. THAT means that you don't need a massive amp where space is at an extreme premium in a motorcycle. You could also run them relatively effectively off of head unit power but I would consider a small amp like this RF Punch P200-2.

http://www.crutchfield.com/s_575P2002P/Rockford-Fosgate-Punch-P200-2.html?tp=35757

It's physically small and with a 50Wx2 rating, adequate to your needs as well.

Vital

exalted512 wrote: »

People usually put speakers in places to hear sounds come out of them.

Generally speaking that is.
-Cody

:biggrin:

travis5018

officer dave wrote: »

The fairing comes with 4 speaker holes for 5.25 inch and is made of hand laid fiberglass and is very sturdy. What is in it is just factory stuff and not that great. Thats why I have been on here asking the pro's what they suggest as I am sure you guys are better educated in this field than I. Have had many people say the Polk MM series are great. I have been looking at the MM521 and the MM5251. I have also been told to check out the ARC Audio series speakers. Any input is very much apperciated.

ah ok makes more sense, in this case I would just stick with something that isn't a split component system, so simply the MM521.

exalted512

Vital wrote: »

:biggrin:

Happy 420! Posts that is.
-Cody